Chapter 16
Reid
We were an hour into reviewing tape with the team, talking over our different strategies and plans for the upcoming games.
As we got closer to mid-season, our record was good, considering I was a new coach and we had a young team, but there were definite improvements we could make. There were always improvements to make.
After I’d taken Rowan out to dinner the night before, when I dropped him off at home, Evan and I had stayed up talking strategy. Rowan had fallen asleep with his head on my thigh. I hadn’t wanted to leave him. Each day I got closer to just asking him to move in with me.
Most nights he stayed at my home, but there were times when he insisted on going back to Evan’s place so he could give me space. Not that I ever asked for it or wanted it. I was working at his pace, and all I could do was show him that I wanted to be with him all the time.
The door clicked open, and Rowan was there pushing a cart in full of drinks and snacks for the guys.
They were listening to Elliot go on about a new play we had talked about.
Meanwhile, I walked over to Rowan and smiled softly at him as I grabbed a drink from the tray.
He reached under it, then pulled out a cup from my favorite coffee place. I smiled as I took it.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Hold up, hold up,” Derek, one of our wingers, called. “I think it’s about time we talked about this big-ass elephant in the room.”
I turned to look at room. All eyes were on Rowan and me.
“You have something you’re concerned about, Derek?” I asked.
“Yeah, man, we aren’t blind. What’s going on between you and our man, Rowan?”
I turned to Rowan. His eyes had gone wide. He was wearing a Port City Badgers t-shirt with his own number on it. His gaze bounced around between all the guys in the room as they looked at him expectantly. He was like a little kid, their little brother, with his hand caught in the cookie jar.
“What exactly do you think is going on?” I said.
I saw no reason to keep our relationship a secret. We had verified it wasn’t against league rules. It was just our private life that I didn’t need to share with my team, except Rowan was their honorary little brother, and like Evan, the rest of the team felt incredibly protective over him.
“It’s you. He’s been going out with! No way! You’re dating Coach, Ro?” Elliot shouted.
“Man, I wondered who the alpha was,” Nix said. “At least now we know who he’s been gushing over for the past few weeks.”
Elliot pointed at me. “You’re welcome, by the way. I helped him pick out outfits for at least five of your dates.”
Rowan’s cheeks blushed a crimson red, and he bit his lip.
“I think the cat might be out of the bag,” I said quietly, leaning into him.
He nodded. I took that as indication that I could come clean officially. I laced my fingers into his and pulled him closer to me. His shoulder brushed up against mine, and my body hummed in pleasure, like he was always supposed to be next to me.
“Yes, Rowan and I are dating. That’s really all you need to know.”
“You going to do right by him? Captain, you okay with this?” Derek asked. He tried for a stern face, but then he grinned.
The whole team was grinning like fools, like their kid brother just got asked to prom and they were going to interrogate his date.
Evan nodded. “I’ve known for a while.”
Mario sat in the front row of room. He covered his hand over his mouth as he held back a laugh.
“And you didn’t tell us! Boo!” Derek threw his crunched-up cup down, and it bounced off Evan’s chest.
“He better treat you right, Rowan. He better be wining and dining you every night. Evan, you make sure Rowan gets home by curfew,” Elliot said.
Now, Rowan’s cheeks really were blazing.
Most of the time I got him home at a decent hour, but more often than not, he was simply staying at my house with me.
No one had noticed that Rowan was riding to the arena with me, probably because I had my own parking space and we could be discreet.
That, and I arrived before everyone else.
“He’s been very good to me,” Rowan said. His voice was quiet and his eyes lowered. His lashes brushed over his cheeks, and I had the urge to kiss him soundly in front of everyone. I refrained.
“Gross. Don’t give us details,” Nix said.
Rowan rolled his eyes. “I didn’t. And you guys are the ones who asked. Jeez.”
“Yeah, Rowan, you’re like our baby brother, man, and he’s our coach. No details,” Derek added.
“All right, all right. I think we can all move on from this discussion then,” I said.
“We are happy for you, though,” Derek said, and there was a murmur of agreement amongst the whole team. Twenty guys in the room, all grinning like fools because they were thrilled for us. Thrilled for Rowan.
“Thank you. Rowan and I are also incredibly happy.” I lifted his hand and kissed it. “We would be even more happy if we went back to talking plays, because when we play the east side next week, we’re going to need to know these things. How about we get back to work, yeah?”
Rowan pushed the tray into the corner of the room. Before he went to leave, though, I walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, much to the delight of the team as they whistled and hollered at us. At least there was a perk to us not having to hide anymore.