Page 10 of Sliding Into Love
“Whatever. Fuck off.”
Derek’s smile faltered.
“Ethan, do you want to—”
“Whatever you’re about to say, don’t.” He let himself tower over Derek, glaring at his teammate in his best approximation of Marshall.
“But—”
“I said fuck. Off.” The words soured as he said them, but he spat them anyway.
His shoulder caught Derek’s again as he went through to the locker room, but the clicking sound of cleats behind him alerted him Derek still wouldn’t be put off.
“Look.” Ethan spun, holding his arm out to stop Derek before they crashed into each other. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you need to stop. It’s best for me and for you if you just…don’t.”
“See, I think you’re wrong.” Walking past him, Derek gestured for Ethan to follow. Annoyed but bewildered, Ethan followed.
The muscles in Ethan’s jaw ached as he clenched his teeth, and he wanted to shove Derek into the wall. Get in his face and yell. Ethanshouldwalk away. But it was Friday night, and the fireworks were the one thing from the past he let himself remember.
“So?” He realized he wanted to hear what Derek had to say.
“Ethan.” Derek’s bright demeanor dropped, and Ethan saw the person beneath the grin. “I know what it’s like to be talked down to. Probably more than you do.”
He began walking away but paused again. Chagrined as Derek’s meaning caught up to him, that Derek as a Black man put up with shit he hadn’t faced, he nodded for the other man to continue, letting his eyes track the seams in the concrete flooring.
“As I said, I know. Snide remarks and worse. And I’m not saying what we’re experiencing is even remotely similar. But I get it. I’m here if you want to talk about it.” Before Ethan could react, Derek reached out and chucked him lightly on the shoulder, with a sympathetic tilt of his head.
Then Derek’s bright grin was back in place, and he whistled as he strode toward his locker.
Marshall and Derek took more time than Ethan would like, so he threw on fresh clothes and a plain hat before slipping out a side door to pass the last concession stand to the berm.
Hundreds of people were already gathered beneath the scoreboard, waiting for the show to begin, though he paid little attention to them as he picked his way through their camp chairs and blankets. The lights switched off as he found a seat. Far enough away from the bulk of the fans, but still a good vantage point to see the scintillating sparks and brilliant colors of the fireworks.
Movement caught his eye as the countdown began. Derek’s sister and her foster kids were settling on the grass, and the boy waved in Ethan’s direction. He waved back on autopilot, a little stunned that he did so, and the boy grinned, turning to speak to the woman, pointing to Ethan. The countdown reached two when she leaned around the boy, and when she saw Ethan, she paused, turning to face him. The first streak of light lit the sky as a smile crossed her face, dimpling her cheeks and shining brighter than the cascade of silver erupting overhead. The sky darkened as she turned away, but the flash of the next shot illuminated her again, revealing them walking his way.
Confusion and maybe a hint of panic set in as he watched her grow closer, the colors overhead casting her in green, then red, then gold. She stopped a few feet away, yelling over the loud music and booming.
“Hi! I’m Ivy! I don’t think we officially met the other day.”
“Ethan,” he said warily.
“This is Janna, and that’s Jase.”
Ethan nodded to them, then turned his attention back to Ivy, wondering why she’d come over.
“I wanted to thank you.” Ivy’s face was tilted toward him, not watching the show, and she was cast in shadows.
“Thank me?”
“For your, umm, for the balls.” Her voice pitched higher; the way it had the first time they’d met.
Confused, Ethan blinked, then bit back a laugh.
“Oh. It was nothing.” He shrugged, tilting his head back to the sky. A twangy country song played in the background, mostly drowned out by the thunderous fireworks.
“It’s notnothing. It meant a lot to him.” Ivy nodded to Jase, who stood still, enthralled by the exploding lights above. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited.”
Ethan’s throat tightened, self-conscious but pleased.
