father’s church, the big man sucked on his third beer.
Joe Dean still nursed his first drink. “Sure, I’m tired today after that hard game and that little victory celebration. Amber went home early. She had a six a.m. modeling call. Misty stayed until four when I asked her to go home so I could get some sleep. Tired isn’t the problem, no.” The Rev rolled his big, brown eyes and asked again, “What is the problem, Joe?”
“Say Con, where’s the grim warrior face I’ve been seeing at all season?” Joe chafed. “Where did it go?” “Just happy I didn’t have to work out with you all afternoon, Joe.”
“Our problem is you nailed Stevie last night, didn’t you? Now all your mojo is gone. That’s our problem. If I’d known you were going to give in this late in the season, I’d have let you have Misty. The boobs aren’t real, but they’re still nice to look at.” Joe glanced around cautiously to see if Stevie had come back from checking on her place in the city.
“Misty’s chest is bigger around than mine. Those boobs had to be fake. And I did not nail Stevie.” Connor held the meat fork up like a weapon ready to use. “Well, if not nail, then screw or fuck her?” Joe Dean persisted.
The Rev frowned. Connor’s grim warrior face returned. “It’s none of your damn business. I don’t ask what you do with your bimbos.” The Rev got up and casually took the meat fork from Connor’s hand. “Let the expert grill.”
“Oh, no! Do not tell me you made love with Stevie.” Joe Dean drilled a dimple in his chin with his little finger and fluttered his eyelashes. “This is bad, really bad. You fall off the celibacy bandwagon with two games left to play, and it’s not just good old theraputic sex, it’s looove. How are you gonna keep your mind on the game, tell me that?”
“Joe, let Connor be. He wouldn’t break his oath.” The Rev startled when Connor turned on him.
“Yeah, it’s easy for you, Rev. Your season’s been over for a month. You’re probably getting plenty back in old Chapelle. And it wasn’t an oath! Celibacy was a strategy to improve my game. I would keep an oath.”
“As a matter of fact, I haven’t been with anybody and I’ll tell you why.” The Rev took advantage of their stunned expressions. “I’ve met the woman I am going to marry.”
“And you haven’t tried her out yet?” Joe Dean said with amazement.
“There I was sitting in my mama’s kitchen watching her fry up the Sunday chicken. Granny was on her way over with a big yellow bowl of my favorite cornbread dressing. A big mess of greens full of bacon cooked on the back burner and my Aunt Lizzie’s cold banana pudding chilled in the fridge. I was a happy man until my mama says we are having a special guest over for dinner. That always means she’s trying to fix me up with someone and get herself some grandkids. Suddenly, Burger King for lunch looked mighty good.”
“Those steaks about ready? You’re making me hungry,” Joe Dean asked.
“All in good time,” said the Rev. “Eat some peanuts. As I was saying, I thought about heading out when Mama tells me the guest is the new community doctor, one of these med students who gets a free ride, then has to work in a rural area for some years to pay it back. Okay, it’s a man, I think, and relax. Then, in walks Arminta Green, Dr.
Green.”
“And she was dazzled to meet a famous football player living right there in Chapelle, Louisiana,” Connor said.
“Nope. She doesn’t follow the game. Been studying and doctoring for years with no time to watch TV. Didn’t recognize my name even when Mama dragged her into the living room to show her my albums. I had to finish frying the chicken.” His audience laughed. They looked at the opening door to the deck and saw Stevie about to rejoin the group. The Rev cranked up his narrative a notch.
“So there I am sitting across from this light-skinned lovely with green eyes and soft, beautiful
Joe Dean still nursed his first drink. “Sure, I’m tired today after that hard game and that little victory celebration. Amber went home early. She had a six a.m. modeling call. Misty stayed until four when I asked her to go home so I could get some sleep. Tired isn’t the problem, no.” The Rev rolled his big, brown eyes and asked again, “What is the problem, Joe?”
“Say Con, where’s the grim warrior face I’ve been seeing at all season?” Joe chafed. “Where did it go?” “Just happy I didn’t have to work out with you all afternoon, Joe.”
“Our problem is you nailed Stevie last night, didn’t you? Now all your mojo is gone. That’s our problem. If I’d known you were going to give in this late in the season, I’d have let you have Misty. The boobs aren’t real, but they’re still nice to look at.” Joe glanced around cautiously to see if Stevie had come back from checking on her place in the city.
“Misty’s chest is bigger around than mine. Those boobs had to be fake. And I did not nail Stevie.” Connor held the meat fork up like a weapon ready to use. “Well, if not nail, then screw or fuck her?” Joe Dean persisted.
The Rev frowned. Connor’s grim warrior face returned. “It’s none of your damn business. I don’t ask what you do with your bimbos.” The Rev got up and casually took the meat fork from Connor’s hand. “Let the expert grill.”
“Oh, no! Do not tell me you made love with Stevie.” Joe Dean drilled a dimple in his chin with his little finger and fluttered his eyelashes. “This is bad, really bad. You fall off the celibacy bandwagon with two games left to play, and it’s not just good old theraputic sex, it’s looove. How are you gonna keep your mind on the game, tell me that?”
“Joe, let Connor be. He wouldn’t break his oath.” The Rev startled when Connor turned on him.
“Yeah, it’s easy for you, Rev. Your season’s been over for a month. You’re probably getting plenty back in old Chapelle. And it wasn’t an oath! Celibacy was a strategy to improve my game. I would keep an oath.”
“As a matter of fact, I haven’t been with anybody and I’ll tell you why.” The Rev took advantage of their stunned expressions. “I’ve met the woman I am going to marry.”
“And you haven’t tried her out yet?” Joe Dean said with amazement.
“There I was sitting in my mama’s kitchen watching her fry up the Sunday chicken. Granny was on her way over with a big yellow bowl of my favorite cornbread dressing. A big mess of greens full of bacon cooked on the back burner and my Aunt Lizzie’s cold banana pudding chilled in the fridge. I was a happy man until my mama says we are having a special guest over for dinner. That always means she’s trying to fix me up with someone and get herself some grandkids. Suddenly, Burger King for lunch looked mighty good.”
“Those steaks about ready? You’re making me hungry,” Joe Dean asked.
“All in good time,” said the Rev. “Eat some peanuts. As I was saying, I thought about heading out when Mama tells me the guest is the new community doctor, one of these med students who gets a free ride, then has to work in a rural area for some years to pay it back. Okay, it’s a man, I think, and relax. Then, in walks Arminta Green, Dr.
Green.”
“And she was dazzled to meet a famous football player living right there in Chapelle, Louisiana,” Connor said.
“Nope. She doesn’t follow the game. Been studying and doctoring for years with no time to watch TV. Didn’t recognize my name even when Mama dragged her into the living room to show her my albums. I had to finish frying the chicken.” His audience laughed. They looked at the opening door to the deck and saw Stevie about to rejoin the group. The Rev cranked up his narrative a notch.
“So there I am sitting across from this light-skinned lovely with green eyes and soft, beautiful
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