It doesn’t take long to spot Vox once I’m inside. Everyone istrying to get close to him, his teammates included, as total strangers keep elbowing their way into the circle for autographs and selfies with the man of the hour.
The longer I watch this shitshow, the more nauseated I become.
Finally, willing my feet to move, I make my way to a high-top table where coaches Montoya and Fuller are seated.
“What are we drinking, gentlemen?” I ask, prepared to buy the next round simply so I can turn my back on the scene currently in front of me.
“I could use another Corona,” Fuller says.
“I’m just drinking water tonight,” Montoya replies, holding up his plastic cup of clear liquid.
Yeahhh, I’m going to need something stronger than either of those.
“I’ll be right back.”
I return several minutes later with water, Corona, and Jack on the rocks.
I do my best to settle into a conversation about today’s events, but it’s mostly Fuller and Montoya talking while I covertly try to steal glances at Vox, who currently has his lips planted on the cheek of some girl shoving her breasts in his face while her friend takes their picture. Grey appears out of nowhere and claps me on the back. After following my gaze, he laughs.
“Kid reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age.”
“You went around kissing random people you didn’t know?” I say through clenched teeth.
“Maybe not that part, but I loved the attention. If I remember correctly, you went in the opposite direction. You stayed out of the limelight. Not a fan of the crowds. Only the occasional meet and greet. Why was that?”
Being gay in this sport five years ago wasn’t the same asit is today, and even today, it still puts you in a rainbow-colored pigeonhole.
“Just value my privacy, that’s all,” I mutter, still unable to take my eyes off Vox, who is now shoving his tongue down the throat of the girl clinging to him.
“Should we be concerned?” I ask Patterson.
“Nah. It could be worse,” he says calmly. “Kid could be in a bathroom doing blow off her tits. Kissing her around his entire team, knowing we’re sitting right here, doesn’t concern me.” He laughs again, the sound grating on my nerves. “Anyway, he earned it with those times he put up today. I hope the girl goes home with him. He’s more focused if he’s getting some action.”
Funny, Vox said the same thing.
My brows pinch together, and Grey must interpret it as confusion over his statement. “You haven’t seen his social media accounts, have you?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
Grey waves his hand toward Vox and the whor—nice young lady seeking his affection. “Because it’sthatand snowboards. Vox leans into the playboy persona because it keeps people engaged. Thanks to his shenanigansand his face, he’s the most followed winter athlete on every platform, and he generates a lot of brand awareness for Patterson. As long as he passes his drug tests and keeps coming in first, I’m willing to let him live the lifestyle. Hell, we even sent him to the U.A.E. last year to do a photoshoot at their indoor skiing facility. You should’ve seen the absolutegodshe hooked up with there. I’m willing to overlook a lot where he’s concerned because he puts Patterson on the map in places I could never reach without him.”
I nod, biting back the question burning on the tip of my tongue.Would you overlook him sleeping with his coach?
The words are dangerously close to spilling from me as Itake another sip of the alcohol in my hand. Thankfully, Grey addresses everyone at the table and ends our private conversation.
“The team dinner is on me, drinks included, but can one of you make sure my company isn’t paying for all that scantily clad ass to eat and drink as well? I need to head out in about ten minutes.”
Fuller volunteers to handle the bill and walks to the athletes’ tables to give them the rules while Grey resumes our conversation about Vox. “He’s phenomenal, and his speed is great. But you and I both know he needs more control. He’s not used to having to share the course. He’s ready for the individual events, but I still worry about him on the cross course with others.”
“You and me both,” I admit. “But don’t worry, now that the time trials are out of the way, I have a plan to help make sure he’s prepared for the slope traffic.”
“Glad to hear it,” Grey says, clapping me on the shoulder before turning to talk to Montoya for a bit. I continue to question my entire life as I watch Vox flirt with every Tom, Dick, Harry, Sally, Freida, and Renee that comes up to him.
“Well, I’m out,” Grey says a few minutes later. “You okay keeping an eye on these fools for a little while longer?”
I salute Patterson with my empty rocks glass in response, not willing to trust whatever words may escape.
After everyone’s eaten—Vox of course orders a T-bone, and I thought my nuts were going to explode watching him gnaw the meat off the damn thing—he comes over and takes Montoya’s vacated seat while Fuller is occupied with the bill.
