“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t help myself.”
“How about you come to mine this evening?” Steven whispered.
Udo leant forward on the table.
“I’d love to,” he replied softly.
“Good. Now let’s get to business.”
By the time Udo went to get changed, the locker room was full.
“Colin, do you want to get your nose out of that book and your kit on?” Adam said.
“I’m revising for my driving theory test,” Colin replied.
Ewen grabbed the book. “For every ball you get past me in training today, I’ll spend fifteen minutes testing you.”
Colin’s face lit up. “Honest?”
“Yeah. You need some wheels, kid. I’m sick of giving you lifts everywhere.”
Udo walked over to his space to put on his kit. Shaun came into the room fiddling with his phone.
“Was that your mum, Shaun?” Alain asked.
“No, why?”
“I left my boxers at hers last night.”
They all burst into fits of laughter.
“Fuck off,” Shaun sneered. “I’m not in the mood for you today.”
Udo gave him a weak smile. Something was obviously upsetting him.
“Oh here he is,” Shaun said. “Our hero.”
“Good morning, Shaun,” Udo replied.
Had their truce expired already?
Udo took his T-shirt off and threw it in his locker. Colin, who sat next to him, glanced nervously his way. Udo presumed that they’d been talking about him before he’d come in. If only they knew what had really happened. Shaun would have a field day. Not only with Udo being gay but the fact that he’d slept with the assistant coach.
“Ready to show us how it’s done again?” Shaun teased.
It was Alain who had made the comment about his mother. Udo had no idea why Shaun was coming for him.
“What do you mean?”
Udo pulled his shirt on.
“We need to check that wasn’t a fluke on Saturday.”
Adam came out of the bathroom.
“Leave it, Shaun,” he said. “Udo did well on Saturday. You said so yourself.”
The door opened. Javier and Steven came in. Javier strode into the middle of the room. Udo glanced at Steven, who hung back.
