Page 51 of Legend

“Do you mind if I put some bottoms on, coach?” Davey asks, gesturing at his naked lower half.

“I think we’d all appreciate that, Davey,” Vinnie says dryly.

Taking their cue from Davey, the other players who were mid-change quickly finish up, and then they all sit down in front of their cubbies, patiently waiting to hear whatever Vinnie has to say.

He glances back at Archie and me, one eyebrow quirked. “Floor’s yours.”

Feeling like I’d rather be anywhere else in the world right now, I step forward and prepare to address the players. We already agreed that I would be the one to tell them. This isn’t just me telling them we’re together, I’m outing myself as gay. It’s not something I can leave up to someone else.

“Okay, so you all know Archie’s gay,” I say, gesturing back at him.

“Yeah, we’ve known for months,” Robbie says blithely. “We’ve already had this chat, mate. None of us were pricks to him except you.”

“Yeah, but he’s a prick to everyone so it doesn’t count,” Sean says, his expression full of sage wisdom.

“That’s true,” Davey agrees. “He was a prick to my mum once.”

They all start nattering about how much of a prick I am and competing over who has the best example of this prickish behaviour.

“Everyone shut the fuck up!” I growl. “I’m trying to tell you something here.”

“You’re telling us Milly’s gay. That’s not news, mate,” Robbie drawls.

“No, I’m telling youI’mgay.”

Silence.

You could hear a pin drop with how quiet it is in here.

And then the noise breaks out again as they all start talking at once.

“Iknewit,” Andre says.

“You’re a fucking liar. How could you know that?” Robbie demands.

“Does this make us the gay team now?” Sean asks.

“Well wearecalled Pride,” Davey points out.

“Yeah, a pride of lions, you twat,” Robbie says, rolling his eyes.

“So, wait a minute—Whitford’s just been lying to us this whole time?” Viz asks the group at large, sounding hurt.

“He had to, bro,” Sean reasons. “Things weren’t as cool back in the olden days.”

I roll my eyes. Fucking hell.

“Things aren’t exactly cool now,” Robbie points out.

“We’recool,” Viz says. “He could have told us.”

“Everyone, just shut the fuck up!” I yell, making a few of them jolt in alarm. Once they’re all focusing on me again, I pin them all with challenging looks. “There’s more. Archie and I are together.”

“Like…together-together?” Sean asks. “As in…”

“What do you think it means, boyo?” Davey says with an eye roll. “They’re shagging.”

“Milly, buddy, we need to talk about your standards,” Robbie says with a chuckle.

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