OffsideChanceFormat2 (18 page)

“Jesus,”
Will growled and leaned back against the seat. “This is going to be one hell of
a long night isn’t it?”

“Probably.
You keep yours in one corner and I’ll keep mine in another. Maybe there’ll be no
Brody bloodshed tonight.” Tracy patted Levi’s knee while he winked at Will.

“Deal.”
Will grunted when Jude elbowed him again.

“Cut
it out, Judy, or I will tie your fucking hands behind your back.”

“Promises,
promises,” Jude said with a smile that rivaled one of Levi’s in full on Livy
mode, his voice husky almost seductive. He licked his lower lip, which looked
almost as full and pouty as his brother’s in the light of the limo, and winked
as well. Unlike Tracy’s wink, Jude’s had his tongue paralyzed. No that was his
brain.

Levi
had the grace to choke on the glass of champagne he’d retrieved from the small
bar.

Tracy
looked stunned, which was exactly how Will felt… stunned… except Little Will
was standing up tall and begging for more.

“Jude:
one. Neanderthal: zero. Now, where is that champagne?” Jude shrugged himself
out of his jacket, his elbow once again connecting with something of Will’s.

This
time it wasn’t a rib.

“Make
that Jude: two.”

Chapter Eleven

The
limo dropped them off at the entrance to the club Levi had chosen to host the
party. Will had never actually been in this part of town and didn’t know this
place existed. The outside of the building was as unassuming as any of the
others around—red brick with the prerequisite iron lace verandas.

Inside,
there was a fusion of Art Deco and modern technology. The place looked like a
titty bar. It was nicer than some of the titty bars Will had frequented down on
Bourbon but it was still a titty bar, the stripper pole on the stage bearing
testimony to that.

Tonight
the main room was decorated for a black tie event, complete with candlelit
black and gold draped tables and hundreds of people dressed to the nines
mingling around while servers dressed in black slacks and white vests
circulated with silver platters of champagne.

Will
stood with their small party trying to acclimate his eye sight to the dimmer
than expected ambiance. Levi standing beside him actually seemed stunned. As
did Tracy and Jude. While they paused to get their bearings… because even Will
didn’t know where he was supposed to be… Bowen Murphy stepped up to the
microphone on the end of the runway style stage that dominated the front of the
large room. “Ladies and gentle giants, the man of the evening,” he said into
the microphone as a spotlight hit Levi, pinning him in place. Will had to smile
at the deer in headlights look that Levi wore.

His
smile stretching from ear to ear, Bo laughed into the microphone. “He said I
couldn’t surprise him. Well, buddy, surprise!” Bo said then cleared his throat
before turning his attention on the gathered crowd. “I’d like to welcome all of
you to the official New Orleans Football Organization sendoff of the best damn
quarterback to ever play the game, Levi Brody.”

His
eyes as round as saucers, Levi mouthed the words
what the fuck
? Tracy elbowed Will in the side and leaned in. “Did
you know about this?”

“I
helped plan this. While Levi was planning the Super Bowl blow out to end all
blow outs, Bo and I decided he needed a proper retirement party.” Will could
feel Jude’s
gaze
on him. He couldn’t read his face,
but the set of his lips said he wasn’t thrilled.

“Shall
we?” A familiar voice slipped up behind him, Dylan Sunday cupped his and Levi’s
elbows. “The VIP table is this way.”

Sensing
that Jude was about two seconds away from finding the nearest exit and calling
a cab, Will reached over and caught Jude by the elbow before he could disappear
into the crowd. Tracy took Levi’s other arm and somehow between the three of
them, Will, Tracy and Dylan all but shoved the Brody brothers towards the VIP
table at front of the room as their various teammates, staff, and friends stood
clapping and whistling.

“Are
you jealous?” Will took a moment to ask Jude while Levi was distracted. The
tension emanating from Jude was so strong Will could practically smell it.

“Why
would I be? He deserves every bit of this,” Jude answered, his words short and
clipped.

“Then
why are you…” He didn’t finish the question as Jude turned to him, his eyes
glistening with what looked to Will like unshed tears. Will had never once seen
Jude look so vulnerable. “Oh,” he whispered, trying to hide his surprise.
“Okay, it’s… never mind, Jude.”

By
this time they’d reached the VIP table located right in front of the runway,
where Dale Shannon, the offensive coordinator and his wife stood waiting for
them. A couple of other teammates and coaches swarmed around Levi and Tracy. In
the confusion, Will angled Jude into the seat beside the one meant for Levi and
waited while Bo held his hands up to silence the crowd.

 
In typical Bo style he forgot why he was up on
the stage and threw away the script they’d worked on for the night. Will didn’t
mind, he was never one for formal affairs but his original idea of a casual get
together over cake and burgers had been vetoed by Bo and the rest of the
offensive line.

“I
love the look on his face right now. He’s shocked. We got you, Five. Slayer
said you’d figure it out, but you didn’t!” Bo took a moment to gloat—his eyes
were shining with tears almost as much as Jude’s, and if Will were pressed,
maybe even more than his own. Levi pressed a hand to his mouth and looked
around almost sightlessly while Bo continued. “And Slayer, you owe me a hundred
bucks buddy. Okay, while I have your attention there is something I’d like to
say, and then we’ll get down to the food and cake and liquor and, later, the
football of course. Y’all just take a seat, this might take a few minutes.”

Will
pulled out Jude’s chair and his own and sat down, Dale Shannon on his other
side reached around him to shake Jude’s hand

 
But Bo was speaking again. “Not you, Levi.” He
beckoned him with his finger. “I’m pretty sure you know your way around one of
these stages.”

“Bite
me, ‘Cephus,” Levi cried, finally having found his voice.

“Maybe
later, baby. Now get your ass up here.” Bo didn’t wait for him. “I thought we
had years before any of us would be here. I thought we had so much more time.
But we didn’t. Levi Brody, God, I loved playing football with you. You made the
game fun. No matter how tough it got. No matter how badly we were losing, you
kept your cool, your sense of humor, and your mean-as-hell, take-no-shit
attitude. We played some beautiful football together. For six years, you were
my captain, my leader, my friend. We started here together as strangers. We
finished as…” Bo paused, his voice breaking.

“I
love you. I just want you to know that. You were there for me when I needed it
the most. You pulled me through the darkest times in my life. You kicked my
ass. You saved my ass. And I love you with all of my heart. You’re the best
damn quarterback I’ve ever had the privilege and the pleasure to play for.
There will never be another player to take your place. Your cleats will never
be filled. I don’t know if I speak for the rest of us. But goddamn it, Levi, I
miss the fuck out of you. So on behalf of the team, we wanted you to know what
you mean to us, and tonight we’ve got a little retirement present for you.”

A
gold wrapped box with a huge black bow appeared at the side of the stage, and
Bo grabbed Levi’s arm when he looked as if he were about to find a quick exit
off the stage.

He
accepted the box with the grace of a wide receiver when it nearly crashed to
the floor. “Since when are you shy?” Bo admonished as he caught the box.

 
“Since I’m being ambushed with big speeches
and bright lights and… that’s too big to be a gold watch.” Levi’s voice carried
over the hushed audience, and Will saw him brush at his cheek with a thumb.

“Don’t
smudge your
guyliner
, Five.” Bo handed over the box.
“We thought about it for a long time. What would be a fitting retirement
present for our resident Diva? And this is what we came up with.”

Levi
looked as if he were torn between running and hiding or ripping the wrapping
off like it was Christmas day. He chose the latter option. The bow went fast,
the paper even faster.

“Oh,
honey, you know me so well!” he gushed as he pulled out a black and gold
feather boa. Bo took it from him, and with a huge smile, wrapped it around
Levi’s neck. Before Levi could say another word, Bo pulled him close, tilted
his chin up and kissed him. Right there in front of everyone. Will couldn’t be
sure, but he swore he saw tongue.

“Oh,
fuck, Bo.” This time Will saw the glimmer of tears as Levi tried to play off
the kiss. “I don’t need Dylan after my ass.”

“Don’t
worry, Brody, I won’t try to kill you… this time,” Sunday called out from his
seat on the other side of Tracy.

“That’s
mighty nice of you, Sunday,” Levi gave a small nervous laugh. He petted the
feathers of the boa with shaking fingers.

“I,
uh, don’t know what to say. I, uh, was expecting to come down here and find a
bunch of football players. We were going to have some drinks. Watch the game.
Enjoy the after game entertainment… uh, yeah, so if you weren’t aware this
place is kind of a strip club and what the plans are for later… well, you have
been warned! Anyway. This is… nice. Thank you. I am officially retired. My
contract expired at the end of this season and even if I wanted to come back… it
would feel wrong to play for anyone but New Orleans. I might not have started
out here, but I finished here. And with the best players in the league behind
me, we did the impossible. Two Super Bowl rings. Two championship seasons, back
to back. To those we lost and those who are still here working to bring the
team back to that…” he paused again, his voice breaking on a sob.

“I
am so grateful to have known you all, and to have worked with you all. To have
called you all ‘friends’. Slayer, my best friend since college—I didn’t have to
worry about grass stains on my uniform with you around. And Bocephus… Bo…” he
paused again and dragged in a deep breath.

“To
hell and back. We went there. And I love you. As much as anyone can love
another person. You played that year for Dylan. I played it for you. You will
never know what you mean to me. You said I saved you. Nah, man, you did that on
your own. You held your head up when others wanted you to break. You gave me
the courage to do the same. And that year.... we dragged that year out of the
ashes of hell. You know, if I’d known I was going to be up here bearing my
fucking soul I would have worn something a little more appropriate! And yeah, I
know my way around a stripper pole. Oh, fuck, remind me to kill you later, Bo, Slayer,
and anyone else responsible for this. Now, how do I get off this stage before I
make a bigger fool of myself?”

Bo
grabbed him by the elbow and that was all that kept Levi from bolting. “If
you’d known you wouldn’t have shown up. And you look nice. The gold vest and
tuxedo jacket are absolutely fantastic on you. But, Five, a shirt would have
been nice.”

“You’re
just jealous because you didn’t think of it first,” Levi bragged, preening and letting
his jacket fall off his shoulder to show just how bare he was underneath. “I
thought the bow tie was a nice touch.”

“Oh,
absolutely,” Bo replied, nodding while he wrapped his arm over Levi’s shoulder.
Will knew the cake they’d ordered weeks ago should be on its way out right
about now. Bo was just keeping their suddenly skittish friend from disappearing
into the crowd. “For a cross-dresser.”

“Hey,
now.” Levi slipped his jacket off completely, and turning the tables on Bo, he
took Bo’s hand and twirled the bigger man around. As he did so, Levi succeeded
in revealing the hard muscles of his back and the full side tattoo not many
people ever got to see. “Let’s get one thing straight right now: I am not a
cross-dresser. I do not have any high heels or dresses in my closet. I just
like to look pretty.”

Will
felt Jude lean toward him, his breath on Will’s neck startling him. “I believe
you lied to me when you said you didn’t know where we were going tonight.”

“What
was your first clue?” Will smiled as he turned to face Jude, thankful for the
show Bo and Levi were putting on. “But no, I didn’t know where we were going
exactly, just what would happen once we arrived. Levi and Bo picked this
place.”

Jude
returned Will’s smile but cut his gaze to the stage where Levi stood watching
them.

 
“Remind me to thank you later,” Jude said in a
low voice that made Will shiver.

Will
gave Levi a mind your own business glare as a musical fanfare blasted from the
sound system. The cake… finally. Levi forgot them as he whirled around to hug
Bo. Will leaned over to Jude as an idea formed in his head. “Did I just get the
impression that Bo and Levi…I mean there was tongue in that kiss… they kissed,
right?”

“You’d
have to ask Levi or Bo. But, seriously, what do you think Bo meant when he said
Levi helped him through a dark time in his life? That sounds like something
deeper than just an on-field relationship to me.” Jude reached out for two
glasses of champagne from a passing server’s tray and handed Will one.