“We’re all here to make the most of it,” Breezy said.“No one becomes a professional athlete to get out of the limelight or earn less money.But I draw the line at being racist and homophobic about teammates.”
Hayes leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the table.“I said I was sorry.”
“Did you?”
Shit.Phil would have to remember not to piss Breezy off.
“Yeah, not to you bozos.”
“Mooney never said—”
“Well, maybe he doesn’t tell you everything.And anyway, I didn’t say anything homophobic.That was Howie.”
“Howie apologized to me,” Luca said.“And to everyone who would listen.And he was first in line to donate to Breezy’s shelter scheme.”
“Look,” Phil said.“None of you have to agree on politics.”
“Thank God,” Ollie interjected.“America is insane, and I can’t even vote here.”
“Amen,” Kaarlo agreed.
“But you do all have to play together,” Phil continued, ignoring them.“And if you’re working against each other and can’t celebrate each other’s successes, why the fuck are you in a team sport?”
Hayes softened.“I really am sorry.I just…I guess I lost sight of the team.”
“For what it’s worth, I didn’t intend or expect to steal the limelight.”Luca drained his tiny espresso cup.“Tom and Jax suggested it, and I went along.”
“Talk about an unlikely friendship,” Hayes said.“I don’t think anyone saw that coming.”
Their food arrived and conversation segued into a “best of Tom Crowler social awkwardness” compilation.Phil felt a little bad for gossiping about his friend.But he was also too practical to ignore the best option for team bonding he’d found so far.There were so many good stories—from the season when Tom thought Kaarlo didn’t speak English because neither of them was any good at starting a conversation, to the time Mats brought Swiss chocolate for everyone in the locker room and Tom agonized for a solid five minutes over whether he could accept something so obviously off the meal plan.
Breezy stayed notably silent.
As the rest trickled out on their way to the airport, Phil caught up to him.“No Tom-Crowler-is-a-weird-guy stories from you?”
“Nah.”Breezy smiled slightly.“He’s been stepping up.You know he talked to Howie?A bunch of times?Howie didn’t say what about exactly, but it helped him a lot.And the way he reacted when Hayes and Howie said what they said… I didn’t expect him to take a stand.I really respect for him for it.”
Pride for his friend swelled in Phil’s chest.“I’m glad to hear that.You don’t seem ready to forgive Hayes yet though.”
“I’m working on it.How are you, Phil?”
The question shocked Phil.He’d organized this event to keep the team working together, and he never thought to bring himself into it.
Honestly, brunch had been a nice reprieve from the questions he was facing.
“Not great,” he admitted.
Breezy gave him an open, hopeful look as if expecting Phil to spill his guts, when Phil knew Breezy had about three minutes before someone came back to look for him.
Three minutes was not enough time to cover Phil’s concerns about his career, the slimy dread he felt at the thought of contract negotiations, the traumatized child living in his house, and the man Phil knew was lying to him about some very important things but he might have sex with all the same.
He couldn’t explain one of those in three minutes, let alone all four.
“Have you talked to Michelle yet?”Breezy asked when Phil didn’t confide in him.
Phil hadn’t taken her up on her offer for a chat.He’d walked past her office a bunch of times, and he’d thought about it, but he’d never envisioned himself as someone who needed therapy.He supported having a sports therapist for the team, particularly for the rookies who needed help adapting to the NHL, or maybe for Tom.He’d never considered that he might profit from a talk with her until people started suggesting it.
“You talk to her?”he asked.
