Leopard Skin Cover - 6. Chapter 6

He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His right hand was behind his head, his left hand held his phone. He was trying to make a decision.

He had to concede that Tony had been right. Simply knowing that there was someone else who knew about him had resulted in a lessening of the pressure he’d been experiencing. It was a relief that he could, at any time, take his phone and talk to someone about a subject that he’d been internalising for too long.

Tony had said he wanted to be friends, and that seemed fine. As long as none of his teammates realised the truth, he was happy for Tony to be a friend, though he dared not let him get too close. The issue was that Tony had said he’d like to be more than a friend, and that’s where the problems began. The closer he allowed Tony to get, the higher the chance he’d give himself away.

He knew deep down he wanted a boyfriend, a lover that he could share his life with, but the risks of doing so were high. How many chances would he be willing to take for the hope of happiness?

Playing football made him happy. Was he willing to risk one source of happiness for the chance of another?

He sighed as he told himself he couldn’t risk it. Tony could only be a friend. Nothing more, and he would have to maintain a distance between them to prevent any mistakes.

As he put down his phone, call unmade, he reminded himself that football was his number-one priority. He would talk to Tony later to make that clear, but he couldn’t afford the distraction of a relationship.

With his decision made, he settled himself ready for sleep.

Despite all his determination, though, he couldn’t help wonder what it would be like to have a boyfriend. Was there any way that could happen that would still allow him to play football?

* * *

Ryan slumped into the seat opposite where Jim was eating his breakfast. “I don’t know what to do.”

Jim swallowed his cereal before responding. “What’s up?”

“It’s Deon. He came home last night in a sour mood after shopping and immediately got himself drunk enough to pass out. I tried to find out what the problem was, but he wouldn’t tell me.”

“From the way Ty was acting, I’m pretty sure that he knows.”

Ryan looked up. “Did he say anything to you when you asked?”

Jim shook his head. “I didn’t ask. Ty will tell me if he wants to or if he thinks I need to know. Otherwise, I’m leaving it to the two of them. I suggest you do the same.”

“Yeah, but I’m supposed to be his mentor. I couldn’t handle Ty, and now I can’t handle Deon. What the fuck am I supposed to do?”

Jim smiled. “Try relaxing.”

Ryan frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, don’t worry about it. One bad night doesn’t mean anything. If Deon continues to be in a sour mood for a few days, then we can worry about it, but it’s probably just a one-off thing. He’s been great for most of the last two months, so cut him some slack and just let him be.”

Jim chuckled. “I had a bad day on Sunday because of my sore shoulder. Happily, that’s better now, and I can get a good night’s sleep again. Deon’s just had a bad day. Everyone’s entitled to a bad day from time to time. Just relax, Ryan, and don’t worry about things that aren’t really important.”

“Are you sure?” Ryan started gnawing at his lower lip.

“Yes, I’m sure. I also trust Ty. If there’s a serious problem, he’ll tell me.”

A voice spoke from the kitchen doorway. “There’s nothing to worry about at the moment.”

Jim and Ryan looked up to see Ty. “Deon and I exchanged some confidences last night. Remembering some past events upset him, that’s all.”

Jim nodded his thanks and then turned to Ryan. “Nothing to worry about. If Deon wants some help, then okay, but for now, just leave him be.” Jim caught Ty’s gaze. “For now, he and Ty can look after it themselves. Is that right, brat?”

Ty grinned. “Yes, Dad.”

* * *

Oliver slipped into Tony’s office. It was the almost ten on Wednesday morning, and Oliver had finished a workout in the gym. Tony was on the phone, but he held up one finger to indicate that he wouldn’t be long and then waved at the spare seat.

“Thanks, Matt, I’ll let him know. If there are any problems with that time, I’ll be in touch. Otherwise, you can expect him at 7pm on Thursday. Say hello to Gary for me!”

Tony smiled at Oliver as he hung up the phone. “Sorry about that.”

Oliver shrugged. “No problem. You’re working, and I’m here for a favour, so waiting wasn’t a problem.”

“What sort of favour? You’ve already got a good sponsorship, as I recall.”

“This isn’t a work-related favour. Ryan told me that you’ve been to lots of restaurants with a food-critic buddy. I was looking for a decent-quality, but not too pricey, place to go for a double date on Saturday night.” Oliver grinned. “I said it wasn’t work-related.”

Tony chuckled. “It certainly doesn’t sound like it. Okay, any dietary issues to worry about? Any particular cuisine?”

Oliver frowned. “No dietary problems that I know of. I didn’t think to ask.”

Tony grinned. “Unless this is a surprise, most people with restricted diets, like me, will let others know before they book a restaurant.”

“Nah, no surprise. Ryan and I are taking our girlfriends out for dinner and thought we’d try somewhere different.”

Tony frowned for a moment. “Would Vietnamese be okay?”

Oliver nodded. “Sure. Where do you recommend?”

“Give me a sec while I refresh my memory.” Tony turned to his computer and did a quick search. After a couple of clicks, he smiled.

“Why not try either the Indochine or Tien Dat in Box Hill? They’re both only a short walk from the train station if you want to use public transport, and there are plenty of taxis around if you don’t. Both are good and not too expensive. Neither is particularly flash, but they’re both comfortable. They can be very busy on weekends, so I suggest you ring up quickly and make a booking.”

“How much are we looking at this setting us back?”

Tony laughed. “I didn’t pay when I went, so I’m not sure, but I think the Tien Dat was in the Cheap-Eats guide. Also, they’re typical Vietnamese restaurants in that there are lots of dishes to try. You’re not restricted to a simple two- or three-course meal if you don’t want to. From memory, you’re probably looking at between $30 and $40 per person, plus drinks – unless you’re a big eater, in which case the sky’s the limit. One of them has a banquet menu that might be worth looking at, but I can’t remember which.”

He turned back to his computer and made a few more clicks. He grinned as he looked up. “The menus are online, so I’ll send you the links to both in an email, and you can check them out. I think the Tien Dat might be better for a date, but either would be good.”

“Thanks, Tony, I really appreciate this.”

“No problem, though next time try to give me more warning so I can think about it and not come up with something on the fly.”

“How much notice do you need?”

“Not a lot. I just don’t like having to think up something on the spot.” Tony grinned. “You got something else to plan?”

“Yeah, it’s Jim’s twenty-first in three weeks’ time. No one’s organised anything yet, but I thought a big dinner at a restaurant might be a good idea. Don’t know how many people we’ll get, though.”

Tony frowned as he tapped his lips while his eyes became unfocused. “Hmm.... Rough numbers, even if it changes? I’ve got an idea, depending on how many people it’ll be.”

“Most of the team will go, some with partners. Jim’s family is interstate, so I don’t know if any of them will make it. I don’t think he has many friends outside of the club, so maybe forty people? Between thirty and fifty, I’d say.” Oliver smiled. “What did you have in mind?”

“For this sort of thing, it’d be great to book out an entire place. That gives more freedom to party since you won’t have to worry about other diners, and you can negotiate on price. Three weeks is short notice, but if it’s a small restaurant, it might be doable. Why don’t you see how many people you can get, and we’ll see if that’s an option? In the meantime, I’ll make some preliminary enquiries to see if there’s anywhere available.”

“Done! I’ll start asking people now.” Oliver paused. “Tony, what are you doing in three weeks’ time? I’m organising a party for Jim at a restaurant for his twenty-first birthday. Can you make it, and will you be bringing a friend?”

Tony’s jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. “Me?”

Oliver grinned. “Yes, you. Any reason why I shouldn’t invite you?”

“No...” Tony shook his head as if disbelieving what he’d heard. “Yeah, I can make it. It’ll just be me.”

“Okay, that’s one. I’ll be back to you as soon as I get the rest of the names and numbers. Oh, and keep the location a secret. I think I’d like to make it a surprise, especially if we can book the entire place for a party. I think I’ll see if I can convince Peter to release the team bus to transport everyone.” Oliver stood up and walked to the door. He paused and looked back. “Thanks, mate! I really appreciate this.”

A moment later, out in the corridor, Oliver spoke up again, sounding surprised. “Oh, hi, Paul. I didn’t expect to see you around.”

“I was in the area and thought I’d drop in to say hello to the new guy.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later at training.”

Moments later, Paul stepped into the office and closed the door.

“Hi, Tony. I need to talk to you about something.”

* * *

“Owen, I’m sorry to call you on your day off, but any chance you can come in and take over from Dave?”

“Sure, Mr. Drennan. Is he okay?” Owen headed to his room to get changed.

“Physically, yes, but his mind isn’t on the job, and we’ve got a lot of work to be done today. I can get by if it’s inconvenient, but it’ll be easier if you and he can just swap for the afternoon.”

“Sure thing. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”

“Thanks, Owen. I really appreciate this.”

Owen frowned as he prepared for work. He and Dave job-shared at one of the local menswear shops, with Dave working three days a week, and Owen two. Mr. Drennan, the store owner, was a big supporter of the club, and giving players a job was his way of helping out. It wasn’t charity, though, and the two players worked for their money.

He was about to leave when he realised he would have to go straight from work to training. He grabbed his sports bag that he had thankfully packed early that morning and headed to his car.

Parking behind the store, he entered through the rear door and headed to the front where Mr. Drennan would be located.

“Owen! I’m so glad you could come in.” Mr. Drennan glanced to the side where Dave was slowly unpacking a new shipment of clothing. He lowered his voice. “If you want to take twenty minutes off to find out what’s wrong, go ahead. He wouldn’t talk to me when I asked.”

Owen nodded, though his focus was watching his housemate’s lethargic unpacking of business shirts from the shipping box and then his aggressive shoving of the shirts onto the shelves. “Thanks, Mr. Drennan. I’ll take him for a coffee, and I’ll be back within twenty.”

Owen marched over to Dave and grabbed him by the arm. “Come on, mate. We’re taking a coffee break.”

“What the.... Oh, Owen. What are you doing here?”

Owen didn’t hesitate. The initial spark of Dave’s anger, followed by a lack of real interest and the almost monotonic question told him that Mr. Drennan was right to be concerned. Owen suspected that the request to come in to work had been driven more by worry about Dave than it had been about getting the new shipment stored away as soon as possible.

“Coffee time. You need a break. My shout.” Owen started to pull Dave out of the shop.

“I’ve got work to do.” Dave almost growled the response as he picked up another packaged shirt.

“It can wait a few minutes. Come on, mate, let’s sit down and have a drink.”

Dave glared and pushed Owen away. “I said I’ve got fucking work to do!”

Owen winced and glanced towards Mr. Drennan. Swearing in the shop was frowned upon. Swearing in front of a customer was a sack-able offence. They were lucky there were none in the store at the time. Mr. Drennan sighed and tilted his head, indicating he wanted Owen to take Dave outside.

“Dave, I’m buying you a coffee. You need a break.” Owen grabbed hold of the shirt in Dave’s hand and tried to pull it away.

Dave’s face went red as he resisted, but then the fury faded away, and his shoulders slumped. He let go of the shirt, and his hand dropped to his side. “Okay.”

Owen was concerned at the way Dave meekly followed him out of the store. Something was desperately wrong, though Owen had no idea what it might be. Dave had seemed fine the night before. He had even joked with Jarrod about his new ‛boyfriend’, given the way Jarrod had enthused about Tony and the sponsorship that was on his way. Dave went to bed soon afterwards and had been gone by the time Owen had gotten out of bed.

After ordering a cappuccino for himself and a cafe latte for Dave, Owen sat opposite his friend. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” He wasn’t sure if Dave was listening.

Dave focused his gaze on Owen. “What?”

“Something’s going on, Dave. Do you want to tell me about it?”

Dave opened his mouth, then closed it and shook his head.

“Come on, mate, it’s just the two of us. Whatever you say will stay between us.”

A touch of the previous fury appeared in Dave’s voice. “Leave me alone!”

“Dave, mate, you know you can talk to me. This isn’t you. What’s going on?”

There was a pause while Owen watched anxiously.

The anger faded again, and Dave sighed. “Is there something wrong with me?”

Owen blinked at the unexpected question. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

“No, I’m not sick. Is there something about me that people don’t like?”

“Ah...” Owen wracked his mind to recall the name of the girl from Saturday night. “Is this about Jez?”

Dave sighed, and his head slumped.

“What happened?”

“I rang her last night, trying to make a date for this weekend, and she wasn’t interested. She said she’s happy to be friends, but she’s not interested in a relationship with me.”

Owen shuffled his seat next to Dave, put his arm across his friend’s shoulders, and then gave him a one-armed hug. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Dave. She just doesn’t appreciate what she could’ve had.”

“Then, why?”

Owen was lost. “I don’t know. It could be for all sorts of reasons, but we can only guess.” He gave Dave’s shoulders another squeeze.

Dave dropped his gaze. “Shit! I’m a useless, worthless–”

“Stop that right there! She’s one girl, Dave. She’s not the whole universe. And I’m pretty sure even she didn’t say those things!”

Owen glanced up as their coffees were delivered and nodded his thanks before returning his attention to his housemate.

“Drink your coffee, Dave. Then I think you should go home and get some rest.”

Dave sighed. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. My mind was racing, and I couldn’t drift off. She was the only thing I could think of, and...” He shook his head.

“That’s that, then. You go and rest up before training. After training, we’re going out with Jarrod, Charlie and Tony, and I’m the designated driver. You’re getting drunk.”

“I don’t feel like going out, tonight.”

“Bullshit. You’re going out regardless of how your feel. You need to relax, and a night out is exactly what you need.” Owen smiled. “Trust me, it works."

* * *

“Ollie, I’ve found a small place in Camberwell called Ignition that we could book out if we have at least forty people and no more than sixty. I haven’t been to this particular site, but I’ve been to the Ignition in Hawthorn, and it was really good. Apparently, the owners have been doing so well that they’ve decided to open up a second restaurant.

“The Camberwell Ignition has only been open a few weeks, so we should be able to get a good deal. They’ve got a couple of existing bookings, but they should be gone by eight. If you make the party for eight, we can have the entire restaurant to ourselves. The only problem is we’ll need to make the booking today.”

“No problem, Tony. I’ve spoken to Glenda, and she’s happy to help organise it. She can make the booking in the club’s name. I’m already up to twenty-three people, and there are still plenty to ask. I think my initial guesstimate was wrong because I was only really thinking of the players. Glenda pointed out that other people in the club may like to go, too, so we should make forty, easy.”

“Do you want to let Glenda know, or would you like me to do it?”

“Are you at the club? I’m down the street doing some shopping, but I can come back via the club if needed.”

“I’ll do it, then. I’m still in my office.”

“Cool! One more thing: don’t tell anyone else what’s planned. I haven’t told them we’re going to a restaurant, just that we’re going out somewhere. I want to keep the location a surprise.”

“Why?”

“I’ve got some ideas, and for some of them, I need to make sure Jim doesn’t know where we’re going. Got to go. Thanks, Tony. This is going to be great!”

* * *

“I think we’re getting on top of the conditioning problem. The guys worked a lot harder tonight than they have for awhile,” Peter said to his two assistant coaches.

The three were in their meeting room for their normal post-training debriefing.

“I know this is only my third training session, but I thought there’s also been a general improvement in attitude, at least amongst the midfielders and defenders I’m coaching.” Julie glanced at the other two for confirmation.

“Yeah, I noticed it, too, with the forwards. The surprising thing is that the change seems to be emanating from Ty,” Will said. “Any time one of the younger guys slackened off, he was there encouraging them to try harder; he didn’t mouth off like he used to. He didn’t even restrict himself to his own group. He was watching the others, too.”

Peter smiled. “You can thank ‛Dad’ for that.”

“Who?” Will and Julie chorused.

Peter laughed. “Jim. Roger filled me in earlier. It seems that Ryan and Jim swapped mentoring jobs over the weekend, and Jim’s come down hard on Ty. Interestingly, Ty’s responded positively, and he’s turning himself around, but he’s started calling Jim ‛Dad’, and Jim’s responding by calling Ty ‛brat’. I heard them use the nicknames during training a couple of times, too.”

He looked at his two assistant coaches for a moment before turning his attention to Will. “Our forward line is still weak. We depend too much on Roger to do the scoring. Deon did well last weekend, but he’s still got a long way to go. I want to consider another option.”

“Who do you have in mind?” Will asked.

“Ollie.” Peter held up a hand. “Yes, I know he’s been a good midfielder and pushes forward enough to score goals from time to time, but we saw last weekend how a fast forward can open up opportunities. Ollie’s fast, and he’s got a lot of football smarts. We won’t do it this weekend, but the weekend after, I’d like to see him on the forward line.”

“Against the Hawks?” Will asked, speaking of the previous season’s premiership team.

“That’s right. That is going to be the toughest game of our preseason, and we’re not going to beat them if we play the way we’ve always done. We’re going to need to surprise them, and Ollie may be our secret weapon to do so.”

Julie frowned as she realised the impact on her primary area of responsibility. “Who’s going to take his place as a midfielder?”

“I’m open to suggestions, but I was thinking Charlie. He hasn’t been getting a lot of game time as a forward, but he played as a midfielder in some games in the TAC Cup last year before we recruited him.”

Julie’s eyes became unfocused as she concentrated. She started to nod slowly. “Yeah, I think that can work. I’d like to see him improve his speed, though. I’m not sure he’s quick enough. If he can improve there, his size could make a big difference.”

Will grinned. “I think he’ll surprise you. From memory, he was ninth fastest when we did some trials at the start of the year. He may’ve slowed down recently because he’s been concentrating on using his height and weight, but he’ll pick his speed up again.”

“Then why doesn’t he take the role of a fast forward instead of Ollie?”

Will opened his mouth, but Peter answered first. “Because he doesn’t have the experience yet. We’ve got two eighteen-year-olds as forwards at the moment, Charlie and Deon, and the inexperience is showing. Everyone is looking for Roger as a consequence. I want someone with a bit more experience up forward to put the pressure on our opponents.”

“This will leave us with two inexperienced midfielders, though. I guess with four eighteen-year-olds, we’re going to have two rookies somewhere,” Julie said.

Peter nodded. “I know, but we’ve got more overall experience in our midfield and defenders than we do on our forward line. Ty’s shaping up well as a defender, and Jarrod’s doing an excellent job in the middle. We’ve got Todd and Paul for experience on the back line, and Dave, Ryan and Jim for the midfield.”

Julie frowned. “You’re exploring ways to increase the team’s versatility, aren’t you? Giving us more options on how to play?”

“That’s right. Why?”

“We’re looking at Jarrod being able to play as either a midfielder or defender. I’d like to see Ty do the same.”

Peter blinked. “Ty?”

“I wouldn’t have considered it if his attitude hadn’t changed, but it has. He’s becoming more disciplined, and he has the aggression I like to see in a midfielder. If he can keep it up, then I think we could end up with a midfield that’ll be hard for other teams to penetrate. Their only option would be to kick long, and we’ve got the defenders who can make that a challenge.”

Peter raised an eyebrow at Will.

“She’s got a point, Peter.” Will chuckled. “Ty’s got enough native talent to play anywhere on the ground. I’d take him as a forward if I thought you’d let him go. It’s been his attitude that’s been letting him down, but that’s getting fixed.”

Peter looked at Will and then Julie. He smiled. “He’s got a lot to learn, but, okay. Ty’s going to be playing whatever position we need him in. Julie, you get first shot, but starting next week Ty spends one session a week training under Will with the other forwards. Let’s see how far we can push him before he breaks.”

Will grinned. “Want to bet he’s not going to break?”

Peter laughed. “Nope.”

* * *

“Are you sure you don’t want a beer, Tony?” Ryan asked.

Tony shook his head. “Sorry, but I can’t drink beer for medical reasons.”

“Even gluten-free beer?” Ryan grinned.

Tony’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

Still grinning, Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “Someone’s put a couple of six-packs of gluten-free beer in the fridge with a post-it note saying, ‛For Tony’. I presume that’s you.”

“Who did that? I didn’t ask for anyone to get me beer.” Tony glanced around the club room, despite the fact that most of the players wouldn’t have heard his question.

“So, do you want one?” Ryan asked.

A slow grin appeared on Tony’s face. “Yeah, if someone’s gone to that much trouble for me, I shouldn’t turn them down. Thanks, Ryan.”

While Ryan headed to the bar fridge, Tony glanced at the guys around him. “Anyone know who’s done this for me? Whoever it is, I’d like to thank them.”

Jim, Ty, Roger and Paul shrugged.

“Maybe someone who appreciates what you’re doing?” Ty said.

Roger grinned. “That’ll mean it’s Jarrod. Apparently, you’re his new boyfriend.”

Tony frowned. “I know that’s meant as a joke, but unless Jarrod approves, I’d prefer it if you didn’t say that.”

“Why not? It’s not meant to be serious,” Roger said.

Tony sighed and dropped his gaze. “To me it is because I’ve had a friend bashed because of something like that.”

“Oops, sorry. I didn’t know.” Roger’s voice was subdued.

Tony looked up. “I don’t see how you could’ve. It was at a nightclub last year. After my friend flirted a little with this guy, the guy’s mates started teasing him about his new ‛boyfriend’. The guy reacted by taking it out on my friend. I don’t know how serious it could’ve gotten, because the guy’s mates dragged him away before he did too much harm, but it was still a shock. One of those mates came back to apologise, but the damage had been done.”

“Why do you think he went off like that?” Jim asked.

“Stupid question, Dad,” Ty said. “He was a guy. His mates were making him out to be a sissy. It’s easier to lash out at a stranger than your mates.”

Jim turned to Ty. “Speaking from experience?” he asked quietly.

Ty dropped his head. “Yeah...”

Ryan returned with Tony’s beer and one for himself. “They had premium lager and a pale ale. I got you the lager. I hope that’s okay.”

Tony glanced at the label and smiled when he recognised the brand: O’Briens. “Yeah, that’s great. I’ve had both before, and either’s fine.”

Ryan frowned as he glanced around the table. “What’s going on?”

Roger grimaced. “Tony was just telling us about a friend of his that was bashed because some guy was being teased by his mates.”

Ryan sat down. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“The guy was being teased about his new ‛boyfriend’, Tony’s friend” Roger said, miming quote marks, “and took it out on him. Tony was asking us to not pick on Jarrod about his new ‛boyfriend’ for that reason.”

“Jarrod would never do that,” Ryan said.

“Yeah, we know,” Ty said, “but the point is anyone can break if you push them hard enough. Some just break earlier than others.” He shrugged. “We don’t need to push Jarrod...even if it has been fun. I’ll spread the word.”

Jim grinned. “Brat.”

Ty grinned back at him.

Roger looked at Tony. “Why did your friend flirt with the guy? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. I don’t know of many guys that would be comfortable with another guy hitting on them.”

Tony sighed. “He hadn’t been out for very long. He was revelling in being able to be who he was without hiding it. Up until then, he’d been doing it around Prahran, which is pretty gay-friendly. He’d had a bit to drink and didn’t stop to think it might be different where we were that night.

“Honestly, even the guy’s mates didn’t take it seriously. They thought it was funny. It was more them that triggered it, as Ty said, by pushing too hard on their mate with their jokes. They were as shocked as the rest of us when the guy cut loose on my friend.”

“Well, you let us know if you’re having any problems,” Roger said. “We don’t want anything like that to happen here.”

Tony smiled and nodded his thanks. “So far everyone’s been good. There’s only one person so far who’s indicated his disgust, and that’s just by avoiding me. I’m happy with that.”

Roger scowled. “Deon. I’ll have a word with him.”

Ty glared. “You leave him alone. He’s fine, and he’ll work things out for himself.”

Roger stared at Ty. “If he’s disrupting the team, it’s my responsibility as captain to do something about it.”

“Roger, let Ty and Deon work it out for themselves.” Jim glanced at Tony. “If it’s not bothering Tony, and Deon’s not doing anything to cause problems, there’s no need for you to get involved.”

“Ty and Deon? I thought it was just Deon.” Roger narrowed his eyes. “What’s going on, Ty?”

Ty jumped up. “Fuck you! I just told you to stay out of it.” He stormed off, heading to where Deon was sitting with a bunch of other teammates.

Roger started to stand up, but was pulled back down by Jim. “Roger, leave him alone.”

“Jim, if there’s a problem, then the quicker we deal with it–”

“There’s no problem, Roger, at least not yet.” Jim glanced around the table. “I don’t want anyone to say anything to anyone else, but it was Deon and Ty who bought those beers for Tony. If they’ve got issues, they’re working them out by themselves.”

Ryan nodded. “He’s right. Jim and I saw them bring the beers home last night when they came back from shopping.”

Tony’s eyebrows rose. “They bought them? Then why didn’t Ty say something when I asked.”

Jim grinned. “He did. He said it was from someone who appreciates what you’re doing for the club. If they don’t want to say it was them, that’s their business. And I’d prefer it if you didn’t admit you know. They’re dealing with things between themselves, and I think we’ll mess things up if we interfere.” He caught Roger’s eye and waited until the team captain nodded.

“Okay, Jim, or should that be ‛Dad’? I’ll drop it.” Roger grinned.

Jim groaned. “Not you, too. I’ll put up with it from the brat, but that’s because he’s too stubborn to change his mind. I don’t need it from you, too.”

Ryan and Paul chuckled while Jim squirmed.

“Too late, Dad. I think you’re stuck with it now.” Roger cocked his head. “I don’t suppose you and Denise are trying to make it real?”

Jim rolled his eyes. “No. We’re not ready for that. Maybe in the future, but not now. We’d need to move in together and then sort out our finances. Even I know that kids are expensive. We’re not taking those steps until we’re absolutely sure we’re good for the long term.”

Roger nodded. “Just to let you know, it’s a great feeling when it happens.”

Jim smiled. “Thanks, but we’ll wait.”

“It’s always better to wait for these things if you can,” Tony said. “The last thing a kid needs is parents who aren’t getting along. I think Jim’s doing the right thing, waiting to make sure his girlfriend is the one he wants to spend his life with.”

Roger winced. “Sorry, Tony. I suppose that was insensitive of me, discussing kids in front of you.”

Tony looked puzzled. “Why?”

“Because you can’t have any.”

Tony laughed. “Shows how much you know. I’ve got options when I’m ready for kids. Like Jim and Denise, now’s not the right time, but when I am ready, I’m looking forward to being a dad.”

It was Roger’s turn to be puzzled. “How?”

Tony shrugged. “Fostering, surrogacy, adoption. I might need to move interstate for some of those, but they’re all doable somewhere in Australia, and hopefully by the time I’m looking at having kids, they’ll all be options available here in Victoria.

“Being gay doesn’t mean you have to give up the possibility of being a father. As I said, there are options. What it does mean, though, is it doesn’t happen by accident. If a gay couple has kids, it’s because they really want them and have jumped through hoops to get them.”

Roger winced again. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, I knew most of those options; I just didn’t think of them when I spoke. I suppose I’m more used to getting kids the natural way.” He grinned. “Which, by the way, is a lot of fun.”

Tony chuckled. “For you, maybe. I’ll get my kids, if I have any, by alternative means.”

“You’ve obviously looked into this,” Jim said. “You really want to have kids when you’re older?”

“Definitely! I babysit my sister’s kids from time to time, and I’ve seen how Roger and Ian are when they talk about their kids. I want that for myself one day.” Tony shrugged. “Of course, I think I need to be in a relationship before that happens, and if my boyfriend doesn’t want kids, it won’t happen, but on my side, yes, I do.”

Roger grinned. “Good luck for the future, then, and I hope you get a boyfriend that also wants kids.”

* * *

“Are you sure you’ve never played pool before?” Jarrod asked, as he walked around the pool table while chalking the top of his cue.

Tony laughed. “Okay, I’ve played a couple of times, but not much.”

“Well, you have a natural talent.” Jarrod bent down to line up his shot.

“At what?”

“At being bad. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone suck at pool more than you.” Jarrod struck the white ball, only to see the ball he had aimed at bounce back from the middle pocket.

Tony laughed. “I hope you’re not trying to learn from me.”

Jarrod grinned. “I’ve got a long way to go before I catch up to you. So far you’ve potted two of my balls, and the white ball four times. That’s real skill.”

“What can I say? I’m crap.”

“At pool, at least.” Jarrod looked across to where Charlie, Owen, and Dave were sitting. Charlie was watching them play, while Dave was getting drunk. Owen’s attention was on Dave.

“Damn!”

Jarrod glanced back to see the white ball dropping into the middle pocket. He grinned at Tony. “Five times.”

Tony grinned back and held up his hand. “Does that mean I get a high five?”

Jarrod laughed and slapped Tony’s palm before turning his attention back to the game. A few minutes later, the eight-ball dropped into the corner pocket. “Game over.”

Jarrod looked across to the table where the others were sitting. “Charlie, do you want to play me and lose, or Tony and win?”

Tony gave a mock pout. “Hey, I might win. Miracles do happen from time to time.”

Charlie grinned. “I’ll play Tony, if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure!” Jarrod handed over the cue stick to Charlie, and then sat down with Dave and Owen. Dave was drunk but still drinking heavily. Owen was looking worried.

“Hey, guys. How’s it going?”

Dave looked up, scowled, and looked away. Jarrod exchanged looks with Owen.

“Did Ollie get to you guys after training?”

Owen smiled, though it was obvious his heart wasn’t in it. “You mean about Jim’s birthday party? He spoke to us beforehand. We’ll be there, won’t we Dave?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there. By myself...”

Owen gritted his teeth and gave Jarrod a pleading look.

Jarrod smiled. “There’s a lot of time between now and then. We’ll see if we can’t change that. I’m still single, too, but I think I can find a date for the party.”

Dave glared, though he was having trouble focusing. “I thought you had a boyfriend.”

Jarrod glanced around, noticing several other people in the pool hall looking in their direction at Dave’s raised voice.

Dave’s expression warped into one of despair. “I’m sorry, Jarrod. I didn’t mean it. I’m just a worthless piece of shit. I can’t do anything right.”

“Okay, Dave, that’s enough. I’m taking you home.” Owen glanced at Jarrod and then to Tony and Charlie behind him. “I’ll come back as soon as I’ve got him settled. Enjoy your game.”

Jarrod and Charlie exchanged glances. “We’re coming with you. It’ll be easier if we’re all helping.” Jarrod said.

Jarrod turned around to speak to Tony, only to see the him stepping away.

“I’ll see you later. Thanks for the night out, guys.” Tony headed towards the exit.

“Tony, wait!”

Jarrod flicked a frustrated glance at Dave and then to Charlie.

“I’ll go. You stay here,” Charlie said. Not waiting for a reply, he jogged after Tony.

Jarrod sighed and then helped Owen lift Dave out of his chair. “Time to go home, Dave,” said Owen.

* * *

“Wait up, Tony!” Charlie called.

Tony looked back and then glanced past Charlie to where Jarrod and Owen were assisting a very drunk Dave. “I thought...”

Charlie stopped when he reached Tony. “Jarrod organised this because he wanted me to get to know you better. He really likes you, and he wants me to like you, too.”

Tony winced. “I wish you wouldn’t say that, at least not that way.”

“Huh?” Charlie looked at Tony, a puzzled expression on his face. Then he realised what he’d said. “I didn’t mean it like that, honest. It’s just the way it came out. He likes you as a friend, that’s all!”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m sensitive on the subject.” Tony glanced around. “Are you really sure you want me to stick around?”

Charlie nodded. “Do you want to finish our game? We can talk about things while we play, if that’s okay with you.”

Tony avoided Charlie’s eyes for a few seconds before sighing. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”

Charlie glanced over his shoulder. “Do you want to mind the table while I help the guys get Dave into the car? Oh, and can you give me a lift afterwards? Owen was the designated driver for the night.”

“No problem.” Tony gave Charlie a faint smile. “You go help the guys, and I’ll wait.”

Ten minutes later they were back playing pool. “Nice shot!” Tony said.

Charlie chuckled. “More luck than anything else.” He walked around the table as he tried to work out his next shot. “Why are you sensitive on the subject of people liking you?”

He glanced across the table to see Tony flinch. He then listened as Tony told the story of how his friend had been attacked.

“That sucks, big time. It wasn’t even his fault.”

“Yeah, I know.” Tony leant down and hit the white ball gently, allowing it to pot one of his balls that had been resting over the corner pocket. “Most of the time there’s no problems, but it only takes one or two people to change that.” He grimaced as he tried to work out his next shot.

“I think you’ve snookered yourself,” Charlie said.

“I think so, too.” Tony tried to bounce the white ball off the side cushion, but failed to hit any of the balls. “Oh, well, it’s only a game.”

The two were silent for the next few minutes, apart from comments on the game itself. When Charlie finally potted the 8-ball, he straightened up and looked at Tony. “Another game, or maybe another drink?”

Tony shook his head. “Time to head home. I’ve got a long day tomorrow with an early start to meet some people and a late night taking Jarrod to meet the people who are thinking of sponsoring him.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

When they left the building, Charlie glanced around to see if there was anyone nearby. He then turned to Tony and stuck out his hand. “Thanks, mate.”

Tony took the hand, but raised his eyebrows. “Thanks for what?”

“For everything.” Charlie squeezed Tony’s hand once before letting go. “For everything.”

* * *

Ty stood in front of Jim, arms crossed, blocking Jim’s view of the television. He was scowling. “Well?”

Jim raised an eyebrow. “Well, what?”

Ty glared. “Get it over and done with. I want to go to bed.”

“You’ve lost me, Ty. What are you talking about?”

“You’re going to rip me a new arsehole for what I said to Roger at the club.”

Jim smiled. “Go to bed, brat. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“No! Do it now, not in the morning.”

“Who said anything about doing anything in the morning? You were right; Roger was wrong. The only thing you need to work on is how you tell someone they’re wrong. I’m sure you can work that one out for yourself.” Jim grinned. “Go to bed, brat, and stop stressing. You’re doing fine.”

Ty stared for a moment, his arms dropping to his side. He shook his head, eyes fixed on Jim, and then turned and took a couple of steps away. He looked back, his expression one of confusion.

“I thought...er...thanks, Dad.”

“Anytime, brat.”