“It’s fairly simple, Luke. It’s a job.”
“Hey,” Luke says softly, grabbing my arm. “It’s just us now. I know you. I know that’s not all of it.”
I take a slow breath. “I just need a fresh start.”
“That’s a bit vague, Addison.”
“Well, it’s all you’re getting,” I say with a smirk. He knows there’s more, and I do too. “I know what you’re asking, and I don’t want to talk about Matt. I’ve given him enough of my breath.”
The air between us tightens. I don’t stop walking, but my jaw locks and I’m hoping he doesn’t press this further.
“Alright.” Luke nods, exhaling through his nose. “But just so you know, if you everdowant to talk about it, I’m always here.”
“I know.” I glance at him, appreciating his friendship even though I have no intention of unpacking the Matt-shaped weight in my chest. It’s quiet for a few moments. “Hey, Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“I missed you,” I whisper. “I missed you so much.”
“I know,” he says quietly, taking my hand in his and giving it a squeeze. “I hated watching him erase you.”
We continue walking like that, hand in hand, in comfortable silence together.
We enter Ashdown Park and the air shifts. The moment we walk through the turnstiles, the sounds of the outside world disappear.There’s no hum of morning traffic, no bustling sidewalks. It’s like stepping straight into history.
“Alright,” Luke says, clasping his hands together. “Rapid-fire tour. We’ve got to be over at the training grounds in an hour.” He gestures toward the massive concourse. “This is where the fans congregate on match days. It’s absolute chaos. Can barely hear yourself think.”
“Noted.”
“And that,” he says, pointing straight ahead, “is the pitch.”
“The pitch?”
“Bloody hell,” he mutters. “The field?”
“Got it.” Blue seats stretch around thepitch, each one worn but proud. The scent of grass mingles with the familiar musk of aged stone. It’s cozy and intimate—the kind of place where strangers walk through the turnstiles and become family.
He moves ahead, leading me down a tunnel. “Down here is the press room. You’ll probably spend a lot of time here, especially doing damage control when Carlos says something stupid.”
I snort. “Great.”
The hallway is lined with rows of framed jerseys, each one belonging to famed players in the club’s history. Luke slows down, tapping the glass over one of them.
“This one belonged to Andy Green. He was club captain in ‘87. Took Rockford to the FA Cup final at Wembley. They lost, but he played his heart out. Absolute legend, he is.” Luke gestures further down the hall. “Dressing rooms are this way. Home team on the right, away on the left.”
“Got it.”
“Then upstairs, we’ve got all the executive suites and offices. You’ll have a workspace up there, but most of the time you’ll be working out of the office at the training grounds.”
“Okay,” I mutter.
“Remember all that?”
“I’ve got it.”
Luke grins. “Alright, let’s head out. We’ve got to get over to the training grounds. Time to meet everyone else.”
I nod and smile. Time to see what I’ve really gotten myself into.
