Leopard Hunt - 10. Chapter 10

Ben grinned at the bedraggled figure that was collapsed on the living-room couch. “You look wrecked.”

“I feel wrecked.” Ross managed a weak smile. “It’s been a couple of hours since I finished training, and I’m still knackered. As I made my way home, I wondered what the other people on the train thought I’d been doing.” He winced. “The walk from the train station to here was bad enough. I’d hate to think what I looked like then.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you missed a light training session tonight.”

Ross lifted a weary middle finger.

Ben chuckled as he hefted the bag with all his football gear. While he and his teammates were getting ready for the upcoming VFL season, Ross was taking advantage of an invitation to join the Richmond Football Club for the week. The way Ross looked, Ben was almost happy to have missed the opportunity to train with an AFL team. Almost.

“Ollie’s going out with Helena, and Charlie’ll be heading out with Stacey, so it’s just us for dinner tonight. What do you feel like?”

“I feel like throwing up.” Ross took a couple of deep breaths. “Anything you want. Sandwiches would be fine if that’s all you want to do.”

“I’ll see what I can come up with.” Ben hesitated before leaving the room to dump his football bag in his room. “Tell me what happened when I get back.”

Ross managed a weak wave.

It was thirty minutes later by the time Oliver and Charlie had headed out on their respective dates, leaving the two younger players alone.

“Feeling better?” Ben asked.

“A little. They told me we’d be having a recovery session tomorrow, just as if we’d played a real match the day before.”

“Is that what you did?”

“Sort of.” Ross sighed, though there was a wisp of a smile playing on his lips. “Besides simulated-match practise, they ran us until we broke. Even the older players said afterwards it was a tough session.”

“How do you think you went?”

The smile became more pronounced. “I wasn’t the first to break.” He shrugged and then winced as if the movement had caused him pain. “I was in the first third to stop, but there were enough who broke before me that I’m happy.” He chuckled for a moment. “Don’t tell her, but all that endurance work Julie’s made me do paid off today. I lasted longer than I thought I would.”

Ben chuckled. Julie, the head coach for the Lilydale Leopards was adamant about ensuring all the players had enough stamina to last an entire match. She had been working them hard for over a month, with the only break being the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

“How did the academy players do?” Ben asked, referring to the academy run jointly by the AFL and the Australian Institute of Sport for the nation’s elite juniors. Two academy players were training alongside Ross for the week.

“I did better than one, but not quite as good as the other.”

Ben nodded. “In the middle’s not bad.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Ross sighed. “It’s a good start to the year, but I still need to show what I can do during the season. This is just the warmup.” He winced as he stretched his arms. “It’s only going to get tougher from here.”

Ben knew what he meant. Like Ross, Ben had missed out on being drafted at the end of 2014. Most of the focus of the AFL clubs would now be on the eighteen-year-olds and their junior competitions. Ben and Ross were in the VFL, where they would play older and tougher opponents, but doing so made comparisons more difficult; with stronger opponents, it was more difficult to stand out and be noticed. There were far fewer players drafted from the VFL than from the junior competitions, so it was going to be tough for both of them to attract enough attention to have a chance of being drafted at the end of 2015.

Ben wasn’t jealous of Ross’s advantages. Beside the early interest shown by the Richmond Football Club, Ross’s manager, Alastair McCrae, had also arranged for Ross to participate in the Victorian TAC Cup competition as a nineteen-year-old. That would give him the chance to compete directly against those who would be considered for that year’s draft and hence have a chance to shine in front of the recruiters. Ben was envious, but he knew Ross had a tough year ahead, playing twice as much football as Ben, as well as training with both the Leopards and his TAC Cup team. If Ross was drafted at the end of the year, it would be because he’d put in the effort required.

Ben’s only concern was if Ross did make a name for himself that would draw attention to his teammates and housemates, and Ben didn’t want the association. Ross was openly gay, and Ben was afraid that if there was sufficient media attention on Ross, Ben’s family would find out. That’s when things could really start to get dicey.

* * *

Mason lifted his plastic cup while making a mental note to buy Liam and Clarissa some proper wine glasses. “Here’s to our future engineer, teacher and economist!”

The others gather around the table joined in the toast. Neil and Liam were obviously happy that both of them had been offered places into their preferred courses at the University of Sydney, but Clarissa was more intent on giving Deon a cold shoulder. Mason wasn’t sure of the cause, but he hoped it wasn’t serious. Kevin and Daphne were either ignoring the problem or were oblivious.

“What are the next steps?” Kevin asked after taking a sip of the red wine that Mason had provided for what turned out to be a celebration dinner.

“We have to accept the offers and then enrol in our courses.” Neil said. “All the instructions are online, and I’ve had a quick look. It all seems pretty straightforward. We’ve got a few days to get it done, and there’s help available, if needed.”

“Let me know if you hit any stumbling blocks.” Mason grinned. “Daphne and I have been through it, and it wasn’t that hard. I also know someone in Administration who may be able to help if you get stuck.”

Kevin shook his head in disbelief. “And exactly how long have you been in the country?” He chuckled. “I’m guessing that by this time next month, you’ll have an invitation for dinner with our Prime Minister, or at least the state’s Premier.”

Mason shuddered. “Please, no politicians. I got enough of that at home. If there’s one thing that’s good about going to school here in Australia, it’s that I don’t have to get involved in politics.”

Clarissa chuckled. “So, no student politics for you, then?”

“Nope.” Mason smiled. “And if you want to run for student-body president, leave me out of it. I’ve had enough of political campaigns to last me a lifetime.”

Liam frowned. “Do we have such a thing in Australia?” He glanced at Daphne. “Do you know?”

She shook her head. “No idea, but if we do, it’s not a big deal. There’s the student union, and it’ll have a president, but I think most students ignore it unless it impacts on them. Everyone pays their union dues and that gives them access to the various facilities. I don’t really know much more than that.”

Neil had pulled out his phone and was checking something. “There’s a student-representative council as well as the union. The union gives you access to the clubs and societies as well as discounts on food and drinks at most of the places on campus.”

Clarissa sighed. “Neil, put your phone away. You can look it up after dinner. Someone slaved over a hot oven for this meal, and we should show our appreciation. And, no, I’m not running for student-body president—or any other sort of president. At least, not today.”

Everyone apart from Deon chuckled as they glanced at the collection of pizza boxes on the table.

“Actually, I think we should check out the council.” Neil took a bite of his meat-lovers pizza. “They’re the ones who provide the LGBT support, according to what I saw.”

“Now that you’ve reminded me, yes, they do, as well as other support groups and legal services,” Daphne said. “I remember checking them out last year before deciding to defer for a year.” She glanced away. “I wanted to see what sort of academic support they offered.”

Kevin reached over and gave her a quick squeeze. “Hopefully, none of you will need any of that, but it’s good to know it’s available.”

The group continued to chat about the University of Sydney and the courses that they would be doing. Deon was quiet, with most of his attention on Clarissa, who, in turn, was ignoring him. Kevin was supportive of everyone, though it was obvious to Mason that his primary focus was always on Daphne. He was suspicious as to her comment earlier regarding academic support—he knew she had to be bright to get into the course she was in—but he wondered if it was counselling she was after. There were times she was confident, but other times she was very timid.

“Shall I open another bottle?” Kevin asked as he poured the last of the wine into Daphne’s cup. He then topped up his own glass of water.

“Why not?” Liam smiled at Neil. “I’m not going anywhere, and neither is Neil.”

“I’ll have some more, too.” Mason was in no rush to return to the apartment he was renting for the next two months. He shuddered as Kevin twisted the cap off the wine bottle. “I’m never going to get used to that.”

“To what?”

“Screwcaps on wine bottles. Wine is supposed to have a cork.”

Daphne chuckled. “Australian wine changed a long time ago. Too many bottles were being spoilt by bad corks, so they shifted to screwcaps. Even the top-quality wines use them.”

“I understand, but it still doesn’t feel right. Corks are supposed to add something to wine. A screwcap can’t.”

“I think that’s a myth—or at least not something significant. Most of the flavour and aroma comes from the barrels and how the wine is treated in the earlier stages. Wine can continue to develop in the bottle, but I don’t think the cork plays a big part in that. The time the cork does play a part is usually when it makes the wine go bad.”

Kevin smiled at Daphne. “You seem very knowledgeable on wines.”

She shrugged. “My dad wanted to open a vineyard when he was younger, but he’s never had enough money to purchase one. A second-hand bookshop was the next choice; he’s happy with that business. Wines are now just a hobby for him.”

“Are you still working there?” Clarissa asked.

“Part-time. We’re going to review things again when uni starts, but my dad said he wants me to settle in for a few weeks before we decide if I should continue at the shop.”

Kevin nodded. “Your dad’s right. Keep things as simple as possible while you get into a routine. You don’t want any additional stress when you start.”

Mason caught Daphne’s flinch. He was about to ask what it was about when Kevin gave her a quick hug, which seemed to settle her. Rather than cause her any discomfort, Mason let the matter rest.

“Are you working next week?” Clarissa asked her.

“Most mornings. Why?”

Clarissa glared at Deon. “Because I’m being left by myself—again. Deon’s going back to Melbourne, and the other two will be working, so I’m going to be alone again.” She flicked Mason a quick smile. “I can’t keep imposing myself on you all the time, so I thought I’d spend some time with Daphne.”

“You’re going back to Melbourne?” Kevin stared at Deon. “Why?”

Deon didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. “I can’t say. Sorry, but it’s confidential.”

Clarissa glared at him, though Deon probably didn’t notice, since he wasn’t looking at anyone. “In fact, apparently it’s so confidential he can’t even tell his girlfriend.”

Mason held in a wince. He now understood why she was being cold with Deon, but he didn’t think their differences should be aired in front of everyone.

“Yes, it is,” Neil said, to everyone’s surprise. “And I’m going to be in Melbourne with him, too. Liam’s going to be staying here because of his job, but I’m going back for the week. And I can’t say why, so don’t ask.”

Liam nodded. “We talked about it the other night. I’m not happy, but that’s because I’m going to miss him. I trust him when he says he’s got a good reason to return home.”

Neil’s statement and Liam’s support appeared to have deflated Clarissa’s anger. She stared at Neil. “You’re going back, too? Is it for the same reason that Deon’s flying to Melbourne on Monday?”

“I’d prefer not to say.” Neil gave Deon a look of uncertainty. “If I say too much, I might make things worse.”

Mason caught the fact that Neil talked about things getting worse. That meant there was already something bad happening, and it appeared to involve both Neil and Deon.

“So, it’s got something to do with the Leopards.” Clarissa gave Deon a jab. “That’s the link, right?”

“Clarissa, drop it!” Neil’s angry tone silenced everyone. He then reddened and dropped his head before continuing in a softer voice. “Please trust us. Liam trusts me; why can’t you trust Deon?”

“I don’t like my boyfriend keeping secrets from me, but…okay.” Clarissa reached over and put a hand on top of Deon’s. “Will you be able to tell me what it’s about afterwards?”

Deon took a deep breath and gave her an almost-smile. “I think so, but I won’t know until I come back. I’m sorry, but I can’t say anything more, not just yet.”

Mason decided a change of topic would be a good idea. “I’ve changed my mind. Clarissa, I’m happy to be your campaign manager when you run for student-body president or whatever other position you want to try for. I think you’ll be great at bossing everyone around.”

Clarissa hit him with a steely gaze, but Mason could see a thank you lurking behind it. “Are you saying I’m bossy?”

Liam and Neil glanced at each other and grinned. Liam smiled at the others around the table. “On the count of three. One…two…three…” Everyone chorused “Yes!”

Clarissa settled back into her chair and crossed her arms. “As long as you understand what that means.” She jabbed a finger in Deon’s direction. “And in your case, that means nightly phone calls while you’re away.”

Mason grinned at Deon’s acquiescence to the demand. He was obviously happy that his girlfriend was no longer maintaining a frosty silence. While the conversation moved on, Mason made his own plans for the following week. It was time to spend more of his parents’ money.

* * *

Mason waited until the next day before arranging to meet Clarissa at the university. They would have a look around before heading into the heart of Sydney to join Daphne for lunch.

It was during their stroll through the university grounds that Mason made his pitch.

“I know you’re upset about Deon and Neil going to Melbourne next week, but what do you think about doing a little bit of detective work to find out what’s going on?”

Clarissa shook her head. “If it were just Deon, I’d consider it, but with Neil going, too, I think I can wait. I don’t know what they’re up to, but Neil wouldn’t be flying back if it wasn’t important.

“Does this mean you’ll turn down an all-expenses-paid trip to Melbourne?”

Clarissa stopped and glared at him. “Are you trying to buy my friendship again? I’ve told you: you don’t need to do that.”

Mason chuckled. “And I’ve told you I’m not spending my own money. The ‘rents will be paying for it.” He tried to look innocent. “My dad told me to have a look around Australia before school starts, and I think I need to see Melbourne.” He winked. “But I’d like a guide, if possible. What do you say? Five-star hotel, a room for yourself…and possibly Deon, if you’re still talking to him. All you need to do is to show me around your home city for a few days.”

“If—and it’s still a big if—if I accept, I can stay with my parents. I can also pay for my own flights.”

“Ah, but where’s the fun in that?” Mason dropped the faux-innocent pose. “Clarissa, I really do want to visit Melbourne at some point. With Neil and Deon being there next week, even if they’ve got something going on, it seems like the perfect time.” He grinned. “And can you imagine the look on Deon’s face when he gets off his flight to see you waiting for him? I’ll have a camera ready to capture the moment.”

Clarissa laughed. “Okay, you’ve sold me. I’ve got the details of Deon’s flight, so if you can arrange for me to be there when his flight lands, it’s a deal.”

“Not a problem.” Mason looked around. “Let’s find somewhere to sit down and get this planned.”

“Not a word to Deon or Neil, though. It needs to be a surprise.”

A few minutes later, Mason had his laptop out of his backpack and was checking flights. “Okay, I can get us on a flight that lands about an hour before Deon gets there. Are you happy sticking around the airport for that long? I want to give us some leeway, just in case our flight is delayed.”

“I can live with that.”

“Do you know how far it is from the Qantas Terminal to the Virgin Australia Terminal?”

“It’s walking distance.”

Mason gave her a mock-frown. “I’ve been caught before when Jeremy—you remember him; he’s my best friend from back home—told me what turned out to be two miles was walking distance. Technically true, but not pleasant. So how far?”

Clarissa chuckled. “A few-minutes walk. Qantas and Virgin are in the same building, with the International Terminal between them.

Mason took her details and made a booking for both of them. “Okay, we have flights for Monday afternoon. That part’s all set.” He then turned his attention to hotels. “Do you know where the Crown Towers is located? Is it central?”

She nodded. “Southbank, just on the other side of the river to the heart of Melbourne.”

“And should I book you a room, too?”

“That’s going overboard. I can stay with my parents.”

Mason shook his head. “And how long will it take you to get from there to the Crown Towers? Remember, you’re my guide while I’m in Melbourne. Also, how often will you get a chance to stay in a five-star hotel?”

Clarissa glared at him. “I’m not letting you spend that sort of money on me. In fact, you’re beginning to piss me off by trying to do so.”

Mason sighed. “Sorry. I’d take everyone if they were available, but I’m not doing it to show off. I’m doing it because I like you and the others, and I want to show how much I appreciate everyone’s efforts to help me settle in. Can’t I do that? Please?”

“You’ve tried that one on me before.” Clarissa crossed her arms. “No.”

“Fine.” Mason cancelled the reservation he’d started. “Do you know where Deon will be staying while he’s in Melbourne? I can try to find somewhere nearby.”

“He’s staying with the brat. I believe it’s just north of the city.”

Mason had to think for a moment before he recalled who she was talking about. “Ty Flanders? Plays for the Carlton Football Club?”

“That’s him. He and Jim are staying with one of the Carlton members not far from their training ground.”

“What suburb is that in?”

She snickered. “Carlton.”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Right. The Carlton Football Club is based in the suburb Carlton. Duh! How was I not supposed to know that?”

Clarissa reached over and patted him on the arm. “You couldn’t’ve, but that doesn’t stop it from being amusing. In which city are the Dallas Cowboys located. How about the L.A. Lakers?”

“Now you’re confusing football and basketball.” Mason chuckled. “But you’ve made your point.” He did a quick search. “Okay, I’ve found some hotels in the area. Let me check them out and pick one.”

“Wait a sec.” Clarissa had her phone out. “Oops, I was wrong. Carlton’s home ground is located in Princes Hill, not Carlton. I know the brat lives a short walk from there. It’s also walking distance to the Melbourne Zoo, so if you can find somewhere nearby, we can go there one day.”

“What is it with you and walking? What’s wrong with driving or being driven?” Mason grimaced. “Okay, I’ve found a four-star hotel that’s in the area you’re talking about, but I’m not sure I like it. It’s too cheap.”

“Too cheap?”

“Hey, if I’m going touring around Australia, I’m expecting the ‘rents to fork out a reasonable amount of cash for the privilege of me being here. I can accept lowering my standards from five-star to four, but I’m not happy reducing how much goes on my Amex card.” He frowned. “The current room rates for this place are less than $200 per night, and that’s Australian. I wanted somewhere that’s at least $400 per night.” He stopped as he heard what he’d just said. “Hey, how about two rooms a night? That’ll bring it up close to the target. Throw in meals, and it should reach it.” He grinned. “What do you say?”

“Mason…” Clarissa sighed. “Okay, show me what you’ve found.”

Mason turned the laptop around so she could see the hotel website. He let her browse it for a few minutes. “Well?”

“Okay, but I’ll need to go out to visit my family at some stage.”

“Not a problem. I’ll use whatever night that is to check out the gay bars.” Mason concentrated for a couple of minutes and then smiled. “Done!” He waved a finger. “Remember, this is supposed to be a surprise, so no telling anyone what we’re doing.”

She nodded back and then narrowed her eyes. “And this is the last time you’re doing this, understood? No more spending money to make friends.”

Mason pasted on his faux-innocence expression. “Does that mean you’re not going to show me around when I go to Ayers Rock or Queensland?” He pouted. “I really wanted a local with me to show me what to do and keep me out of trouble.”

Clarissa stared and then laughed. “Keep you out of trouble? I’m beginning to understand why your parents shipped you over here.”

Mason looked away. He knew she didn’t mean to do it, but her comment still hurt.

* * *

“So, this is your family’s bookshop.” Mason turned slowly on the spot. “Nice!”

Daphne smiled. “Feel free to browse. I’ve got to wait until my dad’s back before we can head off for lunch. Knowing him, that will be about twenty minutes.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that.” Mason grinned. “Grab me when you’re ready to go.”

As soon as Mason had disappeared down one of the aisles between two bookcases, Clarissa gave Daphne a hug. “Thanks for this. Mason’s a nice guy, but he can go overboard at times.”

“What’s he done?”

“Can you keep it a secret?” When Daphne nodded, Clarissa glanced around to make sure Mason wasn’t in earshot. “He’s organised to fly me down to Melbourne next week so I’m there at the same time as Deon. It’ll be a surprise.” Clarissa snickered. “Mason’s promised to take photos when Deon sees me after he gets off the plane.”

“That’s really sweet of him. He’s got a big heart.” Daphne’s brow wrinkled. “I hope no one takes advantage of him.”

“Mason’s using the excuse that he wants a guide while he’s visiting, but I know he’s doing it for me and Deon.” Clarissa sighed. “I keep telling him he doesn’t need to spend money to make friends, but he’s not listening.”

“Oh, I think he’s listening, but he’s making up his own mind as to what’s important.” Daphne chuckled. “He’s a little like Kevin in that respect. Kevin’s happy to spend money to make me happy even though he doesn’t need to do so. He says it’s his job to spoil me.”

“Yeah, but Mason has more money. He’s never said it, but if his parents aren’t millionaires, there’s something very fishy going on.”

“I sort-of expected that. After all, who else can afford to send their only child to another country for school? He’s probably got a trust fund or something similar he can call on whenever he wants.”

Mason stuck his head out from behind one of the bookcases. “Not until I’m twenty-five.” He grinned. “And, yes, Clarissa, I’m listening. The acoustics in here are wonderful.”

“Mason…” Clarissa wasn’t sure what to say. She hadn’t expected Mason to overhear what they were talking about.

He smiled. “How about I go for a walk outside and see what else is around. Send me a text when you’re ready to go.” He paused as he passed them. “Clarissa, I keep telling you, it’s not my money I’m spending. When it comes to my own cash, I’m careful. The ‘rents, however, have more than enough of their own that they won’t notice what I spend. They’re going to cut back on what I can spend sooner or later. All I’m doing is enjoying myself until that happens, and I’m trying to make my friends happy in the process.” He winked at Daphne. “I’ll be buying some books after we’ve eaten. I just don’t want to carry them around while we’re at lunch.”

Clarissa gave a heavy sigh when Mason left the shop. “See what I mean?”

“Actually, no. He’s doing what he said: spending money to make his friends happy. He’s not doing it to buy friends. If he wanted to do that, he would be spending more than he is.”

“What do you mean?”

Daphne smiled. “When Kevin and I were out at that gay bar with Mason, Neil and Liam, we all bought our own drinks. If Mason wanted to buy friends, he would’ve bought drinks for the other guys who were there. He didn’t. He already knows you’re a friend, and that’s why he’s spending money. If you weren’t a friend, you wouldn’t see a cent.”

“I can see what you’re saying, but it feels like he’s trying to buy me.”

Daphne laughed. “I felt the same way at first with Kevin, but I know he loves me, and that’s why he goes overboard at times.” She put a hand on Clarissa’s shoulder. “It’s only money. It doesn’t mean anything to Mason—or Kevin—except as a means to an end: the end being to make someone else happy. Be glad he’s not selfish and only spending money on himself.”

Clarissa made a face. “I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t feel it here.” She tapped her chest. “I’m not used to being with someone who has so much money he can travel wherever he wants in the country on a whim. That’s unnatural.”

“Do you wish he wasn’t gay?”

Clarissa was startled. “What are you trying to say?”

“Or do you wish it was Deon who had that much money?”

“No…well, yes, but…”

“No buts. From what Kevin has told me, Deon could be earning that sort of money in a few years’ time. Kevin thinks Deon has the skills to go further in the AFL than he will. Those sorts of skills are rewarded with a corresponding big income. If you’re scared of money, get over it. It may not happen, but Kevin thinks Deon could become one of the elite of the AFL. Maybe not the very top tier, but close to it. He’s got a lot of potential.”

“What about Kevin?” Clarissa wasn’t comfortable with the focus being on Deon and what it may mean to her. She needed time to get her head around the concept. “Where does he see himself?”

“Few people can truly see themselves, but Kevin hopes he’ll be one of the reliable midfielders. Not a star, but someone who will help the team and keep his spot on that basis.” Daphne shrugged. “He’s hoping for six or seven years in the AFL. Anything over that will be a bonus for him.”

“You seem pretty relaxed about the whole thing.”

“You think?” There was a hysterical edge to her laugh. “It’s scaring the hell out of me. I want him to succeed. I want him to become who he wants to be. And all the time, I’m afraid that I’ll be the one who stops him from reaching that goal.”

“What do you mean?”

Daphne froze. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Too late.” Clarissa crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She was more relaxed now that the focus was off her. “What did you mean?”

Daphne dropped her head. “You see all the other AFL WAGs,” she said, using the common sporting acronym for Wives and Girlfriends. “I’m not like them. I don’t fit in. I’m afraid I’m going to drag him down, distract him from becoming the best AFL footballer he can be. That’s what I mean.”

“Do you think you’re alone in that?” Clarissa snorted. “I’m the same. I’m not giving Deon what he wants, but he’s still sticking by me. Am I pulling him down? I’m not the easiest person to be with, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Even so, where do I fit in his life? Just when I think I’ve got that figured out, he does something like he’s doing next week: leaving me for reasons unknown.”

“What do you mean you’re not giving what he wants?”

Clarissa considered the matter for a moment and then decided on honesty. She believed she could trust Daphne, and both Neil and Liam already knew, so it wasn’t a big secret. “We’re not sleeping together, and we won’t be until I’m sure he’s the one I’m going to marry. He could be waiting a long time, especially when he keeps putting football first, but I know that’s his priority at the moment. But until I become more important to him than football, we’re not going to end up in the same bed.”

Daphne stared for a moment and then smiled. “That’s so romantic.”

“Romantic?” Clarissa chuckled. “No, practical. I don’t want to get caught up in sex. I definitely don’t want to end up a single mum. I’m looking out for myself.”

“Right.” Daphne laced the one word with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “But you still followed him to Sydney.”

Clarissa sighed and looked away. “Yeah…” How she felt about Deon scared her. Not enough to push him away, but enough that it unsettled her. She was glad she had Daphne to confide in.

* * *

It was way too early on a Friday morning for Mason, and he couldn’t help but show his frustration. “You’ve left things until the last minute, Dad. The apartment goes up for auction tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow? I thought it was on Saturday.” Mason’s father seemed surprised.

Mason rolled his eyes, not caring that the laptop camera would send his expression to his father back in Washington D.C. “Australia’s a day ahead, remember? It may be Thursday for you, but it’s Friday for me and the rest of Australia.”

“Ah, of course.”

Mason knew that was as much of an apology as he was going to get. “Do we have enough time to buy the apartment, or is it too late?”

“Don’t worry about it. I hired an agent a week ago to handle things. I have the property-inspection report he arranged in front of me, and the bank financing has been approved. For tax reasons, the property will be bought in your name, and you’ll be receiving the rent from the tenants, though I’ll be making the mortgage payments. The rent will be your day-to-day living expenses while you’re in Australia.

“This will mean you’ll be required to submit both Australian and American tax returns. I’ve spoken to my accountant, and he’s going to ensure someone with experience in that area will do that for you. You’ll need to supply them with all the information they require when asked to do so.”

“So, it’s going ahead.” Mason grinned.

“It’s still an auction, son, and someone may bid more than the property is worth.” Abraham Rivers grimaced. “I investigated the option to purchase it before the auction, but the seller wasn’t interested. They want the apartment to go to auction and aren’t entertaining prior offers.”

Mason decided to ignore the fact that his father had proceeded without keeping him in the loop. It was just another sign to Mason that his parents didn’t trust him. They couldn’t even let him get involved in things that affected him personally.

“Okay, what do I have to do? Am I doing the bidding, and if so, what’s the top price to pay?”

Abraham shook his head. “The agent I’ve hired will be doing the bidding. He’s not going to get emotional and bid too much. However, before that happens, there’s one more thing we have to go through before I approve the purchase. How much do you know about the two young men you’re going to have renting the other rooms?”

Mason hesitated as he looked for a trap. He thought the price was going to be the stumbling block, not Deon and Kevin. “I know a fair amount. Enough to know I’ll be comfortable sharing the apartment with them.”

“If you’re happy with Deon Bradshaw, then that’s good enough for me. His background check came through clean, and his history indicates he won’t have a problem with your sexuality. Kevin Scanlan’s check, however, shows some problems.”

“What sort of problems?”

Mason’s father continued as if he hadn’t heard him. Mason knew from past experience that his father had gone into lawyer mode and was going to say what he wanted in the order he wanted without allowing himself to be distracted.

“Bradshaw has just signed—”

“His name’s Deon!” It was a small point, but Mason was already annoyed at his father’s treatment of his friends. He understood his parents doing a background check, even if he didn’t like it, but it was sounding like they had done a more comprehensive check than necessary.

Abraham conceded the point with a small nod of the head. “Deon has just signed a two-year contract with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club, though for much less than you had led me to believe. Apparently, all first- and second-year contracts for Australian Football League players are at a fixed rate. He has sufficient income to afford a reasonable rent, but he is by no means wealthy.”

“Yeah, I know. We worked out the details during the week, since that wasn’t going to change regardless of whether we got this apartment or not.”

“Kevin’s contract is the same as Deon’s, but he’s already been on that contract for a year. His manager…” Mason’s father checked a piece of paper in front of him. “…Alastair McCrae, is currently negotiating a new contract, but there is no guarantee he’ll succeed. Therefore, Kevin is only financially viable as a renter for no more than twelve months. If the new contract isn’t signed, he’ll be unemployed at the end of that period.”

“I know that, too. Kevin hasn’t been keeping any secrets. His manager has told him that everything is on track and that they should be signing a new multi-year contract for more money by the middle of the year.”

“That may be the case, but until that contract is signed, he can only guarantee being able to rent until the end of the year.” Abraham stared at Mason through the laptop screen. “Also, from the quick education I’ve received this week on the Australian Football League, even if he signs a contract, there is no guarantee he’ll be staying in Sydney. He could be traded to another club at the end of the year if the Sydney Swans decide that’s what they want to do. He’ll have no say in the matter.”

Mason gritted his teeth. “And your point?”

“That Kevin is a long-term financial risk. He may only be able to rent until the end of the current year with no guarantee that he’ll be able to rent further into the future. Deon is also a risk at the end of his second year, but we can worry about that then.”

“I can live with that. I’ve already met a number of both Kevin’s and Deon’s teammates, and they all seem like good guys. If Kevin has to move out, I should be able to get someone else to rent. This is all a year into the future, anyway, and all hypothetical.” Mason snorted. “Hypothetically, I could be run over by a bus tomorrow and it all becomes academic.”

Mason’s father’s composure broke for a moment, revealing a hint of distress, before his expression settled back into his lawyer façade. “There are other negatives against Kevin. While my investigator was unable to learn the details, Kevin was disciplined by his club at the start of last year. Apparently, he assaulted someone. The incident wasn’t reported to the police, but Kevin was required to undertake sensitivity training that others in his club were not required to take. That implies there was a female involved in the incident in question. It appears he hit a woman.”

Mason was stunned. The Kevin he knew wouldn’t do something like that. “Are you sure?”

“As I said, I don’t have details, but I do have a record that he was disciplined and required to undertake that training. The inference is obvious.”

Mason didn’t know what was going on, but he trusted his instincts. His father’s investigator appeared to have done a thorough job, but he thought he should make sure his father knew about another incident that would hopefully balance things out. “Do you have the details from last September when Kevin defended a gay couple from a group of homophobes?”

“I do, and that’s why the prior incident hasn’t made me reject the idea of him sharing an apartment with you.” Abraham Rivers’ composure broke again. “Mason, I’m trying to protect you. Kevin isn’t who he seems to be. That doesn’t mean he won’t be a suitable renter, but I want you to be fully aware of his history.”

Mason’s anger got the better of him. “Protect me? Your idea of protection is to send me to the other side of the world. You’ve already sent me away from all my friends back home. Are you now trying to make sure I can’t have friends here, either?”

“Mason…”

“No, it’s my turn. I like Kevin. I actually like him more than Deon, but I trust both of them. I’m willing to share a place with them, and I haven’t met anyone else who I could do that with. They’re my friends, as are their girlfriends and the other people who will be living nearby and also going to college with me. How about you butt out of my private life and leave me alone!”

There was silence for several seconds. Mason was glaring at the laptop, and his father was staring stony-faced back.

To Mason’s surprise, his father was the one to give in. He nodded once. “Okay, but there’s one more thing you need to be aware of. It’s to do with Kevin’s so-called girlfriend.”

“Daphne? What the fuck are you talking about?” Mason reached up to close his laptop lid. “Your investigator is feeding you a load of shit. Daphne’s Kevin’s girlfriend. There’s no ‘so-called’ in it! Goodbye, Dad.”

“Wait! Let me speak. Please!”

Mason hesitated. He knew he’d gone over the top with the language, but he sensed that wasn’t what his father wanted to talk about.

“The ‘so-called’ is because Daphne’s not a girl. Her name used to be David Silverton.”

Mason’s hand dropped away from the laptop lid. He was having trouble processing what he was being told.

“I don’t know what this means to you, but I wanted you to know. You need to understand who you’ll be sharing an apartment with, and that means knowing about Kevin’s so-called girlfriend.”

Mason’s anger rose again. “Stop calling her that! Daphne is his girlfriend. End of story. So, what if she used to be a guy. She’s a girl—and a nice one, too. She’ll probably be moving in with us at some point during the year. Kevin loves her and wants to live with her. I’m happy with that, and I don’t want to hear any more from you about it.”

Abraham Rivers nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving Mason’s face. “Okay then, son. I’ll let the buyer’s agent know to proceed.” For the first time he smiled. “Good luck, son. I hope you win the auction.” With that, he terminated the Skype session.

Mason sat, staring at but not seeing the laptop screen. He hadn’t realised that Daphne was transgender and was more than annoyed at his father for telling him. He could accept both Daphne and Kevin for who they are, but it should’ve been them telling him, not his interfering father.

After a few minutes, he made his decision. He would act as if he didn’t know and let Daphne tell him when she was ready. To his way of thinking, it was the same as being gay. It was up to the person concerned to out themselves; others shouldn’t do it for them without their permission.