Page 260 of The Locker Room

you heard anything from the top yet?”

Xander pointed to the phones, which were all unplugged—every

set in the house had been maxed out on messages before they"d even

returned home that night. No phones for them.

“I thought so. Now, see, if we can get in an interview—abig

interview—that gets public sentiment on your side… no, no, don"t look

like that, Xander. You can"t pull that anymore.” Xander had started

226 Amy Lane

hunching his shoulders and looking away shyly, in his usual “Cave Man”

pose. “You can"t. The whole world heard you tell poor Angie Robinson

that “Chris Edwards was your heart”—man, it"s one of the most fucking

romantic things I"ve ever heard. Swear to Christ, I almost shed a tear in

my Scotch. That"s good shit. You two—you go on television, you do the

interview thing, and you beabsofuckinglutelyhonest. Third home game

of the month? Do it. Spill it. Xander"s little harem—talk about them.

Chris"s DUI—come-the-fuck clean. Get it out. Tell the world what it"s

cost you. I"m betting on the world thinking you"ve paid your dues.”

Xander looked at Chris in a world of embarrassment. Oh God.

Really?

Chris looked back at him, and through the pain and the exhaustion,

there was some anticipation, some excitement, and that made up

Xander"s mind.

“Yeah, fine. Who wants us?”

And now Leo"s expression became positively diabolical. “Who do

you want? Bryant Gumble, or Barbara Walters?”

Chris"s voice got positively dreamy. “Barbawa Wawa? She asked

for us?”

And that decided it too.

They"d done the interview the day before, from their front room.

They"d put Chris in the wheelchair, with a throw over his legs, and