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“I don’t know what to think. Why would this woman accuse you of fathering her child?”

“I have no idea.” Emmanuel looked over the first page and then flipped it over, scanning the other side.

“What are you looking for?” Frank asked.

“The name of the woman bringing the case.” The whole situation frustrated Emmanuel. Trying to figure out the legalese of the document was making it worse.

Frank grabbed the document from him. The look he gave was indiscernible. Emmanuel gestured for him to get on with it. “Here, the plaintiff is Jasmine Journee.”

“I’ve never heard that name.” Neither the first nor last name produced any memory. Emmanuel scoffed at the absurdity. Some woman he had never even heard of was accusing him of being the father of her child. This made no sense. He shook his head at the ridiculousness of it.

“You think this is funny? This document isn’t a joke.”

“I don’t find it funny, but I’m telling you, this is complete bullshit. I’ve never even heard of this woman. Maybe I can get her info and contact her and find out why the hell she is doing this.”

“I am not your personal counsel. Even if I were, I don’t think I would want to help you with this matter.” Frank rubbed his head as he practically sneered at him. “I am still going to give you some valuable free legal advice. Under no circumstances are you to contact this woman directly. She has lawyered up and not with some ‘ambulance chasing’ attorney desperate for a case, so they take on anything. The firm that is representing her is one of the best in the country. They wouldn’t take this case if they didn’t think they could win it.”

Throwing his hands up in the air, Emmanuel was emphatic. “Well, I don’t know what to tell you. They can’t win it because I was never with this woman.”

Sometimes, because of Frank’s jovial nature, people forgot what a cutthroat he could be. He was a master litigator. Part of what made him so successful was his ability to catch people unawares. Often pivoting while doing an examination. Emmanuel could see the moment he changed his tactic. Standing, Frank placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, man. This case didn’t come out of thin air.”

“When have I ever lied to you, Frank?” Emmanuel pulled away from Frank’s touch.

“I don’t believe you have before, but maybe this is something you couldn’t share with me.”

Couldn’t share with him?

“You don’t know ifyoucan trustmyword?”

“Emmanuel, Emmanuel. Wait up.” Frank stepped out of the shadows as if he had been waiting for Emmanuel as he jogged by.

Emmanuel slowed his pace so Frank could fall in step with him. They walked in silence until Emmanuel came to a complete stop. It was then that Frank finally spoke.

“I wanted to talk to you about what you might have seen last night.” He gave a nervous laugh.

They had only met at Frosh Week a couple of months ago, but Emmanuel and Frank had become good friends. Add to that, they played on the football team together and spent a lot of time on and off the field. It didn’t sit well with Emmanuel that the other man looked so nervous.

“Listen, Frank, before you say anything. I want you to know you don’t owe me any explanations. Whatever I saw or didn’t see… really isn’t any of my business.”

“I appreciate that. That’s why I want to be straight with you.” Frank scoffed as he squeezed the back of his neck. “Okay, maybe not the best choice of words. I’m not ready for anyone else to know. You get that right?”

Emmanuel nodded.

Frank shifted from one foot to the other. “If you want me to quit the team, I get that?—”

“Why would I want you to quit? You are one of the best offensive linemen we have.”

Frank’s head snapped up at his friend and captain’s words. “Cause now you know I like guys.”

“So? Like I said, you don’t owe me any explanation. If you want to talk about it, that’s cool. If you don’t, that’s also cool. That doesn’t change the fact that, on or off the field, I trust you to have my back, and I have yours. You don’t want to tell; you don’t have to. If you want to tell the other guys on the team, I got you.”

Emmanuel had kept his word. It would be years before Frank was ‘outted’ when the men were playing professionally. In all that time, Emmanuel had maintained Frank’s secret. He had stood by him when the storm of his sexual orientation hit the media. Threatening to quit the teamed if Frank was benched because of who he was. Their bond was rock solid.

“Back in the day, you had a reputation as a ladies’ man,” Frank said, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Even then, I never crossed the line. Or dated more than one woman at a time without everyone being on board. That all changed when I started dating Ivy. She was it for me. Has been it for me. How do you not know that?”

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