Chapter 15 #2
“My sister,” Jonas piped up. “And my best friend.”
Javier waved him away. “Trusted souls, I expect.”
Jonas nodded.
“Goran and Paloma know.”
“Anyone else? Bloody hell.”
“That’s it,” Adam replied.
“We’ll keep this under wraps from now on. If you change your minds about that, please work with me. I beg of you.”
“Absolutely,” Adam said. “This won’t be like Udo and Steven.”
A wry smile appeared on Javier’s face. “Next it will be Tito and Ewen.”
They all burst out laughing. The relief desperately needed.
“I won’t be telling Tito or Noah,” Jonas said. “On that you can be assured. Tito has a mouth as big as Goran’s hands.”
“Can we get changed now, Boss?” Adam asked. “The lads will think something’s up.”
“Fine,” Javier said. “Tell them you were giving Jonas some tips on facing the press.”
Adam exhaled. “Thank you, Boss. We really appreciate it.”
“Yes. Thank you, Boss,” Jonas added.
As a football manager and as a man, Javier Tosar was one of a kind. Adam was so glad he played for him. Never more so than at that moment.
“Bloody hell, Adam,” Javier said. “You had me fooled.”
“For your information, I’m bisexual,” Adam replied, rearing up. “I always have been. So I’ve been fooling no one.”
Javier nodded.
They left the office into a corridor heaving with reporters, officials and coaching staff. A lot of them patted Jonas on the back as he walked through to the area where they did television interviews.
“You’re on your own now,” Adam said.
“Am I?” Jonas replied.
“Not for long. We need to have some alone time.”
The relief in Jonas’ eyes gave Adam guilt pangs. He shouldn’t have shut down like that. It wasn’t fair.
Fighting every urge to kiss Jonas, he made his way into the locker room.
The atmosphere in there wasn’t too bad. Alain and Jerzy were on the benches chanting,
“The way the Skipper tricked them. Fucking amazing,” Colin said.
“Here he is,” Ewen shouted out.
They all crowded him. Hugging him and ruffling his hair.
“All right. Calm down,” he said. “It’s not like we won.”
“Don’t matter, Skip,” Tito said. “That goal was class. No matter what.”
I wish Jonas could’ve seen this.
“Hey, save some for the main man,” he said, waving them away. “He’ll be here in a minute.”
Adam staggered over to his bench and flopped down. His whole body ached. After matches like these he wished the communal bath hadn’t gone out of fashion. A long hot soak would be perfect.
“You know what I hate about playing Sunday matches?” Alain asked.
“Enlighten us,” Jerzy replied.
“There’s nowhere open to go out after.”
A night out seemed like the last thing on his mind. Adam had a date with his jacuzzi to rest his bones. Then an idea struck him.
“Pool party at mine. A kind of we lost but we won celebration?”
A cheer erupted.
The door opened. Adam braced himself for Jonas. To not show any reaction.
It was Howard.
He came in. Adam smirked when he saw Howard’s wandering eye. He supposed he didn’t blame him. People often found coming up against naked athletes to be an arresting experience. Not that Howard had ever been shy about coming into the locker room.
“I have news,” Howard said. “Things are a changing.”
“Not you I hope, Howard,” Ewen interrupted.
“You wish,” Howard replied. “Where’s Jonas?”
As if by magic, Jonas walked through the door. “Did I hear my name?”
“The timing of a West End star. Why aren’t you being interviewed?”
“They’re still setting up. Why aren’t you ready to field questions?”
“Touché,” Howard said. “I suppose I’ll have to concede now your goal has already been voted the best of the weekend on five sports sites.”
“Bloody hell,” Colin said. “We’ve only just come off the pitch.”
Noah gave him a high five and Tito threw his arms around him.
Jonas grinned.
Fuck he’s sexy.
“I’m having a party at mine, Howard,” Adam said. “You’re welcome to join if you’ve got a pair of Speedos.”
Howard blushed. “My Speedos days are behind me. Even if it’s a tempting offer. Jonas. Move it.”
“Give me five minutes.”
Howard sighed loudly and left them to it.
“All back to yours then?” Jonas asked.
“That’s right. You up for it?”
“Too right I am. I’ll have to catch you up. I have a feeling Howard is going to make a meal of this.”
Before they could get changed at record pace, Javier and Steven came in.
“Boss?”
“Can I have a quick word, lads?”
Everyone froze. Adam studied the faces in front of him. Different shades of fear.
“Of course,” Adam said. “Shall we sit down?”
Javier shook his head. “I’m not dying. You can all relax but only a little.”
A ripple of nervous laughter swept through the room.
“I wanted to say that today’s loss has probably fucked our chances of seriously winning this league. It’s hard to admit but we have to be real.”
He paused for effect. Something Javier had become very adept at. It worked too.
“What are you saying, Boss?” Colin asked.
“Our focus now is on the FA Cup. The first match isn’t far away. I truly believe we can do this.”
Usually after a loss the team slunk off home. That afternoon it felt like a derby-winning locker room.
Adam caught Jonas’ eye. They did play well together. He couldn’t wait to get his clothes off later. The pool party would be torturous anticipation. Adam gave him a quick wink. The smile that flickered at the edge of Jonas’ mouth nearly made Adam hard.
Not a good idea. He could hardly put it down to the excitement of the goal.
He dropped his clothes. Yet he wasn’t brave enough to see if Jonas was watching.
That really would be too much.