Page 71 of Catching Kyle

“We don’t want his neighbors hearing,” I say, shutting his door behind them. “Quiet!”

“This is fucking insane,” she says.

“Yeah,” Skye says. “You’re fucking a football player? That’s honestly so hot.”

Josue laughs. “Write a romance about that.”

I pause, thinking about what a crazy kind of story that would be, then shake myself from my stupor. “I know this is wild, but it’s serious. Very serious. And there’s a lot on the line. I need to ask that you be respectful and understanding.”

Amani shakes her head. “Shit, I will be. But God, I wish you told me about this sooner! Coming from the man who thought he would never find love.”

“Well don’t say that too soon,” I say, leading them down the hall. “Because I invited you all here to discuss how the hell we’re going to do this.”

Kyle’s sitting on the couch wearing a sleeveless Budweiser shirt and some basketball shorts. I don’t know if this or the suit is hotter. This man can make anything work.

He stands up, and Amani fangirls, making some high-pitched squeal that could either be the result of pure fear or pure excitement.

He wears this cute, boyish grin as he extends his hand to hers. “Kyle Weaver,” he says.

She shoots her hand out. “I’m Amani,” she says. “Super big fan!”

Skye introduces herself, remarkably calm as she shakes his hand, but Josue is shaking when he approaches him. I keep forgetting how famous this man actually is.

We all sit down on Kyle’s couch, and then everyone turns to me. Right, I’m the one with the plan.

“So, as you all now know, Kyle Weaver has been the one I’ve been secretly meeting with for the past two months.”

“Insanity,” Amani says.

“Cool as hell,” Skye says.

“Unbelievable,” Josue says.

Kyle blushes. I glance at him, wanting his approval to move forward with the plan. He nods and leans forward.

“I’m kinda in a sticky situation,” he says, pulling on one of his beard. “My contract with the Tigers ended this last season.” He pauses for a beat, thinking. “Before my dad died, I promised that I would win him a Williams.”

“Williams?” Skye asks.

“Championship Game trophy,” Josue responds.

“Ah,” she says, nodding. But still not really getting it. I love her.

“But the Tigers are threatening to not re-sign me unless I have a girlfriend.”

Amani scoffs. “What? You have to be married to play or something?”

“Not everyone,” he says. “But the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’? Before the Championship Game this February, my team was getting all sorts of questions. Not about our playing or season, but about my sexuality. The most eligible bachelor, they say, has no reason being single.”

“So they think you’re tarnishing their image,” Josue says.

Kyle nods. “And distracting other players. The NFO will say they aren’t discriminatory like that, but they’ll find a way to keep anyone gay off their teams.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Amani says. “You’re not even hurting anyone.”

“But football is the paradigm of American masculinity,” I say. “A gay player threatens this image.”

“And so the problem is,” Amani says, leaning forward, her hands in her lap. “You guys want to date. But you can’t. Because the shitty NFO—no offense—is making you get a girlfriend.”