Page 53 of Body Check

It’s … complicated.

No shit.

Gavin managed a small strangled laugh.I know. Understatement of the century.

Little bit.

For a few moments, he hesitated, before he typed out a response, writing and deleting and writing and deleting before he sent,Like I said at the club, things got really ugly between my brother and me the summer after we got drafted. Our lives took very different directions and every time I try to fix it, try to help, it backfires on me. Thad, he’s not a bad person. He’s … angry. And he takes that out on everyone. Especially me.

That does sound complicated. What does that mean for us though?

Gavin raised an eyebrow.Us?

I mean, with the ownership group or whatever. Is he going to out us to them or something?

Ahh.Gavin relaxed.No, I don’t think so. He likes to fuck with me but I don’t think he’s actually feeling vindictive.

Are you sure?

Yes,Gavin said with a surety he didn’t feel at all.We’ll be fine. Trust me.

Okay. I’ll try.

Good. I should let you go though.

Bedtime?

I wish. More work.

Don’t forget to do your stretches before bed.

Gavin huffed out a laugh.I won’t. Thanks for the reminder.

Happy to help. G’night.

Night, Gavin sent back.

He tossed his phone on the sheets beside him.What a mess. With a sigh, he reached for his laptop.

Whatever disasters were going on in his personal life, the work wouldn’t stop. It never did.

The following morning, Dakota felt like he might throw up as he walked into the conference room for breakfast.

Several of the coaches were there, along with a few of the players. Graham and Kady were both there and eating, looking appallingly bright-eyed for this hour of the morning.

Dakota nodded at them, murmuring a quiet “good morning” on his way to the buffet set up along one wall.

He filled his tray with oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, and tea, and carried it over to a round table. Leah walked in the door. She grabbed a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito, then made a beeline for where he sat. She looked bleary-eyed as she slid into the seat beside him.

“Rough night?” he asked, tone sympathetic.

“More like fun night, rough morning,” she said with a faint grin.

Despite himself, he laughed. “Yeah, fair enough. You met up with a friend from college, right?”

“Yeah, she lives in the area.” Leah scrubbed a hand over her face, then dropped her voice. “And she was a little more than a friend. We had a thing in college.”

“Ahh.” Dakota hadn’t realized she was bisexual. Or pan, maybe. He’d assumed she was straight, but clearly, he’d been wrong.

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