Just a Bit Unhealthy (Straight Guys 3)

He sat straighter as Paul Mewes entered the room.

“Paul,” Jared murmured, somewhat surprised. Paul was a very involved coach and rarely left while the footballers were training. “Take a seat. A problem?”

The man sat down heavily in the chair opposite him, his heavy brows furrowed. “It’s about DuVal. I mean Gabriel, of course. Tristan never causes any problems, unlike his brother.”

Jared struggled to keep his face indifferent. “What about Gabriel?”

Paul crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you serious? Haven’t you noticed how impossible he’s been lately? You know him better than me. I thought you’d be the first to notice.”

Jared’s frown deepened. He racked his brain trying to remember anything off about Gabriel’s behavior, but he couldn’t. Actually, Gabriel had been very good lately. He seemed to be making an effort to keep his temper in check.

“What are you talking about?” Jared asked.

Paul’s eyebrows flew up. “You mean he hasn’t been behaving like a moody asshole around you?”

“Not really,” Jared said. “On the contrary.”

Paul shook his head. “He’s been absolutely impossible the last couple of months. He defies my instructions and argues with other footballers all the time. He’s disrupting the atmosphere in the dressing room.”

“That doesn’t sound like him,” Jared said slowly. Gabriel might be stubborn and a bit selfish on the pitch at times, but he was a pretty good teammate; he knew the importance of a good atmosphere in the locker room.

“I know.” Paul pursed his lips. “I thought he’d get over it—whatever it is—but it seems to be getting worse. Every little thing can set him off. He started getting into physical fights with other players. He was rude to fans and journalists this morning.”

The longer Jared listened, the harder it was to believe he’d managed to miss that. Or perhaps Gabriel had made an effort to hide his mood from him, which was even more troubling.

“He’s not happy that you want to move him to the right wing,” Jared said. “Maybe that’s it.”

“No, it’s a consequence of his behavior, not the cause of it.”

“Did you talk to him? Did you ask him what’s going on?”

Paul grimaced. “I tried. But you know how he is. He pretended he had no idea what I was talking about.” He shook his head. “I would let him be if his behavior wasn’t affecting the team, but it is, so I can’t. At first I thought he might be having trouble dealing with his impending fatherhood and all, but…”

“Fatherhood?” Jared said.

“Yes, he’s a very young man, after all. I know many footballers become dads at a young age, but personally, I don’t think Gabriel is anywhere ready.”

“How did you— how did you find out about the pregnancy?” Jared could barely recognize his own voice. He could barely hear anything beyond the pounding of his pulse in his ears.

Paul snorted. “Certainly not from him. I overheard him and Lambert. I think the only people in the know are Lambert and me—and you, obviously. He probably told you about his girlfriend’s pregnancy months ago, huh?”

Jared said nothing.

“Anyway,” Paul said. “Could you talk to him? If he doesn’t get a grip, I’m benching him, and I don’t care that he’s the best winger in the country.”

Jared probably nodded, because Paul stood and left.

When the door closed, Jared didn’t move.

He sat there, very still.

Chapter 2: Cut

At the beginning of the year, Jared had told Christian, his cousin’s boyfriend, that people were good at ignoring things they didn’t want to see. It appeared he had been guilty of the same thing. He had never wondered why he hadn’t seen Claire in months. He had never asked Gabriel where she was. He had simply been glad she wasn’t around.

Jared didn’t dislike Claire. She was a nice young woman. She was good for Gabriel: she always called him on his bullshit and told him when he was being an ass. No, Jared didn’t dislike her. But there was a difference between disliking and hating. He didn’t dislike her.

Jared brought the bottle to his lips and took a big gulp. The vodka burned his throat going down, but the numbness he had been seeking since leaving his office didn’t come.

Gabriel was going to be a dad.

A dad. His Gabe.

It was surreal. In many ways, Gabriel was still an insecure, vulnerable child himself.

A child.

Claire was going to give Gabriel a child. A family, something Gabriel had always wanted.

Jared took another gulp of vodka. Staring blankly at the opposite wall, he wondered how it was possible to feel the loss of something he’d never had. He’d always known it would end this way. He’d always known it was hopeless. He thought he had accepted it. He had thought he was ready. He was wrong.

The doorbell rang.

Jared looked at the door and didn’t move.

It rang again.

Sighing, Jared set the bottle down, got up and crossed the room.