Page 84 of Playing the Game

Howard blushed. “My Speedos days are behind me. Even if it’s a tempting offer. Jonas. Move it.”

“Give me five minutes.”

Howard sighed loudly and left them to it.

“All back to yours then?” Jonas asked.

“That’s right. You up for it?”

“Too right I am. I’ll have to catch you up. I have a feeling Howard is going to make a meal of this.”

Before they could get changed at record pace, Javier and Steven came in.

“Boss?”

“Can I have a quick word, lads?”

Everyone froze. Adam studied the faces in front of him. Different shades of fear.

“Of course,” Adam said. “Shall we sit down?”

Javier shook his head. “I’m not dying. You can all relax but only a little.”

A ripple of nervous laughter swept through the room.

“I wanted to say that today’s loss has probably fucked our chances of seriously winning this league. It’s hard to admit but we have to be real.”

He paused for effect. Something Javier had become very adept at. It worked too.

“What are you saying, Boss?” Colin asked.

“Our focus now is on the FA Cup. The first match isn’t far away. I truly believe we can do this.”

Usually after a loss the team slunk off home. That afternoon it felt like a derby-winning locker room.

Adam caught Jonas’ eye. They did play well together. He couldn’t wait to get his clothes off later. The pool party would be torturous anticipation. Adam gave him a quick wink. The smilethat flickered at the edge of Jonas’ mouth nearly made Adam hard.

Not a good idea. He could hardly put it down to the excitement of the goal.

He dropped his clothes. Yet he wasn’t brave enough to see if Jonas was watching.

That really would be too much.

SIXTEEN

JONAS

Adam’s house was full of people. Alain, Jerzy, Ingar and Adam splashed around in the pool while Noah, Tito and Udo chilled in the jacuzzi. Edi was dawdling in the bathroom.

House music boomed out of hidden speakers. Adam’s house teetered on the right side of tacky. Jonas had already spotted a few things he might gently suggest were replaced. Now they were getting on an even keel again.

He walked along the tiled floor and looked up at the curved glass ceiling. The weather was pretty awful. Jonas made a mental note to come back in the summer. A skinny dip with the sunshine beating through the windows would be amazing.

“Are you getting in?” Adam shouted.

“I reckon I’ll have some bubbles first.”

They were making great efforts to avoid each other without looking like that was what they were doing. Jonas needed to talk to Adam properly about how they were going to continue with this affair.