The man laughed, but not in a particularly unkind way. “Yes, definitely a first timer.”
Scott felt the blush rush to his cheeks. The man opened the door and held it for him. “After you.”
Scott hesitated for a second before rushing forward. He was halfway through stuttering out his thanks when he spotted the reception desk. His pulse doubled.
The man he’d met outside put his hand on the small of Scott’s back. Scott jumped forward liked a scalded cat. The man chuckled again, but Scott had very little attention to spare for him.
His focus was all on the man standing behind the reception desk. Joe. The world was instantly a more manageable place. The guy behind the desk really would take care of him.
Joe raised an eyebrow. That was all he needed to do to make Scott jerk into action.
Go straight to reception.
Standing around just inside the door wasn’t part of Scott’s orders. He hurried up to the reception desk.
“My young friend here is a first timer,” the man from outside said as he stepped up alongside Scott.
Scott opened and closed his mouth, but he had no idea how to explain that he really wasn’t friends with the man, especially when the guy was standing right there.
Joe didn’t even blink. “You must be Mr Evans.” He glanced at the computer as if checking something. “You booked an introductory visit with an eye to taking out an annual membership. Right?”
Scott nodded on the familiar principle that Joe was always right about everything.
“No problem. I’ll just sign in the gentleman behind you, then I’ll be right with you.”
Scott nodded again; and when Joe glanced at a patch of floor just to Scott’s left, Scott moved to stand there.
Joe took a card off the guy who was obviously a regular visitor to the sauna, swiped it through a machine attached to the computer, pressed a few buttons on the keyboard and handed the guy a key. “Enjoy your visit, Mr Leonard.”
Mr Leonard looked Scott pointedly up and down. “I’m sure I will.” He winked at Scott before heading through the door to the left of reception leaving Joe and Scott alone.
“I m-m-met him just outside. I—”
“Scott,” Joe cut in.
Scott fell silent.
“I’m not an idiot. The man didn’t even know your name. And even if he did, I’m hardly going to think you came here to play withhim, am I?”
Scott took a deep breath and nodded to himself. Everything was fine, well mostly. “I haven’t come since last time we m-m-met up.” As soon as the words tumbled from his lips, Scott regretted them. He put his hand over his mouth, but Joe just chuckled as if he saw nothing wrong with him making that sort of declaration in a public place.
“Good boy.”
Scott relaxed enough to smile when Joe said that. They really were wonderful words.
A door opened behind Joe and a red-headed man about the same age as them stepped through.
Joe turned to him. “Perfect timing, Ben. You can hold down the fort while I take Mr Evans on a tour of the facilities.”
Scott was vaguely aware of Joe typing something into the computer, but he couldn’t think of anything useful to contribute. He remained still and silent until Joe stepped away from thedesk and ordered him through the same door Mr Leonard had used.
It might have sounded like a polite, business-like invitation, but Scott still knew it was an order. He followed it immediately, but any hopes he had of speaking to Joe in private died as Joe led him into a locker room where several men were already getting changed.
Joe opened a locker. “If you’d like to leave your clothes here, Mr Evans.” He took a towel out of a locker and put it on the bench next to Scott.
Scott glanced around. Other men were also getting undressed. He’d survived the boots only night, he could survive this too. He started to undo his shirt, only to stall when he saw that Joe was also getting undressed.
Joe opened a locker a few down from Scott and put his T-shirt in it. He took out a towel and placed it on the bench next to Scott’s.
