Unknown - driven

?The all pro quarterback? People?s Most Eligible Bachelor four years running? That Thad Morgan??

?That?s the dude. Anyway, he was headin? out to some awards banquet thing and he asked her to come along. She didn?t have anything else to do, so she went. Next day, every friggin paper in the country had her and Thad pasted across the sports pages, like they were one step away from shackin up!? Keeps paused in her story to laugh at the image. Hodge smiled politely as she waited for the emotions to pass.

?Sorry about that,? Shauna said finally, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.

?That?s ok,? Hodge replied. ?So, the press jumped to the wrong conclusion. Did either of them correct the misconception??

?Nope.? Shauna grinned. ?In a way, it was perfect for both of them. See, when D went out, even to the damn store, she?d have to put up with getting hit on by every dude and his brother. Not many men are gonna tackle a chick whose got a boyfriend who could pull their nuts out through their throat, though. So it was all good.?

?Yeah, I can see the benefits of something like that.?

?As for Thad, well, aside from the fact that having D with him couldn?t do anything but improve his image, he had himself a little secret that being seen with D helped him to hide.?

Hodge thought about the cryptic remark for a moment. Then her eyes widened so much that Shauna thought they?d pop out of her skull and roll under the couch. ?Thad Morgan is gay?!??

Keeps cocked her head. ?You mean you didn?t know? Where?s your gaydar, girl??

Pinging off the screen anytime I?m within a hundred feet of Dylan Lambert. Hodge elected, however, to keep that particular thought to herself for the time being.

?That boy?s queerer than my mama?s frilly pink garter!?

?I never knew.?

?That?s cause he?s damn good at keeping his private life to himself. I mean, lesbians?in sports, it?s kinda expected, ya know? But if anyone ever found out that their macho man quarterback liked ham hocks better than oysters, well?.?

Hodge winced.

?You got that right, my friend. Anyway, the league about creamed itself over it They?ve finally got themselves the poster girl for clean heterosexual living. I heard the commissioner threw a big damn party for all the owners and they got wasted on champagne and fish eggs.?

?That is disgusting.?

Keeps sighed. ?I know. It sucks, don?t it??

?Royally.? Hodge looked up at her new friend, eyes bleak. ?I wish the world could be a place where stuff like that doesn?t matter anymore.?

Shauna felt pulled into those green eyes so filled with innocence, and yet sparkling with a sad type of knowing. Her heart tugged in her chest, and she came to a decision. ?I know, Cat. We all do. Dylan especially.?

Hodges? eyes widened again, though not so much from shock as from a suspicion finally confirmed. ?You mean???

?Yeah. I mean.?

?I?think I knew that already.?

?I?m sure you did,? Keeps responded, utterly serious. She leaned forward again, pinning Hodge with her frank stare. ?And I?m also sure you know that that kind of knowledge is a lot more power than most people deserve.?

The threat wasn?t subtle. Hodge could heft its weight, feel its texture, scent its danger. But she could also sense the implied trust that came with it. Shauna Keeps wasn?t the type of person who had accidents. And this was no accident.

?I won?t say a word to anyone,? she said softly. ?I promise.?

The tension broke as Keeps grinned and slumped back in her chair. ?You?re alright, Cat Hodges.?

Hodge could have wept with relief. Instead, she returned Shauna?s grin with one of her own. ?Thanks. You?re not so bad yourself, Keepaway.? As Keeps laughed, Hodge caught something in the other woman?s eye, and an impulse started her tongue before her mind could still it. ?You and Dylan were lovers, weren?t you.? She froze, horrified. ?Oh god. I can?t believe I just said that.?

It was Shauna?s turn to stare. She blinked once, then twice, but the question still hung in the air between them. Her quick mind came up with all sorts of evasions, but in the end, she decided to settle for the truth. ?Yes, we were. For a little over a year.?

Hodge nodded, her face still stark with embarrassment.

?It?s alright, Cat. No harm, no foul. I mean, it was a good thing, while it lasted. And we?re still best friends. But?loving D is like trying to hold the sun in your hands. It?s gonna take a special person to be able to do it right. And if there?s any person on this earth who deserves it to be done right, it?s her.?

?I?think I knew that, too.?

Dylan sat in her small office, long fingers clicking on the mouse at her right hand, scrolling through the profiles of available guards. It had been three days since she had sent Catherine Hodges to see Shauna, and as each moment passed without hearing from the young woman, Dylan became more certain that whatever was said between them had scared her off for good.

Taking her eyes from the monitor, she glared at the innocuous beige phone at her left hand, willing it to ring. Its continued silence mocked her, and she resisted the almost overwhelming urge to toss it against the wall just to hear it shatter.

Another mouse click and another bright face staring out at her in full Technicolor glory. She?d been through the list countless times this day alone and was still no closer to a decision than she had been three days ago.

She narrowed her eyes at the phone again, growling low in her throat. As if awaiting that particular threat, the phone suddenly came to life. She let it ring twice, then lifted the receiver, forcing a casualness of voice she didn?t feel. ?Badgers. Lambert.?

?Hi, Coach.?

The sound of Hodge?s voice brought a tentative smile to Dylan?s lips. ?Catherine.?

?I?I wanted to thank you for arranging for me to meet with Ms. Keeps. She explained a lot of things and really made me think.?

?I?m glad I could help.?

Hodge?s warm smile was evident in her voice. ?You did. And I wanted to let you know that if the offer?s still open, I would be honored to play for the Badgers.?

Dylan?s smile broke full upon her face, like the sun out from behind heavy clouds. Her fist pumped once, catching the attention of Mac, who was passing by the office. He stopped, turned, and stared.

?Hodge?? he mouthed.

Dylan nodded.

?Yes?? he mouthed again.

Dylan nodded again.

?Alright!? This, he didn?t mouth.

?Excuse me?? Hodge asked, hearing but not recognizing the commotion.

Scowling at Mac, Dylan returned her attention to the phone. ?The offer is most definitely still open,? she said, grinning for all she was worth. The expression felt strange on her face, but she decided that perhaps she liked it.

?Cool!?

?Yes, it is that. So, I?ll see you at the Crosstown Athletic Club next Saturday, then.?

?You definitely will!? Hodge could feel a joyous scream building in her throat. ?And Coach??

?Yes??

?Thanks.?

Dylan chuckled. ?You?re welcome, Catherine.?

Hearing the hum of an empty line, Dylan shook her head and racked the phone. She then turned off her computer, grabbed her jacket, and stood. ?Mac!?

?Yes??

?Shut it down, my friend. Drinks are on me.?

Mac?s joyful laughter could be heard throughout the building.

?Hello and welcome to Draft Day on ESPN. I?m your host, Mark Rogers, here with co-host Rebecca Thompson, former standout forward with the San Antonio Sting. Rebecca, it?s a crowded house here at the Crosstown Athletic Club, and the joint, as they say, is jumping.?

?It sure is, Mark. There?s a lot of excitement here tonight. And the biggest buzz is, as always, who will go number one.?

?That and the fact that Dylan Lambert, out of the public eye for pretty much the past few months, will be here to choose that number one player for the Birmingham Badgers.?