Chapter 21 #2
The ninety-day visa open to Aussie residents was one of our compromises.
Not only had I argued it’d help us fly under the radar—a long visit from a friend was less likely to be gossip column fodder for a start—but it also ensured we’d have time afterward to reevaluate our next step.
The latter had been reluctantly agreed to by Ryan.
By the time I returned to Queensland in twelve weeks, the League’s season would be starting up for training. It meant I wouldn’t be a distraction, and Ryan would feel less guilty about the hours he needed to pour into preparing.
“You sure you’re happy staying in?” Wearing nothing but a pair of tight black boxer briefs, Ryan was a walking wet dream. Heat flashed into my system, and I took a long, slow glance at him.
“You really need to ask?” I raised an eyebrow for good measure.
“You’re insatiable.” He stepped toward to where I lounged on his huge bed, the distant lights of the strip twinkling. “I like it.”
The bastard pounced on me, and the magazine I was browsing flew out of my hand. “Hey,” I complained, though I sighed contently when his warm body pressed in at my side.
“What you reading?”
“Just farming equipment reviews.” I peered over at him. A gentle smile tilted his lips.
“Were you happy with how you left things?” Interest reflected in his deep brown eyes.
“Yeah.” I wrapped my arm around my boyfriend and trailed my fingers over his arm.
“Patrick worked his butt off the past few weeks so he can step up as manager. Catherine, who I took on for the admin side of things, is solid. She knows her stuff and will help Patrick when it comes to the more annoying side of running the place.”
“That’s a relief. I know it’s huge, you coming here.” The vulnerability in his voice tugged at my heart.
Pausing my strokes, I turned to my side to face him. “You’re worth it, and you still have your sister to thank for reminding me I’m allowed to chase my happiness too.”
Ryan stroked my jaw, his expression lifting, contentment settling there. “You got the good stuff while I got my ass handed to me.” An honest-to-God pout formed on his mouth.
“At least it stopped you freaking out about how calm she was being when you first got back.”
A derisive snort left him. “Yeah, giving it to me both barrels, but four weeks delayed, kinda took me by surprise.” Amusement laced his words, and I chuckled, thinking about Amber.
Admittedly, I’d also felt a little guilty discovering her softly-softly approach was a weird plan of hers to help convince Ryan to move back home for good. If not now, at least when he retired.
When she’d discovered that option had been on the table, which I’d sort of vetoed—we would wait to see how this year panned out—I’d expected her to come gunning for me.
Oh, how wrong I had been.
“Nineteen-year-olds are scary as fuck,” he grumbled.
Not sure I could make my voice solemn, as while he was right, it was still funny, I ended up nodding instead.
“I spoke to Micky after you abandoned me earlier,” he said, taking me by surprise.
I’d managed just over an hour working out in the complex’s private gym before I’d worried I’d curl over.
I’d waved Ryan off when he offered to come back to the condo with me, aware he usually spent three hours training a day.
Me being here wasn’t going to change that.
While he had time off before the season started, he needed to be in peak physical condition.
Keeping my voice light, I asked, “What did you talk about?”
“Asked that you were here safely and wanted to make sure you were settling in okay. Micky reminded me again to ask you to store his number in your phone, in case you needed to contact him.”
I smiled. “That was good of him.”
Ryan chuckled. “I think he’s super aware that I’m still undecided about next year. Can’t blame the guy for making an effort. If I retire, it’ll impact him as well, you know?” His smile was tender when he finished speaking.
“I know,” I said, “and no decisions yet, remember?” While Ryan retiring after this coming season remained on the table, we were absolutely keeping it on the down-low.
I also felt a little guilty about Micky, especially as his agent’s reaction had blown my mind.
His support had been instant. There’d been no harassment, no pressure, no grumbles of disappointment, simply legit acceptance.
Honestly, from the way Ryan described it, he’d expected to hear that Ryan was quitting with no plans to return to America, contract be damned.
That he wasn’t made him overjoyed, apparently.
“I’ll add his number. Not quite sure I can ever imagine a scenario of needing it.” The slight shift in Ryan’s expression caught my eye. “What are you thinking?” I asked.
“I know our plan is limiting risks of me being outed, but it could happen. And if it did, you’d need to contact him, especially if I’m not around. Micky would be the one to help you.”
My pulse picked up, thinking about the possibility of the fallout. I didn’t like the pressure Ryan put on himself one bit. I nodded. “I get it. But it’ll be fine. We’ll be careful and get through this year.”
If I said it often enough, just maybe I’d believe it. If Ryan decided to be a free agent and accept a new contract at the end of the season, it would be then that we’d be controlling the narrative.