Chapter 5 Grey
GREY
At Coach Hammer’s proclamation that we’re getting shipped off to finishing school, Wolf barks a laugh.
“I think Coach is saying that he has to make an example of us,” I say.
“Not me. This is coming directly from the commissioner.” Hammer drops into his seat as if he wishes it weren’t so. He tosses a newspaper down on the desk between us so we can see the headline. He stabs it a few times.
Full moon over Boston.
Declan and Wolf chuckle. Chase cracks a smile. I remain as stony as ever, because, yes, it’s a big deal and I’m not one to rock the boat, but at this point, I’m not even sure I’d know if I were drowning. Maybe I already am.
Hammer groans and scrubs his hands down his face. “You guys are terrible with the press.”
Declan smirks. “They say any kind of press is good press.”
“The problem is you’re lacking in actual good press. You’re all cocky. Not at all humble.”
“Come on, it’s all hype,” Chase says.
“The fans love to see us getting rowdy,” Declan adds.
“We’re the Bruisers. We have a reputation to uphold,” Wolf says, elbowing me, likely because I’ve been on the team the longest. “Tell him.”
The coach’s perfunctory smile suggests any appeal I make is a lost cause. He goes on, “Starky wants you to clean up, learn some manners, and prove that you’re well-behaved gentlemen.”
I snort, because although we’re all men, it’ll take an army to turn this group of jocks into anything approaching the definition of the word gentle.
“Think of it like reform camp. You’ll be there a month.”
The room falls silent.
Hammer clears his throat. “You’ll attend several classes for your betterment. I hope I’ve made my point and you’ve learned your lesson. No mooning the commissioner’s daughter, or anyone else, for that matter.”
The silence erupts with protests and I’m not sure who asks what as the call from the lawyer collides with my career. I can’t lose my spot on the team. It’s all I have. But what about my son? Nancy said we had about ten days, but the coach said my sentence is a month. What will I do?
“What about training camp?”
“OTAs?”
“The program you’ll be attending is the only organized team activity you’ll be completing if you want to go to training in August.” Hammer, ever the picture of calm, grits his teeth.
“So, if we want to go to training camp, first we have to attend this camp?” Chase asks.
“That’s right. Your midpoint and final reviews will determine whether you hit the field with the rest of the team before the season starts.”
All at once, we each come up with objections and try to talk him out of it, except I don’t tell him about the call, the kid, or what’s coming my way. I can’t tell the guys any of that yet because I don’t know what it’ll mean for next season.
Hammer’s eyes bulge as if he only heard one word among the chatter. “Unfair? Poor Elyse cannot wipe the sight of four pasty rear ends from her mind—neither can the rest of the country.” Hammer points at the newspaper, which features the photo, blurred in select areas.
Several people stood in the doorway, but it must’ve been Brandon who snapped the shot with his phone.
Starky’s fingers are too fat to operate a keypad, Elyse is a reporter and would’ve owned the story, and the officials do not want this kind of press.
Later, I’ll remind Brandon about the no phones in the lounge rule and make sure he doesn’t do something this stupid again.
“Hey, my rear end is not pasty. It’s muscular and tan,” Declan says.
“For an Irishman,” I mutter.
“Listen, my hands are tied. It’s this or walk, boys.” Hammer shuffles folders around on his desk, signaling he’s done with us.
But I’m not. “This team is my life,” I say softly.
“All of our lives,” Declan echoes.
Hammer tosses his hands in the air. “Consider this probation.”
“Walk as in leave the team?” Chase asks, catching up with Coach’s previous comment. “Considering the only thing I know how to do is play football, I’ll do it. I’ll go to the finishing school or whatever.”
“Can’t you have your father talk to the commissioner?” Wolf asks Chase.
“You know the answer to that.” I sigh because the animosity between Rhett Collins and football—yes, the game as a whole—is legendary.
“Which is—?” Wolf asks.
“If he did, whatever the deal, would be worse, much worse.” With a shake of my head, I grunt. It’s a non-starter.
Declan gazes toward the ceiling as though asking for help.
“You’ll each be assigned a personal etiquette coach. And if you, uh, screw up, you’re off the team.” Hammer cocks an eyebrow.
We experience a group case of whiplash.
“All of you,” Hammer says as though dropping a gavel.
“What do you mean? If one of us screws up, we’ll all be let go?”
“Starky’s rules. He wants to see you all cleaned up and revamp your reputations. You can settle down and make honest men of yourselves, but no fooling around, if you catch my meaning.” He clears his throat.
Most of the guys on the team are known for being players—off the field as well as on. I don’t have that title anymore—hung up my hat when I thought I had a family. That didn’t work out as expected.
“You mean we can settle down, as in get married?” Chase asks.
“If you’re not planning to meet her at the end of the aisle, don’t bother.” Putting on his eyeglasses, once again signaling he’s done with us, Coach reviews a document on the desk.
“The grocery aisle?” Wolf chuckles.
Coach looks up over the wire rims like a parent who’s been worn down by idiotic questions and comments.
Wolf shrugs. “What? You didn’t specify which aisle.”
“Boys, the Boston Bruisers used to be more family-oriented.”
I stiffen, thinking about my increasingly complicated situation.
“I’m not telling you that you have to get married, but Marsha was the best thing that ever happened to me.
She taught me what matters in life. And look at one of our own—Rylen was taught that lesson, too.
There’s something powerful about finding that special someone instead of playing the field.
There’s security, comfort, fun, love...”
“Ah, look. Hammer is getting all mushy on us.” Bitterness laces Wolf’s voice as if he, too, has a secret he’s never revealed.
The coach nails Wolf with a hard look. “A real man isn’t afraid to love, Connor.
” He turns his gaze to the rest of us. “During this monthlong period, there aren’t going to be any pranks, bad press, and not one of you, as you call it, will be players—with women.
Do you understand? Bonus points if you can settle down.
Now, get out of here. I have work to do. ”
Begrudgingly, we acquiesce and exit the office.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Coach calls. “At the end of the month, there will be a ball.”
“A what?” I ask.
“A football—?”
Hammer chuckles. “Something like that.” He takes a phone call, dismissing us at last.
In the hallway, we convene and complain.
Rocking back on my heels, I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Listen, you know what this team means to me. We’re going to follow orders.”
“Good luck keeping Wolf away from women,” Declan says.
Quickly coming up with a plan, I say, “You heard him. If one of us screws up, we’re all off the team. We’re going to approach this like we would a game. We need a playbook...of rules.”
While Declan and Chase move closer, Wolf shifts away, never a fan of rules.
Chase tugs him back to our huddle. “This is serious. I’ll repeat what Hammer said. If one of us screws up. We’re all out.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re waiting to get married.”
Wearing a half smile, Chase shrugs like it’s no big deal. It may not be a common lifestyle choice among the players on the team, but he honors his faith. I’ve made mistakes in my past but received the grace of God’s forgiveness and am, or was, a changed man. These last few months broke me.
Declan tugs at the chain on his neck that holds a cross. “It’s just a month.”
Splaying my fingers, I count off, “The playbook rules: No kissing, eyes up, hands off, no dating...”
“Unless you fall in love,” Declan adds.
“And ask her to marry you,” Chase says.
Wolf groans.
“Got it?” I eye him.
Slowly, one by one, we stack our hands in the center of the circle. Ironic, because the last time we did this was just before we got in trouble.
All at once, we chorus, “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’.”
My phone pings with a message. It’s from my lawyer, Ted, asking me to call him right away. I had it in Do Not Disturb mode while in Hammer’s office. This can’t be good.
As we start to walk down the hall, Wolf says, “You have to admit I have a good butt.”
“I’m not saying anything about your butt other than that I’m going to kick it if you so much as breathe in the same room as a woman during this month,” Declan says.
“You can thank yourself for getting us into this situation,” Wolf retorts.
“The mooning prank was all your idea.”
“No, if I remember...” They start bickering.
“Guys, it doesn’t matter now. What does matter is that we’re going to camp and have to—” Chase starts.
My attention is halfway between here and wondering about what Ted has to say, so I interrupt. “Hammer said reform school.”
“Classes.”
“Probation.”
“No women. This is the worst,” Wolf says as we turn the corner.
“It’s not prison. I’m sure we’ll have some free time.” Declan’s phone pings.
“Did Hammer say camp or glamp? Maybe it’ll be at a luxury spa,” Chase says.
“You’d like that,” Wolf ribs.
Chase’s phone beeps and he swipes to his email. “I just got the travel info from the secretary. I think this is a school of some sort. Finishing school.”
“Like old-school etiquette?”
“Like sipping tea with pinkies turned out,” Chase says.
I elbow him, wanting this to be taken seriously.
“What? I had three sisters. You’d better believe they made me sit in on their tea parties. Maybe this isn’t going to be half bad...” Chase says.
“But it’s not the same as the field time and practice that’s going to get us ready for the season,” I say.
“It says here that we’ll still be training. They’re sending some specialist or something.” Chase skims the email.
“Yeah, I feel special,” Wolf says darkly.
Chase claps Wolf on the shoulder. “Good. We have just enough time to go home, pack, and meet up to take the flight to the finishing school in a remote country called Concordia. Ever hear of the place?”
Declan nods, but the others remain silent.
As for me, I couldn’t find the country on a map, but the follow-up message from Ted suggests that I’m going to need to find a compass and my wife, fast.