Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 8

all his own unresolved feelings, Sam wanted Devin to be happy, and he would give just about anything to be the reason.
    "He told you all this about me?" Devin turned back to Sam. Sam tried to read his expression, but Dev broke eye contact after a few seconds, staring at a point across the park. Sam followed the line of his gaze. There were only a couple handfuls of people in the open space of the next field. With the early April heat index kicking in at ninety degrees, it was a safe bet more people were hiding out from the midday sun at home or reveling in it at Tybee Island beach. The fifteen members of the Savannah Lightening had the biggest gathering at Forsyth.
    Sam turned to study Devin's profile and frowned. This is what Sam had been afraid of, that opening his big mouth would possibly cause a rift between the two friends. It was probably unsettling for Devin to realize his friends had discussed his private life in that much detail, but the truth of it was, they did it because they cared about him. He only hoped the way Devin was avoiding looking at him didn't mean more than shock at his words. The last thing he wanted was to hurt him in some way.
    "No, some of it I guessed," Sam said. "You were right earlier. We do know each other well enough. At least, I know you."
    "You're saying I don't know you very well?" Dev asked.
    "I'm saying you won't let yourself," Sam responded. "You only see me a certain way, which is fine, because we're good as just friends, right?" Bending over, he pulled their practice ball out of his gym bag. Handing it to Devin, he reached for the play book. "Come on, let's start warming up. I'm ready to get things started."
    ****
    It wasn't by accident that practice was a little harsher than usual, with Devin barking out orders at his teammates between plays. The exception was Sam, who he seemed to completely ignore, even when he fell flat on his back while attempting a goal kick. After Lee kicked the ball over the goal line for the fourth time in succession, he turned to Devin while another teammate retrieved the ball.
    "Tell me you're ready to call it a day," Lee said. He armed sweat off his forehead, frowning when he looked down at his arm. Pulling off his shirt, Lee used it to dry his face and wipe sweat from his chest and arms. "I know you want it to be perfect, but I think we're all about done." He looked around at the rest of the team. Everyone was either sitting on the ground or leaning over, panting to catch their breath in the sweltering Georgia humidity.
    "Fine," Devin said. After running that last play a fourth time, he wasn't sure any of them were moving at even half speed anymore. It was just as well. He wasn't getting anything out of running the team ragged other than resentment from them for having to work this hard on a day when the sun wasn't having any mercy on the lot of them. And watching them sweat it out wasn't doing anything to beat down the real source of his frustration— the informative little chat he'd had with Sam before practice. Devin knew he'd asked for it, but that didn't make hearing his shortcomings any easier, especially from someone who was currently undergoing training to help people with their problems. He never wanted to feel like he was under Sammy's microscope again. Or worse, like Sam felt sorry for him because he'd been carrying a torch for Mike all these years.
    Devin clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention. "All right, guys. Good practice. I'm sorry I kept you out in the heat this long, but with the Shamrocks game coming up at the end of the week, I don't want to take any chances of a repeat."
    A collective groan went up as everyone remembered the horrifying 19-4 loss they'd suffered at the hands of the other team, who'd been down one man the last time they'd met. The loss had affected their momentum for the three games that followed, causing them to lose the opportunity to compete for the regional cup the previous season. No one wanted to see that happen again.
    "We'll do a light practice Saturday morning, it shouldn't be too hot at 9. I'll see you all then." Dev caught Sam's eye and then turned away, heading to where he'd dropped his gym bag. He'd squatted down next to it to root for a dry shirt when a shadow passed over him. "Whatever you're going to say, I don't want to hear it. What you said before was enough."
    "Something going on?"
    Devin looked up to squint at Michael. "Oh, it's you. No, nothing's going on."
    "Right, that's