Page 18 of The New Guy
SIX
Hudson
Fuck fuck fuckity fuck.I sit through the video meeting in a daze.
Gavin knows I’m blowing him off. It’s obvious that we need to have a private talk. Emphasis on private. But here in this building? I feel claustrophobic just thinking about it.
It’s not Gavin’s fault that I’m a damned disaster. But every day I walk into this place and there he is. A hot, blond reminder of my own idiocy.
Even worse—I’m the only one who isn’t Gavin’s new BFF. My teammates love him. Castro sings his praises. And I overheard O’Doul thanking Henry for hiring “another true professional.”
The problem is all mine, and I can’t figure out how to solve it. We need to talk, but I don’t even know how to do that. Keeping my trap shut has been my strategy for years.
God, I don’t fuck up often. But when I do, I go big.
The meeting ends, and I have only a vague sense of what Coach has told us. I rise from the chair, and my hip complains immediately.
Okay, that’s bad. I’m playing tonight—finally—and this much stiffness is a bummer. I head to the training room, and spot Gavin from the doorway. He’s working on O’Doul’s shoulder. Henry isn’t there, but maybe I can find him.
Bingo. I find the head trainer putting on his jacket in the coatroom. “Hey, Henry? I know you’re about to run over to the stadium, but I could use five minutes of your time.” I sit down on one of the padded benches.
“Here?” He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. But then he relents, removing his jacket and tossing it onto a hook. “Is Gavin not available?”
“Um…” I am such an asshole. “I’d just prefer your help, that’s all.”
“On your side, then,” he says. “Let’s make this quick. You’re sore?”
“Yup.”
Henry frowns. “Painkillers?”
“Not yet today.” I lie down on my good side so he can manipulate the bad one.
“Then that’s your next move. Don’t panic, okay? You might have favored the joint in practice, and now the smaller muscles are complaining.”
He digs in with his fingers and I exhale slowly, trying to relax. “Got any other tricks in your bag?” I ask. “I really need this to go away.”
He shakes his head. “What did I say about not panicking? You’re just going to get a lot of soft tissue treatment on the hip flexors, the IT bands—anything in the same zip code as the joint. And warm up like your life depends on it.”
“Yeah, okay.” I sigh.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Is there some reason you won’t see Gavin? He do anything wrong?”
“No,” I say immediately. “Not at all.”
Henry squints. “Is it that he’s gay? Because in this organization we don’t—”
“No way.” Horrified, I interrupt him. “It’snotthat. God no. It’s…” I have to think fast. “A superstition thing. You stretched me before the Philly game, and I got my first goal for Brooklyn.”
He hoots with laughter. “Athletes. You’d think I’d understand them by now.” He stretches me with a firm grip. “Do yourself a favor and add the new trainer to your repertoire of good juju, okay? He was a good hire. Has a real way about him—people respond.”
Oh I responded all right. “Yeah, okay. Sure.”
“See you over there.” Job finished, he stands up. “Find me again this afternoon, before warm-ups. You’re going to have a great game tonight.”
