Always There

by Tiara Inserto

  Mitch held out his hand for a handshake. Liana frowned, and then she saw the twinkle in Mitch’s eyes. She placed her hand in his, and her smile faltered at their touch. The goosebumps returned. She was afraid to look up, to see if his eyes reflected what she was feeling. She should pull her hand away. The handshake was over, but she didn’t want to lose the warmth of his hand. She had planned to meet his eyes to say thank you, except her gaze stopped at his lips. How would they taste? Would they respond to her the way he played rugby: demanding and unrelenting? Or would they be more like the man she was getting to know: thoughtful and surprisingly gentle? Kiss me, Mitch, so I can find out...

  “Liana...”

  Her name on his lips should have drawn her further into her fantasy. Instead, she heard a cautious tone behind her whispered name. She reacted to it like cold water: an awakening.

  “Right. Thank you, Mitch. It was a most lovely evening.”

  Mitch blinked. His interview-face came on immediately, the same face she had seen on the morning show weeks ago, a mask created for public viewing.

  But their hands were still clasped, neither making a move to break contact.

  “It was a very nice night, Liana,” Mitch said. “Enjoy your time on the South Island. I can’t wait to hear about it when I see you again.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Liana didn’t speak to Mitch again that week, but his image followed her throughout her tour of the South Island—literally. The man’s face was everywhere. He was on radio and TV; she read about him in the sports and gossip pages. He was on billboards as she drove to meet her players. He was even the face on her cereal box.

  And now there was the genuine possibility they would be flatmates. A townhouse near the stadium would be available in four months. It seemed silly for her not to consider staying at the Meriton until then. The practical side of her wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but whenever she thought of being near Mitch again, she flushed. Too often, she would remember the feel of his arm around her waist and how well her hand had fitted into his, never mind the memory of his muscled torso against her body as she slid against him at Captains’ Field.

  But she couldn’t indulge in any more self-doubt. She sent Mitch a quick email explaining the situation, and if the offer to stay was no longer on the table, so be it. She needed to switch her focus. It was time to emerge from her one month of self-imposed sabbatical.

  Years of working with stylists had paid off. She knew what makeup, hairstyles, and color combinations suited her best. Today, she had one impression to make: she was ready. But in the end, she indulged in sentimentality by choosing a blue suit to wear for her first day of work. It was her father’s favorite color. She studied herself in the mirror.

  Bet you’re laughing your arse off, Da! Your little girl is taking the helm of a men’s national football team today.

  The offices of FANZ were located close to New Harbor Stadium, in an unassuming building adjacent to the football field. The office lobby was minimally busy so early in the morning. She introduced herself to the young receptionist who gave her directions to her office. Anna apologized profusely that no one was available to show her around.

  “Everyone is usually here by nine, Miss Murphy. Your executive assistant, Mrs. Singh, is never late. And welcome! We’ve been looking forward to having you here!”

  Liana walked up the large curved stairs as directed. She passed a few offices, recognizing the name of her counterpart for the women’s team on one of the doors. The corner office went to the CEO, of course. She was three offices down. She opened the door and faced an empty room: a simple desk, a few chairs, and bookshelves. She walked to the window which offered a partial view of the stadium.

  Spying the boxes she’d had shipped from England, she began to unpack, slowly unwrapping and pulling out books, manuals, and framed photos. Some of them were personal mementos; others were there to make a statement. All of them reflected parts of her life. Charlie Rogers used to comment that her office in Exeter was like his living room, but she didn’t make excuses for her quirks. She expected to spend the majority of her day at work, and if that was the case, then she wanted to feel comfortable.

  Liana paused when she picked up a picture of her parents taken on their wedding day. Her mother looked radiant in her red sari, facing the camera. Her father was looking at his new bride, clearly enamored. It was a picture of hope and love. She placed it next to the last photo they’d taken together as a family. Behind the frames, Liana added the Celtic cross her paternal grandparents had given to her on her eighteenth birthday.

  A few minutes later, she heard a soft tap at the door. Behind an arrangement of brightly colored gerberas, day lilies, and roses, a woman dressed meticulously in a white blouse and black skirt entered.

  “Miss Murphy? I hope I’m not disturbing you. I’m your assistant, Jacintha Singh. These were waiting for you at the front desk.”

  Liana smiled as she took the arrangement off Jacintha’s hands. “I’m pleased to meet you. Mr. Hastings spoke very warmly of working with you. Please call me Liana. Would you like to be called Jacintha or Mrs. Singh?”

  “Jacintha will do. Thank you. I see you’re unpacking. I hope the contents aren’t damaged. I made sure the boys were careful, but you never know with overseas freight.”

  They were close in age. Jacintha’s rich black hair was tied back into a bun worn close to the neck. Her only accessories were elegant chandelier earrings and a watch. Liana noticed her quick yet discreet visual sweep of the office, no doubt taking in the changes that were made that morning.

  Jacintha handed Liana a sheet. “Mr. Hastings had me print out his schedule two weeks at a time. I hope you don’t mind that I did it for you this week, but, certainly, if you prefer something via email or on an online calendar, I can do that too. The monthly master calendar is on our server. We all have access to it.”

  Liana quickly read the sheet, then asked a few questions about Jacintha’s day. They spent the next hour discussing Liana’s work preferences.

  “I’d like for you to join us for all team meetings, including the ones with backroom staff as well as with the players,” Liana said as they finished.

  “The players?”

  “Yes. I need an extra set of eyes and ears. We will be increasing communication from my office to their families. I want to know birthdays and anniversaries, the like. Set up a different online calendar for that, solely for you and me to look at. Also, find out what we need to do to have local police do extra patrols past their houses when we play away.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Our travel calendar is public knowledge. Let’s just make sure anyone who could use that kind of support receives it.”

  The rest of the morning was spent in meetings with staff from IT to marketing, with her head coach the last up. Her predecessor had been effusive in his praise of Phil Monroe, the former pro who’d played in Australia. But he warned Liana that Phil was a man of few words, and when he spoke, it was straight to the point.

  “What made you decide to stay on, Phil? Hastings said you had an offer to work down in Wellington. That’s a pretty good position,” Liana said.

  Phil shrugged his very broad shoulders. He unfolded his long legs before crossing them again. “I like where I am. It’s a good job. It’s a good team.”

  “Do you have any concerns about working for a woman?”

  “Do you have any concerns about men working for you?”

  Oh, spunk. Liana managed to stop herself from smiling outright. Mum had always told her to look out for the quiet ones. “Not, at all. I just wanted to be sure. You’re my right-hand man. I need to know I have one hundred percent of your support.”

  Phil looked up then. He narrowed his eyes when he met Liana’s. His voice was quiet but firm. “You have it. I was raised by a single mum. She is the strongest person I know. Nothing scares her. I have two older sisters and two younger sisters. I’m used to drama, hysterics, being screame
d at, and endless obsessions with clothes and shoes. I don’t think you’re anything like my sisters, but if you were, I wouldn’t be running away. If you’re like Mum, and I think you are, then you’ll probably be working harder than me anyway. And I work hard. It’s the only way I do it. So, no, working for a woman doesn’t worry me.”

  “Wellington?”

  “Mum’s here. I won’t leave her.”

  “Very well.” She wouldn’t tell him she did have a slight obsession with shoes.

  Not long after her meeting with Phil ended, a tea lady with silver-white hair appeared from the cubicle opposite her office.

  “Came by earlier, but you were busy. Missed your morning tea,” she said as she pulled out an unfamiliar red packet from her tea trolley. “I’m sorry to see Hastings go, but welcome anyway. Mitch Molloy asked me to give this to you.”

  “What are these?” Liana asked.

  “Chocolate biscuits. They’re nothing fancy, but my grandkids love these.”

  A warm feeling went through Liana as she studied the packet. Mitch had biscuits ordered for her?

  “And how do you take your tea, luv?”

  “Black. No sugar or milk, please.”

  “Same as Hastings. I reckon you’ll be a good fit here. You can tell a lot by how a person drinks their tea. By the way, I’m Margaret Roberts. Been here twenty-five years.”

  After Margaret left, Liana shut the door and dialed Mitch. She took a deep breath, but it didn’t calm the acceleration in her heartbeat when she heard his voice.

  “Liana?”

  “You are a funny man. Chit Chat?”

  “You’d mentioned always having chocolate biscuits with afternoon tea at the Danes’. Was it a good choice?”

  “Can’t go wrong with any type of chocolate biscuits. How did you get these ordered?”

  “I called the number listed on the internet for FANZ. Introduced myself and said I was interested in having a welcome present available for the famous Liana Murphy. They transferred me to Mrs. Roberts, who happens to be a loyal rugby fan.”

  Lian smiled. “Well, I feel completely spoilt. First flowers from Blake. Next chocolate biscuits from you? A girl could get used to this.”

  “Stanton sent you flowers?”

  “He’s sweet. And very good for my ego. Where was he when I was twenty-five?”

  “In kindergarten,” Mitch muttered.

  Her smile widened. “Thanks, Mitch.”

  “Sorry. I meant he’s really young, and you’re... uh...”

  “I think you should stop right there.”

  “I think you’re right, but since I have you on the phone, I received your email. So, there’s a place available in October?”

  “Yes, right around the start of the Rugby World Championship. I don’t want to impose, but it seems to make more sense to stay on where I am instead of looking for another temporary place.”

  “You’re not imposing. But both Jay Morrison and I will also live there right until the Championship begins. We’re due in Auckland in two weeks. Fair warning: Jay snores like a freight train. That’s why his room is down the hall.”

  Liana laughed. “That’s not a concern. Is Jay all right with me living there?”

  “I’ve already talked to him. It seems his wife is another of your ‘biggest fans,’ and she insisted he should live there with you,” Mitch chuckled.

  “What do you think about the rental contract I had attached with the email?”

  “I deleted it.”

  “What?”

  “Liana, you’re a guest.”

  Liana sat down at her desk. She turned her chair to face the window, her eyes drawn to the green field below her. “Mitch, I can’t stay at the Meriton for free, especially not for four months.”

  “Why not? I don’t need the money. Besides, sharing a place with two blokes isn’t the best living situation.”

  “Mitch...”

  “Liana...”

  Liana laughed again. “I don’t usually lose arguments.”

  “Neither do I. Listen: the room is there. It’s yours if you need it and for however long. It’s what friends do for each other.”

  “Well, thank you, Mitch. I hope to return the favor one day.”

  “If you can keep Jay off my back about my cooking once in a while, we will be even.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

  “You will.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  On the morning Mitch and Jay were to move into the Meriton, Liana was due to leave with her football team for Southeast Asia. But nothing was going according to schedule.

  The flight was delayed; a player couldn’t find his passport; the hotel couldn’t find reservations for five of their rooms; one of the physios fell ill and they had to find a replacement. Liana was on her phone pacing in the condo—trying to fix one of the issues—when the security buzzer sounded.

  A gruff voice came on. “Mitch? It’s Jay. I forgot my keys.”

  Liana pressed the button to open the security door. A voice picked up on her own phone. At last, a real person...

  “Hello? Hello? I’m still here.”

  False alarm: no real person on the other side. She looked to the ceiling, sorely tempted to find out if her phone would make a dent or be decimated if she threw it there.

  She walked to the front door and propped it open just as the lift door opened. Out stepped a tall man whose neck was the size of her waist. She should be used to the size of rugby players by now, but he seemed extra-large even by rugby standards. She guessed he was about two meters tall. It wasn’t just the height though. It was the size of his whole being.

  As if sensing her study of him, the giant stopped. He frowned slightly. She put the phone to her chest. “Hi. Sorry, I’m on hold. I really need to finish this call though.”

  Thirty minutes later, her team was guaranteed their hotel rooms, they had a new physio, and the footballer in question had found his passport. When she walked out of her room, she saw Jay in the kitchen. He looked up, his dark eyes studying her.

  “You’re shorter than I thought. Want a sandwich? It’s just ham and cheese on crackers, though. So not technically a sandwich but that’s the best I can do. You didn’t stock up.”

  Liana blinked. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t think of doing that. I thought I should keep things empty when I leave.”

  “No worries. My wife thinks you’re amazing. She said not to ask, which means I should.”

  “Ask what?”

  “She wants an autograph.”

  Liana grinned as she studied Jay: ripped jeans, well-worn black polo. He looked like an average guy, except most average guys didn’t look like him. His black hair was cut close to the head, military style. Liana was also willing to bet that the pitch-black eyes now looking at her could be seriously intimidating on the rugby field. He was tall and built like a wall. She doubted many people got past him on the pitch. He’d have made a great goalkeeper.

  “I’ll be happy to sign anything,” Liana said. “I hope I’ll be able to meet your wife one day.”

  “Probably. But I won’t tell her that yet. She might want to move in. Aren’t you supposed to be traveling?”

  “Yes. Leaving this afternoon. Had a flight delay.”

  “And you have Tom Rowan’s old room, eh?”

  “Yes.”

  “He was a good fella. Lousy cook. Why aren’t you sharing Mitch’s room?”

  Liana stared blankly.

  “He’s single now, though that wouldn’t bother some people. Or is he not your type?” Jay frowned at that thought. “Nah, he’s everyone’s type. Guys and girls like him. You’re cute, and he’s... well, he’s Mitch Molloy. There should be fireworks. You know. Bam! Ka-boom!”

  Ka-boom?

  Liana shook her head to clear her mind. She approached the kitchen counter and pulled herself onto one of the barstools.

  “Let’s start over. I don’t think I’ve introduced m
yself properly. I know you’re Jay Morrison. I’m Liana Murphy, the temporary flatmate. Mitch was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while I wait for my rental to be ready. But no, there was no hint, let alone a discussion about him and me... sharing a room... for any reason.”

  Jay stared at the hand Liana offered, shook it quickly, wiped his hand on his shirt, and started eating again. Chewing, he asked, “Yeah, but why not? Most girls would give their right arm to be in the same room as him. I think he’s pretty hot stuff, and I’m not into the fellas. Or are you into girls? I’m a liberal-minded person.”

  “You come to interesting conclusions, Mr. Morrison.”

  “Please, just Jay. Not a fan of my last name. It belonged to a man who ran off before I was born. I’d have dropped it, but I haven’t found a last name I like. I’d take on my mother’s last name, but she goes by Morrison. So, I’m stuck. You don’t look like a Murphy. Are you really Irish?”

  “Yes. My father’s family is from Killarney. I’m also half Indian.”

  “You don’t look like a Singh, either.”

  “Well, it’s because I’m not.”

  Jay looked at Liana, seemingly taking in what she had said. He was about to say something when the door opened, and Mitch walked in. Mitch looked surprised to see Liana. Dressed in a blue sweatshirt, he had a day’s growth on his face. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

  “Hello,” Liana said. Was it her imagination or did she suddenly feel warm?

  “Hi,” Mitch replied. He dropped his bags at the front door. “I thought you’d have left by now.”

  “Flight was delayed,” Jay explained.

  Liana grinned at Jay’s interjection. “He’s right. Then we had a few mini-crises, so I stayed in to sort out a couple of them. But that’s all taken care of now.”

  “Sandwich?” said the third voice in the room.

  Mitch dragged his attention to the kitchen and frowned. “What on Earth is that, Jay?”

  “It’s all she had. Ham and cheese. And crackers. No bread. Told her she should have stocked up,” Jay said. He looked at Liana pointedly. “I always stock up the fridge before I leave.”