Page 63 of The Game

I didn't want to go into the male dressing room in case I had to make small talk with the captain. I didn't think we had any small talk left to make. I was relieved when Bailey was walking out the door, his wet hair standing on end. "Ah, Bailey, can you grab Sammy for me."

"You could go in there, you normally do." He frowned at me like I was most odd.

"Sure, but I don't normally have a sixteen-year-old under my care." Bailey's eyes skimmed over Scarlett. For god's sake what was wrong with him? She was four years younger than him. Then I thought of the previous night and the Lion and I and what we could do together, and he was eleven years older than me. What would have happened if he'd looked at me like that when I was sixteen?

Bad press, that's what.

And he hadn’t.

Bailey retrieved Sammy for me. He had yet more signed accessories and clothing draped over him. In his hand, he clutched a bat. I recognised the signature in pink sharpie right away. Bugger.

On our way out, me dragging a grumbling and somewhat over excitable sixteen-year-old in my wake I knocked on Waller's door. "Yep." He sounded tired and when I cranked open the door he was shuffling papers.

"You 'kay coach?" I asked.

"Define okay, and I'll let you know." He gave me a wane smile.

"Don't forget I'm not here Monday afternoon."

"I won't. Have fun, Lyssa."

I went to close the door and backed straight into the firm body of the Lion. “Where are you Monday afternoon?" His gaze was hard and unrelenting, the planes of his face tightening into a scowl.

"Busy," I said, and when I saw those blues shutter behind slow lids and I knew it was me who was twisting this into something ugly. I didn’t see how this could now be any other way. Being this close to him, was too hard, it was clouding me, confusing me of my goal. It was a mess and then a pile of mess on top of it.

"Fine." His face closed off.

"Have a good weekend, Willis," I said, practically running for the door.

Saturday was amazing, ball in the garden and another walk for Jasper who looked like he may have some form of doggy orgasm when he realised he was getting treated to another trip around the duck pond.

Sammy and I ate ice cream, swapping halfway through because we both wanted the other ones flavour.

At five, my mum and dad arrived.

"Hey, sugar.” Dad squeezed me into his chest. "Good win yesterday."

"Mm." I couldn't even bring myself to summon any enthusiasm. I hadn't felt any when I was there watching the game and I still couldn't find any when nearly twenty-four hours had passed. All I could summon were the fractures of my broken heart when I considered the fact I'd accidentally fallen in love with the captain.

Dad's eyes narrowed as he searched my face. "What?"

Shaking my head I pulled him into the kitchen, "It's nothing, nothing at all, how was your flight?"

Dad groaned. "Your mum talked to the poor young man sitting next to us the whole way."

I grinned. Mum loved a captive audience, and you didn't get more captive then stuck on a plane with the seatbelt sign on. "Oh, blimey, did you apologise?" I asked, holding in a bubbling giggle.

He looked at me in surprise when he heard the noise escape my lips, but then carried on regardless. "I had to buy the guy a drink. It was the least I could do."

I peered out of the door. "Where is she?"

"Inspecting the garden."

I cringed. I hadn't done anything in the garden apart from play catch with the former England captain. If Dad knew that, he'd probably never let me mow the lawn again.

Dad slung his arm around, "So what's happening at the Red Cats? You guys are going to win right? Don't tell me I've flown all this way for nothing."'

I tilted my head and grinned at all his drama. "All this way, it's like an hour, Dad."