Colin appeared at his side, panting heavily. "Get your head in the game, Tom!" he shouted over the din. "We need you!"
Tommy gritted his teeth and surged forward, determined to make up for his lapse. He managed to dispossess the striker with a well-timed low tackle, the impact jarring his bones. Ignoring the ache, he scrambled to his feet and booted the ball up the pitch to Rhys.
The captain trapped it deftly and charged toward the Old Etonian’s goal, dodging defenders left and right. Tommy sprinted to keep up, his heart in his throat as Rhys drew back his foot and unleashed a blistering shot. The Etonian keeper dove...
But the ball sailed past his fingertips and through the goalposts. The Manchester faithful erupted in ecstatic cheers, and Tommy found himself engulfed in a mass of jubilant teammates.
"That's how we do it, lads!" Rhys bellowed, pumping his fist.
The equalizer seemed to light a fire under Manchester Central. They pressed forward with renewed energy, stringing together crisp passes and daring runs. Tommy's worries faded into the background as he lost himself in the flow of the game, the familiar rhythm of his feet against the grass.
With mere minutes remaining, Jonny lofted a perfect cross into the box. Tommy leapt above the scrum of defenders, every muscle straining as he connected with the ball. It rocketed past the keeper's outstretched hands, and the crowd exploded.
2-1 Manchester Central.
The final whistle blew, and Tommy sank to his knees in exhaustion and elation. They had done it – found victory when it seemed like all was lost.
As his teammates thumped his back and ruffled his hair, Tommy searched the crowd until he foundMinnie's face. She was on her feet, clapping and cheering, her eyes shining with pride and something else he couldn't quite name.
He loved the thrill of winning a game, especially a close match.
But winning with a woman like Minnie in the stands, cheering him on?
That was another feeling entirely.
And one that he had no intention of giving up anytime soon.
Chapter Fourteen
Tommy loved how sore his muscles were after a game. They were evidence of how hard he had worked, the grit he had pushed through to win a game, especially one as close as that against the Old Etonians.
The pints of ale after a game always seemed to help too, although tonight, with Minnie sitting beside him, he had kept it to two, not wanting to be too out of his wits to properly see her home.
He had wished she would sit closer to him, take a seat on his lap as Emmaline often did with Rhys or Lily with Colin, but it was as though all of the flirtatious banter that had been present between them when they were nothing but attracted to one another had fled upon their marriage.
He knew the problem. There was too much pressure now, both expectations and feelings unknown.
He didn’t like it, but Tommy had never been particularly adept at complicated situations. He liked things simple. A flirtation, perhaps a night together, and then time to part ways. That was how he had always been, and he hadn’t been planning to change his ways.
Until Minnie.
Now, he had no idea what to do.
He smiled as he thought about Minnie meeting his family tonight. His mother and Cindy had been waiting for him after the game, their faces veritably shocked when he told them he had someone he wanted them to meet and proceeded to introduce his wife.
“How did this happen?” his mother asked, although a tear squeezed out of her eye as Minnie leaned forward and embraced her.
“It’s a very long story,” Tommy said.
“And one we would love to share,” Minnie had added. “Perhaps we could have dinner together soon?”
“Very soon,” his mother had said, before giving Tommy a look that told him he had a lot of explaining to do – likely most of it about how he could have married without involving her.
He did feel guilty about that, but he hadn’t thought much about it until now.
It was a short walk between The King’s Head and his apartment above the blacksmith shop, and they were home soon enough, the bit of conversation between them focused on the match and how much Minnie had enjoyed watching him.
“Did your friends have much to say about our wedding?” he asked as they climbed the stairs up to his rooms.
