Page 73 of Provoking the Punter

Oliveira picked up his phone and nodded at Caitlin.

She stood and glanced at Garrett. “If I can grab you for a few minutes…”

“Sure.” Garrett got up and followed her out.

She shut the meeting room door. “We need to control the message and that means not hiding.”

“I understand. It’s just so new…” He wanted to protect it a little longer. It had been so long since he’d had a boyfriend, and he was enjoying having someone. And being wanted and letting himself want. “It feels like you’re using…”

“I am, and I am aware of that. The release of that photo is a blessing, even though it was meant to damage you.”

Garrett drew in a breath and leaned against the wall. He needed to keep it together. Get through a short weights session, and then he’d be too busy staring at the screen and studying the game to worry about anything else. “What do I say when people ask about the H situation?”

“Say you don’t know anything.”

“Come on, the guys aren’t going to buy that. Some have already asked if I slept with the wife when I first got here. Now they’ll be asking?—”

“Tell the truth. You didn’t.” Caitlin glanced at the door. “You should give Chester a call.”

Garrett winced and shook his head. “I have. I think he’s avoiding me. He hasn’t returned my calls or texts.”

She pressed her lips together and gave him a narrow-eyed look that was far too calculating. “Well, he’ll return mine.”

“He made it clear he didn’t want any football drama.”

Caitlin considered him for several seconds. “Then he shouldn’t have gotten involved with a player. He knew what he was doing, but he thought he was smart enough not to be burned.”

Garrett nodded. “Because he is smart.”

“Yes, and he’s loyal and determined, and he will get what he wants by helping others.”

“You’ve known him for a while.”

“Since the opening of Bathtubs. He keeps threatening to make a limited-edition Troopers gin when we win the Super Bowl.”

Garrett smiled. That sounded like Chester. He’d make something for the football fans and people who wanted a collector’s edition, and people would clamor to buy it and thank him for the opportunity while he counted the money. Chester had done the same to him, given him everything he wanted and more. If they broke up, he’d be left with nothing.

“I want this whole thing to go away. I want to have a boyfriend and play. Is that too much to ask?” He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes as he tried not to fall apart.

“No. I’ll catch up with you later today. Make the time to talk to the counselor.”

“I don’t want to keep talking about it.” He wanted to forget everything about that night. But if it hadn’t happened, he wouldn’t be with the Troopers, and he’d never have met Chester, and he didn’t want that either.

“Then go lift some heavy things and trust me to get this under control.”

He nodded and peeled himself off the wall, making a stop in the bathroom to check his eyes before heading to the weight room for what would be a short workout. He’d feel better if he went hard and blocked out every other thought.

The guys shut up fast when he walked in.

Great. So that’s how it was going to be.

“Glad you decided to join us today, Stevens,” Cutter said, checking his name off on the attendance sheet, as if he hadn’t heard the gossip. The athletic trainer stared at him, waiting to hear his reason.

“I was upstairs. I’ll make it up later today.”

“Yes, you will.”

James sat up and stared as if unable to believe Garrett was still in the facility. “Was it the wife or the husband you fucked? Or both?”

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