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I wasn’t angry about the stripping. I understand that you must have been desperate, and I hate that you felt like that. You kept a secret because you needed to. That should have been enough. You didn’t owe me an explanation. I wish you’d felt like you could be honest with me but I understand that you couldn’t. It was only the secret that hurt.
If you give me another chance I promise I’ll do everything to make you happy. There has been so much missing from my life for so long and being with you has opened a door. I see now. I want to commit to this, Miri. I want it all with you, a home, marriage, and children. My childhood was fucked up. I never saw myself as capable of commitment, but I’m tired of the way things have been. I remember what you said to me in that room at the club and I agree. You know what’s better than a bad boy? A grown-arse man with his shit together. You make me want to get my shit together. I’m ready.
I love you, Little Swan. You entranced me the first time I saw you on the pitch. I want our love story to have a happy ending. I’m waiting if you still want me. I understand if you don’t want to be with me but I needed to explain myself. Thank you for letting me do that.
Gabe
Chapter 42
Gabe
Reportershadturnedupin droves for the press conference. My mother sat on my right-hand side and Rob, the manager of the men’s team, sat on my left. I’d spent a lifetime waiting for this moment. The room bustled with activity as people took their seats and set up their equipment. Only ten minutes to go before kick-off.
Mother squinted into the crowd, a fake smile on her face, her voice a low hiss. “Where’s Emma? I told her to be here.”
“Emma’s gone.”
Mum’s smile faltered. “What do you mean,gone?”
“I told her I could never love her and that I couldn’t carry on with such a ridiculous farce.”
Mother frowned. “I hope that’s a joke.”
“It’s not a joke.”
Mother turned to face me. “We had an agreement.”
I pushed the file across the table toward her. It had taken all my resolve to wait for this moment. “The report on Jerry Reynolds is complete. I didn’t trust anyone within the organization, so I hired a private investigator.”
Mother flicked through the file before she paled and her fingers froze. She swallowed and lifted her gaze to the reporters settling in their seats.
“Jerry was a lecherous old pervert. He’s guilty as sin, and I’m handing everything about him to the police. But the things you’ve been getting up to make Jerry Reynolds look like Mother Theresa.”
Mother swallowed.
I leaned in to whisper, “There’s enough in here for an entirely new podcast on the Rivers family. If you’re lucky, you might even get a Netflix series.”
She fiddled with the Peter Pan collar of her pristine blouse. “That’s all your dad’s dealings. It’s nothing to do with me.” She gritted her teeth. “You wouldn’t blackmail your own mother, darling.”
“No. I know how it is to be controlled and manipulated.”
Red lights clicked on all over the conference room. Silence fell.
I covered her hand with mine. “Jerry won’t get away with what he’s done, but your sections in this report are going to disappear. Nobody knows. I’m going to sort out this mess. We’ll get everything straight again. I want to work on our relationship, Mother. I want better, but you have to let me live my life. Do you want to fix this? All of it? The company? Me and you?”
Mother’s hand trembled underneath mine. Her eyes shone. She drew a breath. “Yes. I want to fix it, darling.”
Time would tell whether she meant it, but I’d give her the benefit of the doubt. The past months with Miri had taught me that, more than anything, I wanted family around me. I hadn’t realized how lonely I’d been until the day that I wasn’t.
I squeezed Mother’s hand. “Good. I’d like to introduce you to some friends of mine. We’ll have you playing Twister yet.”
Chapter 43
Miri
Ipluckedagrapefrom the overflowing fruit bowl next to Mum’s hospital bed.
Frankie scrolled her phone and Elliot stood at the window, staring off at goodness knows what in his usual quiet, intense way.
