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smelled like sex and cheap bath soap, but it was the smell of Dustin
that drove him to madness. Mitch had thought that Dustin had
forgiven him for the mistake he d made. Honestly, he wasn t trying to
ruin anything. It was just that he was exceptionally strong and
Dustin s clothing had been almost tragically cheap. Mitch had done
his best to repair the damage for now. When they got back to Twin
Pines, Mitch was planning on taking Dustin shopping for underwear
and a new pair of jeans. But maybe Dustin didn t believe him. Maybe
Dustin had been hurt just one time too many. Maybe Dustin was
going to hurt him first before Mitch could hurt him worse.
Or maybe I need to find him and ask him what the fuck? Mitch
liked that idea a whole lot, but his gut was telling him that Dustin
wasn t hiding in the bus or in one of the other rooms. He was gone.
Wide Receiver 73
Mitch knew it as certainly as he knew his own name.
While he was sitting there, contemplating the meaning behind
Dustin s disappearance and the ruined clothing, Mitch heard a group
of guys walk by. They were boisterous and filled with the excitement
that always seemed to strike the night before a game. When Mitch
realized they were walking away from the motel and not toward it, he
decided to join them. If Dustin didn t want him, Mitch wasn t going
to sit around being a sad sack for someone who didn t give a crap.
In less than a minute, Mitch was dressed and out the door. The
group of guys was just crossing Main Street when he caught up to
them.
Mitch, my man! Derek Simmons gave him a hearty sideways
hug. Decided to join us for the late-night meal?
Is that the plan?
Yep. Derek let off him to pounce on his boyfriend, Brandon
Sanders, who playfully ducked, and then Brandon leapt on Derek s
back. Bouncing him into a more comfortable position, almost like a
backpack, Derek added, There were too many guys earlier, so some
of us decided to wait.
Was that why we waited? Brandon considered then climbed
down off Derek s back. I thought it was because some of us had to
take showers after the bus ride?
There was a loud chorus of woo from all the guys in the group,
and Mitch realized he and Dustin weren t the only ones who had
hooked up on the bus. No wonder no one was paying attention to
them. They were all busy getting their own freak on. The thought
made him grin until he remembered Dustin had abandoned him
without a word of explanation.
Where are we headed? Mitch shoved his hands deeper into his
coat. The night was perfectly clear and almost painfully cold. That, in
turn, made him wonder where Dustin was and if he was warm. That
thin jacket of his wouldn t protect him in this Mitch forcefully cut
himself off from worrying about Dustin. His health wasn t his
74 Anitra Lynn McLeod
problem. Ah, who was he kidding? Mitch had never been good at
hardening his heart.
We re gonna hit the pizza place.
Sounds good. Mitch joined right in on the conversation about
the ass kicking they intended to deliver on the gridiron tomorrow.
There was nothing Mitch enjoyed more than trash talking the other
team to build up his team s spirit. Tonight, it served the dual purpose
of pumping them up and allowing him to blot out Dustin from his
mind.
The pizza place was warm, mostly empty of people, but filled with
the smell of hot cheese and cold beer. As a group, they snagged the
enormous corner booth, ordered four different pies and three pitchers
of beer.
By his third beer, Mitch realized he was quite literally trying to
drown his sorrows. As much as he wanted to forget Dustin, he wanted
to be in prime shape for his team tomorrow, so he forwent anymore
beer. Like all the guys, he ate his share of pizza, and then they ordered
brownies, which were possibly the best brownies Mitch had ever had.
Feeling almost too full, they paid their tab, left a generous tip, then
walked back to the motel. As Mitch passed Dustin s room, his heart
gave a little pull, but he knew he wasn t in there. The room key had
been left on the desk, and that s right where Mitch had left it, too.
Mitch went to his assigned room, slipped into some sweats, tossed
himself into bed, and proceeded to stare at the ceiling for a good hour
before sleep finally came and pulled him in.
* * * *
They were awakened by Dylan Peterson banging on the door and
telling them to get their shit together and get in the bus within twenty
minutes.
Everyone was on the bus in time.
First they went and had breakfast, and then they piled back on the
Wide Receiver 75
bus to drive over to the school where they filed out and suited up.
While they ate breakfast, Danny Jones, the equipment manager,
was already at the school unloading their gear. Basically, all Mitch
and his teammates had to do was show up, get dressed, and go. Danny
ran their gear so slick he made their lives easy.
And thinking of Danny sparked another memory. That curious
way Danny had peeked around the seat edge to smile at Mitch
replayed in his mind. What was that secretive little grin of Danny s all
about? Had he known Mitch and Dustin were fooling around? How
could he when he was almost in the center of the seats? Moreover,
why in the world would Danny care one way or the other? The
curiosity gnawed at Mitch and gave his brain something to focus on
other than Dustin.
Mitch had lucked out and suffered no ill effects from his slight
overconsumption the night before. His heart still hurt, his emotions
were a jumble, but his body was ready. All he had to do was get his
head in the game. That usually happened automatically when he was
decked in his gear and saw the opposing team. Just the thought of
taking his aggressions out on the Lone Pine Wolves put him in a fine
mood.
Damn, dude, you look ready to kill! Kyle Water clapped him on
the back. Everyone called him Water because the man did run deep at
times.
I am! As Mitch got on the bus, his gaze went to the backseat,
and he quickly looked away. Mitch sat down next to Water, who
seemed as in need of distraction as Mitch did, so they yakked it up all
the way to the school and all while they were gearing up in the locker
room.
Whoa, dude. Water looked down, and Mitch followed his gaze.
Oh, yeah, that. A simultaneous burst of pride and sadness made
Mitch unsure how he actually felt.
Yeah, that. Water leaned near. Who the fuck wrote on your
dick?
76 Anitra Lynn McLeod
It was a joke that got a little out of hand.
Water laughed. What does it say?
Property of Dustin Brooks.
Who is that? Kyle glanced around the locker room.
He isn t a member of the team.
Oh. Obviously sensing Mitch s reluctance to talk, Water backed
off. The man did run deep, but he also ran wise. He wasn t going to
push Mitch anywhere he clearly didn t want to go. Water wanted his [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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