Game On

by Kyra Lennon

  “Wow. A girl can never hear that enough.”

  “No, come on, it was all jealousy. I just didn’t realise until now.”

  “That doesn’t make it your fault.” Jesse shrugged, and I said, “Have you spoken to her today?”

  He shook his head but his jaw clenched as if the idea of talking to her ripped his heart out all over again.

  “Last night after Richard told me what happened, I called her and asked her to come to my apartment. I needed to hear it from her. She cried and said you’d all made it up. How stupid does she think I am? There was a lot of yelling, and eventually she broke down and told me the truth. You know the worst part? She didn’t even say she was sorry. Not to me, not to you, not to McCoy. She walked out, like I didn’t matter at all. I guess I didn’t. I was just easy access to what she really wanted.”

  I’d seen some crazy fangirls in my time, but I’d never known anyone to stoop so low to get close to another person. McCoy wasn’t worth that level of scheming, and Jesse didn’t deserve to have his heart broken by a girl with a hidden agenda.

  I reached out across the table and held his hand. “It would be so easy for me to patronise you and tell you that you’re young, you’ll get over it. Those things are true, but you’re not a kid. And I’m not going to treat you like one. I made mistakes here too, Jesse. I should have made her tell you what was happening, or I should have told you myself. I thought I was helping her to protect you because I believed what she said.”

  “I would have believed her too.”

  “You loved her. I should have seen through her but I was so angry with McCoy and I thought he was capable of it. I didn’t even stop to question her.”

  “He called me.”

  “McCoy?”

  “Yeah, this morning. I thought he’d be mad about everything she did, but he said he was sorry for what happened. He said he shouldn’t have flirted with her, and maybe he made things worse. He wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings between us.”

  As much as I hated to admit it, Radleigh scored huge points with me for doing that. He was as aware as anyone of how much Jesse idolised him, and while he could easily have said nothing and hoped the situation would go away, he stepped up and took a little responsibility.

  Who would have thought it?

  “You know, everyone was worried about you today,” I said. “Between what Taylor did to you and what I did to Miguel, the atmosphere was pretty sombre at work.”

  “I’m coming back tomorrow. I want to be back, keeping my mind off everything.”

  His green eyes flashed with determination but I could see the doubt behind them. He wasn’t ready. Not at all. He was holding it together but it wouldn’t take much to knock him off his feet again.

  “You should take the time off,” I told him. “You don’t need to rush it.”

  “I don’t want people to think I’m a wimp. I got hurt, it happens, right? I should get on with my life.”

  I smiled and squeezed his hand. “I admire your efforts, but at least give it one or two more days. If you want to play the game, your head really needs to be in it and it’s not at the moment. And that’s okay.”

  Jesse nodded. “You’re probably right. But I feel like an idiot for caring so much.”

  My mind flicked to Miguel. In my lifelong search for the ideal man, I’d found a string of unsuitable, un-feeling, and un-caring ones. Since I’d been in L.A, I’d met two guys who were both the kind any woman would be lucky to have. I threw away something special with Miguel, and Taylor threw away something special with Jesse.

  “Do me a favour, Jesse. Don’t ever stop caring. I’d hate to see you turn into an asshole like McCoy because you got hurt by some girl who wasn’t clever enough to realise what she had.”

  “Is that what happened to McCoy?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I think he might just be an asshole.”

  .

  Chapter 15: Is Spiderman Here?

  The next few weeks passed by in a blur. I threw myself into my work even more deeply than before, at first as a way of keeping my mind off the seemingly endless gossiping, and then to prove to Richard that I was still up to the job. Things were not right between my boss and me and I knew they never would be.

  That seemed to be the story almost everywhere. Freya, Jesse, Bryce and Bree were the only people who still treated me the way they always had. Will had got a little better but we were nowhere near as close as we used to be. Even Jude, who I’d always got on well with, wanted to keep Bree away from me just in case I led her astray.

  Although I’d stopped being the talk of the team, it was clear that once your name had been dragged through the mud, people never forgot.

  Ironically, Miguel was amongst the few who’d softened towards me. Whenever we saw each other things got a bit less awkward and a bit easier to handle. The hurt I'd caused him hadn't gone away. It wouldn't for a while but day by day the rift was healing. Having him as a friend was more than I ever dared to hope for.

  And Radleigh? Nothing ever changed there.

  ****

  The time between my brother calling to tell me he was coming to America and the time he actually arrived seemed to stretch on forever. They flew into Tampa, Florida, a few days before I was due to meet them, giving them a chance to settle in and recover from the jet lag.

  The rest of the team weren’t scheduled to arrive in Tampa until late afternoon but I woke up early that Friday morning in order to be there by noon. It was a complicated journey, not least because Florida is three hours ahead of Los Angeles. I slept most of the way, and when I landed, I felt sick with excitement.

  I was lucky enough to get to the hotel, check-in and shower before meeting my family in the hotel lobby. They were staying in the same hotel as me so we could squeeze in as much extra time together as possible – a feat which had taken a lot of organisation on my part. Thankfully, things went exactly as planned and when I stepped out of the lift into the lobby at twelve-thirty, my heart did a gigantic leap of joy.

  “Auntie Leah!” Jamie squealed, launching into a run to greet me.

  My nephew threw himself at me and I squeezed him tightly. “Hello my darling!” I said, kissing the top of his head. “It's so good to see you!”

  “I missed you, Auntie Leah!”

  “I missed you too!”

  “Let her breathe,” I heard Josh say as he, Christina and Grace came towards me.

  Jamie took a step back and Christina hugged me, and handed Grace to me for a cuddle. She had grown so much since I’d last seen her. I knew she didn't really know who I was, but she grinned at me. “Hi hi!”

  “Hi hi, Gracie,” I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Look how big you've got!”

  “Getting bigger every day,” Christina laughed. “It's great to see you Leah!”

  “You too,” I said, hugging her again as I passed Grace back to her.

  I finally turned to Josh who grinned at me.

  “Got a hug for your big brother?”

  I flung my arms around him and Josh squeezed me even more tightly than I’d squeezed Jamie.

  The moment was perfect.

  We found a trendy little café nearby and sat outside in the sunshine while we ate. Jamie didn't stop chattering, telling me about school and his friends. Hearing about Jamie’s accomplishments was one of the things I'd missed most. When I lived in Zellor, Jamie always came to me when something had upset him, and I was the first to hear when he'd achieved something new. Being so far away made that difficult. It was the same with Grace. I hadn't been around when she learned to walk or said her first words, and it really bothered me sometimes. They were growing up so fast and all the small but important milestones in their lives were passing me by.

  Jamie seemed so grown-up. His brown hair was a little darker and he’d grown several inches, making him closer to my height than I’d expected. Clearly he’d inherited Josh’s tall genes, not my tiny ones.

  I loved seeing that our
bonds hadn't weakened. We were all as close as ever, and Jamie never left my side for a second.

  It wasn't until we had finished eating that Jamie finally asked the inevitable question.

  “Auntie Leah,” he said, seriously, “please may I have my birthday present soon?”

  “Jamie,” Christina said, “it's rude to ask for a present!”

  “But I already know I’ve got one! Daddy told me.”

  With a laugh I said, “Don't worry Jamie, I haven't forgotten, but I have to give it to daddy to look after.”

  His eyes widened. “What is it?”

  Leaning down to pick up my handbag, I pulled out two tickets for the upcoming Warriors match.

  “Tomorrow night,” I told him, “you and daddy are coming to watch Westberg’s match. So you'll see all of your favourite players up close because you’ll be sitting right at the front of the stands.”

  His mouth dropped open and he looked from me to Josh, then back to me again. His face was priceless.

  “No way,” he said.

  I nodded. He pounced on me, wrapping his arms tightly around my neck.

  “That's the best present anyone's ever given me! Thank you!”

  “You're very welcome,” I told him, smiling at how happy I had made him.

  “Will Radleigh McCoy be there?”

  “Yes,” I answered trying not to gag. “He’ll be there.”

  The high from seeing my family somehow made the stress of the last few weeks fall away. Work didn’t feel like a chore because I knew that later, I’d see them again so we could spend more time catching up. We all had an early night on Friday, and I managed to grab a few hours with them in between training and the game on Saturday.

  The match between Westberg and Tampa seemed extra exciting, knowing Josh and Jamie were in the crowd. Before the game began I chatted to them over the barriers, just a little way away from my seat with the coaches and reserves. Jamie was jumping up and down, wearing his Westberg team shirt. I couldn’t recall ever seeing him so energised. In the middle of a conversation, Jamie let out a yelp, signalling that the players were coming out of the tunnel. As the Warriors lined up on the field, McCoy spotted me. Surprise crossed his face. I was supposed to be in the technical area, not chatting to the crowd. I think my moment of rebellion amused him because he winked at me, making my stomach flip over.

  What the hell?

  I hadn’t felt anything other than irritation for him in a long time, mostly because I’d made “Avoiding McCoy” my new favourite work game.

  It must have been the adrenaline.

  “Leah, did Radleigh McCoy just wink at you?” Josh laughed. “I thought you said you hated each other?”

  “We do. He’s just trying to bother me.”

  “Looks like it worked.”

  “Shut up. I need to get to work, but have fun. I’ll meet you outside afterwards.”

  Before my brother could tease me any further, I ran back to my seat and flicked my brain into work mode.

  It was a miracle. There wasn’t a single injury and the game was one of the most intense of the season. Westberg secured a 4-3 victory in the final minutes, with McCoy scoring the winning goal. I knew Jamie would be ecstatic because he’d got to see his favourite team win, and when we finally got out of the stadium, he proved me right. Even Josh had caught the buzz.

  “That was amazing,” Josh said. “I haven’t been to a football game in years but that made me want to go out and buy a season ticket!”

  “I saw Radleigh McCoy!” Jamie squealed. “He is the best footballer in the whole wide world!”

  “Blasphemy,” I said. “An insult to football legends worldwide.”

  “Blasphemy?” Jamie asked, looking up at me curiously. “What does that mean?”

  “It means Auntie Leah has a crush on Radleigh McCoy and won't admit it!”

  Jamie’s gaze flicked between me and his father, utter confusion on his face and I said, “Point one, that is not an accurate explanation of the word blasphemy, and point two, your father is deluded.”

  “Stop using long words!” Jamie whined, and Josh laughed.

  “It's not funny,” I told him. “Next you'll be telling him McCoy's going to be his uncle.”

  “Oh, don't tell me it hasn't crossed your mind!”

  While Jamie was in what can only be described as a trance of overexcited bliss, I dragged Josh closer to me.

  “Will you stop that!” I snapped. “This isn't funny, okay? Sure, there is something between McCoy and me but it's not what you think. You have no idea what I’ve been through because of him so before you start telling everyone I fancy him, check your facts!”

  I hadn't meant to explode, but with the constant battle of not knowing what I felt for McCoy from one minute to the next, I didn’t want to dissect the situation, and certainly not with my brother.

  “Leah, come on,” Josh said. “I was only messing around.”

  “Well, don't. I don't have a sense of humour where McCoy is concerned.”

  Josh stopped me. “What did he do to you?”

  “It doesn't matter.”

  “Tell me,” Josh insisted. “What did he do?”

  “We just don't get on. He spends his days trying to anger me, and I spend mine plotting ways to kill him. That's just the way things are.”

  The three of us took a cab back to the hotel, with Jamie still chattering enthusiastically the whole way. He didn't stop until we reached the hotel lobby. I peered into the bar quickly to see if Freya and Will were in there. They weren't.

  “Come on then, soldier,” Josh said, placing his hands on Jamie's shoulders. “Time for bed.”

  “Daddy, I'm not tired!”

  “It's very late, Jamie. If you don't go to bed now, you'll be tired out tomorrow.”

  “No I won't, I promise!” he wailed. “Daddy pleeeeeeease?”

  I grinned. “Go on, Josh. Let him stay up and have a glass of coke. He's too wound up to sleep yet.”

  “And you think coke is the answer?”

  “Please?” Jamie begged, fixing his father with puppy dog eyes.

  “Okay,” Josh agreed. “One drink. Then bed.”

  “Yay!”

  The three of us went into the bar and I took Jamie to sit down while Josh bought the drinks. The bar wasn't too full, just a few people scattered here and there. The team hadn't yet returned from the stadium and I hoped that by the time they got back, Jamie would be in bed. I didn’t think he could take any more excitement.

  When Josh returned, he was smiling.

  “Do you always stay in hotels this expensive?” he asked, placing the drinks on the table.

  I nodded. “Always. I don't know what I’d do in a hotel with less than five stars now!”

  “Snob,” he teased. “When you come home I'll make you stay in a B&B, see how you like that!”

  “I could do it,” I laughed. “But I’d rather not. You get used to all this expensive stuff.”

  “I bet,” he said, glancing around at the plush décor of the hotel bar. “You've done well for yourself. I'm proud of you.”

  “Thanks,” I replied. “I'm really happy here. The travelling is tiring sometimes, but I’m getting paid to travel around America which is amazing.”

  Josh glanced at Jamie who was looking around with interest. “We were really worried about you, you know? When you left.”

  “I know.”

  My decision to leave England had been sudden, to my family, anyway. I didn't tell them what I was planning until it had all been arranged. I was two months from leaving when I sprung the news. They tried to talk me out of it, telling me America is a long way from home, that I’d be away from everyone I knew. They didn't understand that that was exactly the point.

  My parents suggested I was suffering from some kind of depression or something. In some respects, they were probably right. I’d never fully dealt with the repercussions of my bad decisions. Whenever I returned to Cornwall, my guilt intensified. The memorie
s of all the mistakes I’d made, of the pain I’d suffered. I couldn't erase them. Even though so many years had passed, seeing the places I used to go to always reminded me.

  Leaving the country had seemed like, and indeed had been, the solution.

  “I think you did the right thing,” Josh said eventually. “I really do.”

  “I know I did,” I answered. “Leaving you all behind broke my heart, but the alternative was being miserable for the rest of my life. I needed to get out.”

  We hadn't ever had this conversation before, not even when I left. He hadn't wanted me to go but he never said a word. He told our parents to back off and let me go. He did that, when he really wanted me to stay close.

  “We miss you,” he said, as he saw the tears forming in my eyes. “But you being happy is more important.”

  “Thank you. I thought maybe Mum and Dad would never get over it.”

  Josh laughed. “They still haven't. They miss their baby girl.”

  “I miss them too but this is where I need to be right now.”

  Jamie had almost finished his drink when the team began arriving in the bar. The sight of Jude Collinson perked Jamie up again.

  Then it happened.

  “Oh my God!” Jamie squeaked. “Radleigh McCoy!”

  My eyes swivelled towards the door where Radleigh and Bryce were entering, followed closely by Cody Rivera.

  “No,” Josh said, before Jamie even opened his mouth. “It's bed time.”

  “One more coke? Please?”

  Josh looked to me for support but I said, “Don't involve me in this!”

  “Some sister you are,” he grumbled then turned to Jamie. “This is your last drink. I mean it.”

  Jamie and I high-fived each other, laughing.

  “I'll get the next round,” I said, taking out my purse. “I'll be right back.”

  “Leah,” Bryce said as I approached. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  As I looked up to meet his eye, I saw Radleigh and Cody gazing down at me too. I had to take a moment to cope with the gorgeousness that surrounded me.

  “It's okay,” I answered. “I'm getting a round in for my brother and my nephew.”