Page 110 of The Tape Job
“Dude, everyone knows who he is. He plays for his country, for Christ’s sake.”
I spot a loose puck nearby and wrist it towards Danny, trying to break up his conversation, but it hits him on the ass and rebounds towards Bettsy. Danny doesn’t even acknowledge it. He’s too busy laughing at something Neil says.
The conversation bounces back and forth for a further minute before Danny nods and skates back towards me.
“What did he want Vicky for?” I ask.
“Oh, he didn’t say. But he did say that he’d come back another time.”
“He plays for that team Vicky takes photos of,” Johnny says. “And he was at that speed-dating we went to a while back. I think that’s where they first met.”
“What?” My jaw hits the ice.
“I think she turned him down, but it doesn’t matter anyway, does it? Haven’t you both moved on?” Johnny says in a firm tone.
Coach’s whistle blows, and he rounds us up. But I’m flustered. All the talk of Vicky and that Neil guy has got me sweating before we’ve even started practice. What if she’s roped him in to satisfy her? I wondered how long it would take her to realise that we were doing everything except sex, and I can tell she’s pissed. But she wouldn’t, surely not?
Despite my best efforts, images of Vicky and Neil flood my mind and a sickness bubbles in my stomach. What the fuck am I going to do? Because in my head, everything bar sex is fine since there’s less chance of us building an attachment. However, I know that logic is a complete pile of crap. I’ve convinced myself that refraining from sex is the key to keeping my heart taped back together. But now it feels like the worst idea I’ve ever had.
Vicky
I get a text message from Liam as I’m setting up my camera for filming.
Liam
Neil was looking for you earlier.
I mutter to myself, repeating the name Neil over and over until I realise whom he’s talking about. Then another moment to understand why he would be looking for me.
Vicky
Rugby player Neil?
Liam
How many Neil’s do you know? But yes, he said he’d visit you another time.
I can’t decipher Liam’s tone from his text message, but I can probably guess that he’s leaping to conclusions. Instead of trying to plead innocence to something I have legitimately nothing to do with, I shove my phone back in my pocket and finish setting up.
My watch tells me they should be out any second, and when I hear the dressing room door creak open, I spot Liam straight away. He’s quickly joined by Danny, Hutch,and Bettsy who pace towards the marker board which I’ve propped up against the wall. This weeks’ question is about pizza toppings.
“Hey, Neil was looking for you,” Danny says, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Anyone would think he came to see you. He was so excited, Vic,” Bettsy says. “What did he want? Are you seeing him or something?”
I give Bettsy the response I know Liam is waiting to hear: he asked, I said no, end of story.
Luckily for me, the topic of pizza is enough of a distraction for Bettsy, and he considers it for longer than anyone should. The rest of the guy’s file past without another word about Neil—Liam included.
When Johnny eventually leaves the dressing room behind Ryan, I notice the energy everyone else is feeling, with it being the last game before Christmas, has not rubbed off on Johnny, who is still moody and distant.
We had brunch this morning, and the conversation was non-existent. I still haven’t been able to bring myself to tell him about me and Liam. We’re not sleeping together, that’s for sure, except we physically sleep together most nights. I think it’s only right to tell Johnny.
With the camera set up, the queue moves slowly as each of the guys read the board.
Johnny’s the last up, and he flicks his eyes over the marker board briefly. “Pineapple,” he says, then leans in and lowers his voice. “I need to talk with you,” he says into my ear.
“Can it wait?” I ask, but Johnny has already taken a step around me so he can look me directly in the eye.
