Page 35 of Provoking the Punter

It would be easy to say yes, but it wouldn’t be the full story and he might as well go in. “In part.”

“Then I think you should tell me the other part.”

Garrett pressed his thumbnail into the groove. “I did go out for drinks for my birthday, but then I also thought I’d treat myself and find?—”

“You hooked up?”

Garrett leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling. He took a couple of slow breaths. “Tried to. I turned up at the motel room, got two steps in the door and realized it was…” Despite everything that had happened, it didn’t sit right to name him. “This can't leave this room. I don’t want to be that person who outs someone else.”

“I can’t promise you that, but I’m not going to run to the media.”

That was going to have to do. “It was Coach Harrison. Before I got out the door, his wife barged in and started yelling and accusing us of having an affair and all kinds. I just wanted to get out of there. As soon as I could, I left. I knew everything was gonna go sideways. I just didn’t know how badly.”

Caitlin exhaled.

“If I’d known it was him, I would never have gone. I don’t mess around with married men. Fuck, sorry, I barely mess around at all. It’s too much risk.” He rested his elbows on the table, head in his hands, trying to breathe and not puke.

As soon as Caitlin told Coach Oliveira, he could kiss his ass goodbye.

“I guess the good news is Harrison won’t want word getting out.”

“Yeah, but I have since learned there are rumors about him from back when he coached college football.”

“Right. Let’s leave the dirt digging to me. You don’t talk about him ever. At all. For any reason.”

Garrett looked up. “Understood.”

“Do you plan on coming out any time soon?”

He hadn’t. It was already bad enough, listening to homophobic slurs from the opposition’s fans or the occasional joke in the locker room. Though he didn’t think he’d heard any jokes in the Troopers’ locker room. “I didn’t plan on telling anyone, but a friend saw how much stress it’s causing me and suggested that I tell you.”

Her lips curved. “Chester. You have a bit more in common than your families.”

Did she know they were fucking?

He didn’t want to drop Chester in it. “He’s a good bit smarter than me, so yeah, I asked him for some advice.”

“I’m assuming you didn’t have that conversation while perusing the menu.”

He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “I did not.”

There was silence as she studied him. He saw the wheels turning as she played out different possibilities and the best way to handle this. Because it wasn’t about him, not anymore. It was what was best for the team.

“You either come out first, or you wait for Harrison’s marriage to explode.”

“Yeah, either way I’m fucked. Sorry.” He put his hand over his mouth as if he’d be able to hold back the swearing.

“I have two teenagers. They swear far more than you. I’ve been around football players for fifteen years. The one thing I have seen change is that people now accept that not every player is straight.”

“But it’s still a thing that has to be managed.”

“It does. I’m going to need some time to think about this.”

“Are you going to tell Oliviera?”

“It would’ve been better if you told us straight away, but I can understand why you didn’t. He won’t care who you date.”

“I’m not dating anyone.”

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