Chapter 4
FOUR
JONAS
The next two days passed in a flurry of activity. The PR guy, Howard Clooney, had proposed they do a press conference. Thankfully Javier had blocked it, which came as a relief. The scrutiny would be strong enough without courting it.
It took time to settle into a team. Especially one like Brockton that had experienced such a turbulent end to their previous season.
They drove through the Lancashire town they’d decided to call home. The high street of takeaways and vape shops came as a marked contrast to Canonbury, a charming town on the south coast of England.
The nastiness between the two teams was odd. Usually rival teams were local to each other. Maybe it was the north-south divide. Or it might date back to a certain game.
Either way, Jonas would find it doubly hard being accepted in this town.
He sat in the back of Noah’s Range Rover. Tito had claimed the front seat before they even got in. They were going to view the apartments that the club had rented for them.
“I can’t wait to move in,” Tito declared. “I hate having most of my stuff in storage.”
“Agreed,” Noah replied.
Jonas wasn’t the type to accumulate things. He did miss his bed. It had cost enough.
“Are you nervous about Sunday?” Jonas asked.
“No chance,” Tito replied. “I can’t bloody wait.”
Noah sighed. “I am a bit. I know we’ve done a ton of training this week. You never know what people are going to do until you get on the grass.”
When Jonas had come from Sweden to play for Canonbury, everything had been a culture shock. He supposed this wouldn’t be quite as drastic. He was still in the UK after all.
“Are you?” Tito asked him.
“Not nerves exactly,” Jonas replied. “Adam wants me, him and Udo to form an alliance on the pitch.”
They left the main town. The twisty lane led them through some woods.
“I would think that Adam is more bothered about the hundred grand you spent for him.”
Jonas winced. He’d gone over that interaction a million times.
Why the fuck did I do that?
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.”
Tito cackled. “Not the best way to get in with the captain.”
“How was I supposed to know he’d say a hundred grand?” Jonas replied. “I expected him to say ten at the most. Fuck’s sake. I think I’ll offer to pay it.”
The lane opened up. Large brick buildings were on both sides of them.
“I don’t know what came over me,” Jonas replied. “I got all in my head about everyone hating me because I’ve come from Canonbury.”
Tito burst out laughing. “So you gave them a better reason?”
The captain of the team had been noticeably keeping his distance from Jonas whenever they weren’t kicking a ball around.
Noah pulled into a car park. A huge building that appeared to be an old mill towered over them.
“This is it,” Noah said.
Large windows shone in the sunlight. Jonas got out and stared up. It didn’t appear all that impressive.
“I used to have a sea view,” he said. “Now it’s a supermarket.”
The other two got out and joined him.
“It might be nice inside,” Noah said. “It’s good of them to rent us anywhere.”
Tito produced some keys out of his pocket. “Let’s check it out.”
They followed Tito to the door. Jonas had done his research on the web. There were only ten apartments in the whole place.
“They must be pretty big,” he said.
Once inside, they climbed to the first floor.
“What number are you?” Noah asked Tito.
“Four.”
Noah pointed to a door right in front of them.
“Jonas?”
“I’m nine. You?”
“Seven.”
“You two are on the second floor,” Tito said. “Don’t worry about me all on my own down here.”
Jonas play-shoved him. “I’m sure you’ll survive.”
“Meet at mine in ten,” Noah said.
Jonas and Noah went up to the second floor. Jonas soon located his door along from Noah’s.
Here goes nothing.
He let himself inside. An oak-floored hallway led through to a vast living space. Being on the top floor meant he had beamed ceilings. The large windows gave light to every corner. Jonas wandered farther in.
The kitchen area lay to the left. All the units were a brilliant white gloss that contrasted beautifully with the bare brick walls. The developers had done an exceptional job.
On the web, it had said there were four bedrooms. The main bedroom had a dressing room and a decent sized en suite.
He was relieved that the walls were bare. Whilst he didn’t accumulate things, he did like to be surrounded by his own taste. When he’d moved, Jonas had donated a lot of things to a charity auction.
Jonas inspected the other bedrooms. They were all a great size. He didn’t get many visitors so he decided to convert one into a media room. If it rained in Brockton as much as they said it did, Jonas would need a place to snuggle and watch movies.
Coming from Sweden, he had grown up with hard winters.
Once he’d done a final lap of his new abode, he made his way down the landing to Noah’s where he knocked on.
A beaming Noah opened the door.
“It’s great, isn’t it?”
Jonas nodded. “Quite the surprise. You wouldn’t think they were so high spec from outside. Let’s see yours.”
He walked in. The apartment was a carbon copy of his. He supposed the architect had had a large rectangle space to deal with. It made sense to replicate the design.
“When does your stuff arrive?” Jonas asked.
“I haven’t got loads,” Noah replied. “It’s coming Monday. You?”
“Same. Get the first match out of the way. Then we can make ourselves at home.”
They both stood by the window. Noah had the opposite view to Jonas as they were on different sides of the building.
“Look, there’s a shared garden,” Jonas said.
A large patch of grass and plants spread the length of the building. It had been hidden from view in the car park. That was promising. Jonas didn’t fancy sitting in the park on sunny days.
“What do we think?”
Tito strolled into the apartment.
“I love it,” Noah replied. “How about you?”
“Pretty good,” Tito said. “I reckon I’ll stick around for a bit.”
Jonas chuckled. “That’s good of you.”
Tito flopped down on the corner sofa dominating the living space. Jonas joined him.
“Shame we haven’t got any fizz,” Tito said.
“Not until May,” Noah replied.
He sat next to Jonas.
Javier operated a strict no-alcohol rule. That had been made clear from the outset. It didn’t bother Jonas too much.
“When are you moving in?” Noah asked.
“Tonight,” Tito replied. “Might see if Brockton has some sexy guys to christen it with me.”
Jonas shook his head. “Isn’t that being a bit obvious?”
Tito frowned. “I’ve transferred here with a massive wage cut. I think my cat is out of my bag.”
Jonas didn’t know how Brockton would react to Tito sleeping his way around the town. But he was in his mid-twenties. He could do what he liked.
Even if Jonas were significantly older than these two, he certainly wouldn’t be taking responsibility for their actions.
“I might move in tonight too,” he said. “I hate where I’m staying.”
“Then I will as well,” Noah declared. “Anyone fancy a PlayStation night?”
This was right up Jonas’ street. He’d spent far too many hours playing computer games over the years.
“You’re on,” he replied.
“God, you are like pensioners,” Tito said. “Let’s go out and see what’s happening. Colin told me there are some decent bars.”
Jonas had absolutely no intention of being in a loud pub shouting to be heard over shitty chart music.
Maybe I am getting old.
“Can’t you find anyone on the team to go out with?” Noah asked.
“Like Ewen?” Tito replied. “I can’t see that, can you?”
Jonas frowned. “It’s not a good idea to make enemies this early on.”
“Says you.”
“I’m going to fix that. You’re just winding Ewen up.”
Tito shrugged. “He’s had it easy for way too long. It’s about time someone came and challenged him a bit. He’ll thank me in the long run.”
Jonas wasn’t too sure about that. He vowed to take Adam to one side tomorrow and sort this out. He wanted to play to win. Politics on and off the pitch were not on his agenda. They never had been. They especially weren’t in Brockton.
After another day’s training, Jonas was running on the treadmill in the gym. The walls were painted with the club’s mint green. Supposedly inspiring quotes lined them. Jonas had never trained anywhere as well equipped. He was in heaven.
Adam was on the next machine. Jonas noticed that Adam was running ever so slightly faster than him.
Most of the other lads were on the weights at the other end of the room. Jonas hit the Walk setting and got his breath back.
“Can I have a word, Skipper?”
Adam followed suit and so they were both at the same pace.
“Of course.”
Adam’s voice still had a hard edge to it. All the more reason to sort this out once and for all.
“I think I owe you an apology.”
Adam didn’t break his steps. “Really? You played pretty good today. It takes something to get a goal past Goran.”
Jonas had been proud of that moment. The other lads had been suitably impressed too.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“Go on then,” Adam said. “What did you mean?”
“I don’t think we’ve got off to a good start,” Jonas replied. “I didn’t want to embarrass you about the whole Skipper points thing.”
Adam shrugged. “My accountant is going to have a field day when I put that through the books.”
“I was surprised you went that high,” Jonas said. “Maybe I should rip my tongue out and be done with it.”
Adam turned and stared at him.
“Perhaps I did go a bit silly. I appreciate the apology.”
“Can I pay half?” Jonas asked.
“Don’t be ridiculous. The lads would rinse me even more.”
“We don’t have to tell them.”
“Honestly, there’s nothing to worry about,” Adam replied. “There’s plenty more where that came from. Truth be told, it’s a good idea. I’ve been driving them crazy with Skipper points since I got the captaincy. I should have made them worth something ages ago.”
Javier stuck his head round the door. “That’s enough for today, boys. I don’t want you running out of steam this early in the season.”
The lads all cheered and jostled each other on the way out.
Adam went to follow them but Jonas stayed him with a hand on the arm. Adam seemed to snap to attention.
“I want you to know something,” Jonas said.
They were close. Jonas could almost imagine he heard Adam’s heart beating.
“What’s that?”
“I’m dedicated to this team now. What Javier did last season was unbelievable. Now I know that he had a decent captain to support him.”
Adam blushed. It only served to make him even cuter. Jonas hadn’t removed his hand from Adam’s arm.
“I may be a Canonbury reject,” Jonas continued.
This time Adam held his hand up. “No more talk like that,” he said. “You’re a Brockton boy now. I for one am very glad about it.”
Adam held his gaze for what seemed an age before he grinned.
“Now let’s get showered,” Adam said, pulling his arm away. “Or we’ll be stuck here all night.”
When they got into the locker room, most of the lads were in the showers. Adam went to his place. Jonas had taken a spot farther down between Edi and Udo.
“Nice goal before,” Udo said. “I think we’re going to show Hawkstead who’s boss on Sunday.”
Jonas nodded. “Cheers. I can’t wait until I’ve properly settled in.”
He sat next to Udo. Immediately, Edi got up and went through to the bathroom.
“What’s up with him?”
Udo frowned. “Fuck knows. Listen, don’t worry about settling in. You can’t do any worse than I did.”
“You had it rough last season.”
“Learn by my mistakes.”
They threw their kit off and hit the showers. Jonas couldn’t resist checking Adam out as they went in. His body wasn’t sculpted like Udo’s. He was more solid with a gorgeous hairy chest and thick thighs. A decent collection of tattoos covered him as well. A particular weakness of Jonas’.
Then he saw a thick meaty cock that made his mouth water.
You can stop that shit. This is the bloody captain.
Adam turned. He had a solid butt with a smattering of hair on it.
Jonas needed to switch the shower to cold. Perving over teammates was a strict no-no. Even so, it didn’t hurt to have a look.
He let the water wash over his body.
Adam spun round again and frowned.
“Edi?”
The young lad was hanging around the doorway wrapped in a towel.
“What are you doing?” Adam asked.
“Nothing, Skipper,” he replied. “Just fucking around.”
Adam strode forward. His cock swinging.
“Do you have a problem with the showers?” Adam asked.
“No…it’s…well.”
Adam whipped the towel off Edi.
“There,” he said, hanging it up. “Now everyone’s seen you naked.”
Jonas hated that Edi seemed to be struggling with them joining the team. According to Udo it hadn’t been the case last year. It appeared a trip home over the summer had changed Edi’s outlook on life.
“Now come with me,” Adam said, taking Edi’s hand.
He walked him the length of the showers.
“Do you see a hard-on anywhere?” he asked.
Edi shook his head.
“Then I think you’re safe. Get that mud off you.”
He gently shoved Edi toward a free shower.
“Right, everyone,” Adam said, still standing in the centre of the room. “Tonight we’re going out for dinner. Jonas is paying.”
Jonas burst out laughing. “Fine. I deserve that.”
After finishing in the showers, most of them went into the locker room to dry off. Steven came in.
“Good performances today, gents,” he said. “Nice work, Jonas.”
“Thanks.”
“Have a rest day tomorrow before the big match on Sunday.”
“We’re heading to La Piazza tonight,” Adam said.
“Without me?” Steven wailed. “But…the meatballs. They’re my favourite.”
Adam clapped him on the shoulder. “Players only, I’m afraid.”
“Unfair.”
“You’ll have to do without meatballs tonight,” Jerzy said. “We’re taking Udo.”
Steven glanced at Udo, who blushed furiously.
“In all seriousness,” Steven said. “This match is important. No booze and no shit food.”
Jonas had always been into nutrition. He wouldn’t be seen dead in a burger joint. Italian restaurants usually had something on the menu he liked.
“Don’t worry,” Adam said. “We’ll be tucked up in bed for half ten.”
Jonas pulled his clothes out from the locker. It would be good to spend some time with his new teammates outside of the training facility. Even if he did have to foot the bill.
He stole a glance at Adam, who was deep in discussion with Goran and Ewen. Being a captain was a responsibility that some took seriously and others wasted. It appeared that Adam was the former.
Jonas would enjoy getting to know this man. And if that moment in the gym was anything to go by, Adam was interested. Even if he didn’t fully realise it yet.