Always There

by Tiara Inserto

  At her invitation, Mitch joined her on the balcony one evening. He continued to do so randomly throughout the week. Sometimes they would sit in silence; sometimes they would talk.

  “Thought you could use this,” he said one evening as he handed her a cup of tea. “Your interview with Martin Tyler is just about to come on the telly. Are you going to watch it?”

  Liana grimaced. “No, thank you. It’s not going to be a pleasant one.”

  “Oh? Martin is usually a fair interviewer.”

  “I’m sure he is with most people.”

  Mitch sat next to Liana. “I haven’t seen or heard anything negative since you started as manager.”

  Liana took a sip of her tea, her eyes following the dancing shadows of a swaying tree. “Not yet and my interview with Martin wasn’t unfair. Let’s just say being interrupted is a pet peeve. Why ask the question if you’re not interested in my full opinion? I didn’t see him interrupt you last week when you were his guest.”

  Mitch paused. “No, you’re right. But I’ve also known him for a fair bit of time.”

  “He was quite persistent with his questions about Connor being left out of the team for Brisbane. You handled it well.”

  “I had a feeling that was going to come up. Martin’s an all right bloke, but he was never a fan of Barnsey taking charge of the National Team, especially after our early exit four years ago.”

  “I was surprised he asked you about Elaine.”

  “He’s Elaine’s godfather.”

  “What?”

  Mitch chuckled softly. “Yeah. I have to admit I didn’t see that one coming. He’s usually good about keeping the personal stuff separate from the professional.”

  “That’s awkward.”

  “Not as awkward as tomorrow night.”

  “Why?”

  “Elaine’s mum is our team doctor. She’s retiring after the World Championship, and the family is throwing a party for her. Elaine asked me to say something months ago.”

  Liana raised her eyebrows. “That is awkward.”

  “Elaine’s father and three brothers will also be there.”

  “Gets better and better.”

  “And her fiancé.”

  Liana spat out her tea. “Fiancé? When did that happen? She was all over you when we were at the Danes’ house.”

  Mitch produced a box of tissues and handed it to Liana. “Yeah, I asked her about that as well. She said she’d come over to make sure she had no more feelings for me.”

  “I don’t know what to say to that.”

  “It’ll be all right. I’ve known Dr. Rawley for over ten years. It won’t be a stretch to say nice things about her in front of her family.”

  “But what about you? How are you feeling? It must be a bit of a shock for your ex-girlfriend to be engaged so quickly.”

  “I’m surprised, but there was never going to be a future between Elaine and me.”

  “Why not?”

  Mitch shrugged. “No real reason. I see what my parents have and what Connor and Cat have, and I didn’t see Elaine and me having that. We got along well enough, and she handled the publicity that came with being with me really well. That’s usually the tough bit for my girlfriends, having a boyfriend that the public also wants time with.”

  “It’s sometimes easier to handle all of that when you share it.”

  “Maybe, but this wasn’t the year to be in any relationship. If anything, I shouldn’t have started something with Elaine.” He looked at Liana and met her eyes. “I don’t have room for anything–or anyone–this year.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The Test in Brisbane didn’t go well.

  The last thing Mitch knew he should be doing after a loss was attending the Skycatcher premiere. After being away in Australia for a week, he should be at the condo resting; he should be going over notes as to why they lost. He certainly shouldn’t be on a red carpet in front of dozens of photographers.

  But she was going to be there, and he gave in to the need to see Liana as soon as he could.

  When he did, he forgot to breathe.

  She was laughing at something someone said. Dressed in a strapless purple and gold gown, her hair was loose, soft, and flowing. Mitch recognized the woman he was beginning to know, but this was also the Liana Murphy on the covers of magazines.

  He remembered the first time he had seen her in person, also from a distance. She’d blown him away then. This time, he could appreciate the elegance of her movement, the slight tilt of her head when she was listening intently. Then he saw the way she moved her hand into the crook of an arm that belonged to another man.

  “Mate, if you squeeze that glass any tighter, it will break.”

  Mitch glanced at Connor. He took a quick drink from said glass, hoping the soft drink would calm him down. He’d prefer a beer, but with less than two months to go until the Championship, he needed to be disciplined. His body didn’t need the beer, but his pride was calling for it.

  “Good to see you, too, Connor.”

  “Welcome back. Tough loss. But I bet Barnsey was able to answer a few questions.”

  Mitch didn’t respond, his eyes still trained on the couple who had everyone’s interests.

  “They’re obviously very good friends,” Connor said.

  “Obviously.” Mitch took another drink. He had seen enough. “How’s your shoulder, mate?”

  “Good. I have the all-clear from the doctor. I think I could have played yesterday, but I guess it was the right call to let it rest completely.”

  “Yeah, it was. We’ll need you at full strength next month. It’s going to be a long campaign. Where’s Cat?”

  “Throwing up in the bathroom.”

  “What?”

  “Morning sickness, apparently, hits in the evenings too.”

  “Mate, congratulations! That’s wonderful,” Mitch said, shaking Connor’s hand.

  “It’s amazing. I don’t know what else to say. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

  “You’ve told him?”

  Mitch would never have guessed that Cat, now standing next to her husband, was pregnant. She still looked slim in a form-fitting red gown, her long blonde hair up.

  Mitch hugged her. “I’m so happy for you both. You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks, darl,” Cat said. “I feel like I just came off a rollercoaster after drinking a milkshake, but there was no way I would miss this for the world. Can you believe we’re here? At the Skycatcher premiere! But we haven’t had a chance to meet Mark Johnson, yet. Do you think he’ll notice I’m pregnant?”

  Connor rolled his eyes. “Does it matter?”

  “Er... yes. I may be married to you, but I still think he’s hot. But he’s only had eyes for Liana all night, hasn’t he?”

  Mitch finished his drink. “Let’s go introduce ourselves. We don’t need to depend on Liana for that.”

  Mitch didn’t wait to see if the Danes would follow. He suddenly realized he was tired of watching someone else touch Liana the way he wanted to.

  So what, if that Mark Johnson was the international superstar in the highest-grossing spy movies ever? So what, in a global poll, if the Skycatcher series outranked Bond and Bourne? Mark Johnson was a visitor in New Zealand. This was his country.

  Johnson’s arm seemed permanently fixed around Liana’s waist. When it was not, his fingers were up and down Liana’s spine, like they were lovers. Damn actor. Liana turned at that moment to greet him.

  “Mitch! You’re here. Welcome back. You look very handsome tonight. The black-tie look suits you.”

  All she had to do was smile and his anger instantly abated. Taking, the hand she offered, he bent to kiss her on the cheek, inhaling the scent that was hers.

  “You look beautiful, Liana,” he whispered into her ear. He was used to seeing her hair up in a ponytail; she looked softer this way. He almost reached out to touch her hair. Then he felt her hand in his, squeezing it in response to his compliment. Warmth radia
ted through him from that touch. He yearned for more.

  “And may I introduce you to Mark Johnson, the actor? Mark, this is Mitch Molloy, captain of New Zealand rugby.”

  His warm fuzzy moment disappeared immediately. Mitch studied the actor, taking in that famous face: blonde hair cut close, a chiseled jawline, and blue eyes that were assessing him as well. And then there was that dimple. Even he had heard Cat drool over the dimple.

  Close in height, they eyed each other face to face.

  Mark nodded. “Good to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Mitch said. His instincts as a competitor told him he was about to play a game, and the man in front of him was going to make all the rules.

  “Gentlemen, one for the Herald?” interrupted a photographer.

  Mark put his arm across Mitch’s shoulders as they posed. “Liana speaks highly of you.”

  Mitch smiled automatically. He didn’t like the arm around him, but it wouldn’t be a smart move to shrug it off with so much attention on them. “Funny, she’s never mentioned she knows one of the world’s most famous actors.”

  The photographer left. In the background, Liana was talking animatedly to the Danes.

  “No, she wouldn’t,” Mark said. “She’s good at keeping important relationships private.”

  Turning to face him, Mitch tried to keep his voice neutral. “It must be a... very... special relationship, then.”

  Mark’s eyes were piercing and ice cold.

  “It is.”

  Those two words felled him like a ton of bricks. Hard. No tackle Mitch had ever experienced on the field could compare to this emotional blindside. He was at a loss for words, and he hated that feeling.

  Mark pursed his lips into a smile that never reached his eyes. “Are you allowed any downtime? Liana says you’re an avid kayaker. I am, too. I’m headed to Australia after this but can make it back here for a good reason.”

  “And why would spending time with me be a good reason?”

  “Because it would please her that her friends are getting along.”

  No one observing the two would think there was an underlying tension in their short exchange. Mitch drew on all his years of on-field self-control to stop himself from hitting the smug bastard. He didn’t want to be in this conversation. All the Skycatcher DVDs he owned were going in the bin. The last thing he wanted to do was spend more time with Mark. But Mitch knew he would because he needed to know Liana was with people who would take care of her, who deserved her.

  Mitch nodded abruptly. “I’ll get your contact information from Liana.”

  “She’ll like that.”

  Their conversation couldn’t have taken more than a few minutes, but it felt like his world had turned upside down. He didn’t understand it. He had no claims on her. They were just friends.

  Mitch started to walk away when he felt a hand slip into his. He looked down, surprised to see Liana walking in step with him. “Where are you going? Didn’t you just get here?”

  He held her hand a little tighter. His heart swelled when she responded. It was the first time she had initiated such an intimate touch. It was an innocent gesture, he reminded himself, like her hugs.

  “Yeah, it’s been a long day. It’s been nonstop meetings and interviews since we landed. Everything took longer than expected. I hadn’t planned on staying long tonight, anyway. How about you?”

  Liana nodded sympathetically. “Well, I was here for the movie. It’s been almost half an hour since we came to the party. Is Jay back, or did he go home?”

  “He went straight home. He was one of the few of us who did well yesterday,” Mitch said. “You weren’t at the apartment last night.”

  “No, I stayed over at Mark’s. We needed to catch up. But it’s been a while since I’ve spent any time with you. Do you have time for quick chat in the morning? Breakfast, maybe?”

  Mitch ran his fingers through his hair. He scanned the room, not seeing anything. His heart was racing a mile a minute. She’d stayed over at Mark’s. He looked at Liana. “Yeah, breakfast... you know... look: I can stay in a hotel tonight. Or stay at someone’s place. I know you like your privacy. Jay’s not there... so... you know... if you want to have anyone over...”

  Liana looked a little confused, and then she understood his insinuations. “What? You mean, Mark? Oh no... not in a million years!” She laughed. “Even if there were, he has to wake up early tomorrow for more press. The man needs his beauty sleep. Honestly, he can’t function on anything less than seven hours.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”

  “There’s nothing to intrude on.” Her eyes reflected her amusement. “Besides, it’s your condo. I wouldn’t impose my private life on your space.”

  Mitch decided to take a chance. “Let’s catch up tonight then. Meet me at the condo, say in a couple of hours?”

  Liana looked surprised but pleased. “That’d be great. It’ll be good to hear things from you personally instead—”

  “—instead of doing an internet search?”

  She laughed. “Yes, instead of an internet search.”

  A pair of arms snuck around Liana’s waist, drawing her away from him. Instantly, Mitch put his guard back on. Even if she didn’t think anything was going to happen with Mark, he wasn’t sure whether Mark felt the same way. He didn’t trust the man.

  “Love, I’m going to steal you away from this rugby legend for a few minutes,” Mark said, his voice low and suggestive. He looked at Mitch. “Please forgive me. She’ll be in good hands, I promise you.”

  Did the bastard just wink at him?

  “I’m sure she will,” Mitch said through gritted teeth. Where’s that drink? Liana still had her hand pressed in his and squeezed it before moving away. He watched her walk with Mark. They looked utterly comfortable in each other’s presence, like a real couple. The way she curved her body into Mark’s spoke of a familiarity that she didn’t have with him. Then Mitch saw the tender way she brushed something away from his cheek.

  Whether or not something was between them, she loved Mark Johnson.

  He was done being there.

  Mitch looked around; everything was in full swing. Cat seemed to have recovered from her bout in the bathroom. She was laughing animatedly with some people he didn’t recognize. Connor had his arm possessively around her. There was some dancing; a camera crew was interviewing other people, possibly actors in the film. He didn’t know. He didn’t care.

  It still took him another thirty minutes to leave, his exit slowed by a few more handshakes and polite conversations. When he reached his car, he pulled off his black tie and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. He rested his head on the steering wheel; he felt like he was suffocating. He needed to get this out of his system somehow.

  He drove quickly back to the Meriton. When he entered the condo, he walked straight to his bedroom to change. On impulse, he looked out his window; the pool was empty. Only an idiot would be out there at night in winter. But the pool itself was kept at a comfortable temperature year-round.

  He changed swiftly and grabbed a towel. When he reached the pool, he ignored the iciness of the deck, took a deep breath of the cold air, and welcomed the slap of wind on his face. Anything to distract him from the torrents of unexplained frustration and anger that were swirling inside.

  Banishing all thoughts, Mitch dove into the water.

  * * *

  An hour later, Liana pulled her car into the underground parking garage. When she reached the condo, she thought she’d find Mitch watching some telly or out on the balcony, but the rooms were dark and empty.

  “Mitch?”

  Maybe he’s asleep? She walked to the master bedroom and knocked. “Mitch?”

  No answer. Odd. She pulled her phone out from her clutch. No messages. Liana frowned. Disappointment settled in the pit of her stomach. She had missed him this week. He had sent her a photo of the night view from his hotel room. All she saw was black, but it’d made her laugh.r />
  She entered her room to change and went to the window to draw the curtains. It was then she caught the movement below, in the hot tub on the pool deck. She was trying to decide if it were Mitch when the figure in question got up. She recognized his physique immediately.

  She watched him head back to the pool, diving in cleanly, then swimming. She had seen him play before, of course. On the field, he was aggressive, ruggedly so. But in the pool, he was graceful. His large frame pierced through the water so effortlessly, and the strength of his strokes propelled him forward with an elegance not usually associated with someone of his size. He was mesmerizing.

  When Mitch returned, Liana was in a sweater and track pants, heating up soup in the kitchen. The scent of warm bread filled the condo. She smiled nervously he came to the kitchen counter. His hair was still wet. She suddenly ached to see how it’d feel against her fingers.

  “Good swim? You must be a bit crazy, you know. It’s freezing,” she said, perhaps sounding a little too bright for that late at night.

  “I needed it. Whatever you’re cooking, it smells good.”

  “Soup. Are you hungry? I’m starving. I think all I managed to eat at the party was five pieces of appetizers. And I’m not even sure what they were,” Liana said, turning back to the stove. “It’s homemade. Nothing fancy, just your basic chicken noodle.”

  “I wasn’t hungry, but I am now,” Mitch admitted as he sat down.

  Liana placed a bowl in front of him and pulled the bread out from the oven. “You look better after the swim. You seemed a little... I don’t know... out of sorts at the party.”

  “Probably more tired than anything. We didn’t have the results we wanted from Brisbane, but there’s still time to fix what we need to for the World Championship. Barnsey and the rest of management are on overtime. I need and want to be as involved as I can to get us ready.”

  Liana placed the sliced baguette between them and pulled out another barstool to sit across from Mitch. “I know you’re in training, but can you take a glass of wine?”