“Also, this isn’t a confrontation,” Mason said. “We’re not here to make your life difficult.”
“Really? How is this not making my life difficult?” I asked, looking around at the four of them. “My personal life is none of your business.”
“You know, you’re getting very defensive for someone who has nothing to hide,” West said as he lowered his spoon and fixed me with a long look.
I sighed and stabbed my curry with my spoon, wishing I could pick my tray up and find somewhere else to sit. That wouldn’t exactly help my case, though. But West had a point. I’d never hidden having a nanny before. Everyone had been aware of the issues I’d had in the past, and getting defensive made it obvious that something was going on.
“Fine, yes, I have a new nanny,” I said quietly. “His name is Harper, he’s very good at his job, and Jack really likes him. Any questions?”
Mason grinned, looking far too pleased with himself. “No, absolutely none.”
“Did you actually know, or were you just fishing? No, wait. I don’t want to know.” I glanced around the canteen, wondering who else was listening. And who else might have figured it out. I didn’t know what had given me away, but maybe it would be better to get it out in the open and let the inevitable musings about how long Harper might last roll off my back.
“Don’t worry, we haven’t told anyone,” Devon said with a gentle smile.
“And we won’t,” Jonny added. “We’ll even deny it if anyone asks.”
“Thanks, but it’s fine.” For a split second I considered asking Mason and West if their partners, both of whom were drag artists, would be at The Court this weekend so I could mention them to Harper. But I didn’t trust Ryan and Rory not to find him in the crowd and pass all the details back, and I didn’t want anyone spying on him. Harper didn’t deserve to get caught up in this mess.
“I hope he works out,” West said. “Sounds like you’re off to a good start, though.”
“Eh, sort of.” The four of them stared at me and I realised I couldn’t leave them hanging if I wanted any semblance of peace in my life. “He might have called me out for being overbearing and, um, micromanaging him, especially when Jack was ill last week.”
“You, overbearing? Never!” Devon grinned teasingly.
“Don’t know what he was thinking. That doesn’t sound like you at all,” Jonny said, his expression matching that of his boyfriend’s, and I sighed heavily, raising my eyebrow at our number eight.
“Just because you needed a firm shove to get your shit together and be reminded that jealousy has no place on a rugby team, or in our dressing room, doesn’t make me bossy or overbearing.”
“I never said you were bossy,” Jonny said as he stabbed his fork into the heaped pile of mashed potatoes on his plate. “That’s all on you.”
“To be fair, I think it comes with the territory. Every captain I’ve ever known has a bossy side,” Devon said.
“Yeah, and at least you’re not a dictatorial arsehole like some captains,” Mason said. “You might treat us like kids sometimes, but we probably deserve it.”
“Youdefinitelydeserve it, but to be fair the four of you aren’t really much of a problem. Especially not now Jonny and Devon have gotten their heads out of their arses,” I said.
When they’d first gotten together, I’d been extremely worried about how their relationship would affect the team. Jonny had a possessive streak a mile wide and didn’t like anyone touching his boyfriend, but after a few choice reminders and some support, he’d managed to get it in check and my fears had, largely, vanished. Playing on the same team as a couple was definitely a new experience, but weirdly I’d never been worried that they’d break up and we’d have to deal with the fallout.
They had a together forever, soulmates vibe, which I didn’t know how to describe. It was more of a feeling than anything. And sometimes when I looked at them, I felt this overwhelming rush of jealousy and despair becausefuck,I wanted what they had.
But to find that, I’d have to start dating… and that was not happening any time soon.
“That’s true,” Devon said with a nod. “We are model citizens.”
I chuckled, because I wasn’t going to argue.
“By the way, what’s the meeting after lunch about?” West asked.
“Oh, Clive wants to introduce the new social media manager,” I said, very happy to move the conversation along from me.
“I thought they were supposed to start ages ago?” Mason asked, frowning. “Like end of last year?”
“Different person. The first person they hired never started because they suddenly got offered a better job somewhere else, so they had to go through the process all over again.”
“How do you know all this?” Devon asked. “Do you get secret briefings with Clive that we don’t know about?”
“No, I just listen.”
