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Bloody hell. This scene shouldn’t leave me feeling so…unsettled. Alex is the captain, it’s his job to reassure the younger players when they’ve had a disappointing game. But I still don’t like it. Maybe it’s the way Archie glances up and smiles at Alex, as though Alex hung the fucking moon or some shit.
Well, I think I have my answer to the question about Archie’s crush.
I let out a grunt of frustration and stomp over to my cubby, stripping out of my jersey, boots, and socks. Then I stalk towards the showers, almost knocking over Rory, the kit man, in my rush to get out of there.
Fuck. I should probably apologise to the kid, but I’m already at the door and it seems like a lot of effort.
I don’t watch any telly on Sunday. I can never stomach it after a loss. I know the pundits will all be ripping me to shreds today. It doesn’t matter that I’ve had some of my best games in memory over the past few weeks, last night was the proof everyone needed that I’m on my way out. I expect to feel a sense of relief that at least the kid they brought in to replace me had as bad a night as I did, but all I feel is compassion at the memory of that dejected look on Archie’s face. And then irritation takes over as I recall the way Alex cheered him up.
Bloody hell, whatisthat? Why do I even care if Archie smiled at Alex? I don’t. I really, really don’t.
“Sorry about yesterday,” Courtney says, offering a sympathetic smile as she swings her front door wide open, letting me into her house.
“Thanks,” I grumble, stamping my feet on the mat before stepping inside.
“Keegan’s been miserable all morning. He was convinced you were going to win every game this season.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s old enough to know that’s never going to happen.”
Courtney just shrugs and leads me down the hallway. “Keegan! Dad’s here!”
I hear little feet pattering away upstairs, and then he’s rushing down the staircase, halting about halfway down. “Hi, Dad!”
I frown in confusion at the sight of his Spiderman pyjamas. “Hey, mate. Why aren’t you dressed? I thought we were going to the park.”
“No, I hate football! It’s stupid!” he declares.
My brows shoot up in a mix of surprise and amusement. “You’ll never get to the Premier League with that attitude. Losing is part of it, mate. If I have to accept it, so do you.”
“I guess,” he sulks. “I still don’t want to go to the park.”
I sigh, rubbing at my forehead. “Fine, we don’t have to go.” To be honest, I’m a little relieved. I’m exhausted after last night’s game, and with what I’m sure will be an incredibly intense training session tomorrow, I could use a day off from running around after a ball.
“Why don’t you go back upstairs with your PlayStation so your dad and I can chat?” Courtney suggests.
“It’s not a PlayStation, Mummy,” he corrects in a superior tone. “It’s a PS4.”
Courtney rolls her eyes. “What do you think the PS stands for? Now, go on.”
She lifts her hands in a shooing gesture, but Keegan remains hovering on the stairs, eyes narrowed in interest. “Are you going to be chatting about grown up things?”
“Yes. And little eavesdroppers won’t get any pudding tonight,” she warns.
Keegan lets out a huff. “Fine.”Then he trots back up the stairs, presumably to play videogames in his room.
I let out a breath of laughter and follow her into the kitchen, settling on my usual stool as she makes a cuppa. “What ‘grown up stuff’ do you need to talk to me about?”
“I don’tneedto talk to you about anything,” she clarifies. “But I want to know how everything’s going. It’s been ages since we’ve actually had a chance to chat. You’ve been so busy since the season started.” She turns from rummaging through the pantry for a new packet of tea bags and offers a wry smile. “Keegan told me Archie Milligan had dinner with you during the week, so I guess he’s not enemy number one anymore?”
I sigh. “Yeah, I guess not. It’s better for the team if we get along, isn’t it? And he’s not that bad, really.”
“Wow, what incredibly high praise that is,” she says dryly.
She pours our tea and slides my mug across the bench.??
“I told him I’m gay,” I blurt out.
Courtney’s jaw practically unhinges itself. “Seriously?”
