“We’re not the biggest club in the league,” Harvey said as we re-entered the main building, “but we’re ambitious. And I like to think we’ve built something special here in terms of team culture. The lads look out for each other, on and off the pitch.”
I swallowed hard. “Yeah. I… Thanks. For being supportive of—of me.”
Pausing outside an interior door, Glevum’s manager studied me for a long moment. “We’ll provide all the support you need this season, so you don’t need to worry about that. Along those lines—two of your teammates, Jordan Emery and Theo Lewin, are waiting inside. I thought you might like to meet them before we do all the official stuff.”
My heart rate kicked up as he opened the door, and I took several deep breaths, trying to compose myself. Jordan Emery was sprawled out on a chair, one of several placed around a conference table, dressed in plain grey joggers and a Glevum FC training top. I noticed that his tousled brown hair was shorter than it had been the last time I’d played against Glevum in one of my final matches with Fulham. Beside him, Theo Lewin sat upright, his inky hair sweeping across his face with an effortless perfection I could never even hope to replicate, radiating the same quiet classiness I’d noticed in his performances on the pitch.
They both stood as we entered the room, and when they smiled at me, warm and genuine, my nerves disappeared. After introductions and handshakes, we spoke for a while about the expectations of the club and the team dynamics, with Harvey sitting back and letting us get on with it.
Inevitably, though, the conversation turned serious when Jordan leaned across the table, his smile dying away. “The gaffer said you wanted to come out to the team.”
“Uh. Yeah.” I felt my cheeks heating, but I pushed through it. “I’m bi, and I don’t wanna hide it.”
He gave me an approving nod. “Glevum’s fucking great. Everyone here will support you, so you don’t need to worry about that. You replaced Walker, and he was the only one?—”
Theo cleared his throat. “Harvey also said you’d decided to go public.”
I grimaced. I hadn’t changed my mind about going public, but I wasn’t looking forward to being under the spotlight and dealing with all the shit I’d inevitably get from the homophobic section of football fans.
He nodded as if I’d spoken my thoughts aloud, drumming his fingers on the table. “I won’t pretend that it’ll be easy, but if you want to be a bit more discreet…my cousin’s a journalist forOffsidemagazine. Jordan and I did an interview with him a while ago—you might have read it. Regardless of the fact that I’m related to him, the magazine will treat you with respect. They focus on football rather than sensationalism. So if you wanted to mention it as part of an interview focused on you joining Glevum, that could be an option.”
I stared at him. “Yeah. I read that article. I— Yeah. I might take you up on that. Thanks.”
Jordan held out his phone so I could see the screen, thumbing through a series of screenshots. “Believe me, if it helps you avoid this kind of shit, then it’s worth it.” His gaze flicked tohis boyfriend’s, and then he quickly leaned in to kiss his cheek. “It’s worth it either way. But if we can shield you from the worst of it, we will. And the team will, too. They have a good support system in place.”
Harvey clapped his hands together, drawing the attention of all of us. “Now we’ve got that sorted, lads, let’s move on to the official bits. The media team’s waiting to get some photos of our new number sixty-seven, and we’d like to announce your signing before the weekend if we can.”
The next hour passed in a blur of photos. I’d never had to do this before in my career, but now I posed for endless pictures, holding up my new Glevum FC shirt, shaking hands with Harvey, kicking a ball around on one of the training pitches, pretending to have a casual conversation with Jordan and Theo.
“We’ll get these edited and approved by you before anything goes out,” Harvey assured me as we wrapped up.
“Sounds good. Thanks again.”
“Don’t mention it.” He gave me another firm handshake before disappearing to talk to one of the staff members who’d been lugging around a net of footballs for the past hour. Poor guy.
As I made my way towards the car park, Jordan and Theo caught up with me.
“We just wondered—” Jordan began.
Theo elbowed him. “Jordanwondered. I know how to mind my own business.”
I couldn’t stop my laughter. “Wondered what?”
“Whether there was anyone in particular behind your announcement about joining the bi side,” Jordan continued after clapping a hand over Theo’s mouth. He said “the bi side” like Darth Vader inStar Warssaying “the dark side” and then immediately started laughing. Theo shoved him, and they wrestled for a few seconds before drawing apart, bothpanting, with wide grins on their faces. Fuck, I envied their easy relationship. Even though I was aware it hadn’t been easy to begin with. Far from it, in fact. Their enmity had been well documented in the media.
“Uh, no. Yes. I guess…I met someone while I was in Canada who confirmed what I already knew. It’s complicated, though. He. I. Fuck.”
Complicated didn’t even begin to describe it.
Their humour died away, and Theo reached out, briefly squeezing my arm. “Say no more. Whatever happens, we’re here to support you.”
24
Jude
Harvey looked around the dressing room, a satisfied smile on his face.
“Good work today, lads. First training session after the break, and you were sharp and focused. You worked together as a team.”
