Chapter 7

So, my mom broke her leg (like her foot was facing the wrong direction!) and so I’ve been taking care of her and my small child. I apologize for the agonizing wait…okay, some of you felt it was agonizing. Anyhoo, beta’d by gatorgrrrl even tho she went to Chicago, so much love to her! I’m still looking for someone who can make fan vids. I thought a little tribute video would be fun for this. Enjoy!

Chapter 7

“You look excited,” Joe said.

Most of the other girls were sleeping, a few were reading; I, coincidentally, was seated behind all of them, as was Joe. His seat was actually behind mine, I imagined he had something to do with our seating arrangements. We were close, but inconspicuous.

I glanced back at him and smiled. “I’ve never been to Spain. I’m hoping we get to see a bit of it before we have to play.”

“You and the sightseeing.” He shook his head. “You know we are going to play a match, not to be tourists, right?”

“I know, but the architecture, the beach, the food,” I said, smiling dreamily. “I’m just so excited.” I reclined my seat so I could see him better. “Have you ever been?”

“I have, I’m not nearly as thrilled as you.”

“Why? Is it dirty? Or is it the noise? I’ve heard its mental, people partying into the night and --” Joe cut me off.

“It’s allergies.”

“Huh?”

“I’m allergic to the whole country I think,” he said, putting his pointer on his nose. “Me nose can’t stand the flowers.”

“It’s November, Joe. There aren’t any flowers. Everything is dead,” I explained.

“Here’s hoping I don’t spend the entire trip in my room with a box of tissue and a humidifier.”

“You’re winding me up,” I said, skeptical of his condition.

“Not at all,” he said, as an announcement about the plane landing came over the loud speaker. “Just wait and see. No boyfriend to see the sights with you, just a bloke in a room with red eyes and a bloody disgusting nose.”

“It’s not as if you can be my boyfriend on a football outing,” I whispered while shaking my head. “We’ll be found out.”

I sighed and started to pull my seat up. He stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw the apology in his eyes. It seemed every time we talked in the past week, our awkward situation would come up and neither of us had a solution.

“I’m fine and you need to buckle your belt. We’re going to land soon,” I said with a meek smile.

“I’ve got the room assignments,” Joe said while handing Sally and I a bunch of labeled keys. “Sally and Mackie: room 103, Harper and Mimi: room 104, Trina and Christine: 105, Liz and Jillian…”

As he called out the assignments we went about giving everyone their keys. Thankfully, I didn’t have to go near Liz and Jillian. Since the last match they had done nothing but glare at me. I could imagine them plotting my demise, but pushed it back in my mind. They were young and I was secure with my football skills, just not with my private love life.

“And Jess,” Joe had called out all the assignments but mine. “You should have been Charlotte’s bunk mate, but since she’s sick, you get your own room. Room 201.”

The grumblings of some of the players erupted.

“Sally,” I turned to her. “If you’d like to take it, I can room with Mackenzie.”

“Not at all!” Sally said animatedly. “Mackie and I are having a slumber party where we get sloshed. You’re certainly welcome to join us, but I don’t want my own room.”

“Hey, wild things,” Joe interjected. “No gettin’ pissed ‘til after the match.” He would have sounded more intimidating had he not been holding his nose through most of the scolding.

“Yes coach,” the girls all droned.

“Jolly. Now off to your rooms, then I hear there is some sightseeing to be done. Enjoy yourselves. Be back by four so you can eat as a team in the dining room.”

Most of the team bolted instantly. I started toward my room, but glanced back nonchalantly to see Liz trying to convince Joe to sightsee with her. I smiled slightly then turned back to find my room.

Just as I deduced that Joe had purposely sat behind me on the plane, it seemed we shared a wall in the hotel as well. The team happened to be located on the first floor, while our rooms, conveniently enough, were located on the second floor. I found this out because once inside the room I saw an extra door that joined the two rooms. I thought nothing of it until there was a knock on that extra door.

I cautiously approached the door and then looked around as if someone might see me opening this extra door. Slowly I opened the door just a crack and poked my head around it.

“Just me,” said a pleasant Irish voice. I instantly relaxed and opened the door.

“You’re dead set on us being fired, aren’t you?”

“No.” He smiled as he leaned against the door frame. “I’m not much of a boyfriend at the moment.”

I stepped back and sat on one of the beds. “You’re not likely to be up for sightseeing, but that’s fine. I’ll go with Sally and Mackie.”

“That’s brilliant, keep an eye on their alcohol consumption. I’d like to win,” he said. “But I’d prefer if you didn’t go with them after the game.” He was still smiling but I instantly remembered Pinky’s theory of him being like my parents.

“Because you’re my Mum and you can tell me what to do?” I asked curtly.

His face quickly changed from smiling to a frown. “No, no,” he started. “I’m not trying to direct your life,” he moved to kneel down on the floor in front of me and took my hands. “This is just me playing jealous boyfriend. I would rather you be here, with me. We could watch a film or something. But you make your own decisions. You are more than free to go out with them.”

I sighed and realized I might be a bit sensitive. Surely he wasn’t trying to run my life?

“I’m sorry,” I said. “What shall we watch tonight, then?”

“You want to do voiceovers to Spanish TV?” he said standing up and smiling.

I was about to ask him to explain that idea when we were startled by a knock at his door.

“Answer it. I’ve got to get my stuff to go play chaperone to Sally and the girls,” I said. He kissed me quickly on the cheek and headed back through our adjoining door.

I followed him and pushed the door closed, but it didn’t stay closed. I started to close it again, but I heard a female voice address Joe. I thought it might be a member of the team and I leaned in close to the cracked door to eavesdrop.

“-saw you in the lobby with your girls. Playing Las Rozas as well?” The voice sounded raspy, like the woman had spent years smoking.

“Yeah, is that all you wanted to know?” Joe said quickly.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in, Joey?” the woman asked.

“Please don’t call me Joey, and no, I’m going to rest before the match tonight, I’ll see you later.” I heard the door shut, then another knock, and he opened the door again.

“I could rest with you.”

My stomach felt like it was in my feet and my heart started to pound. This woman was propositioning him and though he was rejecting her, I sensed he hadn’t always rejected her. This was an old girlfriend or fling or something! I slammed the adjoining door, grabbed my bag and coat, and headed for my door. I almost marched out of it, until I remembered that his door was no more than five feet from my own and the woman at his door would see me.

I stood huffing at my front door then leaned my head against it and banged my head gently. Soon, a knock came at the adjoining door. I took that to mean the woman had gone, so I opened the outside door and started down the hall. Joe didn’t let me get far. He must have known I wanted to escape the room because almost immediately he was on my heels, pulling my arm to stop me from advancing.

“What was that all about? Slamming the door like that, you could have really gotten us in the shit!” he whispered harshly.

I stood dumbfounded for a moment before I found my voice. “You’re mad at me? You can’t be serious! There’s a woman at your door flirting and offering to warm your bed and you’re mad at me?”

“It’s not as if I wanted her. She’s a slag and I tossed her out. How do you suppose I’m at fault?” he said shortly.

“You slept with her once, didn’t you?” I shot back.

“What do you care if I shagged her before? You left me three years ago. You were an ocean away! Was I supposed to be a saint waiting for the day you’d grace me with your presence again?”

“You shouldn’t have slept with Jules!” I said louder than I intended. I covered my mouth immediately and glanced around the hall to make sure we hadn’t alerted every guest on the floor to our argument. Joe looked around, too, then glared back at me.

“I’m never going to be forgiven for that, am I? You can’t move past a night when I met an old friend and had some of the most awkward sex of my life.” He shook his head, but I was dwelling on the bad sex part.

“What was that?” I asked, perplexed.

“Yes, you heard me right,” he answered. “It was awful sex and it was even more uncomfortable after. The only time we’ve had any contact since then was the email I sent to let her know that you knew about the incident.”

“So it was bad?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?” Joe sighed. “Let’s go back in; I don’t need anyone to hear us arguing.”

“Go ahead. Take something for your allergies. I’ve got to go police the rest of your players,” I said, walking away from him.

Joe didn’t come after me, so he must have felt guilty for something.

I tried to enjoy my sightseeing, but ended up in a strop. I was upset about the woman, upset about Joe and Jules, and generally upset about our predicament.

My mood affected my game and for the first time in three years I had to be pulled from the match. I took my place on the benchand pouted. Samantha and I had been stapled to the pine pony, as she had called it, for most of my sophomore year after some rowdy behavior and poor playing. Thinking of Samantha and my old team made me long for the uncomplicated days of university when my biggest worry was revising for exams.

Being the only person attending my own pity party, I soon turned my eyes to the field. The team was doing well and I began to doubt my worth to them. Then I noticed Joe a few feet in front of me, dressed sharply in his black suit, completely intent on his side, cheering and shouting directions for the girls. This was his calling in life. He did it so well and he really loved it.

If I was the reason he lost his job, I would never forgive myself. He wouldn’t be happy working in the bar again, nor would our relationship flourish with that kind of baggage or blame. What a mess we had made.

After the match, the girls went out. Sally assured me that I was welcome to go or even to meet up with them later in her room for their slumber party, but I politely declined. Earlier, I worried what my excuse would be for not going out as I usually did, but my poor performance brought me a true reason to be moping in my room instead of out celebrating our win. Their win, not mine.

Joe said nothing to me since calling me out of the game and did little more than glance at me the rest of the evening. When I got back to my room I curled up on my bed and turned the telly on to block the sneezes coming from the adjacent room. I didn’t watch it. I just laid in bed. Around midnight I turned off the TV and got up to pace the room.

The sneezing from Joe’s room continued and I desperately fought the need to go to him. Maybe he’d run out of tissues; I could get him some tea, possibly some aspirin. Just as I was about to knock on the adjoining door, I heard a knock and the same woman’s raspy voice. I couldn’t hear what was going on, but the door shut quickly. He sent her packing even faster this time.

Curiosity nudged my mind and I grabbed my ice bucket and headed out the door to get a glimpse of the woman. This was a bad idea. Once my door shut, the woman, who was almost halfway down the hall, turned quickly and glared at me. I stood frozen with what I hoped was a blank expression on my face. I recognized her at once, and I imagined she knew who I was as well.

Tall, blonde, and glaring, she was the coach from another team. The team we’d played for our opening match this season. She coached the girl who’d called me “Paki” and she didn’t look happy to see me in my pajama pants and tank. I fought the urge to run into my room and hide, but now I felt the weight of my tantrum door slamming. She could very well cause Joe and me to lose our jobs. I hoped that Nina’s assertion that blondes were stupid was true because if this woman could connect the dots, I was in trouble.

It seemed like I stood staring at her for minutes, but it was really seconds before she pivoted and stomped off. I blew the breath I’d been holding and tried to compose myself. I would have to tell Joe and the sooner the better.

Back in the room I paced a few more moments trying to figure out how I would tell him. He would be upset and I would have to beg him to forgive my stupidity. Nina forgot to mention that brunettes could be entirely stupid, as well.

When I finally worked up the nerve to knock on the door, Joe answered and I couldn’t help but laugh. He stood before me in boxers and a shirt, hair disheveled, face red, and a tissue twisted into each of his nostrils. He rolled his eyes and tried to shut the door, but I held the door before he could shut it.

“Wait,” I said between guffaws. “I…I have to talk to you.” His shoulders sagged in defeat. “It’s…” Just as I got control of myself, the end of the tissue popped out of one nostril. That started the fit of giggles again. I bent over and took a few cleansing breaths and tried to remember the severity of the situation.

As I stood up again Joe started, “You’re supposed to love me, not mock me.”

This softened my heart and I instantly gained control. “I do love you. You just looked so ridiculous.” I tried not to smile too big as I guided him back to his bed. He let me tuck him in and then I sat beside him.

“Do you need anything?” I asked. “Ice, tissues, medicine?”

“I’m fine,” he said pulling the tissue out of his nose and blowing it with a fresh tissue. “You still cranky?”

“About that…”

“Come to apologize?”

I hesitated, but he looked so pathetic, might as well get on with it. “You slept with a coach from another team.”

“Yes,” he confirmed calmly. “And?”

“She saw me.” I watched his eyes widen. “I was curious and I popped out to get some ice and she saw me and recognized me and if she is any smarter than a ball bag, she knows about us,” I spoke quickly and then winced, my eyes closed, waiting for him to explode. After a moment of his silence, I opened one eye and peeked at him. I must have looked silly because it was his turn to laugh at me.

“Wha? You think I’m gonna hit you or something?”

“Shut up,” I said, pushing his arm.

“This is really bad. She knows I play for you, she could tell the club owners, she could get us fired, then what’ll we do? I don’t know about you, but I like my job.”

“Me as well, but she’s not much smarter than a ball bag, I promise,” he said nonchalantly.

“You’ve got lovely taste in women, you know?” I teased.

“You are a hundred percent correct,” he said. “You’re the top pick. Without you, my relationship history would qualify me for a self-help book.”

“I’m pretty sure we still need the self-help book.”

Wiggling my way under his covers, I snuggled close to him, putting my head on his chest. He reached to turn the lamp off and then put his arms around me.

“You played like shit today,” he said, as we laid in the dark. I could hear the smile as he said it, but I still shrunk in his grasp.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“I’ve never seen your game off like that. Then when I put Mimi in for you, you just sat on the bench with this look of despair. Surely, it wasn’t Greta that had you upset?”

“Greta?” I asked, then made the connection to the coach with the raspy voice. “Oh, no, it was just, well, it’s a lot of things.”

“Like?” he prodded.

“The team played well without me. They won. The girls are really improving and even Sally is growing into a very capable captain…”

“Hey now,” Joe interrupted and pulled me closer. “I know where this is going and yes, we need you on this team.”

“The team needs me or you need me?” I whispered.

“Both,” he said with finality. “We’re done with this. You are talented and you belong on this side. You earn every penny of that insane salary I pay you.”

“The club chair pays me,” I corrected, feeling lighter. “It’s not like it comes out of your check or anything.”

“Feels like it,” he teased.

“I could go back to my room and leave you to your sneezing if you like?”

“No.” He hugged me tighter. “You have to listen to me snore. It’s your punishment for playing terribly tonight.”

I hemmed and hawed, but really, I was glad to be safe in his arms. Snoring or not.

“I’m thinking about buying a new place,” Joe said as I perused the airline magazine, Spanish Sun. I turned around, shocked.

“You could lose your job at any moment and you’re shopping for new flats?” I asked.

“Haven’t been sacked yet. Might as well find the new place while I have the pounds coming in,” he said while shuffling papers in his play book.

“What’s wrong with your old place?” I wedged the magazine into the seat pocket and leaned my seat back turning to see him.

“It’s cramped and the shrine to my favorite footballer needs more wall space,” he said smiling.

“No more shrines.” I emphasized my point with a bop to the bill of his hat. “Your favorite footballer hasn’t done so hot lately. She’s been playing like shit, or so her coach says.”

“Who do you think my favorite footballer is?” he asked innocently. “I was referring to Beckham.” I shook my head and he smiled wolfishly. “You didn’t think I was talking about you, did you?”

“Prat,” I mumbled as I turned around and placed my chair in the upright position for landing.

As we stood at the luggage carousel, I noticed Liz staring at us. “You better back off. Your favorite ego is giving me dirty looks.”

“Sometimes, I just want to kiss you in front of everyone,” he whispered and then moved forward to grab a team bag off the carousel. I felt the blood drain from my face and saw him laugh at me. “I’m not going to,” he assured me. “I’d just like to get her off my back.”

“I’ll be in the car,” I said quietly.

Joe had given me his keys before the plane landed. This way he could take me home without concern of the team noticing. Tony had given him an employee tag before the trip so Joe didn’t have to pay for parking and Tony didn’t have to worry about taking me home.

A new boyfriend meant that I didn’t see much of Tony, but I didn’t mind. Joe and I were spending most of our free time together anyway. Soon, though, my parents would notice where the bulk of my time was being spent. I would have to come up with a story, or Joe and I would have to go public with my parents, again.

In the car, I waited with the stereo on and mulled over Joe’s words about a new flat. He’d lived in the same place since I’d known him, what was different now?

Once we got on the road, I asked him just that.

“I really need more space,” he said. “The place is tiny. I was actually thinking about a cottage.”

“Really?” I asked surprised. He was thinking about spending a chunk of change, I didn’t know he had it to spend. I supposed he was paid well, I should have known he’d have some money.

“Yeah, I’ve saved up a bit and I’m going to look at a few places this week. Do you want to come?”

“Uh, I guess. But, a cottage? Your commuting costs are going to be higher; you’re so close to the pitch now. Don’t you walk?”

“I think it’ll be worth it.”