Today's snippet is from the re-released third edition of Horizons. It's gone through extensive edits and has a shiny new cover. You can read it for free with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription or purchase it HERE.
Snippet
A boneless Jody rested next to me in his bed. “I’m getting better and better at this, aren’t I?”
“You’re a good student,” Jody slurred, barely able to keep his eyes open. “I think you’ve just graduated Blow Job 101.”
“You’re fucking drunk.”
“I know. Sorry, Kit.”
I wondered what had set him off. Jody was always in control, and it never occurred to me that a day on the job could affect him so badly. There must have been one hell of an accident to cause this much grief.
A moment later, he fell asleep, snoring softly. I went outside, too wound up from all the excitement to go to sleep. Seeing my passing grade was as good as hearing I’d been chosen to win the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. It was better, actually, since I’d accomplished something much harder than playing football.
I turned on the TV and threw myself on the couch. It was the usual late-night crap, and I surfed the channels, trying to find something good, finally settling on a talk show.
A couple of the actors who had starred in the cable show about gay guys were being interviewed. I listened with half an ear, speculating on their orientation. I also wondered how long I was going to keep up with my charade.
I was crazy in love and hoped the feelings were reciprocated, but since neither one of us was willing to make the verbal commitment, I was guessing we were on the same page. Which brought me back to square one. What do I do about it? It was getting harder and harder to leave him at night or early in the morning to go back to my place. Eventually, we would have to talk about me moving or something.
How long could I keep on pretending we were only friends? If Nikki suspected, so would my family, and eventually the team would get wind of this, and I’d have to confront them, make some kind of decision. Was I willing to jeopardize my entire future? See the look of disappointment in my dad’s eyes when I announced I was gay? He’d probably never talk to me again, and I could only imagine what the press would make of this. I knew there were gay football players, but none of them were actively playing in the NFL. It was an unspoken rule, an ugly secret no one was willing to share. Would I have the guts to buck the system?
Christmas was a week away. I couldn’t bear the thought of Jody being gone for ten days. He’d asked me to come with him and meet his family in Chicago. At first, I’d balked at the idea, but now, I realized it might be a good thing. I would be far away from the constant pressure in a part of the country I’d never seen before. It was already snowing out there, which was inducement enough. Having a white Christmas had always seemed like a fairy tale to me, something in picture books I’d never experienced.
I decided to take him up on the offer. I’d go to Folsom in the next couple days, bring everyone their presents, and make my excuses to the family. It would be the first time I’d ever been away at Christmas, but Jody was my priority. I had to be with him.
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