Before she could respond, Jay looked at Mitch. “You’re cooking tomorrow night, right? Otherwise, we’ll need to buy more bread. You know I only make sandwiches.” Jay stood up, stretched, and put his dish and glass in the sink. “Good meeting you, Liana. You seem more like a real person than some of those other celebs Mitch meets. I think we’ll get along just fine. I hope to find out the answer to my questions one day. Enjoy your trip, but don’t forget to stock up next time. Right now, I need to take a shower.”
Jay sauntered to the bathroom and shut the door.
Liana turned to Mitch, questions on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t quite sure how to verbalize them. Mitch nodded knowingly. “He’s one of a kind, Jay Morrison. But I tell you what: you can’t find a more loyal friend or a better lock. He plays full on, full strength all the time.”
“I bet,” Liana said, amused. “I must say I’ve not met one like him before. And I thought I’d met them all.”
“I’m sorry about the flight delay, but I’m glad to see you before you leave. Thanks for the picture from Bob’s Peak. Did it live up to expectations?”
“Much more. It’s beautiful up there. I’d like to go back and spend more time there one day.”
“The team ready for Singapore?” Mitch asked.
“I’m looking forward to finding out. We have a few days of PR before we play Singapore’s National Team...”
“... on the same day we play Australia.”
“Yes, I noticed that, too. After that, we play in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.”
“That’s a pretty compact itinerary.”
“It’ll be good for us.”
“Is Pillane the captain?”
“Yes. He’ll return to England right after our match in Bangkok. No changes to the lineup Hastings left,” Liana said. “At this point, it’s probably the only lineup we could have. We need to build depth. This trip will be a good test as to what I have to work with over the next few years, to see what kind of contender we’ll be for World Cup qualifications.”
Mitch continued to pepper Liana with questions about the team and their schedule. In turn, she had questions about his club’s final games, with the regular season ending a month earlier because of the World Championship.
“You’re doing well to follow the League.”
“I live in New Zealand; how can I not? Even the salon where I have my hair done has a rugby channel continuously streaming. It’s quite an intense interest in one sport. I mean, it’s not even like you’re in the middle of the World Championship yet.”
“It’s our country’s primary sport. Every Kiwi grew up tossing the ball at one point or another.”
Liana looked at her watch. “Well, I best be going. Southeast Asia awaits.”
Mitch walked her to the door. “Shall I shake your hand goodbye, or are we past that, now that we’re living together?”
Liana grinned. Straight to the point. She’d take that over vague innuendoes any day. “Depends. What do you and Jay do?”
“Jay and I? Uh... we shake hands... maybe a slap on the back. If I told you I kissed him, would that make any difference to your answer?”
She laughed. “No, it wouldn’t. I hug my friends.”
Mitch stood there, hands in the pockets of his jeans and a lopsided grin on his face. “I’ll take a hug.”
Liana hoped her own smile disguised her sudden nervousness. “Thank you for letting me stay here. It was nice to have one thing settled before the job started,” she said as she took a step toward Mitch.
Her eyes closed instinctively as his arms enclosed her. Nor could she stop her head from turning slightly so she could inhale his scent: musky, earthy, all male. The bare curve of his neck was just there, waiting for her bite.
She pushed herself out of Mitch’s arms with far more aggression than she had intended and reached for her bags, turning her back to Mitch. She didn’t need to see her reflection to know how flushed her face was. She felt it.
“When you return, we’ll have Connor and Cat over. Cat wants to try a new recipe on you,” Mitch said in a husky voice. He held the front door open. Liana turned to face him again but wasn’t ready for his proximity. Her back was now against the door as he took a step closer.
“Oh?” she breathed out.
“Yes. In his words, something a Kiwi wouldn’t try.”
“Enticing.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Sounds like it.”
Liana could see the specks of gold in Mitch’s brown eyes. They were studying her. If he took one more step, there’d be nothing between them. The thought both thrilled and terrified her. She needed a diversion. “Uh... oh yes, if you’re interested, I have invitations for the Skycatcher premiere.”
His gaze moved to her lips. She stammered. “Uh... a... friend of mine worked on the film. I know Cat’s a fan of Mark Johnson.”
Mitch’s head inched closer.
“Mitch,” Liana whispered. “I have to go....”
He stopped his movement but kept his eyes locked on hers. She willed herself not to pull him closer. Then he stepped back, interview-face on, still studying her. She moved past him, but before she entered the lift, she looked over her shoulder. “Good luck on Saturday, Mitch.”
“Thanks. You too.”
* * *
After Jay and Mitch had dinner, Jay went to his room and stayed there. That was normal. They had a full practice tomorrow, the first time the National Team would be gathering in Auckland. Barnsey had included Stanton in the next Test. Mitch wasn’t surprised and was pleased to have another member of his club team make it to the higher level; Stanton was ready. It was a strong-looking team.
Usually, he’d welcome the evenings to himself. That was one of the reasons Jay was an ideal flatmate. Jay didn’t expect to be entertained. Mitch would cook; Jay would clean up. They would talk over dinner. Afterward, Jay would retire to his room, giving Mitch some time to himself. It was a comfortable setup.
He should be going over his notes from the week, compiled in hurried scribbles after each workout: advice he’d received, advice to pass on, and feedback he wanted to study. The day was about working his body; he used the evenings to exercise his mind. Barnsey had also given him the tentative press schedule for the next few weeks. As captain, he was going to be one of the regular faces for the interviews and team announcements.
There was a lot to do.
But he couldn’t concentrate.
He had been so close to kissing her.
But she’d stopped him... again.
His instincts told him she wouldn’t have resisted if he had, but there was something—or maybe someone—that prevented her from giving him that chance. Mitch sighed. He really should be thinking about tackling and scrums and not about kissing and certainly not about that cute little behind she’d showed him when she’d reached for her bags.
He threw his pen across the table and watched it roll. He wondered what Liana was doing right now, on the plane, with a group of football players. There was going to be a lot of media interest in her debut as manager.
All of his ex-girlfriends were fairly knowledgeable about sports. They had to be for their relationship with him to have a chance of succeeding. Sport was his life, and even if he weren’t a professional, he would enjoy following anything from rugby to athletics.
At the Danes’ gathering, Liana had shown how different her mindset was from the ordinary sports fan. Her insights into her players were part intuition and part observation. She had an extraordinary ability to recall facts. He was just starting to appreciate the scope of her knowledge.
But he shouldn’t be surprised. His coaches for both the Club and National teams showed a similar understanding of rugby. If he were honest, Liana was the first woman to really challenge what he knew of the world he lived in.
He tried to identify other women who held similar positions. Many of the women’s sports teams had men as coaches. His sister was right; Liana was ahead of the game by ta
king charge of a national sports team, win or lose. Mitch wondered how the public would gauge her losses. He knew the weight of carrying the hopes of a nation; he couldn’t imagine what it must be like to carry the hopes of women all over the world.
“Why are you still up?”
Mitch looked up to see Jay, half-naked, saunter into the living room.
“Just couldn’t sleep.”
“What time is it?” Jay rubbed his eyes.
“Just past one.”
“In the morning? You worried or something? About Sunday’s Test? Aren’t we using it as a warm-up?”
Mitch nodded. “Yeah, I know. It’s all right. Just have a lot of thoughts running through my mind. About different things. Can’t seem to quite figure things out.”
“One of those things just doesn’t happen to have a cute little accent, lives under this roof, and loves daisies, does it?” Jay asked, lazily.
“Daisies?”
“I think they’re daisies. You know, the white flowers. There are some in the bathroom, and there’s a vase right here in the kitchen. You didn’t notice? Daisies. They’re not mums. I know mums.”
Mitch raised his eyebrows. “We are not having a conversation about flowers at one o’clock in the morning, Jay.”
“She loves daisies, our new flatmate.”
“Mate, what are you talking about?”
“All I know is that her face lighted up like a bulb when you walked through the door. And yours was equally as bright. Then it was like watching two eight-year-olds wanting to play but afraid to be the first to ask.”
Mitch sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“Daisies,” Jay repeated. “If they’re her favorite flowers, then she can’t be complicated. Now, if she liked yellow carnations, I’d tell you to get the hell away. But daisies—you’re a daisy kind of fella.”
“You are making no sense at all, Jay.”
“Damn straight because it’s bloody one o’clock in the morning. I’m going back to bed. You should too. Warm-up game or not, they’re in our country, and no one wins in our country.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Liana met with a lot of fanfare when she arrived in Singapore. Adding fuel to all the hype was the presence of Sebastian, Earl of Kent, who was in town with the Royal Navy. He arrived at one of the team’s workout camps with a bouquet of orchids, much to the delight of the press. And sure enough, the picture of him handing her flowers made front page news locally and abroad.
Liana’s agent in England was delighted.
A certain rugby player in Auckland wasn’t as pleased.
Although he was confused by his reaction to the photo of Liana and the earl, Mitch was able to switch gears in time for the game on Saturday. When it was time to play, he shut out all distractions. New Zealand had a convincing win over its Tasman rivals, Australia.
After the Test, Blake asked Mitch and Connor if they were interested in watching Liana’s debut as manager. “There’s a pub not too far from here that is streaming the match ‘live’ at midnight.”
“Can’t, mate, but thanks. Family’s in town,” Connor said.
“Mitch?”
“Yeah, why not? I have to meet the press, but I’ll see you there in about an hour.”
When he arrived, Mitch found the pub in question busy despite the late hour. Blake was there with a few of the others from the team, including Mano. When Mitch reached the bar, a pint of his favorite lager was placed in front of him.
“On the house, Captain. Good win tonight,” the young bartender said.
“Thanks, mate,” Mitch said. “Hope my lot doesn’t put you out.”
“No worries. I don’t know if it’s a bit of the Liana Murphy magic or not, but this is as full as it’s ever been for an international friendly. Win or lose, it’s going to be a good night.”
Five minutes before kick-off, the giant TV screen was switched on.
“There she is,” Blake whispered. “She looks incredible.”
In a white dress, Liana looked commanding and relaxed as she emerged from the tunnel. She may have been in charge of the opposition but judging from the roar of the stadium at her appearance, was a popular figure with the local fans.
The first half was highly contested, with neither side being able to beat their opponent’s defense. But in the second half, Liana and her head coach were more animated. The cameras showed the New Zealand players looking to the sidelines often, adjusting their positions as instructions came.
Mitch crossed his arms. They’re listening to her. They trust her already.
Whatever was discussed at halftime, the Kiwis were playing a more aggressive type of football, and they took the lead with a Jerome Pillane header in the eighty-first minute.
The pub erupted. Blake got on his chair; Mano was whistling and stomping; Mitch returned high-fives.
The Kiwis held on for the victory.
Around him, drinks were flowing, and people were singing and celebrating. But Mitch knew Liana wasn’t celebrating. He had seen her face when the final whistle blew; this was just the start of a long journey.
* * *
Two weeks later, Liana returned to an empty condo. Her flatmates were probably still at practice. She was exhausted but resisted the temptation to fall into bed. It had been a fortnight of constant activity. The team had received plenty of good press coverage; more importantly, she had plenty of time to get to know the players. She liked them. Any concerns about her being a woman didn’t show up on tour. They were ready to work. They were ready to win.
Twenty-five men are sure I can do the job, only a few million people to go...
Liana took a quick shower, grateful to get into her familiar sweatpants and a casual shirt. She opened the fridge to find it well stocked with fresh fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, and eggs. She spied a small plate with a note on it and reached for it.
Liana, Welcome back. —M
Chocolate biscuits.
Liana smiled. She didn’t resist the temptation and set the plate on the kitchen counter, enjoying her “Welcome back” present with a cup of tea while planning dinner. After being on the road for so long, she was ready to regain control of her diet.
Later that afternoon, Mitch and Jay returned to the smell of roast chicken and the sight of Liana chopping vegetables. Jay looked stunned. “Are you making dinner for all of us?”
“Of course,” Liana said, brightly. “Roast chicken, garlic quinoa, and roasted vegetables.”
“What the hell is quinoa?” Jay asked suspiciously. He sat in front of Liana, who promptly put a plate of cheese and crackers in front of him.
“It’s low-fat, whole grain, and it’s is on your dietitian’s list of recommended foods. I had her email me a copy. I will not let my cooking be blamed for any bad performances on the pitch.”
Jay turned to Mitch. “I like her a lot better than Tom Rowan. All he ever offered was ramen.”
Jay’s phone rang. He smiled when he saw who was calling. He answered the call as he walked to his room. “Kelly? Darl, guess what I’m having for dinner.”
Liana looked at Mitch, and they laughed.
“He must really like his food,” she said, moving the plate of cheese and crackers to Mitch.
Mitch nodded. “Being on a diet–our kind of diet–is probably the toughest thing for him. He grew up in a Polynesian community, and they love their food.”
“And thank you for the chocolate biscuits. They were exactly what I needed.”
“Congratulations on the tour. Blake, Mano, and I caught the Singapore match ‘live.’”
Liana paused her chopping. “I was really impressed with the men. We played higher-ranked teams, and they stepped up. I think we can build something powerful around a group of them.”
Dinner with Mitch and Jay was surprisingly... pleasant, mused Liana. It didn’t feel like they were strangers. There were no awkward silences or struggles to keep the conversation going. Jay gave some colorful insights on a range of topics fr
om politics to–strangely enough–the meaning of flowers. She persuaded him to expand his repertoire of meal-making beyond sandwiches, and she offered him his first cooking lesson.
The three of them fell into a comfortable coexistence very quickly. They kept separate schedules, with Liana leaving for New Harbor earlier than Mitch and Jay. Whenever Mitch had a commitment after training, Jay would walk over to Liana’s office, and they would drive back together.
Liana observed that Jay avoided any type of PR work. When the National Team began their promotional tour of the smaller towns throughout New Zealand, Jay went home. Sometimes, when she was working late into the night, he would come out of his room and go for a walk, nodding quickly as he passed but always without saying a word.
Then there was that one time, in the middle of the night, when she headed to the kitchen for a glass of water, she spied Jay’s silhouette in the balcony. His shoulders were shaking, his head in his hands. He was crying. She was about to make her way to him, to see if he were okay when, out of the shadows, Mitch appeared. His arm went across Jay’s shoulders to pull him close.
She stared for a few seconds before returning to her room. She didn’t mention the incident to either man. She understood that Jay needed to be by himself... a lot.
Liana kept her word about teaching Jay to cook, but he proved to be a confrontational student.
“Rice is rice, isn’t it? Why do we have to have so many different types?”
“That’s culinary blasphemy. The short-grain rice is good for sushi; basmati is excellent for Indian. But we’re learning how to stir-fry this week, and for that, we’ll use jasmine rice.”
“Next thing you’re going to tell me is that not all soya sauce is the same.”
“It’s not.”
“Shit.”
“And will you please change the direction of your chopping. If one more carrot hits me, I promise you, Jay Morrison, I’m taking your knife away.”
Less confrontational were the late-night conversations she started having with Mitch. When the last of the emails were sent, and usually after chatting with her grandparents, Liana ended her day on the balcony. A view so different from what she grew up with now calmed her: the city skyline would be vibrant with colors and, above her would be miles of constellations, star patterns her brother had always wanted to see.
Always There Page 7