Chapter 9
NINE
STEVEN
Seeing Udo take flight like that startled Steven for a moment. Then he set off in pursuit. The receptionist was watching them intently. No doubt the paps would be back in full force. He didn’t blame hotel staff for alerting them. It probably paid well.
When he got outside, he saw Udo heading off down the street.
He ran after him. Unfortunately one of the world’s top footballers could move fast. By the time Steven caught up with Udo, they were across the road from Hyde Park.
“Hey,” Steven said. “Slow down.”
Udo spun round.
“What are you doing?”
“Following you,” Steven replied. He was struggling to get his breath.
“Come on, let’s find you a bench, old timer.”
They crossed the road and made their way into the park itself. Steven was sweating and his shirt was stuck to his back.
“Over here.”
They sat side by side on a bench. Both staring out at the Serpentine. The lake that dominated the park.
“I need to tell you something,” Udo said.
“Okay,” Steven replied.
“Last year, I met a guy,” he began. “Alex. He was a graphic designer for a fancy advertising firm in the city. Or that’s what he told me. It was a full-on head-over-heels moment.”
Two joggers ran past. Luckily they were too engrossed in their exercise to recognise them. Although in tuxedos on a summer’s evening in Hyde Park, that wouldn’t last for long.
“Where did you meet?”
Udo shrugged. “The apps. We chatted for ages before I even sent a picture. In the end I trusted him enough. He didn’t even recognise me. Alex hated anything played with a ball. We met and clicked. I thought I’d made it.”
“What happened?”
“Six months later, I went to his flat. Training had been rained off so I was an hour early. I didn’t bother calling him. Why would I?”
Udo stopped for a second. Steven squeezed his shoulder. Giving him the strength to finally get this off his chest.
“I didn’t have a key or anything. Before I could ring the bell, Brian Major comes out.”
“Winterbourne’s Brian Major?”
Udo nodded. “We both asked each other what we were doing there. Imagine our shock when we were both visiting our boyfriend, Alex.”
“He was two-timing you?”
“Wait. It gets better,” Udo said.
Now he faced Steven. “Obviously we confronted Alex. I don’t know which of us was the angriest. Brian probably. I think I froze.”
Hardly surprising.
“Brian practically forced entry into the flat. Poor Alex almost shit himself,” Udo continued.
“I’m confused. What was going on?”
“The only thing Brian and I had in common was our agent.”
“Max Bryant?”
Udo nodded. “He’d been paying Alex to keep us both sweet. He wasn’t a graphic designer at all. He’d told Brian he was cabin crew. Quite the juggler, our Alex.”
“Udo, that’s awful.”
“I told him everything about myself,” Udo replied. “Now I’m terrified he’s going to write a tell-all book.”
Once again, Steven took his hand. “When did you last see him?”
“That day. Just before Christmas. I went to the club and said I wanted a transfer. Obviously I sacked Max and legged it up here.”
It all made sense now.
“Fuck. No wonder you’ve been off your game. And seeing him come waltzing in freaked you out?”
Udo nodded. “You won’t tell Javier, will you?”
“I said I wouldn’t and I meant it. Your secret is safe with me, Udo.”
“That means such a lot.”
Steven dropped Udo’s hand.
“The shitter of it all is that it makes you even more vulnerable. You need to find someone so far away from the game they’ve never heard of the offside rule. Much less understand it.”
Udo chuckled. “That’s most of the population, remember. Bad example. Besides, they wouldn’t understand the obsession. That never works. I’ve had other relationships. In the end, they all resent what we give to the game.”
A couple came along and did a double take when they saw who sat on the bench. It brought it home to Steven how exposed they were.
“We should be getting back to the party,” Udo said.
Steven had been quite content, sitting on the bench with Udo. The thought of going back to the networking and fake laughter didn’t exactly thrill him.
“You’re right. Javier will be looking for us.”
They got up and set off back to the hotel.
“Thank you for telling me all that,” Steven said. “You’ve been through hell. How about I buy you a drink?”
Udo shook his head. “I’m not risking bumping into Max. I’ll head for my room.”
There was a small cut-through ahead. Steven grabbed Udo’s hand and pulled him toward the little alley.
“What—”
Steven slammed him up against the wall and kissed him. Udo parted his lips and Steven took the opportunity to further the kiss. They clashed tongues as Steven pressed his body against Udo’s.
They pulled back. Udo looked shocked.
“Let me stay with you tonight,” Steven said.
“We can’t,” Udo replied. “If anyone saw, we’d be finished.”
Udo straightened his jacket and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
He’s driving me crazy.
“I think we both know it’s coming soon.”