Page 82 of Polo Fever
‘I’m not sure; I don’t think so. It would have to be a good story to get her attention,’ Sam warns. ‘A player havinga big comeback or facing an unexpected new challenge. Something along those lines.’
‘How about an inexperienced stable groom who blazes to the top at a polo yard and ends up replacing Fitz on the Maycourt team?’ Eric says, grinning at me.
‘I like it!’ Sam cries, while I laugh it off.
Fitz balks. ‘Oh, very funny. If anyone should be replaced, it’s not me, is it? I’m not the one who’s been bringing us down recently.’
‘Whoa, it was only a joke,’ Eric says hurriedly, slapping Fitz on the back and glancing nervously in Mateo’s direction.
Mateo isn’t laughing.
‘What does that mean?’ he asks sharply.
‘It means that we’re all aware that priorities have been changed,’ Fitz answers, boldly refusing to wither under Mateo’s glare and instead meeting it head-on. ‘Come on, Mateo, you’re not going to admit it to yourself? It’s blindingly obvious to everyone else.’
‘All right, Fitz,’ Eric says, noticing Mateo’s eyes flare with anger. ‘Come on, you’ve had a drink or two today. Let’s not bring down the—’
‘I’m only saying what everyone is thinking,’ Fitz claims with a shrug.
‘And what is everyone thinking?’ Mateo demands to know.
‘That since you took up with your pretty groom, leading our polo team to victory is no longer your main concern,’ he responds loftily, the alcohol giving him an air of confidence to say what he’s obviously wanted to say for a while.
Sam looks at me, wide-eyed. I swallow, hit with a wave of guilt and embarrassment that I’ve been earmarked as a major distraction by the rest of the team.
Mateo looks to Eric. ‘Is that what everyone thinks?’
Shifting uncomfortably, Eric opens his mouth to speak but Fitz intervenes: ‘You’re late to practices. You’re distracted. We’ve been losing but you don’t seem to mind. Revised tactics promised never come to fruition because you’re busy doing…otherthings. I suppose it is the end of the season, but I thought every match mattered to you pros.’
‘Every match does matter,’ Mateo contends.
‘Could have fooled me.’ Fitz holds up his hands, the liquid sloshing over the top of his glass at the jerked movement and splashing on Eric’s arm. ‘Look, I’m no saint. It’s not like I’m one to talk, and I’ll admit it. I’ve had my fair share of delightful distractions, shall we say.’ He winks at me and I shudder. ‘But I’m also not the one being paid to do a job here. I’m not the one trying to get an all-expenses paid trip to Argentina. After we won the Gold Cup, I thought you’d be a shoo-in for every patron on the lookout, but I guess things change.’
A muscle in Mateo’s jaw flicks.
‘All right, let’s drop it there, Fitz,’ Eric says desperately. ‘This is meant to be a celebration! We don’t need this kind of talk.’
‘Do you agree with him?’ Mateo asks Eric directly, not letting it go. ‘You think I’ve been bringing down the side?’
‘Hey, we’re ateam,’ Eric says kindly, prompting Sam to give him a wistful look. ‘This isn’t about individual play. We all have bad days. Maybe your focus has been a little bit off recently, but you want to know what I think? It’s a good thing! It’s healthy. I mean, let’s face it,’ he forces a chuckle, ‘you were way too intense about polo before, mate.’
Mateo doesn’t say anything. Eric realises his take hasn’t been as welcomed as he’d hoped, his face falling.
For the rest of the night, Mateo is lost in deep, brooding thought.
‘Hey, are you all right?’ I check cautiously when I get him on his own.
‘I’m fine,’ he says with an almost-convincing smile.
But I’ve seen his real one and that’s not it.
‘Don’t take what Fitz says to heart, Mateo,’ I beg him, reaching for his hand. ‘He’s always been jealous of you and he’s only saying things to take the heat off of him. He’s late to everything! And never focused.’
‘Eric didn’t deny that things have changed.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘It’s fine, Ash, I’m okay,’ he assures me, squeezing my fingers. ‘Maybe I have been a little too invested in training you for the grooms’ match, but it’s over now. Polo can go back to being my main priority.’
