“What was that about?” Claire asks behind me from the door, making me jump.
“Sorry, I didnae mean tae wake ye so early.” She walks around the end of the couch to join me. When she is snuggled up against me with the blanket tucked around her, I continue, “It seems my sister, Rory, has stirred up trouble for me at home. It’s nothing I’m naw used tae.”
I stand up, making us each a cup of coffee before returning to the couch to hand Claire her cup. “Would ye like me tae order breakfast?”
“Please,” she says, smiling at me. “Then sit back down. I want to hear all about your family. I don’t feel like I know anything about them.”
“Okay,” I sigh before placing our room service order. Returning to the couch, I pull her against me. “Where dae I start? My parents, James and Christie, have been married thirty-five years. They grew up naw too far from each other, so they’ve always known each other. They had seven kids in aboot ten years.”
“Holy cow! That’s crazy,” Claire gasped. I nod, agreeing with her. It is crazy in this part of the world. But what else do you do when your house is buried in snow through the winter?
“Let’s see, George is my oldest brother at thirty-four. He is the local veterinarian covering a lot of the northern Highlands. That’s who I was on the phone with. He’s the arse that calls me Xander. He is married with three kiddies last time I heard. My sister, Bryce, is next at thirty-two. She is married to a businessman in Inverness. She stays home with their four.”
“That’s a lot of kids so far,” Claire whispers as room service knocks on our door. She joins me at the small table after our food has been set up before I continue.
“There’s Robert. He’s thirty-one and lives on the croft we bought together next tae my parents. We bought the croft as partners with the signing bonus I got my first year with the Galaxy. He is also still single, so we split the grief from Mam. Rory is my twin sister.”
“I never would have guessed you’re a twin,” Claire says in amazement.
“I try naw tae bring it up. She’s been a pain in my arse since we had tae share a womb.” Claire laughs as I add, “Dinnae get me wrong, I love my sister, but holy crap she can be a twit. She’s the reason I’m now in trouble with my mam.”
“Why are you in trouble?” she asks, taking a bite of bacon.
“She told Mam aboot our antics in the library. She also told her we were shacking up. My parents are very conservative. They are naw okay with sex before marriage.” I shrug at her. “Anyway, Rory is a local teacher. She married the new preacher pretty quickly after he moved there. They have one kiddie so far.”
“You are a fertile group of people, aren’t you? I might have to rethink the condom situation.” When I give her a mock look of horror, she motions for me to continue.
“Finlay is married to Tim. Ye already know they live in LA. They are expecting their second kiddie in April or maybe May? I can’t remember. She’s a year younger than I am. She always joins Rory in giving me grief.”
“Jaimee is the youngest at twenty-five. She is studying law at the University of Aberdeen. She is the reason Mam threatened tae cut off the doctors nuts along with my Da’s if his second vasectomy didnae work.” I have to stop when Claire throws her head back, laughing. I worry a little about her choking on the bacon she just popped in her mouth.
“Oh my God, I thought hearing stories about Matt’s four brothers was good. I’m dying to meet your family now. Mine is so boring compared to yours.” I have to grin at her as she wipes the tears from her eyes.
“They’re naw near as amusing when ye have tae live with them. I guess ye’ll get the chance tae meet Finlay while we’re in LA. She’s anxious tae discuss the foundation with ye. I cannae believe she ratted me oot.” I sit in reflection for a minute before shaking my head. “Whit am I saying, of course I can.”
* * *
The flight on Sunday is uneventful, though the trip to my apartment required sitting in traffic for a while. I still live in the same apartment Tim and I got when we moved to LA. It’s nothing great, with two small bedrooms, but it is close to the stadium in Carson. We also have pretty easy access to the beach, which we saw as a definite plus.
When Tim married Finlay, they bought a house near Redondo Beach, although they seem to spend more time over here still than at their home.
I leave Claire to wander around my apartment while I order us something for dinner.
“Alex!” I hear her call from the guest bedroom. Walking in, I find her looking at the posters on the wall from the years I’ve played here. I didn’t really know what to do with the room when Tim moved out, so I just covered it with our official team posters. “Did you actually play with both Beckham and Donovan?” Claire asks when I walk into the room.
“I did,” I answer, looking around.
“What was that like?” Her eyes are wide with excitement.
“It was amazing, actually. I learned early tae keep my mouth shut but pay attention. I think part of the reason I made it this far was because of whit those guys taught me in my rookie years. There isnae a man in those pictures that didnae teach me something. I think that’s part of why I like tae coach the younger group now. I want tae try tae give them the same advantages given tae me.” She throws her arms around me, crashing her mouth against mine.
I’m still trying to figure out what caused this turn of events when the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it, but hang on tae that thought,” I say, stupidly trying to convince my erection to return to what it was a few minutes ago before Claire crashed into me. Unfortunately when I open the door, it’s not our dinner but Finlay with Tim in tow carrying their toddler.
“Tim tells me there are rumors gaun around that ye’re being bought oot by Man City. Ye couldnae bother tae pick up the phone tae tell me aboot it?” My sister blows into my apartment like the wind off the North Sea.
“Hold on,” she says when Claire steps out of the guest bedroom. “Is this the new girlfriend?” She walks over to her, making a circle around her, before looking back at me. “She is very pretty.” Lord, save me from my younger sister.
