Chapter 5 #2
“Makes sense,” I say, “one of the many perks of being the quarterback I guess.”
He gently punches me. “Hey, we need all the perks we can get. Yeah, if games go well, people love us, but the minute we start losing, we’re the first to get shit.”
He’s not wrong, they carry a lot of responsibility.
It’s not just throwing, it’s choosing the right play and communicating it to the team, there’s a lot of pressure.
Not to mention the fact that there are people on the opposite team literally dedicated to taking you out before you can throw the ball.
I’m not sure how I’d deal with the pressure of knowing that some of the opposing players get a five-figure bonus for sacking me.
“This is fun though,” I say, gesturing around the table.
Ted and Bri are laughing with our two starting receivers, Jordan Tucker and Isaac Brown. While our reserve, Joel Moreau, talks to the reserve quarterback, Austin Blake.
“Yeah,” Marcus smiles, “I love this, we’re more than a football team, we’re family, and hanging out like this is important.
It’s not always like this in the pros; some teams keep everything strictly professional.
But in my experience, having this type of relationship with the coaches makes it easier to go to them for help. ”
“How do you mean?” I ask.
“Well I don’t have a specific example on me, but after tonight, do you not feel like you’d find it easier to go to Ted for help or advice if you were struggling with something?”
I watch Ted, laughing and joking with Jordan and Isaac, it reminds me of how I am with my dad and uncles when we get together, and I can tell them anything.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I say, but I know that I could never talk to Ted about my sexuality and how it could affect my career, and the team.
My phone beeps with a notification, when I check it, a message flashes up on screen with the sender as a book emoji and I can’t help but smile.
Marcus nudges me. “Ooh, I know that smile, you getting a booty call?”
I laugh nervously. “No, just a friend from Winbrook.”
“Mm-hmm,” he smirks. “Well I’m gonna get another plate of this mac ‘n’ cheese and leave you to your ‘friend’.”
I roll my eyes at the air quotes he put around friend and wait for him to leave the table. Knowing he’s watching me, I try and control my expression as I open the message, I can’t help it, Donovan makes me smile.
Hey, just wanted to check in and see how training is going, hope you’re having fun! Donovan.
I quickly type a message back and hit send.
Yeah, it went well today thanks. Just at my coach’s house for dinner, it’s something they do every month which is cool.
I attach the photo I took of my steak and sides and send it through.
How’s your weekend going?
He replies instantly.
OMFG that food… *drools*
I can’t complain though, it’s nice to have my mom’s cooking again.
A photo appears of an amazing spread, it looks like tamales, some kind of soup or stew, and lots of sides.
My weekend has been good so far, mainly lounging by the pool with Beth, and my brother showed up too. But right now, we’re just heading out to an art gallery opening.
Images of him lounging by the pool in swim shorts fill my mind and I quickly try to push them away. Now is not the time, those thoughts need to wait until my hotel room…
Sounds fun! Glad you’ve been able to catch up with Beth and your brother.
Didn’t have you down as the art gallery type ;) Photos or it didn’t happen!
Can I imagine him at an art gallery opening? Absolutely. Am I just using this as an excuse to get a photo of him? Maybe…
Oh wow… I’m not sure if I should be offended by that. But fine, I’ll send you proof, so much proof you’ll regret asking for it!
I can’t help but let out a chuckle, I don’t fully understand what he means, but he makes me laugh regardless.
“Things going well with your ‘friend’?” Marcus shouts across the room, so everyone else hears and immediately jumps on me for details.
I quickly put my phone on silent and away, while trying to ward off their many questions, only escaping when Bri announces that dessert is ready.
By the time Marcus drops me off at my hotel, I’m full of food and happy, definitely feeling like part of the team more than I did a few hours ago.
I kick off my shoes and pull my shirt over my head, before crawling onto the bed and leaning back against the headboard with a bottle of water.
I pull out my phone and see thirty new messages.
What the fuck?
I open the app and they’re all from Donovan, and all pictures. Photos of him outside the gallery, by the bar, holding a drink, selfies in front of what I can only imagine is every piece of art on display, photos of random shit too, like plants, empty glasses, even the backs of strangers’ heads.
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter, but I’m laughing as I type out a response.
I’m still not convinced you were at an art gallery event… I call fake news!
It doesn’t take long for his reply to come through.
Yes, I faked ALL of those photos to pretend to be at an art gallery event. *eye roll*
That confession would be admissible in a court of law…
Just saying ;)
I can almost picture the expression on his face; after spending more time together this week, I’m much more familiar with his expressions, the little quirks that show what he’s really thinking or feeling.
Why did I even bother? Delete all those photos, you don’t deserve them.
No can do sorry; I need to keep these as evidence…
He doesn’t need to know that I also want to keep them to look at when he’s not around.
So you’ve got at least twenty photos of me on your phone, but I have none of you. Seems a bit unfair.
I can’t tell if this is banter, or if we’ve crossed over the line to flirting.
We’ve been friendly since last weekend when we talked about what happened with Kyle, but I can’t deny that it felt good to hug him, and I’m attracted to him.
I know I can’t go there, but this is just friendly banter… right?
Fine, here you go, but this is all you’re getting!
I take a quick selfie and send it through, only realizing after it’s sent that I’m leaning against my headboard with my shirt off. Not exactly the kind of picture you’d send to a friend.
Shit.
The bubbles appear to show he’s typing, then they disappear… and reappear… and disappear. Fuck, what have I done?
Finally, a message comes through.
Thanks, I guess we’re even.
“Well what the fuck does that mean?” I ask the empty room.
Donovan
It’s Sunday evening and I’m waiting for Stephen to get back from training.
I haven’t been able to stop looking at the photo he sent me, the one where he’s leaning against the headboard in his hotel room, without a shirt on.
I keep getting distracted by the smooth skin of his chest, and the soft ripples of his abs where he’s sitting, his shoulders are so broad they don’t fit in the photo.
Fuck me, he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. His hair rivals McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy, and he had some perfect hair.
Did he mean to send me a shirtless selfie? Or did he just take it and not think? Either way, I’m glad I have it… but it would be nice to know his intention.
I wish I could talk to Beth about it, but that would involve telling her he’s not straight, and I understand better than anyone his need to keep that information quiet.
Since our talk last Saturday, we’ve definitely become friends, spending more time together in the room, even grabbing coffee together sometimes.
But last night, were we flirting? I’m getting better at spotting it in person, but over message it’s hard, ten people could read the same sentence completely differently. I’m brought back to the room when I hear his key in the door, we’ve stopped knocking now.
His mom’s voice filters through first as she squeezes past him and into the room. “Donovan!”
“Hi, Vanessa,” I say, and before I know what’s happening she’s drawn me into a hug.
“Sorry,” she says, pulling away, “it’s a mom thing, Stephen said you’re friends so it’s instinct now to give you a hug.”
“It’s okay,” I laugh, “did you have a good weekend in Tynerston?”
“Boy did we!” Nathan says, carrying one of Stephen’s bags through the door. “We went to go and see the Tiger’s, just an exhibition game as it’s the off season, but it was incredible. Never been to a hockey game before.”
“That sounds great,” I say, not hiding the huge smile that crosses my face, his parents are so happy and it’s contagious.
“They say they’re doing this to help me out,” Stephen says, “but really I just think they both enjoy being tourists in Tynerston and having a getaway every other weekend.”
“Hey,” Nathan says, “your mom and I have worked all our lives, we’re due a bit of fun, you can’t begrudge us that.”
“I know, I know, and of course I’m grateful,” Stephen says, pulling them both into a hug. “But I’ve told you it’s okay to drop me off downstairs, you don’t need to come all the way up to my room every time.”
He rolls his eyes at me playfully.
“Ah, I see what’s going on here,” Nathan says, “you’re embarrassed of your folks, don’t want us ruining your rep in front of your friends.”
I can’t help but laugh, knowing how much Stephen loves his parents and that he actually adores how much they care about him.
“I don’t have a rep,” Stephen mutters.
“Alright, we can take a hint,” Vanessa says. “Let’s go, Nathan.” She pulls his hand so they both step out of the hug with Stephen. “It was lovely to see you again, Donovan.”
“You too, Vanessa,” I say, “and you, Nathan.”
“See you in a couple of weeks.” Nathan nods at both of us as they head out the door.
As soon as it closes behind them Stephen lets out a sigh. “I would say they won’t be that intense every time, but they will.”
“It’s okay,” I say, “I like them.”
We make eye contact for a moment, and he smiles. Beth would call it a panty-melting smile… boxer-melting smile doesn’t quite have the same ring to it… but his smile definitely does stuff to me.
“How was training today?” I ask, wanting to seem as normal as possible, and not like I’ve spent the day staring at a shirtless photo of him.
“It was good.” He sits in his desk chair and stretches his legs in front of him and his arms overhead, looking incredibly sexy taking up so much space. “Going to the coach’s house for dinner actually helped which I wasn’t expecting.”
“How do you mean?”
“I dunno, I guess after spending time with them all socially, I just felt more comfortable around them, we worked better together.”
“That makes sense,” I say, “that’s why businesses send their employees on those team building days isn’t it, get them doing something different together.”
“True,” he smiles. There it is again… the panty-melting smile. “So how was your weekend, and the ‘art gallery event’?” He uses air quotes to mock me.
“Look, I sent you all the proof you could ever need,” I laugh, “I was at an art gallery.”
I throw a pillow at him but with his quick reflexes he catches it and throws it straight back, the force knocking me back on my bed so I’m laying down. I don’t bother to get back up and stay there, hugging the pillow.
As I look over at him, his eyes darken where he’s watching me from his chair.
“It was fun,” I say, “I’m ninety-nine percent sure there’s something going on with Beth and my brother, but they obviously want to keep it a secret.”
“You okay with that?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I say, letting a grin cross my face, “weirdly I think they’ll be good for each other, as long as my brother doesn’t fuck it up.”
“And them keeping it a secret, that doesn’t bother you?”
“No, I know better than anyone that sometimes you need to keep things a secret, they obviously have their reasons. And I can’t exactly be mad; I’m keeping a pretty big secret from my brother. Besides, it might be me that needs to be in a secret relationship one day.”
“And you’d be willing to do that?” he asks, there’s an edge to his voice that I’ve not heard before, it’s deeper. “You’d be okay being in a secret relationship?”
“Yeah, if it needed to be, and, you know, it was the right person.”
He doesn’t reply, simply nodding his head for a moment, but I can tell the conversation is over.
“I’m going to go and use the showers, they should be quieter now,” I say, standing and gathering my things.
“Sure,” he says, “I’m gonna get an early night, I’m exhausted after practice.”
“Okay, night.”
“Night, Donovan.”