Leopard Skin Cover - 4. Chapter 4

He stared in shock as Tony was introduced to the team. A nightmare was about to turn into reality.

Swallowing, he watched as Tony’s gaze swept over the players. He gave a small sigh of relief when he saw no sign of recognition as that gaze passed over him. Stiffening, he hoped none of his teammates had caught that sigh. It was not the time to give himself away.

When nothing had happened on Sunday or during the day on Monday, he had started to hope the nightmare of being recognised at the club was over, but now he understood why Tony had said there was a complication. Tony had known he was starting work with the club and that they’d be crossing paths.

The more he thought about it, the calmer he became. Tony appeared to have integrity. After his initial offer for them to return to his place, Tony had changed his mind when he had recognised him as a Leopard. Tony must have realised the problems that could arise and had decided to stop before the two of them went too far. Tony had also been somewhat honest in telling him why.

A sense of fear rose as he wondered how honest Tony would be. Was he too honest to deny having met him?

When Roger suggested that Tony join them in the clubhouse for drinks after the guys had finished their showers, that fear became stronger. It would look suspicious if he changed his routine and didn’t join the team.

In less than twenty minutes, everyone would be in the clubhouse. There was no chance to speak to Tony beforehand.

* * *

“What do you do outside of work?” Roger asked Tony.

“At the moment, not a lot. A bit of gym work, occasional trips to a nightclub. Otherwise, I just spend the time at home. I eat out a fair amount, but that’s because I’ve got a friend who’s a food critic. That’s also why I go to the gym a lot. Restaurant meals tend to make me fat.”

“Are sure you don’t want a beer?” Dave asked.

Tony held up his water bottle. “I’m fine. I rarely drink beer anymore.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s too hard to get gluten-free beer. I’ve yet to find a pub that stocks it, so I’ve got to buy some from a bottle shop and drink at home if I want it.”

Roger tilted his head to one side as he contemplated Tony. “Is that by choice, or for medical reasons?”

Tony smiled. “Medical reasons. I’m coeliac, so I need a gluten-free diet. I got the diagnosis a few years ago; boy what a pain in the arse it is. I had to give up on beer almost before I started drinking the stuff until someone told me where I could get some that was gluten-free. Happily, beer’s the only common alcoholic drink that’s not gluten-free, so I usually have spirits when I go out. I’ve got to watch out for a few speciality drinks, like some ciders, but scotch and coke is pretty safe, and that’s my favourite.”

“I’ve got a cousin who’s coeliac,” Todd said. “We often have to make separate meals when we have a family get-together.”

“My mum’s coeliac, too,” Euan said.

Tony nodded. “I got the diagnosis when I was sixteen. Before then, I’d never heard of it, but afterwards I’ve met lots of people who either have it themselves or know someone who does. I think the numbers are something like one in a hundred.”

Todd frowned. “You mentioned you eat out a lot. How does that work? My cousin is always complaining about a lack of options at most places.”

Tony chuckled. “Did I mention I’ve got a friend who’s a food critic? Well, he’s also a bastard, which is why he invites me along. The places we go to often panic when they learn they’re not only presenting a meal that’s going to be critiqued, but they have to do a decent gluten-free option, too. He loves doing it to them; I think that’s why he’s in the job he’s in. He also makes a point of checking with me the next day to make sure they really did give me a gluten-free meal and slams them in the review if they haven’t.”

“What happens if you eat gluten?” Roger asked.

Tony snorted. “You don’t want to be around me if I do. It’s not pleasant.”

“No, really, what happens?”

“Stomach pain, diarrhoea, sometimes vomiting, and the most godawful smelling farts you’ve ever encountered.”

Everyone laughed.

“That’s one way to make sure your girlfriend feeds you the right food,” Roger said.

Tony chuckled. “I’ve never had a girlfriend. I had a boyfriend a couple of years ago, and, yeah, he learnt pretty fast to make sure I only ate gluten-free food.”

There was a momentary silence before Roger smiled. “So, you’re gay?”

“Yep! I never understood how you guys could do what you do to the girls.” Tony gave a mock shudder. “All those yucky bits.”

Roger laughed. “Well, I like it, and I’ve got two kids to prove it. Each to their own, I guess.”

Tony grinned. “How old are the kids?”

Dave groaned. “Now you’ve done it. He’s going to talk about them for the next hour and a half!”

Roger raised his middle finger in Dave’s direction while still looking at Tony. “Kylie’s four and Andrew’s one. Kylie’s a redhead, like me, and she’s got the temperament most people associate with red hair. Andrew’s got his mother’s blond hair.” He looked over at Ian Wilson. “Speaking of kids, how’s Stuart?”

Ian grinned. “Still spending most of his time eating, sleeping and pooping, but he’s starting to look around more. I think he recognises me now.”

“Andrew was the same at his age, but it didn’t take him long to become a lot more active.”

Dave tapped Tony on the arm. “Those two are going to swap baby stories, so unless that interests you, I suggest we leave them alone. Come with me.”

Roger smirked. “Wait until it’s your turn, Dave. Then you’ll understand.”

Dave rolled his eyes but didn’t respond. Instead, he, Paul, and Todd led Tony across to where Oliver, Jim, Ryan, Ty, Deon, Charlie, Jarrod and Owen were sitting.

“Roger and Ian started exchanging rugrat stories, so we thought we’d rescue Tony before he became corrupted,” Dave said to the group.

Tony lifted a hand and smiled. “Hi, guys.”

After a chorus of welcomes in various forms, Tony and Dave pulled up chairs, while Todd and Paul grabbed chairs from nearby tables.

“Do you really think you can get me a sponsorship?” Jarrod asked, his expression hopeful.

Tony pulled a face. “Yes and no. I’ve already got my previous employer to consider sponsoring someone, but they’re fussy about the sort of person they want. If you’re not suitable – and I won’t know until I’ve had a good chat with you – then I’m sure there will be other options.”

“What sort of person do they want? I’m happy to chat now, if that’s okay with you.”

Ty shook his head. “Jarrod, settle down. You look like you’re about to jump the poor guy.”

Dave chuckled. “Well, Tony, do you want Jarrod to jump you?”

Tony grinned and shook his head. “Not at the moment. It’s not really the time or place.”

“I’m not going to jump him. I just want a sponsorship!” Jarrod paused. “What do you mean by ‛not at the moment’?”

Tony glanced at Dave, who smiled and raised an eyebrow in response. When Dave didn’t say anything, Tony turned back to Jarrod. “Dave was asking me if I fancied you, and while I’m sure you’re a great guy, I’m keeping my fingers crossed on getting someone else as a boyfriend.”

Jarrod, Ty and Deon immediately leant away from Tony. Charlie seemed puzzled, while Oliver, Ryan, Jim, and Owen appeared only mildly surprised.

“Who might that be?” Todd asked.

Tony shrugged. “Someone I met last weekend. You probably wouldn’t know him, unless you’ve got a wide circle of gay friends.”

Charlie’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped.

Todd laughed. “Sorry, not me. There was a couple of gay guys when I was in year twelve, but I never got to know them. I’d say you’re the only gay guy I’ve ever had a conversation with.”

“The only one you know about, at least.” Tony grinned. “Didn’t you know? We’re everywhere...”

Most of the guys chuckled or smiled, but Jarrod, Charlie, and Ty glanced around nervously. Deon scowled, stood up, and walked away without speaking. Ty’s eyes were wide as he watched Deon leave. A frown appeared on his face as he kept watching.

Ryan exchanged glances with Jim and then rose. “I’ll be back soon.” He followed Deon to the bar.

“What was that about?” Todd asked.

Jim shrugged. “No idea. I wouldn’t have picked Deon as homophobic.”

Tony shook his head. “Unfortunately, you never know how people will react. I don’t tell everyone I meet, but when I’m with people I’ll be spending a lot of time with, I get it out in the open as soon as possible. It’s not only good for me, but it’s good for them, too. There’s no misunderstanding that way.”

Jarrod’s mouth opened, as if he was about to say something, and then closed again. Jim gave him a glance before turning to Tony. “Does Colin know you’re gay?”

“Yep. I made sure he knew at the job interview. He didn’t have a problem, and he said he didn’t think there’d be a problem with you guys, either.”

Jim held up his hands in surrender. “What you do in your private life is your own affair.”

Paul nodded. “Same here. If you can bring extra sponsorships into the club, who cares who you’re sleeping with?”

“Unless he’s sleeping with them to get the sponsorships, then that’s corruption or damned good salesmanship.” Owen grinned. “How far are you willing to go for the club, Tony?”

Tony chuckled. “Not that far. If I’m going to sleep with a guy, it’s got to be someone I like. It’s certainly not going to be someone who’s bald with a beer gut the size of a football and on the wrong side of thirty.”

“That sounds like a description of someone you know. Is that your previous employer or an old boyfriend?” Todd grinned.

Tony laughed. “Neither! My last boss was cool but strictly professional. He also had a long-time boyfriend and wasn’t interested in someone like me.”

Paul leant forward. “You said you’d got your previous employer to consider a sponsorship. What was your last job?”

“I was in the sales and marketing department at a radio station. I’ve got a lot of contacts with the companies that advertised with them, and I’m hoping that some of them may be interested in sponsoring the club.”

Tony turned back to Jarrod who was contemplating the tabletop. “You seem a bit unsure, Jarrod. Do you want me to try to find you a sponsor, or would you prefer Colin to do it? I’m sure he’ll understand if you don’t think you can work with me.”

Jarrod looked up and met Tony’s gaze. “I’m happy for you to do it if you think you can.”

Tony nodded but didn’t smile. “In that case, I’ll see you at lunchtime tomorrow, and we can start talking about the options.”

“Ty, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Jim said in a neutral tone.

Ty glared at him. “Yeah, I have. I’m trying to do what you asked me to do, Dad.”

Jim scowled and glared back. “I’m not your dad, Ty, and I’m not going to hold your hand while you sort out your life. Get over it.”

“What did Jim ask you to do?” Charlie asked Ty.

Ty broke his staring contest with Jim, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. He gave Charlie a long look and then replied: “To think before I speak.”

“Always good advice, Ty,” Tony said. He contemplated the younger guy for a moment. “If you’ve got anything you want to say to me, feel free. In private if you prefer. Colin’s given me the office next to his, so come and see me any time.” He smiled and glanced around the group. “That goes for all of you, too.”

* * *

Dave glanced in the rear-view mirror while he drove the guys to Lowfield Place. “What did you think of Tony, Jarrod?”

Jarrod was staring out the car window. “He seems okay.”

“You’re not upset with him, are you?”

Jarrod looked puzzled as he turned to face Dave. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Well, you heard him. You’re second choice in the boyfriend stakes. You must be jealous.” Dave grinned, glancing again in the mirror to catch Jarrod’s reaction.

Jarrod glared. “Fuck you!”

“Leave him alone, Dave,” Owen said. “He’s not finding it funny.”

“Hey, lighten up, Jarrod. It’s only a joke.”

“It’s not fucking funny, Dave. I’m not gay!”

Charlie interrupted the threatened fight. “No, but I think I know who is.”

Owen twisted around in the front seat to look at Charlie. “Who?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Come on, guys, it’s staring you right in the face.” Charlie grinned.

Jarrod narrowed his eyes. “Who the fuck are you talking about?”

Dave flicked a glance into the back of the car. “Yeah, who?”

Charlie theatrically rolled his eyes. “There’s only one guy who keeps talking about Tony and boyfriends all the time, and that’s Dave. He’s obviously smitten and trying hard not to be.”

Jarrod and Owen laughed, while Dave went red. “You bastard! Take that back or you can walk home.”

Owen grinned. “What’s wrong, Dave? Can’t take a joke?”

Dave fumed for a few seconds and then started laughing. “Okay, you got me. Sorry, Jarrod, you’ve been pushed down to number three on Tony’s future-boyfriend list. I’m taking the number-two spot. You’re not jealous, are you?”

Jarrod chuckled. “Not jealous, but I’m not taking the number-three spot, either. I’ll leave that one for Owen.”

Owen grinned. “Go fuck yourself, Jarrod. Tony might be okay, but I’ll stick with Zoe.”

Jarrod smirked. “Don’t worry, Owen. I’m happy to take her off your hands so you’ll be free for Tony. Give me her number, and I’ll let her know about the change.”

“Fuck you.”

“You’re supposed to be fucking Tony, not me, and I’ll be fucking Zoe.”

“Jarrod...” Charlie’s tone was pleading.

Jarrod saw Owen’s stormy face and knew he’d overstepped. “Sorry, Owen. I didn’t mean that. It was meant to be a joke. I’m not serious.”

Owen settled back in his seat without saying a word. Jarrod made a couple more attempts to apologise in the remaining few minutes of the drive, but Owen ignored him. Owen’s expression when he got out of the car and marched up to the house indicated he was still angry.

“Shit!” Jarrod sat for a moment, painfully aware that both Charlie and Dave were staring at him expectantly. “I’ll try to talk to him. I didn’t mean it. He has to know it was meant to be a joke, doesn’t he?”

“He knows you meant it to be funny, but it wasn’t, just like my teasing of you wasn’t funny,” Dave said. “I’m sorry for what I said, Jarrod, but you’re the one who has to talk to Owen.”

Jarrod glumly nodded.

After Jarrod left the car, Charlie started to open the door when Dave stopped him. “Give them some time first.”

Charlie nodded and settled back into his seat.

“For someone who doesn’t push himself forward, you’re pretty good, Charlie.”

“What do you mean?”

“You only spoke a few times in that conversation, but you tried to steer it out of danger twice: the first time when I was going too far and the second when you indicated to Jarrod he’d stepped over the line. I thought it was pretty impressive.”

Charlie ducked his head. “I don’t like people fighting, especially when it’s over something stupid.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Dave’s voice was gentle.

Charlie looked up. “What is it?”

“Tony had told us he’s gay when he was talking with Roger, so I knew before we joined you guys. I was watching when he did it again, and you flinched. Is there going to be problem?”

Charlie looked away. “No...no problem.”

“Charlie?”

Charlie turned and glared at Dave. “I said there’d be no problem!”

Dave stared for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, Charlie.”

* * *

At Tenterfield Street, Ty was about to storm off to his room when Jim spoke. “Ty, could I have a quiet word?”

Ty turned and glared. His angry gaze took in Ryan and Deon as well as Jim. “What do you want, Dad?”

Jim sighed then looked at the other two guys. Tilting his head in the direction of their rooms, they took the hint and disappeared. Jim turned his attention back to Ty.

“I was really impressed by you today. You were trying really hard to be a team player during training, and you kept your mouth shut in the clubroom afterwards when you obviously had something to say. I know I provoked you then, and I’m sorry, but I thought you should know I think you did really well.”

Ty’s belligerence dropped down a notch, but he was still scowling. “Why the fuck are you telling me this?”

“Because I was in the wrong when I tried to make you say something, and I wanted to apologise.”

Ty stared for a moment and then nodded. “Is that all, Dad?”

Jim’s mouth twisted into a half-smile. “I’m not going to get you to stop calling me that, am I?”

Ty’s scowl faded and a reciprocal half-smile appeared on his face. “Nope...Dad.”

Jim laughed. “Okay, I surrender...brat.”

Ty’s smile faded. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure!” Jim moved over to one of the lounge-room chairs and waved a hand at the others.

Ty sat down on the edge of couch. “Is Tony one of my ‛teammates’?” he asked, miming quote marks in the air.

Jim’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “A good question. What do you think?”

Ty glared. “I’m asking you because I don’t know. Don’t push this back on me!”

Jim smiled. “Settle down. I said it was a good question, and I just wanted to get your opinion because you’ve obviously been thinking about it.”

Ty sighed and dropped his gaze to the floor. “I’m thinking yes, because the team is more than just the players. Without everyone else in the club, we wouldn’t have a team.” He looked up. “Am I right?”

Jim nodded. “That’s what I think, too. Everyone plays their part. Everyone’s part is not equal, but we’re all part of the team. That’ll include Tony, especially if he brings in sponsorships. If he can do that, he’ll be an important part of the team because without him we won’t get paid.”

“Does he know he’s supposed to be a team player?”

“I think he does. You heard that Colin knew he was gay before he was hired. I read that as meaning Colin doesn’t think his sexuality matters, and I’m willing to trust Colin’s judgement.”

“Yeah, but what if he tries to hit on me?”

Jim sensed that that was the key issue for Ty. “What do you do if a girl you don’t like hits on you?”

Ty opened his mouth, then looked away. “Now, or what I used to do?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Before, I’d tell them to piss off. Now...I’d try to find a way to tell them I’m not interested.”

Jim blinked. “When did this change?”

Ty looked back and caught Jim’s gaze. “Sunday. After a chat with Dad. I was told I need to think before speaking.”

It was Jim’s turn to look away. He felt his face going red. “I think that’ll work with a gay guy, too, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I think it would. And if he doesn’t take no for an answer, I’ll flatten him.”

Jim looked back to see Ty wearing a half-smile. “Probably not the best plan, and definitely don’t try that with a girl because that would make the papers if you tried.”

Ty laughed. “Yeah, but I can dream, can’t I?”

Jim grinned. “Everyone’s allowed to dream. You’re cool now?”

Ty sighed and stared at the floor. “I’ll get there. I’m not comfortable with Tony, but that’s not his problem. As long as he doesn’t do anything, everything’s okay.” He paused before looking up. “I’m not sure about Deon, though. He seemed really angry about something tonight.”

“Yeah, I know. Ryan told me that Deon didn’t want to talk about it.”

“How does that fit into this ‛teamwork’ thing of yours?”

Jim gave Ty a wry half-smile. “Not particularly well, but let’s wait and see if it matters. If Deon does his job without making waves, then there’s nothing to be done. Not every player will get along; they just need to get along enough to be a team.”

Ty scowled. “Then why the fuck are you on my back so much about being a team player? If Deon doesn’t have to deal with Tony, why are you telling me I do?”

Jim narrowed his eyes. “Firstly, you’re the one who told me that you have to work with Tony. I just agreed with you, because I think it’s the right decision. Secondly, you’re not Deon. You’ve got a different job to do, and your job includes setting an example. Deon’s not a leader; you are. So, bloody well lead! That means doing things to show you’re there for all your teammates, not just the ones you like.”

“If I’m a leader, what the bloody hell does that make you?”

Jim rocked back. “Umm...no idea. A pain in the arse?”

Ty lost some of his belligerence. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

Jim’s grin was echoed by Ty, but both faded as they stared at each other.

“So, you’re good?” Jim asked.

Ty scowled, then nodded. “I never asked to be a leader.”

Jim chuckled. “No, but that’s what you are. If you stick around in the club a few more years, you’ll be part of the senior leadership team without a doubt. I hope you don’t mind, but I don’t want that to happen.”

Ty glared. “Why the fucking well not?”

Jim grinned. “Because I’m hoping you’ll be playing AFL instead.”

Ty’s jaw dropped open, and he lowered his gaze to the floor. “Sorry, Jim. I’ll do what I can.”

Jim stood up. “That’s all anyone wants, Ty. It’s when you’re not trying that people get angry with you. You’re doing okay at the moment; just keep it up.”

Ty looked up and rose to his feet, too. “Thanks, Dad.”

Jim smiled. “Anytime, brat.”

* * *

Oliver dropped his bag on the floor and dropped onto the Bronson Avenue house couch. “What’s the plan for dinner tonight? I’m starving.”

Todd rolled his eyes. “You’re always starving after training. You don’t have to remind us.” He hefted his bag onto his shoulder and headed to his room.

“It’s my turn to cook, so I thought we’d have a barbie,” Paul said as he dropped his bag next to Oliver’s and headed towards the kitchen.

“Excellent! I like my steak medium-rare, with a baked potato, sour cream, and bacon pieces on top.”

Paul grinned as he looked over his shoulder. “You’re getting a charcoaled piece of nameless meat, over-cooked onions, and a fresh salad. If you complain, I’ll give you two pieces of charcoaled meat.”

“Me complain? Never!”

Paul laughed as he collected the meat from the fridge and headed outside to the barbecue.

Oliver waited for Todd to reappear. “Have you made a decision about this girl, yet? I need to know if we’ll be going on a double date this weekend so I can tell Helena.”

Todd grimaced. “I haven’t made up my mind.”

Oliver sat until it was obvious that Todd wasn’t going to say anything more. “Why not call her and invite her out for dinner with me and Helena? That way I’ll be able to give you my opinion at the end of the night.”

Todd shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. She’s...”

“She’s what?”

Todd sighed. “Just drop it, Ollie. I’m just not sure if I want to see her again.”

Oliver shook his head. “Not good enough, Todd. You want to see her, because otherwise you’ll be planning to pick up another girl this weekend. You’re not, which means you want this girl, but you’re scared.”

“I’m not scared!”

Oliver caught Todd’s eye. “Then prove it. Invite her along for a double date this Saturday night.”

Todd looked away. “I just don’t know.”

Oliver gritted his teeth as he clambered to his feet. “Where’s your phone?”

“In my bag. Why?”

Oliver didn’t reply. Instead he ran to Todd’s room.

“Hey!”

Oliver quickly closed and locked the door, finishing just before Todd arrived. Ignoring the yelling and banging, Oliver grinned as he rummaged through Todd’s bag until he found the phone. He glanced at the door and raised an eyebrow at the threats being made before returning his attention to the phone. He scanned the address book, looking for names he didn’t recognise, but there were too many. Unlike himself, Todd didn’t appear to delete the ex-girlfriends from his phone.

He opened the window and climbed outside, taking Todd’s phone with him. He then walked around to where Paul was cooking.

Paul gave him an odd look, given the unexpected direction of arrival. “Where did you come from, and what’s with the yelling?”

Oliver shrugged. “I was in Todd’s room, trying to find the number for this new girl of his. Did he ever give you a name?”

Paul shook his head. “Nope, he’s been tight-lipped about it.”

“Damn! There goes that idea.” Taking a deep breath before facing the firing squad, Oliver re-entered the house. Todd was still yelling threats from outside his bedroom door.

“Hey, Todd! Your phone’s on the kitchen table if you want it.”

While the tall guy rushed in to collect his phone, Oliver grabbed two cans of beer from the fridge. He turned and offered one to Todd. “Here you are. All that yelling must’ve made you thirsty.”

Todd glared and then snatched the beer from Oliver’s grasp. “What the fuck have you done?”

Oliver nonchalantly opened his can. “Nothing.”

Todd narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, using his height to stare down at the smaller guy. “What do you mean, nothing?”

Oliver’s eyes widened as he realised that Todd was on the edge of violence. It was only at that moment that he began to truly understand how much Todd’s emotions were in turmoil over this girl. “I mean, nothing. I looked through your address book, but I couldn’t work out who it was, so I did nothing. Shit, man, I was only suggesting we go on a double date. It’s no big deal.”

“You keep your fucking nose out of my business, Ollie, or I’ll rearrange that face of yours until you’re incapable of sticking your fucking nose into anything ever again!”

Oliver blinked and cautiously raised his hands. “Okay, Todd. I didn’t mean any harm. Honest.”

Todd glared down at him for a moment longer. “Don’t ever try to do anything like that again. I mean it, Ollie. You stay out of this.”

* * *

Alex looked up from the textbook he was reading and grinned as Tony walked through the door. “How was your first day in the new job?”

Tony smiled. “Good, but it was long. I think it’s going to work out, though. They introduced me to the team after training.” He rolled his shoulders. “I’m going to take my workout gear with me tomorrow. My boss confirmed I get free access to the club’s gym whenever I want, and I’ve got flexible hours to fit in with the team’s schedule.”

“Any hot guys? You’ve been a bit edgy since striking out with Ken at the nightclub.”

Tony frowned. “Just leave it, Alex. He’s a nice guy, and I’m hoping I’ll get together with him again.”

“That isn’t what you told me on Sunday. You told me he ran out on you.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair. “He did, but...” He shook his head. “Just drop it. I don’t need you on my case while I sort things out at work.”

Alex smirked. “What you need, Tony, is some solid man-on-man sex.”

Tony sighed as he sat next to Alex on the couch. “What I need is a boyfriend. I don’t like one-night stands. They’re fine at the time, but they leave a sour taste in the mouth afterwards.”

Alex reached over and pulled Tony into a hug. “You’re too hung up on the emotions. Just live a bit and have fun. Like you were planning with Ken on Saturday night before he bailed on you.”

Tony gently pushed Alex away. “I said to drop it, Alex. Anyway, you’re just as hung up on emotions as I am. You don’t cheat on Ethan even when you have opportunities.”

“That’s different. We’re in a relationship; you’re not. You’re free to sleep with whoever you want.”

Tony looked away. “No, I’m not.”

Alex narrowed his eyes. “You’re hung up on Ken, aren’t you. You want him, but he ran off.”

Tony sighed. “Can you drop it, please? All I can say is that things are a lot more complicated than I’ve told you. I can’t explain it any more than that.”

Alex grinned. “I’m guessing he’s still in the closet and possibly still a virgin. Just like your namesake.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “This is not EastEnders, Alex. Jesus, I should never have shown you those episodes.”

“Hey, come on, I’m glad you did. Not only does the Tony Hills in EastEnders look a bit like you, but he’s gay like you, too. If you were younger, I would’ve suspected your parents of being able to predict how you’d turn out and named you after him. As it is, it sounds like this Ken is a real life version of the character, complete with the running off before he loses his virginity.”

Tony sighed and then smiled. After he came out to them, his parents had bought him some of the EastEnders DVDs that featured the Tony Hills character. He had never seen the show before then. “Firstly, that Tony Hills was bisexual, not gay. And Ken is nothing like that Tony. He...” Tony shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, but I still think you need to get laid.”

Tony dropped his head in defeat. “Do you ever think of anything else?”

Alex laughed. “Unfortunately, yes. As soon as we’ve finished here, I have to get back to studying. I want to be ready when uni starts next week. I’m not making the same mistake I did last year.”

Tony took a deep breath. “Can I ask a favour?”

Alex started to smile but seemed to sense that Tony was being serious. “Sure.”

“Any chance you can come to Lilydale for lunch tomorrow?”

“No problem, but why? You’re not getting lonely already, are you?”

Tony shook his head. “I’m looking at getting a sponsorship for one of the guys on the team, but he didn’t react well when I came out tonight. He recovered, but I need your help because none of the companies I’m looking at will take someone who’s homophobic.”

Alex frowned. “What do you want me to do?”

“Just play up to him. Pretend you’re hitting on him but in a low-key way. I need to see how he reacts.”

Alex tilted his head to one side as he gazed at Tony. “That doesn’t sound particularly ethical.”

Tony grimaced. “I know, but I can’t think of any other way to find out. If I get him the sponsorship at Pride FM, someone is almost certain to try to hit on him, thinking he might be gay, too. If he reacts poorly, he’ll lose the sponsorship, and I’ll probably lose any chance of getting other sponsorships from the gay community. Neither one of us can afford that.”

“What if I hit on him and he takes it the other way? I don’t want a stalker to mess up what I’ve got with Ethan.”

Tony sighed. “Okay, let’s drop the idea. I wasn’t that happy, either, but I couldn’t think of another way to get an honest reaction from him.”

“How about I go to lunch with you guys and just flirt with him a bit. Ethan wouldn’t mind that, and regardless, we let this guy know before we finish that I’m already with someone. If he’s decent looking, other guys will flirt with him, too, so it’ll be good to see how he deals with it.”

Tony smiled. “If that’s okay with you, that’ll be great! I really want this job to work out, and Jarrod really needs a sponsor. If he’s completely homophobic, I’ll have to give up because none of my contacts will want anything to do with him.If he’s just uncomfortable around gays, though, I think I can do something, even if it’s not with my old radio station.”

“Just one more thing. How good-looking is he?”

Tony started to get up to show him Jarrod’s picture on the Leopards’ website but realised that there was a chance that Alex might also see and recognise ‛Ken’. Tony couldn’t let that happen.

“He’s not bad. A bit taller than me but not as wide. Strong upper body, great muscle tone, with a decent face and adorable curly brown hair.”

“Sounds nice. I’ll need to make sure Ethan’s okay with it, but if he’s fine, let me know where to meet you.” Alex paused. “You’re paying, aren’t you?”

Tony laughed. “Yes, I’m paying. I’ll check with Colin to see if I can expense it, but even if I can’t, I think I can afford to feed a starving student one meal.”

* * *

Peter poked his head into the President’s office. “You wanted to see me, Eric? I was hoping to get home at a reasonable time tonight.”

Eric waved him forward. “Come in, Peter. This shouldn’t take too long. How did things go tonight?”

Peter walked forward and sat down at the seat in front of Eric’s desk. “Pretty well, overall. The guys will take a bit of time to settle in with the new drills, but I can already see that some of them understand what we’re trying to achieve.”

Eric frowned. “Why are you changing things around? After losing the game on the weekend, I’d’ve thought that this would be the worst possible time to be making changes. Is that new girl disrupting things?”

Peter kept his sigh internal while quickly shifting his mind into damage-control mode. “That game’s the reason for the changes. We were getting beaten until Julie made some suggestions that I agreed to try. Those suggestions worked. Not perfectly, but enough to show that the team is capable of playing in a style different from what we normally use. If it hadn’t been for Julie’s ideas, we would’ve lost by a lot more than we did. If we’d been using those ideas from the start of the game, we may’ve even won.”

Peter noted that Eric’s hands were flexing into and out of fists; something he knew was a sign that Eric was agitated.

“I told you last week, Peter, that we have to have a good season. Not only that, we’ve got to have a good start to the season, or our major sponsors may consider pulling out. I’ve already had one making noises about dropping the team. Beginning the preseason with a loss isn’t a good start. Changing playing styles so soon before the main season starts doesn’t sound like a smart idea, either. I’ve heard some people say that it’s that new girl’s fault.”

“The Tigers are a good side. That game showed up a weakness in how we play, and now we’ve got a handle on how to correct it. We’re not changing our style; we’re expanding our repertoire. We’re not switching over to a speed game as our default, but we’re keeping it as an option when we need it. Julie’s got a lot of experience with that style, and if we’re going to beat the Tigers in the main season, we need that experience to back us up.”

Peter leant forward. “Eric, the preseason is to help us gain match fitness and to consolidate our skills. That first game showed up weaknesses in both areas, and fixing that’s my responsibility. Don’t make my life any harder by trying to take away the people I need to fix those issues.”

Eric averted his gaze. “I understand, but there are people coming forward complaining about that girl. I’m trying to keep them off your back, but I need something to work with. If we lose the next match, there’s going to be more calls to get rid of her while she’s still in her probation period.”

Peter frowned as he felt a growing anger. “I’ve got to win matches or I lose my staff? I’m telling you, Eric, that if that happens, we’re going to go down. I can’t coach the team with only one assistant.”

“You’ve done that for the last couple of months. That’s what people are saying; they don’t think the new girl is needed. And we have to win matches or attendances will drop off, and that means less revenue. We can’t afford that.”

Peter stood up and slammed down both fists, making both the items on the desktop and Eric jump. “Damn it, Eric, I need her! Whoever’s telling you that doesn’t know a fucking thing about how to coach! Our lack of fitness in comparison to the Tigers is because we’ve only had two coaches during training. We haven’t been able to keep the guys going as hard as they needed, and that game showed it. We’ve had two training sessions with Julie helping, and the guys are beginning to pick things up again.

“You take Julie away, and I’m walking. I’m not going to stay if people are going to cut my legs out from under me. We’ll win matches but, for God’s sake, give me time!”

Still seething, Peter turned and headed to the door.

“Wait! We can work this out.”

Peter looked over his shoulder. He knew he’d lost control of his emotions, but it had been a long day and a hard training session. He hadn’t been mentally prepared for a fight from an unexpected direction.

“Let me do my job, Eric. When the main season starts, we’ll be ready. But only if you let me be!”

Peter didn’t wait for Eric’s response. It wasn’t the most politic exit, but he hoped that Eric was enough on his side to take his advice and not that of the nameless complainers.