Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,270

assistants and nods to me. “Dustin. Wait up.”

I expect him to make a remark about being late.

Standing in centre stage ready to address the team, he signals for me to stand beside him. “Okay men…” he says loudly. “This guy needs no introduction, but I want to officially welcome him to the Brisbane Dolphins.”

Dropping my bag to the floor, I shake his hand again. “Thank you, Coach.” I turn to our audience and scan the faces of the guys I’ll be playing alongside for the next three years. Many of the senior guys I’m familiar with, although the juniors and new recruits are looking at me as though I hold the key to another world of football—one where I’m the key ingredient of premierships and the future of the club’s success. My gaze lands on Brax, and he’s frowning, waiting for me to speak.

“I’m honoured to be here and to work with every one of you to build our team to a level where we’ll play finals footy and hopefully be premiership contenders.”

I smile and wait for the applause to stop. Their enthusiasm is encouraging.

“Coach has a vision, and it might take one year, it might take three, five or ten years to achieve. It’s up to every man in this room to band together as a team, as a club, and put the steps in place to be the best.

“Our mental attitude is going to a major decider to how far we can go this year. Everyone talks about attitude…” I pause and scan the room, making eye contact with the senior players in the front row. “Think of mindset as a muscle to strengthen, something we work on every day. Like our physical bodies, we need to train our mental muscle so in the crunch, when tested, and our opponents believe they have us measured, we have a bank of stamina and determination we can draw on and push past the threshold that’s holding us back.”

I glance at the coach, and he nods. “Coach believes in us. We need faith in our coach and ourselves to get the job done. New measurements will be in place to test us every day. Keep your eye on that game at the end of the year and remember to take every step set out for us to reach it. It’s going to be a tough year. It won’t be easy, but the glory will have you forgetting all the pain you endured in the beginning. When your alarm goes off in the dark of morning, consider your competitor… is he out of bed? Is he training as hard as you? Trust me when I say unequivocally… yes. So, we need to push harder, be faster, and stronger to be finals contenders at the end of the year. Coach here…” I point to Coach, “… has the game plan to get us there.”

While the applause starts and continues, I nod at Coach and grab my bag to find a seat.

Brax gives me a chin up as I stride past him. Hopefully, he understands I’m here for the right reasons and last night was not part of my football plan. I would never intentionally destroy a career I love. I do what it takes to get through the pain that cripples me on the same day every damn year.

4

“I had my doubts you’d get through training.” Brax opens the back of his truck and slides my bag toward me. “And your speech held the boys on the edge of their seat. I hope you realise how they look up to you, hang off your every word. Your actions speak even louder, so I expect you to lead by example.”

“It was one night.” I throw my bag over my shoulder. He presses the button to his automatic garage door opener, and the grinding ends our conversation. “You need to oil that,” I suggest.

“We’re having a chat. Now. Just you and me.”

“Not now,” I spit with sixteen years of guilt and torment twisting in my gut. “I have to call my mum back, and I need time to process. Give me that.” The days surrounding the anniversary of my father’s death are a struggle, and I prefer to drink and get wasted than chat about my feelings. There’s a chance my dark secret may rear its ugly head, and I can’t chance it.

“Answer this…” Brax folds his arms and stands in front of the door of the garage that leads to the inside of his