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She shot me a sidelong glance. “Strange to have a training session without Gabe here.”
I nodded but held my tongue.
Her curious glance roved over me; she kept her voice low. “Is he coming back?”
A pulse pounded in my head. “How should I know?”
She shot me a sidelong glance. “I’ve heard some rumors.”
“Oh?”
“People are saying he might be moving to direct Calverdale United. We’re going to need a new director.”
My stomach dropped. “He’s ditching us?”
Claire flashed a placating smile. “You don’t have to worry. We’ll keep up the changes that Gabe implemented.”
“I thought he cared about this team.”
Claire blew out a breath, her eyes skeptical. “I was there when his mother asked him to do this. The men’s team was always his dream, I’m afraid. But we don’t have to let this put us back. We’ve made excellent progress.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “We’re going to be okay without him.”
Tears pressed behind my eyes. I wasn’t okay without him. This was bullshit. The promises Gabe had given about taking this team to the top weren’t just for me. They were for everyone. Gabe had been offered something better and jumped at the chance. He had not only been lying about his feelings for his ex. All the promises he’d made to us were bullshit, too. He’d only ever cared about the men’s team.
I straightened my spine. “We’re better off without him. If he doesn’t care enough about this team to stick it out with us, then who cares? Good riddance.”
“I care about the team.” A familiar low, clipped voice drifted from behind.
Gabe stood tall and composed in his dark suit and immaculate pea coat. A scarf circled his neck. The bitter cold made his cheeks glow, and his chestnut hair was gloriously disheveled. My traitorous heart leapt at the sight of him.
Claire spun. “Hi, Gabe. We were just … ah … talking about you.”
“I got that.” He inclined his head in greeting. “Do you mind if I have a word with Miri?”
I pressed my lips together. I had nothing to say to Gabe, but I didn’t want to make things weird for Claire.
Claire flashed me an odd look and left us. “I’ll leave you to it.”
I watched Claire head in the direction of the changing room. I toed at the grass with my football boot, watching the mud clods loosen. “You’re back from Paris, then? Looks like you’ve had a nice time.”
He stiffened and tipped his face to the weak winter sun. “Looks can be deceiving. Anyway, you don’t have to worry about that tape anymore. We’ve made it go away. I thought you might want to know.”
Relief went through me and I dared a glance at him. “For good?”
He nodded woodenly. “These things are never easy, but we’ve had everyone on it. We’ve paid the guy off. Got the copies. The lawyers have squashed it. It’s done. It’s more complicated online, but we have a team scanning. Nothing has come up yet. If it does, we’re getting an injunction in place so the press can’t run with it.”
My shoulders sagged. “Thank you.”
He nodded. I rubbed the spot in my chest where it ached. It was too painful being with him. I’d told him I loved him, and now the distance between us was so wide he was a stranger. I shook my head and charged off to the changing room.
“Miri. Wait.” He jogged beside me. “You’re angry with me? You were the one that lied to me.”
Tears burned my throat, but I wouldn’t cry in public. I saved my tears for the showers. “True, and you were the one who wouldn’t let me explain. I was desperate for the money. I was frightened. I borrowed money to help my mum. They beat my brother up. It was a mess. I didn’t know what to do. I shouldn’t have lied to you, but I was embarrassed and ashamed. You were so quick to judge. You have no idea what it’s like to be that desperate.”
He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m sorry. I’ve been lied to before and my mind went to the worst place.”
“You got back together with your ex-girlfriend one day after things went wrong with us. Is it true about the men’s team? You’re ditching us?”
He spread his hands regretfully and rocked back on his heels. “Calverdale United is the number one team in the Premier League. You have to understand, this is all I’ve ever wanted. I played for the Academy. I’ve wanted the men’s team for so long. This is what I was destined to do. I want to explain what’s happening with Emma. Come and get a coffee with me. Let me explain.”
