Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
STEVEN
The time flew past. Steven kept glancing at his watch whilst keeping an eye on the game. They had about ten minutes left. Colin had equalised early in the second half. Bournemouth were holding them at bay from scoring a winner.
“I suppose it doesn’t really matter,” Javier said. “We’ll still finish in a safe spot.”
“Don’t give up,” Steven replied.
He’d barely left the dugout all match. When he did, the camera shutters set off like a swarm of angry bees. He hated it.
The sun had come out, which meant Brockton were playing into it. Not great conditions for scoring goals. Still, the lads had emerged from the locker room a different team. With Shaun’s ridiculous antics squashed, they were passing brilliantly.
Udo, Adam and Ewen made a great trio as well. Steven made a mental note to ensure they played together wherever possible in the future.
Bournemouth’s striker took the ball past Jerzy and Alain. Their crowd began to shout their encouragement. Steven glanced up the pitch. Goran was ready with Ingvar and Edi in front of him. Ready to face this onslaught.
Then Adam came from nowhere and swept the ball out from in front of his opponent.
With grim determination, Brockton’s captain made it to the halfway mark before any of the enemy knew what was going on.
Their defence was nowhere near as ready as Brockton’s had been.
He cleared the first but the second was blocking his path.
Undeterred, Adam kicked the ball to Udo.
Steven had taught them this strategy. Get possession and be aggressive. The defenders will forget about anyone else and focus on the ball. It had worked a treat.
Udo took the ball the rest of the way on the right wing. In that time, most of the Bournemouth defenders were hovering around the goal. The goalie watched Udo’s every move.
“He’s never going to make that shot,” Javier cried out. “Ewen is in position.”
Steven’s heart was in his mouth. Would Udo sacrifice his own glory for the sake of the team?
It was one of those moments where the world stops. The crowd fell silent.
Udo slammed the ball. It sailed over the defenders. Ewen launched himself up and smashed his head on it. Instantly changing the direction. The poor goalie had come too far out to be able to do anything about it. The ball shot straight into the goal.
For a second, Steven couldn’t believe it. Then pandemonium kicked in as their supporters erupted. Tears rolled down Steven’s cheeks as Udo and Ewen ran to the fans.
They were chanting his name. Then Udo was lost in a sea of arms patting him on the back and shaking his hand.
Javier grabbed Steven and hugged him.
“Well done, Steven,” he said.
They broke and Steven wiped his eyes. He nodded to Javier and they walked out onto the touchline to applaud their players. There would be media reports about how Steven was visibly moved or some such nonsense.
“Do you think they’ll lay off now the season’s ending?” he asked Javier.
“Course,” he replied. “It dies when there’re no games. Fuck knows what we’ll be faced with next season.”
Steven chuckled. “It’s going to be interesting. That’s for sure.”
The ref’s whistle blew to resume play. They only had to hang on for ten more minutes and the game would be theirs. Steven and Javier returned to the dugout to wait.
Shaun couldn’t meet his gaze as he sat down. If he was serious about a transfer, Steven wouldn’t be sad. He might be an excellent striker but the attitude he’d shown this season had been unacceptable. It would be the best for everyone.
They settled in to nervously watch play. Javier dug in his bag and handed Steven an envelope.
“What’s this?” Steven exclaimed.
“Relax, will you?” Javier said. “It’s a night’s stay in a hotel nearby. I figured you should reunite in style. A car will pick you up when Udo’s changed.”
Steven grinned. “Thanks, boss.”
Udo ran past their touchline. Their eyes met. Steven gave him a wink. Deep down, he knew this was the beginning, not the end.
“We’re going to do well next season,” Javier said.
Steven nodded. “I think you might be right.”
It always seemed strange to celebrate a win when playing away. Being too raucous was disrespectful to their hosts. Of course, for their mortal enemies, Canonbury, they would do that on purpose. They had no beef with Bournemouth, so they kept the noise down.
Even so, Steven was on cloud nine. He went to every player and thanked them, making sure he mentioned a positive of their play that day. He wanted them all to go on holiday feeling good about being a Brockton FC player.
When he got to Udo, he froze.
“What do I say?” he said.
“Tell him he scored a fucking brilliant goal,” Adam shouted. “You can save the sex talk for later.”
All the lads burst out laughing.
“Ooh, Udo. You’ve scored in my heart,” Ewen said, clutching his chest.
“Why thank you, Mr…Cox,” Goran replied, breathlessly.
This made everyone laugh all the more.
Udo blushed.
“All right, you lot,” Steven said.
Alain came forward. “When I was seeing Freya in finance, you ripped the shit out of me. Sorry, Mr…Cox, you’re fair game next season.”
Steven beamed. “I can’t think of anything I’d like more. Thank, lads.”
He turned to Udo. “We’re not going on the coach. Hurry up and get changed. There’s a surprise.”
Of course this made the lads whoop all the more.
“I’m going,” he said. “Seriously, go and have a ball this summer. You’ve worked hard this year. Next season is where it’s at. The boss has a feeling about it.”
He left them with that comment and crossed the corridor to the office. He was surprised to find Jamie and Howard inside with Javier.
“Everything okay?” he said, flopping down in one of the easy chairs.
“I was saying to Javier,” Jamie said. “This crazy scheme of his is getting positive attention. It’s certainly taken the wind out of your story. The press can’t be seen being catty now we’re the rainbow club. Shame you didn’t think of this, Howard.”
Poor Howard appeared flustered. “It’s a different story on the socials.”
Steven shuddered. He could well imagine. He made it a point to avoid social media like the plague. Something he was very glad about at that moment.
“The fans will come round,” Javier said. “Look at the way they celebrated with Udo today.”
“They’re the hardcore fans,” Jamie replied. “There are others that won’t like this. Brockton is a tough town.”
Steven knew what he meant. He’d lived there long enough. Yet most of the people he’d met in the town had been friendly and kind.
“We can win them round,” he declared. “With results. It’s make or break, I guess.”
Jamie glanced at Howard.
“More than you can imagine,” he said.
Steven and Javier snapped to attention.
“After yet another heated debate with Daddy Dearest, we’ve come to an agreement and you’re not going to like it.”
Steven’s heart sunk.
“I planned on telling you after summer. Fact is, if we don’t win a piece of silverware next year…well, you’re both out.”
Fuck!
Steven glanced at Javier. For a second he looked shocked. It didn’t take Javier Tosar long to compose himself.
“Who exactly is this coming from?”
To be fair, Jamie did appear uncomfortable at delivering this news. Steven didn’t for a second believe it had come from him.
“Father got to the board,” he said.
“I’m sorry if this is out of line,” Howard interjected. “Jamie fought hard for this. The one-season deal was the best he could get out of them.”
“Why fight for us?” Steven asked.
Jamie sighed. “When I took over from my father, the whole world expected me to fuck it up. We’ve done all right but I want to do something that changes the face of football. If we pull this off, we’ve made it.”
Javier turned to Steven with that cocksure grin of his.
“Then we’ll have to deliver, won’t we?”
The car journey had been excruciating. Being so close to Udo and still not able to hold him close. Steven yearned to rediscover every inch of Udo’s exquisite body. To claim it once and for all.
The hotel was a rambling manor house deep in the New Forest National Park. The seclusion washed over Steven as they got out of the car. Javier had chosen well.
Inside the reception was lined in dark oak wood and red carpets. It wasn’t exactly to Steven’s taste. Even so, it instantly enveloped them.
“Let’s get to the bloody room,” Steven whispered to Udo.
“Agreed. If you give me any more of those smouldering looks, my trackies aren’t going to hide my hard-on.”
Steven raised an eyebrow. “Smouldering looks, eh?”
“Go and get the key.”
“Yes, sir.”
Steven approached the desk. A young man with flawless skin, immaculately coiffed hair and a huge smile greeted him.
“Mr Cox,” he said. “Everything has been done for you. Your keycards are here. The bill is covered. All I can say is to have a wonderful stay and call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve also taken the liberty of having a bottle of champagne and some nibbles delivered.”
Steven glanced as Udo joined him.
“That’s very kind of you,” Udo said.
“Not at all,” the receptionist replied. “What you two have done for our community in football deserves free champagne forever. Sadly my comp budget doesn’t stretch that far.”
Steven felt a lump in his throat. He’d been so focused on the immediate shitshow he hadn’t given a second thought to the lasting impacts of his and Udo’s relationship.
Fear gripped him for a second. Had either of them signed up to be the poster boys of gay representation in football? It was a huge responsibility.
Yet the shining eyes of the receptionist told him that there were a lot of people behind them as well as against.
“We appreciate that more than you could know,” Steven said. His voice trembling.
They followed directions to the lift. Steven had every intention of jumping Udo as soon as the doors closed. It wasn’t very romantic, but his body ached for him.
Unfortunately, two middle-aged men were waiting ahead of them. This was their first taste of being back out in public.
They joined the men who did a classic double take when they saw who they were going to be sharing a lift with.
“Good play today, Holtmann,” one of the men said.
Udo nodded. “Thank you.”
The lift came and all four of them crammed in. Steven caught Udo’s eye in the mirror and smirked.
Steven pressed their number.
“Top floor, eh?” the other man said. “You boys celebrate in style.”
“Thanks. What brings you guys here?”
“Golf,” the first man said.
Of course, the hotel had a huge course. Steven had simply seen that as more protection from the prying eyes of the press.
The lift stopped and the men got out.
“Good night,” they called.
“Good night.”
The doors closed and Steven let out a huge sigh.
“Fucking hell,” he said. “Do you know it’s been days since we were alone together? Like properly alone.”
He went forward but Udo stayed him.
“Not here,” he said, softly. “When I next kiss you, I want to be standing in front of you. Naked as the day I was born.”
Steven instantly hardened.
“Fine. Have it your way.”
He settled against the wall, showing his groin off. Udo’s eyes flared.
“Bastard,” he said.
Before Udo failed at his task, the doors opened. Their room lay at the end of a softly lit corridor.
Steven let Udo out first then grabbed his waist. Gently he ran down the corridor, pushing Udo all the way.
“Down, boy.”
“No chance. You set these silly rules.”
They got to the door and almost fell through it. The suite was stunning. Tinted floor-to-ceiling windows gave a breathtaking view of the forest. Green and cream furnishings complemented this perfectly.
At this point, Steven wouldn’t have cared if it had no wallpaper and a blow-up mattress.
They went through to a bedroom with a huge bed.
“Nice,” Udo said.
Steven undid his shirt.
“Did you say fully naked for that kiss?”
Udo rushed forward and took his hand. “I’d like to say something first.”
Steven snaked his arm around Udo’s waist and pulled him even closer.
“I’m all ears.”
Neither of them making any effort to hide their hard-ons.
“That you came through for me means the world. I wanted you to know that.”
Steven ran his free hand through Udo’s hair. “I never had any doubt in my mind that we did this as a team.”
“Seriously? You could have sold me off.”
“You do know you’re an amazing player, don’t you? It’s not because I want to perv on you in the showers.”
Udo frowned. “You do want to do that too?”
“Always.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Udo Holtmann. I hate to break it to you. I think you might be stuck with me.”
Udo rested his forehead against Steven’s.
“That suits me fine.”
“So a fully naked kiss?”
Udo giggled. “Too bloody right.”