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Mum sat up in bed. “How long is this going to take?”
Reece’s dark eyes met hers. “As long as it takes. We’re in no rush. Why don’t we play a game or something?”
Frankie groaned. “No more eye spy.”
We’d been waiting for the doctor to organize the discharge all afternoon. Nobody could wait to get Mum home. We were all going to be living on top of each other again, but it didn’t matter. The twins would be off to university soon. Reece and I could manage between us. Neither of us wanted to leave Mum alone.
My phone buzzed in my pocket with a message from Gabe.
“Put Sky Sports News on.”
I hadn’t spoken to him since the night he’d brought Mum in. I’d read his letter. It was hard to believe his mother could be so manipulative. It was terrible that he’d had to put up with that for so long. I wanted to talk to him, but my head had been too full of Mum to think about us.
I nudged Frankie and held my hand out for the remote control. I flicked through the channels until Gabe’s face flashed on the tiny TV screen that hung above Mum’s bed. He sat behind a long table, flanked by his mother and the Calverdale United manager. Gabe’s mouth moved soundlessly. Subtitles flashed on the screen.
Gabe Rivers, the new director of Calverdale United.
It was an incredible move for Gabe. He would be directing the biggest team in England. I didn’t want it to leave such a sour taste in my mouth. He’d said he was going to take us all the way to the top, but I couldn’t blame him for this. It’s what he’d always wanted. I didn’t begrudge him.
“What’s this all about?” Frankie asked.
“It’s a press conference to announce that he’s taken over the men’s team,” I said.
“Well, turn it up then,” Frankie said.
I increased the volume. Rob Butler’s voice drifted out from the screen. Blue light illuminated Gabe’s handsome features as he looked down at his phone.
Frankie gave an incredulous chuckle. “Gabe isn’t even listening.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket with a message from Gabe.
“Are you watching?”
I texted back. “Yes.”
“I want you to know that I keep my promises.”
He looked up from the phone in his lap and directly into the camera. My heart lurched as though he was sitting right in front of me, looking at me. He laid his phone flat on the table in front of him.
Confusion pulled at my brow. What was going on? I’d read his letter. He’d told me that he wanted me back. It wasn’t something I could have put any thought into this past week. It had all been about Mum. But now the sight of him made my heart pound. He’d put on a show with Emma to protect me. He’d saved my mother’s life.
On the screen, Rob’s gaze flicked to Gabe. “And now I’ll hand over to the man himself.”
Gabe flashed an easy smile full of white teeth and straightened in the chair. He smoothed his tie.
“Thank you everyone for coming. This is a big day for me and one I’ve been waiting a long time for. I played for the junior academy as a boy. My dad loved this squad. It meant everything to him. It’s a wonderful team and an honor to have this opportunity. However, sometimes the thing we want isn’t the thing we need; we just don’t stop to question it.” He paused and looked directly into the camera. “I made a mistake. A lot of mistakes …”
Rob coughed and whispered something in Gabe’s ear.
“Yes. I’m fine. I’m grateful for the offer, but I’m turning down the men’s team.”
The smile on Joyce Rivers’s face didn’t slip, but something flickered in her eyes. Leisurely, Gabe poured himself a glass of water from a jug on the table. He took a sip and continued.
“These past couple of months I’ve had the pleasure of directing the women’s team. Our women’s team has been scandalously underfunded for a long time, and I set about changing it. We have an incredible manager in Claire Easterly, an incredible squad, and every one of them has overcome huge personal challenges to play. They don’t do it for money or success. Women’s football is grassroots. I’ve seen the commitment, the talent, and the passion firsthand. These women don’t do it for anything other than the love of the game and the joy of being part of a team. I respect that, and it’s been an honor and a privilege to be part of it. I’m not willing to give it up. I made a commitment to the team. I promised I’d take them to the top, and I keep my promises. I don’t want the men’s team. Why would I, when I’m already working with such an incredible bunch of athletes?”
Shock flew through me. He couldn’t be serious.
Joyce Rivers flashed a tight smile. “Yes. We have made a commitment to our women’s team. This is not lip service. We are a modern organization.”
