Final Score (47 page)

‘Really,’ she whispered, twisting the ring round and round her finger.

‘You might want to stop doing that, then.’

She looked up, her eyes meeting Ronnie’s. ‘What?’

‘Twisting that ring round and round like that. It could give off the wrong signal.’

She pulled her hand away as if it were on fire. ‘We should be getting back. Rico needs his nap.’

‘He looks like he’s napping just fine there to me.’

‘I’m tired, Ronnie. I want to go back to the villa and just lie by the pool, listen to some music…’

‘Shut out my nagging.’

She looked at him, smiling slightly. ‘Yeah. Exactly.’

‘Okay,’ he sighed, standing up and flicking the brake off Rico’s pushchair. ‘Sounds like a plan to me. I’ve got a few hours yet before I have to head back to London.’

‘What time’s your flight?’

‘Not until eight-thirty tonight. I would have stayed another day but they need me to cover
Scoreline
tomorrow, seeing as you’re here. I’m kind of guessing they’d prefer to have you back on board, though. You’re far prettier, and I’m sure the viewing figures go up when you wear that yellow dress and those pink heels.’

‘You need to stop hanging around with Kevin when you’re back up north. His sexism is starting to rub off on you.’

He smiled at her, reaching out to take her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. ‘I don’t want our relationship to be like this, Amber. I want us to be close again. Like we used to be. This tension, I hate it. I want my girl back. I want my best friend.’

‘And you know what you have to do, Ronnie. Just deal with the fact me and Jim – we’re together. And that isn’t going to change. No matter what happens.’

*

‘Can I have a word, Ryan?’

‘What are
you
doing up here?’ Ryan asked, surprised to find his agent standing there, unannounced, on his doorstep.

‘I need to talk to you.’

‘That sounds ominous. What have I done now?’

‘Nothing. Not unless there’s something you’ve omitted to tell me.’

‘Jesus, wipe that look off your face, will you? You could try trusting me, for once.’

‘Can I come in?’

‘Oh, yeah, sorry.’ Ryan stood aside to let Max through, closing the door behind him. ‘Amber’s okay, isn’t she?’

‘Amber’s fine, as far as I know. Would have thought you’d know more about that than me.’

‘Haven’t spoken to her for a couple of days.’ Ryan followed Max into the kitchen, leaning back against the counter, his hands in his pockets. ‘She did send me a picture of Rico yesterday, though. With some of his Spanish family. I love that kid so fucking much, Max. And when I see him with her…’

Max watched as Ryan trailed off, his eyes lowering to stare at the floor. ‘You okay?’

Ryan looked up. ‘I’m fine. You want something to drink?’

‘Coffee would be good.’

He turned to grab the jar of coffee from the shelf, spooning some out into the machine, switching it on and turning back to face his agent. ‘What’s up, Max? It’s quite obvious now that you haven’t come all the way up here to bollock me, which is good, because I’ve actually been a very good boy lately. So, you gonna tell me why you are
here?’

‘There’s nothing wrong, Ryan. It’s just that, with the end of the season looming, I thought it was time to talk about what happens next.’

‘What happens next?’

‘Your contract’s up at the end of the season, so, we need to start thinking about what’s best for you now. What the next step is.’

Ryan frowned, folding his arms as he looked at Max. ‘We know what my next step is. We’ve already talked about this. Now the latest round of crap is behind me, I’m looking for a London club.’

‘That’s what you want?’

‘Yeah, that’s what I want, what’s the matter with you? You know all this, Max. I owe Newcastle Red Star a hell of a lot, and I’ll be forever grateful to them for the help they’ve given me and the trust they’ve put in me. I’m sure a lot of clubs would have just washed their hands of me by now. But I want to be near my son. I want to be near Rico. So, if they
do
offer me a new contract, I won’t be taking it. You got that?’

Max nodded. This kid really had grown up. Could what Max was about to do set him back, rather than make things better?

‘You’ve been putting feelers out, right?’ Ryan asked, his voice breaking into Max’s thoughts.

‘Sorry, what?’

‘London clubs. You’ve been seeing what’s out there, who’s interested. Haven’t you?’

‘Oh, yeah. Yeah. I’ve been working on something.’

Ryan’s frown deepened. ‘Working on something? What’s
that
mean?’

Max turned his head to look out of the window, taking a brief second to gather his thoughts. ‘There’s an opportunity, Ryan. For a player like you.’ He finally turned back to face Ryan. ‘More money than you could ever imagine, a relocation package that is out of this world…’

‘A London club?’

Max briefly looked down, taking a deep breath before he faced Ryan again. ‘L.A.’

Ryan said nothing for a few seconds. He just stared at his agent as though he were trying to work out whether he was joking or not. ‘I’m… sorry. L.A.?’

‘The American game is growing bigger every year, Ryan. Some of their teams are attracting world-class players, some real big names – you could be a star over there.’

‘I’m a frigging star over here, Max, why the hell would I want to go to fucking L.A.?’

‘Okay, listen… just, hear me out. Hear me out.’

Ryan pushed a hand through his hair. ‘London clubs, Max. I asked you to look at
London
clubs who were interested in me, so why would you even think about L.A.?’

Max took another deep breath, trying to stay composed. The last thing he needed was for Ryan to think
he
was as unsure of this whole situation as his young player was. ‘If you move to London, Ryan, this… this dangerous cycle of you and Amber…’

‘Whoa, okay. Hold it right there. You don’t think I should move to London because you think I’m just going to spend all my time pursuing my ex-girlfriend?’

‘Well, no, that isn’t what I was going to say, but…’

‘But it’s what you mean?’

‘You’re still in love with her, Ryan. And don’t stand there and tell me you aren’t, because I can see it. Every time I look at you I see it.’

‘It isn’t a fucking crime to love somebody, Max. And this has got nothing to do with which club I move to next…’

‘It’s got
everything
to do with it, Ryan. And you know that.’

‘No, hang on. Because you seem to think I’m still hell-bent on getting Amber back, your professional opinion is that I should move halfway across the frigging world?’

‘It’s not my professional opinion, Ryan. My professional opinion is that you are a world-class player, and staying in the UK isn’t going to hurt your career at all.’

Ryan stared at him, his eyes wide and questioning.

‘I’ve been with you for so long, kiddo. I’ve been with you through some incredible highs and some devastating lows. And I just don’t want anything to put your career at risk again.’

‘And, you think if I’m too close to Amber that’s gonna happen, is that it? You… you can’t trust me to just get on with it, to forget all that.’

‘
Can
you forget all that, Ryan?’ Max stared back, his eyes asking their own set of questions. ‘Can you live near her and not want what you once had? Can you honestly stand there and tell me you can cope with seeing her and Jim Allen together all the time? Believe me, Ryan, they are one hot couple right now. Everyone wants to know them, everyone wants to talk to them, and you are gonna be seeing them everywhere. Everywhere, Ryan. Can you honestly cope with that?’

Ryan said nothing for a beat or two. ‘I need to be near my son, Max.’

‘Can you cut yourself off from his mum?’

Ryan broke the stare, turning his head away, raking a hand through his hair.

‘Ryan?’

‘I don’t know, Max.’ His voice was quiet, almost a whisper.

‘A “don’t know” isn’t good enough, son.’

Ryan turned back to face his agent, confusion sweeping over him so fast he felt dizzy. ‘It’s all I have.’ But there was one thing that was clear in his mind now. This game wasn’t over. He could still win it. He could. Because, if there was one thing Ryan Fisher didn’t do, it was give up without a fight. So this game, it really wasn’t over.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

‘Where are
you
going?’ Debbie asked, shielding her eyes from the sun as she closed her car door and walked over towards Ryan’s house.

‘Majorca,’ Ryan replied, throwing a holdall into the back of a taxi. ‘Managed to get a late-afternoon flight.’

‘Erm, does Dave French know you’re popping off to the Balearics for an impromptu holiday?’

‘What’s he gonna do, Debbie? Sack me? My contract’s up in a couple of weeks. And it isn’t a holiday.’

Debbie leaned back against Ryan’s black Jaguar, watching as he said something to the taxi driver. ‘Does Amber know you’re on your way?’

‘No.’

‘Shouldn’t you tell her?’

‘She’ll find out in a couple of hours, won’t she? Have you got her address over there?’

‘You don’t know where she’s staying?’

‘I know she’s in Palma Nova.’

‘Then maybe you should call her. Find out exactly where she’s staying.’

‘Jesus, Debbie, come on. Just give me her address, okay? I need to get to the airport.’

Debbie’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him. ‘Why are you going over there, Ryan?’

‘My son’s over there, Debbie.’

‘She’s bringing him home in a couple of days.’

‘Yeah, and home to her is London now.’

‘Newcastle Red Star’s next match is in London. At the weekend. You’ll be seeing Rico then, surely.’

‘Have you got her address, Debbie? Please. This is really important.’

Debbie continued to stare him out for a few more seconds, folding her arms and cocking her head slightly. ‘She’s married, Ryan.’

‘So people keep telling me.’

‘Please tell me you’re not going over there to mess with her head because she is happy now. She’s happy.’

‘I’ll ask Max,’ he said, opening the taxi door. ‘He’ll know where she’s staying.’

‘Where’s
he
off to?’ Gary asked, joining Debbie on Ryan’s driveway.

‘Majorca,’ Debbie replied, taking out her phone.

‘Majorca? Ryan, what the fuck are you doing? Does the boss know…?’

Debbie looked at Gary, shaking her head.

‘He’s gonna go frigging ballistic, mate, you know that, don’t you?’

‘Yeah, he knows,’ Debbie sighed, handing her phone over to Ryan. ‘Here. That’s where she’s staying. A little villa near the marina.’

Ryan took the phone, scribbling down the address on the back of a card he pulled out of his pocket. ‘Thanks.’

‘I’m not even getting involved…’ Gary said, turning and walking back towards his own house.

‘You won’t tell her, will you?’ Ryan asked, his eyes almost pleading with Debbie.

‘I should.’

‘Debbie, please.’

‘What are you playing at, Ryan? I thought this was all over. Can’t you just accept that she’s made her choice? And that choice is Jim.’

Ryan shook his head, shoving the card back in his pocket. ‘I’ll see you in a day or so.’

‘Ryan!’

But it was too late. He’d already closed the taxi door. His mind was made up. And nobody was going to stop him.

*

‘Please tell me you’re naked.’

‘I can
tell
you I’m naked, but it wouldn’t entirely be the truth.’

‘Just humour me, Amber, I’m dying here.’

‘You haven’t had sex for a few days, Jim, it’s hardly a matter of life and death. Surely a couple of days’ rest wouldn’t do a man of your age any harm.’

‘Oh, that’s right. Make me feel good about myself, go on.’

Amber laughed quietly down the phone, sitting back on the couch that faced the huge French doors in her rented villa; doors that looked out onto that stunning view of the sea and the marina. The sun was just beginning to set and the colours it was giving off were nothing short of beautiful. ‘I wish you were here,’ she whispered, and she meant it. She wished he were there more than anything. This time away had been welcomed, and she’d enjoyed it. But missing him was becoming too much now. Her ache was becoming a physical pain. All she could think about were his kisses and his arms holding her; all she could think about was the sex they’d have the second she was through their front door.

‘I wish I was there, too, baby.’

She smiled, sliding a hand up her dress. ‘Do you
want
me to get naked?’

She felt a small wave of excitement wash over her as he groaned down the line. ‘Take your panties off.’

She felt that excitement rise as she hooked her fingers into the sides of her knickers, slowly sliding them off. ‘Done. Now what?’

‘Jesus, Amber… haven’t you got Skype over there? Get yourself in front of a computer, honey, and open those legs for your husband because he really is dying here.’

‘No Skype, darling. You’re just going to have to use your imagination. Now, what do you want me to do next?’

‘Touch yourself.’

‘Already doing it.’

‘I can’t do this… baby, I need you so badly right now.’

‘You know what you need to do, then, don’t you?’

‘You’re leaving me no choice, beautiful…’

‘I’m still touching myself.’

‘Are you wet?’

‘Soaking.’

Another groan down the line, and Amber smiled to herself.

‘Put your fingers inside, Amber.’

She closed her eyes as she slowly slid her fingers inside herself, opening her legs wider. ‘I’m putting you on speaker phone,’ she said, laying her phone down on the couch beside her. ‘I need two hands for this.’

‘Amber, honey, I am so close…’

She threw her head back, biting down on her lip as her fingers pushed deeper, her other hand stroking the part of her that was crying out to be touched, and she moaned quietly, for his benefit more than anything, as she felt that all-familiar wave start to wash over her. ‘I’m coming, too, baby,’ she breathed, rubbing faster, pushing harder, digging deeper, her legs open as wide as they could go, and as that wave finally finished its journey, as her self-inflicted climax hit her like a shock to the system, she cried out his name, pushing down to make sure she felt every second, every tingle.