Once Upon a Player

by Christina Phillips

  Until now.

  “Yes.” My voice is soft. “But so are you.”

  His slow grin dissolves the worry etched on his face, and it’s almost impossible to remind myself he’s leaving in a couple of weeks. I don’t want to think about that. I don’t want him to leave.

  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” He tucks my hair behind my ear, something he’s done a couple of times before, and it’s unbelievably gentle and sexy all rolled up together. “I’m transferring to Madrid for the new season. That’s not going to be a problem for us, is it?”

  I stare at him, speechless. Is he asking me if I’m up for a long distance relationship?

  Am I?

  “Um.” Jesus, Violet, stop being such a dork. But I literally never thought he’d ask such a thing, and my brain’s numb. How serious about me is he?

  “It’s only a couple of hours on a plane.”

  I hitch in a breath to try and kick start my brain. For someone like Lucas, hopping on a plane every weekend is probably no different than catching a taxi. And although I don’t want to spoil the rose-colored vision filling my mind, I can’t help thinking how the pounds will soon add up to something horrifically prohibitive.

  Does he want us to be exclusive? Not that I haven’t been exclusive, and, to be honest, I don’t think he’s gone out with another girl during the last month. Not that I know for sure, but considering how often we’ve seen each other…

  Am I jumping to conclusions?

  “It’s not a problem.” I manage to squeeze out the words before he thinks I hate the idea. Because I don’t. I love it. I still can’t quite believe it and have no clue how I’ll ever afford it, especially once my shifts at Sycamore Lodge end. And that reminds me—what about my weekend shifts there? That’s where I make most of my money.

  “Great.” He kisses me as though he’s sealing the deal, while I’m still floating on clouds and floundering with logistics. “Listen, about tonight. Do you mind if we go visit my dad first, before we go out? Mac and Harry’ll be there. And Alice. My sister’s totally pissed off with me, but she won’t rant if you’re there.”

  He gives me his disarming smile that’s captivated half the football-loving world, and I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to. Not only does he want us to keep dating when he leaves England, he wants me to meet his dad.

  This sure sounds serious to me.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Violet

  My happy bubble deflates when I arrive home and Dad’s car is parked on the drive. He’s never home this early. Not unless something’s wrong.

  Dread grips me, and my fingers are icy as I open the front door. Dad comes out from the kitchen and gives me a smile, but it’s obviously an effort.

  “What’s happened?” My voice is barely above a whisper as graphic memories of when I was so sure Mum was going to die flood my mind.

  Stop it. I can’t let something that happened when I was nine years old give me nightmares for the rest of my life.

  Yes, I can…

  “Nothing. Your mum’s asleep now.” He gives me a quick hug and kisses the top of my head. “She called me, and that’s a good thing.” We both know it’s not, because mum would only call him if she was desperate, but I know what he means. At least she didn’t struggle on by herself, pretending everything was fine. “We’re seeing her specialist on Thursday. They’ll probably change her meds or something.”

  I nod, more firmly than necessary in the hope that’ll make me feel more positive. “Good. Okay. So, um, is there anything I can do to help?”

  “You could pick Sam up from school.”

  That wasn’t what I meant, and he knows it, but I let it go. “Okay, no problem.”

  “Anyway.” He gives me a mock punch on the arm. “You okay with Lucas and everything?”

  A warm glow spreads through me, and I’m smiling before I can stop myself. How can I smile at a time like this? But even though I’m eaten up with worry about Mum, I can’t help the way Lucas makes me feel, even when he’s not here.

  “It’s all good. I’m meeting his dad tonight.”

  “Nice one. So, when are you bringing Lucas back here to meet me? I’ve got to make sure his intentions are honorable for my girl.”

  I groan. “Dad, please. It was bad enough when you phoned me on our very first date.”

  “Didn’t stop you having a second one, did it?”

  I smile and shake my head. “I’m going to get Sam. Won’t be long.”

  A couple of hours later I’m in my bedroom, neck deep in some VA work the agency’s sent me. Maybe I could see about getting more hours from them. I’ll look into it when my stint at Sycamore Lodge finishes.

  No, Vi. You should look into it before then, so you’re prepared.

  Good thinking. I write myself a reminder on my phone to contact the agency later this week.

  Katie calls, and I nearly let her go to voicemail. I’m so behind on the work, and I want to relax in the bath for half an hour before I get ready to go out, but of course I answer her. I’m dying to tell her the latest.

  “Violet, I just saw on the news that Lucas’s moving to Madrid. Did he even tell you that?” For someone who’s been reminding me this thing with Lucas is just a fling and nothing serious, she certainly sounds upset at the idea he’s moving on.

  “Yes, it’s cool.” Admittedly he didn’t tell me before the news broke, but I’m over that now. “We’re not breaking up or anything.”

  “He’ll be in Spain. How’s that going to work?”

  I don’t have the faintest idea, but if Lucas is willing to make it work, then so am I. “We haven’t figured out the details yet.”

  “Right,” she says, but it’s obvious by her tone she’s worried about me. And I can’t blame her. After all, she was there to pick up the pieces after Geoff. “As long as you’re happy about it.”

  “Yes, I am.” The thing is, I trust him, and if he’s serious about us then he’ll be faithful.

  Maybe that’s something I should talk to him about before I go jumping to conclusions?

  “Good. But I still haven’t met him.” Her subtext is clear, and she obviously has little faith in my own BS meter, despite believing me that he’s nothing like Geoff.

  “Well, we’ll have to try and arrange something before he leaves in a couple of weeks. Anyway, I have to go. I’ve got a heap of work to finish before he gets here.”

  “Okay.”

  I raise my eyebrows as she ends the call, as it’s not like Katie to be fobbed off, but whatever. I’m seeing her at work tomorrow, so we can talk then.

  After I emerge from the bathroom, I go into Mum’s room to say goodbye.

  “You look lovely,” she says, holding my hand. Lucas said it was strictly casual tonight, so I’m just wearing jeans with a new summer top. “Say hi to Lucas from me. I’m sorry I won’t get to meet him tonight.”

  I squeeze her fingers. “That’s okay. Are you sure you’re feeling better?”

  “I’ll be fine once they sort out my meds. Don’t you worry about it, sweetie. Just enjoy tonight, you hear me?”

  Before I can answer, the doorbell chimes. He’s early. I kiss Mum’s cheek. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning, okay?”

  Worry flashes across her face, and I don’t think it’s got anything to do with her pain. Guilt twists through me. I don’t want her stressing about me, but I don’t have a clue what to say because there’s no way I’m discussing my revived sex life with her.

  Luckily, Katie’s voice from downstairs distracts us both. Wait, Katie’s here?

  “I have to go.” I give Mum another kiss and go downstairs, not sure if it’s funny or annoying that my best friend has turned up to give my boyfriend the once-over.

  “Hey,” she says, all innocent, as I go into the front room where she and Dad are and Sam’s playing a game on his tablet. “I thought I’d bring next week’s work roster round for you.”

  The lie’s so blatant that
after a couple of seconds of silent disbelief, we both snort with laughter. “Thoughtful,” I tell her.

  “Yeah, I’m all heart.”

  We’re interrupted by the doorbell again, and I dash out of the room before Katie or Dad can do the honors. It’s Lucas, and he’s wearing an open-necked shirt and casual jeans. He looks as though he just strolled off the cover of a magazine. I give him a quick kiss and breathe in his intoxicating cologne before Katie and Dad saunter into the hallway.

  “Lucas, this is my dad.” I’ve never introduced him as my stepdad, and after Geoff met my family he told me that’s really weird, which hurt. But I’m not letting my ex dictate any part of my life anymore, and Lucas would never think something like that, in any case.

  “Pleased to meet you.” Lucas strides forward and shakes Dad’s hand, while Katie gives him a not-too-subtle, head-to-toe eyeball.

  “Same,” Dad says.

  “And my friend Katie.”

  “Hello, Lucas,” she says in the posh, upper-crust voice she uses when on the phone at work. I glare daggers at her, which she ignores as she holds Lucas’s hand longer than strictly necessary. “I’ve heard so much about you from Violet.”

  “Not all bad, I hope.” He grins at her, and she must thaw a bit because she smiles back.

  “Not all of it, no.” At least she’s dropped the fake accent, which is a clear indication that she doesn’t entirely disapprove of him.

  “So, Lucas,” Dad says, and then they talk football for a couple of minutes while Katie and I communicate by way of facial expressions and eye rolls behind Lucas’s back. It’s a little surreal, and I have the terrible feeling I’m going to laugh if this keeps up much longer.

  “Daaaaaad,” Sam whines as he comes into the hall. He stops dead, and his mouth drops open as he gazes at Lucas.

  “My kid brother,” I supply, helpfully.

  “Oh. My. GOD.” Sam has a real flair for the dramatic sometimes. “You’re Lucas Carter! That header you scored against Arsenal was the best strike of last year.”

  I really should’ve arranged to meet Lucas at his place.

  “Hey.” Lucas gives my brother a high five, and the thrill on Sam’s face is priceless. “You follow United?”

  This prompts Sam to tell Lucas just how much he loves United, and every player in the club, and he feels the need to name everyone individually, just in case Lucas wasn’t aware who he’s played with. He also gives Lucas a rundown of all his greatest career moments, including where he was born and what age he was when he signed his first professional contract.

  “Right, Sam,” Dad says, clapping him on the back, but Sam doesn’t get the hint and grabs Lucas’s hand with the intention of dragging him upstairs to show him all the posters on his bedroom wall.

  Posters and bedroom wall give me gruesome flashbacks to Monica’s comment in Overton’s, so I grasp my brother’s wrist and attempt to dislodge his death grip on Lucas.

  “Another time,” I lie, because seriously, there’s no way Lucas is ever going to want to come round here again, even if he wasn’t flying off to Spain at the end of the month.

  “I’d love to see all your posters,” Lucas says. “But Violet’s right. Can we do it another time? I’m seeing my dad tonight, and I can’t be late.”

  Oh, my heart. How adorable is that?

  Sam gives a loud, long-suffering sigh. “I suppose so.”

  “How about I give your sister some specially signed swag for you? From my new club?”

  Sam’s eyes light up, and it takes another few minutes of endless questions from my brother and patient explanations from my boyfriend before Sam allows us to leave.

  I snatch up my overnight bag from the foot of the stairs, and as Dad closes the door behind us, he gives me a small nod. Not that it would make any difference if he didn’t approve of Lucas or anything, but I’m glad he likes him.

  Honestly, if I weren’t already besotted by him, the way he treated my brother would’ve tipped the scales. All Geoff did when Sam went football crazy on him was pat his head like he was a drooling puppy.

  “You’ve got a fan for life with Sam now,” I tell Lucas as I get in the car.

  He shoots me a smile that makes me want to forget about meeting his dad and go straight to his penthouse. “He’s great.”

  “He has his moments,” I concede. “Mum said hi. She’s sorry she couldn’t see you, but she’s a bit under the weather.”

  He glances at me. “Is she okay?”

  I have the scary urge to tell him the truth—that I don’t know and we’re hoping her specialist can wave a magic wand on Thursday. But I know from bitter experience that generally people don’t want to talk about stuff like that, and while my friends at school were always sympathetic—up until the Great Betrayal—the most acceptable answer to this question is always she’ll be fine, thanks.

  Not that Lucas is anything like my former friends, and Katie’s always been fantastic, but still. Once I start talking about Mum I’ll get all upset and over-emotional, as my shitty ex once told me, and right now is hardly the time or place.

  “Not really.” Fuck. Where did that come from? I scrabble to backtrack before he wants to know more details. “Well, you know. I mean she’ll be fine.”

  Since we’re obviously serious now, with the whole promise of a long-distance relationship, I am going to tell him about Mum’s health issues, but I need to find the right moment.

  Maybe Thursday, once we’ve got the latest from her specialist.

  …

  Lucas

  I glance at Violet, but she’s staring straight ahead and clearly has no intention of saying any more about her mum. Is there any more? Or am I imagining it?

  Since I don’t want to explore that possibility—as it’ll inevitably suck me into the pit of my brain where jagged memories of my own mum lurk—I change the subject.

  “My mate Jax is doing a leaving party on Thursday night.” He called to tell me that earlier today. Thursday is cutting it fine, since he and the rest of the lads won’t be back from tour until that morning, but it suits me. “Please don’t tell me you’ve got a shift at Sycamore Lodge that night.”

  I toss her a grin, because it’s a rhetorical comment. There’s no way I’m going to my own leaving party without Violet.

  “No, I’m free.” She smiles back, and I hold her hand for a few seconds until I need to change gear. “Is that Jax from your club?”

  “The same. He’s great.”

  “So, he’s another one who’s nothing like his public rep?” Her tone is teasing, and I laugh.

  “Yeah, but don’t let him know I told you that. He’s very proud of that rep.”

  It doesn’t take long before we arrive at my family home in Notting Hill. Harry’s Range Rover is parked on the drive, and I pull up behind it.

  “I love this house.” Violet’s gazing out of the window with a rapt expression. I’ve never given the place I grew up in a second thought before, but I guess the Tudor-Gothic style is kind of impressive.

  “Wait until you see inside. Most of the furniture’s ancient.”

  “Oh, wow.” There’s a reverential note in her voice, and I have the sudden, crazy, vision of showing her Mum’s office, with all the Queen Anne furniture that Violet loves so much.

  Not fucking likely. Don’t even know why I thought it. I haven’t been in that room for six years.

  We let ourselves in, and I can almost hear her brain working overtime as she gazes around the hall. It’s true the whole house could do with a makeover, but it’s also true that’s never going to happen. Not if Dad has a say. And, to be honest, I don’t want to change anything here, either.

  “This is so perfect,” she whispers, and squeezes my fingers. I can’t resist and kiss her. She’s so sweet and gorgeous, and I slide my other hand around the back of her neck, holding her close.

  Never gonna let you go. I can’t wait until we move to Madrid. Bec’s hunting down suitable property for me to look at, and Violet
can redecorate and redesign the whole place however she wants.

  “I’d say get a room, but that’d just be rude.” Mackenzie’s exasperated voice penetrates my fogged brain, and I reluctantly release Violet, who has the sexiest blush on her cheeks.

  “Hey, Mac.” I wrap my arm around Violet’s waist, and we make our way toward my sister, who’s standing with her arms crossed by the door to the sitting room.

  Mac ignores me. “Hi, Violet. Dad’s looking forward to meeting you.”

  Dad and Margo, an old family friend, are on one sofa, Harry and Alice on the other, and Will’s sprawled on the piano seat, a smirk on his face. He already knows my news, as I called him after seeing Violet earlier today, and it’s no surprise he’s here. He’s as much part of the family as the peeling paintwork.

  “Lucas,” Dad says as he stands up and strolls over to me. He shoots Violet a bemused glance. “Mackenzie tells me congratulations are in order.”

  “Thanks. Violet, this is my dad. Dad, this is Violet.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” Violet says.

  Dad blinks at her. It’s obvious the fact I’ve brought a girl here—one who isn’t Yolanda—has completely perplexed him. He’s a genius, but he sure isn’t great in normal social situations.

  Funny I’ve never realized that before.

  “Splendid,” he says, offering her his hand. “It’s marvelous to finally meet one of Lucas’s girlfriends.”

  What the fuck? I glower at him before catching Violet trying not to laugh. Obviously, she’s not fazed by Dad’s off the wall comment.

  “Daddy.” Mac slips her arm through his and pats his hand. “Violet isn’t one of Lucas’s girlfriends. They’re dating. Like Harry and Alice.”

  “Ah,” Dad says, although he looks none the wiser. “Good. So, are you at university or, ah…?”

  “I’m at college studying interior design.”

  “She revamped Lucas’s place,” Mac says. “It looks fantastic.”

  Margo joins us, and I do the intros. “Delighted to meet you, Violet,” Margo says. Violet smiles politely, and it’s clear, to me at least, she hasn’t the faintest idea that Margo’s the anchor for the BBC’s most popular current affairs program.