Page 27 of Provoking the Punter

For a moment Chester wondered if this wasn’t a mistake and his body would be found dumped somewhere a week later. “Meaning?”

“I have no one else to talk to… I’m aware how sad that sounds.”

“Family?”

Garrett laughed, but it was bitter. “My brother doesn’t get it, and my father thinks I deserve it.”

“And your mother?”

“Dead…” He stared at the floor for a couple of seconds. “I might as well tell you the rest. James has already dug around and found it.” Garrett glanced over. “James is digging.”

“And you’re worried he’s going to find out what happened?”

“I’m worried he’s gonna needle me until I snap. Punching a teammate in the face is not a good look.”

“Did you punch him?”

Garrett looked offended. “No! He found the write-ups on the car accident that killed my mother.”

Chester studied Garrett. “I’m not joining the dots, so you’re going to have to do it for me.”

Garrett swallowed and nodded. “It was preliminary finals, my team won. Mum and Dad had been watching. They’d both had a few drinks. Dad told me to drive. In Australia, when you’re on your learners, there has to be a sober adult in the car. I refused. He drove. He crashed into another car, and she died at the scene. He blamed me and football. He nearly lost his job because he’s a cop. I don’t talk about it, but James went through ten years of media on me to find it. It’s why I missed a crucial year of playing. It’s why I don’t have anyone to call.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “I am such a cliche, pouring my heart out to the bartender.”

“I’m sorry about your mom. I know what it’s like to grow up without one. Mine walked out when I was five. She dropped me at school and never came back.”

Garrett stared at him. “Was she kidnapped?”

“No… she moved in with her aunt in the city. Went to college and became a nurse. She wanted more than the life my father could give her, but she also knew she couldn’t fight for that life if she took me with her.” His father said it was because she didn’t love them, and as a kid, he’d believed that for a few years.

“Do you speak to her?”

Chester shook his head. “No, she left, so I don’t owe her anything. And she doesn’t owe me anything either. She was seventeen when she got pregnant, and she did what she had to.” He got up and pulled a water bottle out of the minibar. “I can tell you about my family another time.”

He took a drink and then picked up the notepad, half expecting Garrett to stop him.

“I don’t know what to do. I told everyone there was no PR scandal brewing, but I rocked up to that motel room… Fuck.” Garrett flopped back onto the bed, hands over his eyes.

“I think that was your first mistake.”

“No shit, I shouldn’t have gone out for my birthday and?—”

“Yes, you should have. And you had every right to go looking for some fun afterwards. I meant you should’ve told the head coach and Caitlin the truth.”

Garrett lifted one hand. “Caitlin Cole? You’re on a first name basis with her?”

“She organizes the dinners.” If he was telling Garrett to be honest, he needed to be honest. “Sometimes she uses the restaurant if there needs to be some photos taken. Grayson had dinner with his wife tonight.”

“I didn’t see him.”

“You were in your own world; you wouldn’t have noticed if a unicorn had walked through.” Even though the bottle of water chilled his hands, he kept holding it because if he put it down, he’d be tempted to crawl over Garrett.

“True. But what do I do now? If I tell them now, I’m done. No team is gonna want to touch me.”

“You aren’t the only gay player.”

“I am replaceable. I’m not a star. Would you choose someone attached to the scandal-in-waiting or go for an untried rookie? Someone with a clean past?”

“I can’t answer that.” He couldn’t answer for Caitlin either because there were far too many moving parts.

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