fitted in the ceiling and it’s huge. And there are adjustable shower-heads left and right, especially for

massage. I thought you might like that when you’re in pain. I’m very happy with the sunken bath. Fits

both of us easily.” He presses his lips against Steve’s, teases his tongue in.

“I’m determined that the first time we make love in this house will be on our wedding night ...”

Suggestion is heavy in every word.

Steve grins. “What about we take a quick look at the rest, make a trip to the take-away pizzeria

and dirty the sheets at my apartment with pizza and sex?”

“I knew there was a reason I wanted to marry you apart from the fact that you’re sexy and

gorgeous and clever and...come on, I’ve already seen the dining room stuff and I couldn’t find

anything wrong with it; same with the couch and the recliner. As far as I’m concerned, we’re done

here and I’m totally ready for pizza and sex.”

Chapter 31

“You’re happy with how the interview turned out?” Steve asks Daniël after his lover has put

away the remote control.

“What interview? I couldn’t keep my eyes away from that good-looking fella. I mean the one

with neat brown hair and gentle brown eyes and the best cheekbones ever and a smile to die for. Who

also happens to be the one who’s going to be my husband in less than a week?”

“So I wasn’t the only one a bit distracted, though in my case it was by a pretty, freckled boy ...”

Steve jokes. “But seriously, did you see what I saw?”

Daniël’s smile is answer enough in itself, but the words don’t hurt exactly either. “We look

like we’re totally doing the right thing. We already know that, of course, but it’s so visible. I mean,

man, we’re going to Holland in a few days. There’s more stuff to do than we have time for, and that’s

without the details that make us not exactly the average marrying couple. And all I see is two guys

being happy. You know what? I know exactly why. No matter what goes wrong on the day, and some

things will go wrong, you’ll be at my side. It’s about you being with me. About you not having been

taken away from me.”

Steve kisses him on the cheek. “We have each other. Family and friends will be with us. Seems

plenty enough for me.”

Daniël takes the remote from the table. “Want to watch again? I want to hear what we were

actually saying.”

They sit on the couch, happily leaning against each other.

They hear the interviewer’s male voice. Love at first sight?

Steve is the first to answer. “No. But I noticed him sure enough. Just took me a bit to notice

something else about the boy except his talent and willingness to work hard and learn. Lightning never

strikes with me in these matters.”

“Love before first sight.” Daniël, looking in Steve’s direction. “Never told you that, did I?

Yeah, I had a bit of a crush on you when I was a kid. I thought you were one of the best defenders in

English football. Good looking guy too. Never could have dreamed ...”

Was it that Steve was already playing for Kinbridge Town the reason you came to this city? Or

one of the reasons?

Daniël burst out laughing. “Of course not. Arnaud Degaré asked me, he offered a decent price

and what young player wouldn’t want to be in a team managed by him? Being on the same pitch with

players like Kirkby, Levee, Lain, Dominguez, Moreschi, Miller, Jaworski? Gavan?”

But still, it couldn’t have been easy to discover you had fallen for a team-mate, the football

world being what it is. What made you decide to act on those feelings? Steve?

“I didn’t act on them. I felt what I felt and that was it. No reason to bother Dan with it.”

So I gather you took the first step, Daniël?

“Well, yeah, someone had to do it.” Daniël grins.

What about the risks?

“What risks? With Steve, the sweetest, most decent man you could ever meet? One of the most

private ones as well. Nah, I knew even if he wouldn’t have felt the same about me, I would still be in

safe hands with him.”

Obviously the feelings were reciprocated. And then the secret truly began?

They both nod in agreement.

You want to share a few words about that time with us?

“I’m not even sure there's much to tell. We never really talked about it. It was all so new and

we hardly understood what was happening to us. We had just fallen in love and simply being together

whenever we had the opportunity was enough. We weren’t ready to talk about serious stuff. And by

the time we started to think about a future that might perhaps include each other, I walked into that

park. We weren’t even aware yet that we both wanted the same thing.” Steve shrugs. “Six months.

That was all. Six months of sweet secrets and innocence. How could we have known?”

Daniël’s hand seeking Steve’s.

“I still can’t walk any distance outside home without crutches, I’m re-learning to read and

write. Some other stuff I won’t bore you with. And you hear how I talk. The thinking part of my brain

is mostly fine, although I need a bit more time with complex situations. Getting the words from my

mind to your ears, now that’s something else.”

You’re remarkably calm about your experiences.

“I’m trying to hang on to the remains of my human dignity, I guess.” Steve smiles ruefully. “I

can’t talk about what happened in that park. I’m willing, but I’m not able to. I’m sorry.”

I’m sure everyone understands. But Daniël was with you when you woke up, wasn’t he? He

never left your side at the hospital?

“He even bribed the hospital to let him stay. And we have nothing but praise for the staff. They

were wonderful, without exception.”

“I wasn’t alone, not even when my parents had to return to Holland. Every single day, at least

one of the boys or Arnaud Degaré visited us. Didn’t matter that I hardly said a word to them, hardly

even looked at them: they were there.”

Do I understand correctly not one of the team, or the manager, actually has any problem with

you two being together? About having gay team-mates?

Daniël shakes his head. “Whoever said that? People still have their opinions, their feelings

about it. And why shouldn’t they? It’s not a popularity contest. There are a bit less than thirty first

team players. You think we’re all best mates?”

Still, some call it the last big taboo in professional football. There are always rumours, some

make bold statements without ever naming names, but you were the first to sit at a press conference,

look straight into the camera and say, “The man, who’s been found nearly beaten to death, is my

lover.” Weren’t you afraid for your career?

“Yeah, Steve was still fighting for his life while I held that press conference, so naturally my

main concern was if I would still be worth a couple of million on the transfer market. Or even better: I

do hope the other guys still like me now they know I’m queer. And please don’t let the fans make

nasty chants about me. Love is a nice bit of extra, but reputation is everything for a real man. Is that

it?”

I can imagine what happened to Steve sets your priorities straight. You expected to return to

active football? And you, Steve, you still had any hope at some point?

Steve shakes his head. “By the time they were done breaking the bones in both my legs, I had

drawn my conclusions. But yes, I never stopped hoping Daniël would be accepted back. Someone with

his talent and work ethic belongs in this sport.”

Daniël says, “I can’t imagine our manager being thrilled about what had happened. But there

was no way around it. Suddenly, Kinbridge Town was the club with the gay couple. Degaré deserves