Page 5 of The Fly-Half

His question dragged me back to the conversation from where I’d been brooding over my emotions. I didn’t even know what emotions they were, only that they were bubbling away in my chest like some foul perpetual stew. “Er, John. But I’ve never used it. The only person who does is my mum when she’s really pissed at me.”

There was a selection of nods and chuckles from around the room. “Mate, when my mum uses my full name, I know I’m in deep shit,” Mason said.

“That must be quite a lot,” I said wryly. From what I’d heard about Mason’s teenage years, I’d have full-named him a lot too.

“I don’t even live with her and she still does it over text!”

Ryan snorted and looked at his boyfriend fondly. “Did you forget her birthday again?”

“No! And that was one time when I was twenty-two.”

“You forgot your mum’s birthday?” Rory asked with a gasp, genuine shock written across his face. I knew he was very close to his family, and his mum had helped him make most of his drag wardrobe. “I could never.”

The conversation moved on to things they’d all forgotten until Ryan reminded us it was time to get started and asked who wanted to recap our last session, at which point everyone looked at me because I was the one who kept notes. I didn’t mind, though, because it was a good way to distract them from talking about Devon and Peaches.

But even when we started playing, my mind kept drifting back to Ryan’s initial question.

I couldn’t protect Devon forever. He was allowed to make his own decisions without any input from me.

So why did the idea of him going out with Peaches feel so wrong?

CHAPTER THREE

Devon

I groanedas I lowered the barbell to the gym floor, my legs burning from my third set of deadlifts. I’d already done four sets of leg presses, and I had kicking training that afternoon, so my legs were going to feel like jelly by the time I got home. It was all part of the job, though, and I hadn’t set the record as the best kicker in the French league last season by being sloppy.

So if that meant training and drilling over and over until my muscles cried and I was dreaming of try conversions in my sleep, then so be it.

There were just under three years until the next World Cup and I was not missing out on selection.

The next goal on my list was being part of a trophy-winning England team, whether that was the Six Nations or the World Cup. I’d already gotten my first couple of caps, and now I’d gotten a taste for international duty, I wanted more.

And in my dreams, Jonny would be there right beside me.

“That was good,” Jonny said from his seat on the bench nearby, two massive dumbbells sitting by his feet. I tried not tolook at the way his gym shirt clung to his biceps or the way his sweat was making it stick to his pecs like it was made of fucking latex. “Did you put more weight on it?”

I shook my head. “No, and I don’t want any more either. As long as the form’s good, I’m happy.”

“You should be. You look great.”

“Thanks.” I smiled at him as I reached for my water, tilting my head slightly as I noticed him pulling at his bottom lip—a telltale sign that Jonny had something to say but didn’t know how to say it. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” he said, too quickly for it to be true.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

I took another swig of my water and waited for a couple of beats, wondering if he’d admit the truth or if I’d have to bully it out of him. Although pressuring him would likely make him clam up and then I’d get frustrated. Jonny didn’t keep much from me, and if he did it was normally because he was still working through whatever it was.

I put my water down and stretched, knowing I didn’t have much of my three-minute rest left.

“You’re single, right?” Jonny asked as I leant down to pick up the bar again. His question threw me so hard I nearly tripped over as my head spun round to look at him, my toes catching on the barbell. I hopped in place as pain radiated through my foot and I fought to keep my balance, because the last thing I needed was to fall on my ass in front of him.

“Yeah, why?”

“’Cos apparently Ryan’s friend Peaches was asking about you.”

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