She didn’t reply, going to town with the deep heat.
“Nate’s a good guy. I think he’ll be okay.” It wasn’t often I felt the need to fill the silence, but it was making me feel uncomfortable.
“I know he’s a good guy.”
And I decided to leave it at that.
I found Nate in the weights room, chest pressing more than he should without a spotter. Standing behind him, I guided the bar back to the rack and waited for him to sit up.
“You missed your appointment with Amber.”
He looked at me as he grabbed his towel, wiping off the sweat. “I know. I decided not to go.”
“Why?” I had a feeling this wasn’t about missing a massage.
He shook his head. “I went there, didn’t I?”
“What do you mean?”
“Amber. I went there with her.”
I sat down on the bench next to him. “You slept with Amber?”
He nodded. “We weren’t drunk. It was during the day…”
“In her treatment room?” I’d just been lying on the bench.
“Yep. Don’t tell anyone, Ry. She could lose her job.” He stared at me as if daring me to argue back.
“Not going to say a word. When was this?”
“Monday. I booked an appointment with her because I was tight after the game.” Nate had clashed into a couple of the opposition’s defenders. They’d come off worse because he was a unit, but he’d looked banged up in the showers afterwards.
I frowned at him. “Had there been something going on with you before then?”
He shrugged and shook his head. “We talk. I suppose there was a bit of a thing between us. Massages from her weren’t like ones from someone else, put it that way.”
“Ask her out.” There was nothing to restrict players and the club’s staff from dating.
He shook his head. “She really isn’t interested in kids. I know that from ages ago – when Chan was pregnant with Zara, Amber mentioned how she never saw herself with children, so there’s no point in us going out because it wouldn’t lead anywhere. I’m a package deal.”
“You don’t have to go out with her thinking it’s going to be a long term thing. Just have some fun.” I knew my words were pointless, because Nate wasn’t the casual type.
“You and I both know that’s not going to happen.”
“Have you spoken to her since Monday?”
“Avoided her like the plague.”
“Nice move, keeper.” I kicked out at his shin. “That’s dickish.”
“I know. I’ll go and see her. The longer I leave it, the worse it’s going to get.” He stood up.
“Good plan. Just maybe shower first.”
Nate nodded, launching the towel into a nearby laundry bin that someone had the sense to scatter about the gym floor, meaning Jude never had an excuse for leaving his sweaty towels lying about.
I left Nate to it, picking my kit up and heading back to my car. I’d promised Lotte I’d do some work on something she’d taken on as a new project and as I didn’t have anything else to do, apart from drive to the farmhouse and see how things were getting on there, I was going to make a start – and hopefully finish – that.
