Page 40 of Playing to Win

“At a posh place like that? Aye.” Liam turned to Colin. “You robbed yourself of a free meal.”

“Oh.” Feeling more ignorant than ever, Colin stood and pulled his foot up behind him to stretch his quadriceps.

“All right, Colin?” Charlotte called as she strode over, the wind whipping wisps of pale-brown hair across her face. “You know the drill.”

“I’ve started. See?” The quad stretch was the first flexibility test of his injured knee. His legs had held up well during sex with Andrew, but that fact probably wouldn’t impress his manager.

“I bet that hotel’s got an amazing full Scottish breakfast,” Liam said to Robert. “Haggis and black pudding and tattycakes—”

“Plus omelets made to order, nae doubt,” Robert added. “Probably Belgian waffles as well.”

Colin gritted his teeth in annoyance as he knelt and bent backward, placing his hands on the unusually dry grass. Charlotte watched him closely for signs of pain and stiffness.

“Imagine the Waldorf Astoria’s puddings!” Liam grabbed Robert’s shoulder. “Chocolate soufflés, strawberry cream tarts, tiramisu. As many as you could eat.”

“Oh aye,” Robert said. “Not to mention unlimited champagne cocktails.”

“Shut up!” As he got to his feet, Colin rubbed his empty stomach, which had settled for a dry bagel at the Edinburgh train station. “I did what I had to. I couldnae stand the inevitable morning-after knock-back, the ‘Bye now, see you never!’ Not from him.”

“Ten lateral hops, right leg first,” Charlotte instructed. “Sounds like you opted for a preemptive knock-back.”

“Exactly.” Colin didn’t normally discuss his personal life with his manager, but she was part of the conversation now. He leaped from side to side on one foot. “At least I was able to leave with some dignity.”

“Dignity?” Liam asked. “You stole his fuckin’ pillowcase.”

“Which he’ll be charged for,” Robert added.

“Aye, and probably several times what they’re worth—”

“To serve as a deterrent.”

“—cos there’s added value as a souvenir.”

“Especially if they’ve got special embroidery.”

“Stop!” Reaching the tenth hop, Colin put his other foot down and covered his ears. “You guys are like one person in two bodies.”

“No, we’re not,” Liam and Robert said in unison. They shared an awkward glance, then shifted a matching step from each other.

Fergus shouted to Liam for a pre-practice captain/vice-captain conference, and Robert agreed to spot Colin for his vertical jumps, the one-legged hops onto the bench. He and Charlotte went silent, knowing how crucial this readiness test was for Colin. If he passed it, he could practice with the team again at last.

As before, both his right and left side did fine on the straight jumps, as did his right leg on the vertical jump with a ninety-degree turn. Behind him on the pitch, his teammates fell quiet, one by one, watching. Waiting to see how his injured left leg would fare.

Colin wanted to pause, take a few deep breaths, adjust his socks, double-check the fit of his boots. But that would psych him out. He could do this, despite the fact he’d had a total of four hours’ sleep this weekend. He could do this.

And if he couldn’t, he’d never forgive himself for trotting off to Edinburgh when he should’ve been resting.

After only three leaps, he felt himself tire, but he pushed on. It wasn’t fair to put the most difficult exercise at the end when his leg was most fatigued, but it was a better test of his ability to play a match without injuring himself. The ligaments had to stand as strong at the ninetieth minute as they did at the first minute.

It’s not fair, but it is right.Andrew’s words came back to him now. Thinking of the smug, beautiful toff stoked his energy. Colin had been a coward this morning, but this afternoon, he’d be strong. He’d fight his way through the fear and fatigue.

With a final burst of strength from an unknown source, Colin finished the rest of the leaps, higher than ever, and when he landed the final time, Charlotte shouted, “TEN!”

A cheer went up from the pitch. Still standing on his left leg, Colin turned to his teammates and raised his arms, fists clenched in victory. They rushed over for hugs and backpats, showering him withWelcome back!s andYaldy!s andThank God!s.

Katie embraced him last and longest. “I’m so, so happy you’re back. We’re gonna crush Shettleston at next week’s preseason.”

Colin didn’t want to get his hopes up too soon. “I’m only back to practice. It could be a while before I play in an actual match.”

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