Naked Hero - The Journey Away

talk.”
    Scott took a moment to consider this . Since arriving in Melbourne, he’d fallen into the habit of having dinner at the Langham with a group of friends and colleagues that was forever changing depending on availability. It was comfortable and very routine, but lacking in spice like a lazy marriage can be. The decision was fairly easy. “That sounds good, text me the address... Any particular time?”
    “Whenever you can make it - around seven would be good though” replied Jim. “Is there anything I should warn Fiona about?”
    S cott laughed and patted his stomach. “Just tell her to make lots! I don’t need to worry too much about what I eat now... Are you coming, Lewis?”
    “What, to dinner? I would imagine so,” said the lad, awoken from his teenage reminiscing.
    “I meant to get changed,” corrected Scott. “We can have a chat en route... Or have you still more training to do?”
    Quickly recovering from his gaff, Lewis looked to Jim and Mike who both shook their heads - neither man apparently had any cause to hang around. Lewis would have told them to bugger off anyway if they did come up with something. Awkward or not, this was too good an opportunity to miss, and it was at Scott’s suggestion so he was obviously fine about the situation. “No! I think I’m done for now,” he replied, hoping he didn’t sound too keen and that he wouldn’t end up making a complete tit of himself.
    Jim and Mike decided to wait for Lewis in the car park which was in the same direction as the practice court locker room. So they set off as a small group – a player and his entourage, similar to many others wandering around Melbourne Park at that time, although this one was pretty special given the two stars that it boasted walking at the front.
    Lewis was conscious of the eyes that noted the pairing, but more so he was conscious of the man beside him – a former champion who was sending a message of support and who was more than living up to his status as an idol. Close as they were, Lewis could feel his presence: rugged virility, oozing musk and perspiring sweat in the heat – sweat that soon would be washed away in a shower, which was an image that Lewis tried to put out of his mind.
    “Thanks again for helping out this morning,” he said as a means to that end. “I really appreciate it.”
    “Appreciate what in particular?” asked Scott. “Being given the chance to whip my butt on court?”
    “I didn’t!” protested Lewis, feeling an easy blush forming. This wasn’t how he’d hoped to start the conversation, and sadly it was about to get worse.
    “Yes you did!” insisted the American in his soft Southern drawl. “I hardly won a point once you got going. You gave me plenty, but I didn’t win many.”
    It was a fair cop - there was no point denying further. “Sorry... I didn’t mean to be...”
    “Condescending?” suggested Scott.
    Lewis’s mind went into a spin. That wasn’t a very good word. He opened his mouth and let out a barrage of panic. “Shit no! Is that why you wanted a word with me? Are you angry? Have I gone and blown this? Are you going to cancel dinner and tell Jim you’ve changed your mind about helping me?”
    “I think no is the answer to all of that...” laughed Scott, easing the tension he’d deliberately created. “...Unless I missed something in the babble. But I’m interested to know why you did it. Not many others on the tour would have been so generous.”
    The answer was easy, and honesty was best , especially now that there was a smile on Scott’s face. “Respect!” offered Lewis. “But I suppose if you realised then it didn’t come across as respectful...”
    “Forget it... No actually don’t! That’s not helping, and that’s why I’m here. Remember not to let respect or anything else get in the way of thrashing your opponent.”
    “Okay!” said Lewis mightily relieved. “Hey my first tip! So what else have you got for me? To be honest, I felt like stopping halfway through the practice to ask what you thought. Do I really have to wait until this evening to find out?”
    “For the details... But all in all, I was pretty impressed. Although I wouldn’t have been if you had stopped and asked – that would have been a loss of focus, like the constant looking over was. So here’s tip number two – forget about everything else and just concentrate on the game.”
    “Like yesterday!” said Lewis feeling a twist in his guts, for here