Naked Hero - The Journey Away

minutes, both considering the implications of this development - both considering it from the perspective of the same person. It was Fiona who eventually broke the silence. “I missed you last night. I’ve got used to you being around.”
    Lee smiled to let her know the easy comfort was reciprocated. “Thanks. But I’m afraid you’ll have to get used to me not being around. I’ll be moving on in a few days. I need to get back to work.”
    “But you are working,” Fiona countered, “and very hard, as far as I can see. I bet you’ll earn more money for Lewis with this deal than he’ll make if he wins the final.”
    Lee nodded. “His agents will close the deal, but yes, the options are all very lucrative, especially the one I’m going to suggest he goes with.”
    She wasn’t over impressed with the financial aspect, but Fiona recognised effort when she saw it. And just like Lee and his fellow conspirator, Marie, Fiona had also formed her own vision of a future after Melbourne, although hers was somewhat different. “He could make a lot more - if someone were to guide him properly,” she suggested, determined to float her vision past Lee.
    It was a n alternative vision that Porter had also considered, but had repeatedly forced himself not to look at in detail. He knew it had no place alongside the one that he was coaxing into reality and now appeared to be falling into place with indecent haste. “His agents sound like they know what they’re doing. He needs to cut them a bit of slack and let them use him properly. If he wins tomorrow they could really make a killing out of it for him.”
    Fiona shook her head. “He doesn’t like dealing with them. He’s suspicious as to how they might portray him, and he doesn’t want to get distracted by all the marketing stuff. You’ve seen what he’s like. He won’t work with them, not properly.”
    Lee shook his head as well, finding it difficult to comprehend. “He could have made tens of millions out of the Wimbledon win if it had been handled right. Even with the announcement that he’s gay.”
    “Pity you weren’t around at the time to do it for him. But you are now,” quipped Fiona.
    Lee smiled. “Not for long. Scott Taylor won’t want me about, and I think Lewis feels the same. I bring too much trouble for him.”
    Fiona paused for a moment before responding, and adjusted her chair slightly in order to face Lee more directly. She wanted to see his reaction, as well as hear it.
    “Trouble follows Lewis wherever he goes. He needs a strong man at his side that can deal with it. You must know the type: one that can quieten a crowd down, and turn the course of a match with his words; one that he can talk over his problems with, and can put things into perspective for him; someone that can manage his business without interfering with the tennis. He needs a man that understands what’s important to him: a man he can trust.”
    “And there’s the rub. He would never trust me, not enough,” Lee responded, the anguish of this reality flashing across his face before being masked by another forced smile.
    Fiona saw her answer, and heard enough. “Trust is something you earn, Lee. It takes time. Maybe it’s something you should talk to him about, or is he not worth it?”
    Lee hadn’t expected this. He’d assumed that even Fiona, supportive as she had been, would want to see him gone after the tournament. But instead here she was, encouraging him to stay and try to become part of their lives. He couldn’t find it in himself to respond with a lie. “He’s the only person I’ve ever met that I’d say was worth it. But I’d let him down, I know I would, Fiona.”
    “Just like you’ve been letting him down ever since you first came here to see him, on that first day of the tournament? You didn’t let him down then. Have you let him down since?”
    “All the time...” answered Lee. Then seeing the look of surprised hurt on Fiona’s face, he quickly explained. “No, not like that - well, at least not since I came to Melbourne. But I was using him. I had a plan.”
    She reached out and soothed his anguish by stroking the back of his hand. “I think he knew that.”
    He looked at her and gulped, swamped by more empathy than he could possibly deserve. “That’s the crazy thing. He did!” Lee blurted. “Not the details, but he knew that I was up to something, in it for the publicity, and he encouraged it. He should have sent me packing,