Chapter 21
Good game. We strutted off the field. I was covered in sweat. The sound of the adoring crowd rang in my ears, just the way I liked it.
A win is always a good game. Hawk grinned. Especially when we have to fight for it.
And we had. At halftime we were down by three points. A field goal evened the score about two minutes into the second half. We were neck and neck then, right up until the last couple of minutes. We snuck ahead. They tried desperately to come back, but we wouldnt give them a millimetre.
It was the kind of game that was as much fun to watch as it was to play. And I hadnt fumbled the ball. That was a bonus.
Rapids. Rapids. Rapids. The sound echoed through the stadium, even as the crowds headed for the exits. It would be mayhem out there for the better part of an hour or two yet.
The locker room was just as chaotic.
I couldnt turn around without seeing a sweaty guy with a grin on his face. Even Ollie, who had blood caked under his nose where hed been hit. He didnt look like his nose was broken, so I guessed we couldnt test the theory about it affecting his looks.
Shame.
I chuckled to myself.
First sign of insanity is laughing at nothing. Chases locker was near enough to mine that he could pull stuff out of it while flinging insults in my direction.
Second sign is thinking someone is laughing at nothing, when in fact they have plenty to laugh about, I retorted. In this case, I was laughing because the girls would still swoon over Ollie, even with a face full of blood.
Ollie grimaced, grabbed a towel and started to wipe it off.
Theyd probably like him even more like that, Hawk said. War wounds and all.
Women can be so sadistic, I agreed.
Maybe you could attract one if you got hurt, Chase suggested.
Are you offering? Hawk asked, his grin wider than before.
Naw, Bam knows where to go if he wants to be punched in the face, Chase replied.
I smirked. Are you limping, Chasey-boy?
Youd be limping too if you got tackled by Bryan Nauta.
I had to give him that. The Pacific Islander was one of the biggest guys in the AGL. If he brought anyone down, the crowd always groaned in sympathy. Unless they were fans of the Goannas, in which case they cheered.
When we watched the playback, we could have a good chuckle at Chases expense, unless he was more badly injured than he looked.
Get some ice on it, Hawk said. He didnt really need to. We all knew to get our injuries looked at as soon as possible. If we didnt, we might miss the next game, or the rest of the season. Or be out forever. No one wanted their career to end that way.
Im going. Chase limped toward the medic.
Ollie wasnt far behind, although I suspected hed only suffered bruising to his face and ego.
Id have a stiff shoulder from another tackle, but the medic checked it over during halftime and cleared me to keep playing.
It wasnt much of a game unless most of us were injured in some way. As long as nothing was broken and no one died, then it was all good, as far as I was concerned.
Bec tells me you and Grace got close, Hawk said. He shoved his helmet into his locker and leaned against it, arms crossed over his chest.
If youve seen any social media in the last week, you would know that. I couldnt keep the bitterness out of my tone. I didnt like this kind of scrutiny, and Grace deserved better. At least Hawk had the balls to ask me about it to my face.
He raised one eyebrow slightly. I didnt mean that. Bec seems to think you care about each other.
I couldnt keep the surprise off my face. I tried, but Id long ago admitted that I suck at poker. If I ever got a good hand, Id grin like a carnival clown.
I shrugged and tried to pretend I hadnt just reacted how I did. I dont know what youre talkin about.
Right. Hawk lowered his arms. If thats how you want to play it.
It is, I replied.
He hesitated, then turned to pull off his jersey and toss it aside to be washed.
I loosened the strapping on my wrists and started to work them down and off.
After a good three to four minutes, I said, I care about her, okay? A lot. She doesnt feel the same way though.
Hawk glanced back at me. You sure about that?
I narrowed my eyes at him. Why? What did Bec say? This was starting to feel like a high school locker room.
Not much, Hawk said. Just that she thought you both had feelings for each other, but youre both too proud to admit it. If Grace told her anything in confidence, she wouldnt have told me. You know how women are.
Good at keeping secrets? I asked.
I think they call it respecting boundaries, but same thing, Hawk said. So, is it true? Is the Bam-man really in love?
If you go making kissy faces at me, Im gonna find a home for my fist. In your face. I said.
Hawk pursed his lips, but then grinned. Come on, man, spill. Have you got the hots for her, or what?
I slumped against a locker. What good would it do? She doesnt feel the same way.
It sounds like you should be having this conversation with her, Hawk said.
If I was talking to her right now, Id wonder why a woman was in a locker room full of guys in their birthday suits. One thing I would say about the guys, was that none were shy about their bodies. Except Ollie, who was shy about almost everything.
Hawk laughed. Maybe she got lucky.
I couldnt resist saying, She sure did. I had skills and I didnt mind admitting to it. At least, I never had any complaints. Was that even a thing women did, or did they just tell their friends how bad a guy was?
That might be something I shouldnt think about too much. Women seemed to be satisfied, that was enough for me.
Hawk sounded like he was choking back a laugh. Man, I have no idea what Grace would see in you anyway.
Me either, I said. But I dunno what Bec sees in you. If I had to pin down a reason, I might say its because Hawk was one of the best guys I knew. Hed give you the shirt off his back, as long as it wasnt his Rapids’ jersey. He owned that bad boy and it owned him. Of all of us, Hawk was the one most likely to end up Head Coach someday. He lived and breathed the game more than any guy I ever met. Sometimes I wondered how he made room for Bec, but he obviously did, or she would have walked away long ago. Id bet my last 5 cents those two would get married and live happily ever after. They were so sweet to each other, it was enough to rot anyones teeth.
Bec is smart, Hawk said. She knows an awesome guy when she sees one.
I grinned. And yet, she settled for you.
Hawk chuckled, but he shrugged. Ill take being second best, as long as shell put up with me.
Second best might be a bit ambitious, I teased.
Hawk yanked off a sweaty sock and threw it at me. I ducked and it sailed over my shoulder and landed a few metres away.
Hey, no one deserves to come into close physical contact with your nasty socks, I said.
Some people would pay one for one of those, Hawk said.
Some people are as nasty as your socks, I said. Hell, people sent dirty underwear. Nothing would surprise me anymore.
I kicked it back toward him with the toe of my boot. Im gonna need to steralise that now. And the floorll need a good clean.
Hawk scooped up his sock and sat to pull off the other one. I might donate them to the hall of fame instead. He waved his socks in the air.
They dont want them either, I said. Take em home and wash the nasty things.
I sat and pulled off my boots. My own socks were getting threadbare, but theyd do for another season or two. I hated to buy new socks until the old ones fell apart. Same with everything else I owned.
I can see your toe peeking out. Hawk pointed.
Air conditioning, I retorted. Okay, maybe it was time for new ones.
This is why you need a girlfriend, Hawk said. Someone to throw away old socks and make you buy new ones.
Youre making staying single sound appealing. I was old enough to throw away and buy my own stuff. I didnt need Grace, or anyone, telling me what to wear. I wouldnt do it to her, no matter how tempted I was to buy those snowflake pants I saw in the shop. If she didnt want them, that was up to her, but her ass would look smoking hot in them.
And out of them.
Youre going to talk to her? Hawk asked.
Why do you care? I pulled off my socks and sighed at the sensation of cool air on my bare feet.
Youre my bro, Hawk said. I want you to be happy. And Grace is Becs friend. Ill never hear the end of it if you dont at least clear the air.
Uh ha, youre worried about yourself here. Good to know. I smiled to let him know I was joking. I wasnt that easily offended. Besides, I got it. Women were stubborn when it came to certain things. Bec would never forget if I broke Graces heart. Grace would never forgive Hawk if he broke Becs. Between the two of them, Hawk and I might be better off leaving the state and never looking back.
Not that the big, bad Bam Clinton was scared of women, no way.
You must have missed the bit where I said I want you to be happy, Hawk said.
You dont think Im happy playin the field? I asked.
Hawk rubbed the side of his nose. Ive seen you with her. You dont get that silly grin around anyone else. Or anything else, except for pizza.
It is pizza, I said.
Hawk chuckled. Yeah, it is. Look, at the end of the day, youve gotta do what youve gotta do, but being honest with Bec was the best thing I ever did. Whats the worst that could happen?
Grace could tell me to fuck off, I said.
Which would be better than not knowing, right?
I dont know, I said slowly. Not knowing isnt so bad. Owww.
Hawk punched me on the arm.
I rubbed my hand over it. What was that for?
Because youre only hurting yourself in the long run, Hawk said.
And youre hurting me in the short run, I said. Since when did you become Auntie Hawk, the love guru?
Hawk chuckled. Since always. I just didnt take my own advice. Until I did. Turns out, Im wise.
Wiseass or wisecrack? I teased. Maybe a little bit of both. Wise asscrack.
Hawk laughed. Better a wise asscrack than a dumbass.
Is that what you think Im being? I asked.
Hawk stood. Only you can answer that question, young grasshopper. My wisdom has its limits.
Figures, I said. I guess you cant tell me if well make the Down Under Bowl?
We can only hope, Hawk said. We can only hope.