“Okay.” I twisted my hands in the steering wheel. “Right. This is…”
“Are you having a meltdown right now?” Carol leaned over the back of the front seat to see my face better. “Don’t melt down. That’s my job.”
“What if I just screwed us over? If they say no, we have no team.”
“We’ll find someone else.”
“I want them,” I blurted.
“We know that.” Carol sat back. “For the record, we also want them. For the team, not for what you want them for.”
“Shut up.”
He smirked at me. “Cards on the table, as we have always done. Those two are fucking adorable and you want to fuck them silly and wrap them in bubble wrap and expose them to the grinding machine that is an Olympic run.”
All of that was true. “But I fired the Darren twins. When that gets around, there will be repercussions. And if these guys turn us down, I don’t think we’ll be able to talk anyone else into trusting us. That family has a lot of sway.”
“They won’t say no, if for no other reason than at least the puppy?—”
“Evan, Michael. His name is Evan.”
Michael grinned the shittiest grin ever. “I love that you know which one I’m talking about. But okay. Evan, at least, wants your cock. I personally think they both do but whatever. They are damn good curlers and when they’ve had five minutes to think it through, they’ll realize that you asking them to join the team means you think so too. And that if you think they’re good enough to ask them to join an Olympic level effort, then how are they going to say no to that shot?”
“Not everyone wants that kind of pressure.” I glanced in the rearview at Carol.
“Don’t look at me. I’m all in.”
“Now. There was a time you didn’t think you could be.”
He shot Michael a look in turn. “Things change.” Turning back to me, he said, “Knowing you have their back like Michael does mine makes all the difference so if you want to hedge our bets, maybe?—”
“No. I gave them all the information they need to decide. No way am I bribing them with anything, sex especially.”
Michael nodded. “Because even if they say no to the team…?”
“I don’t want one to be dependent on the other, no,” I agreed.
“Well, I think that’s adorable.”
“Shut up,” I said again and started the truck to get us back on the road towards home. I had a lot of shit to face over the next few days when the news of our team breakup hit the fan.
“Tim’s first?” Michael asked.
“Like that’s even a question.” I’d already flicked my clicker to turn into the parking lot. Since it didn’t have a drive-through, we all trooped inside to order. When I saw Robbie and his friend at the counter, I decided that was the universe telling me this was the right decision.
If I’d had more faith in the universe, or in my guys’ faith in me, I may not have spent the next few nights sleepless and on edge. They had believed the Sudbury team would join us, and they were right. Three days after we asked, all three men called to agree to the proposal we’d sent in writing.
We were on our way.
So when I realized there was no way I could just pick up where we’d left off that night in their apartment, I panicked and did nothing instead.
For months.
It was excruciating.
The longer I waited, the harder it was to make any move at all, even as I watched them start to crumble under the pressure of non-stop training, practicing, and tournaments.
I expected them to bail any minute but they never did. Not when we asked for more time than their jobs would allow. Evan took leave and Perry arranged remote work. Not when we had to travel or even when we discussed getting a team rental house. They found someone to sublet their place and went along witheverything. They left their lives behind to do this, and I was humbled by that bravery.
