I did, wholeheartedly. But it still didn’t lessen my concern. I trust and respect Coach Henderson to do what is most beneficial for us, so I’d just have to play my part. “Yes, sir. We do.”
Focusing my attention on my coach, I went on. “What can I do to help?”
“First, teach him how to play the position of safety. Show him the right way to go about things. You know and understand both sports. But time is going to be short to make that happen.”
I sat up straighter, ready to accept the challenge. “Coach O’Neil and I can do that at training camp. No problem, sir. Shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“He won’t be available,” Mr. Carlisle added. “His wife is due to have their baby around that time, so he’ll be on paternityleave. But the other coaches will be. You’ve always been good with the rookies, so we hoped you might take him on yourself. If anyone can work with him, it’s you.”
My stomach churned. They kept saying I was the one to make it work, and while I thrived under pressure, I could only do so much. But I’d die trying. “Okay. I’m sure I can handle it.”
Coach sat forward in his chair. “We have a unique situation regarding his status and the timing of his arrival. We had to opt for the quickest one he could get, and with that, there are a lot of regulations. The plan is to file for a professional athlete visa once he arrives. Once that’s taken care of, we’ll have more options for pay and housing. If he violates this one, there will not be a second one.”
I wasn’t sure what that had to do with me.
“He’s going to room with you at training camp, and we were hoping you might consider leasing us your guest house. For him.”
My brain began to fire on all cylinders. If he lived in my guest house for the season, the proximity would make things much easier with teaching him how to play. We could work out and study whenever there was time. He could get the fundamentals down, and we could have the best secondary defense in the league.
And with a house guest, I might not be so fucking lonely.
My team needed me, and I was just the man to make it happen. How bad could it be? If he were as devoted to the game as I was, then we’d be okay.
I smiled. “Yes, absolutely. When will he be here?”
Coach grinned. “He’ll arrive a few days before training camp. He had to cut it close since he only has six months on his visa. Hopefully, the immigration attorney can get the other one expedited before the end of January. Especially if we make it to the Super Bowl again in February.”
“Notif, Coach.Whenwe make it.”
Mr. Carlisle stood and held his hand out for me to shake. “Keep thinking that way, Carson. I can’t thank you enough. I’ll get my secretary to email you a contract for the rental. We need to make sure we’re following the letter of the law with immigration.”
I nodded, still a little dazed. “Yes, sir. What’s his name?”
“Colin. Colin Kearney.”
I ran his name through my mental Rolodex of rugby players but came up empty.
“Hmm. Never heard of him.”
Coach grinned. “You will. Very soon.”
When our meeting ended, I walked outside and pulled out my phone to call Lennox.
“Hey,” I said. “You’re not gonna believe this.”
Lennox chuckled. “Yeah? What?”
“We’re getting another rugby player to replace Flannery. An Australian this time. I just left a meeting.”
He whistled. “That’s a long way to go for a player.”
I agreed. “Coach is convinced he can do the job. He’s going to live in my guest house so I can get him ready to play.”
“Seriously? You’re gonna be his landlord too?”
I snorted. “I guess. You’ll meet him at Camp. He won’t get here until right before we take off to Arizona.”
“Yeah, that’s cool.” He was quiet before he added, “I hate we won’t have Jayse, but maybe we can get him on the sideline.”
