‘They’ve won,’ I say. ‘They’ve won!’
Her head shoots up, her eyes going back to the pitch and her grin is so wide, her eyes are tearing up. And then I understand it; this isn’t about the football. It wasn’t the match that kept distracting her when I tried to continue our discussion about their charity initiatives abroad. It seems she suffers the same condition as me when her man is within viewing distance. Not that Valentine is my man, not at all, but as my eyes drift to his, now dancing, his grin so broad on his handsome face as he applauds the players on the pitch, I can’t deny how the sight of him makes me feel.
Adele gives a soft laugh. ‘You’d think after all these years of watching him play I’d be used to it, but I swear it only gets worse.’
‘I can imagine.’
‘It’s a little like love, I guess,’ she carries on, her eyes wistful. ‘You think you’ll get accustomed to it, loving your man, but in actual fact you only ever love them more.’
I frown as I consider her words. Nathan and I were comfortable... I would definitely say I grew accustomed to my feelings for him. There was never the intense spark, the intense attraction that I feel around Valentine, so intense it makes me feel rather uncomfortable.
‘Everything good here, ladies?’
Valentine is suddenly beside us, my thoughts preventing me from noticing his approach and now I’m unprepared, my body sizzling with awareness, with heat.
‘Absolutely.’ I smile at Adele, hoping I’m not as flushed as I feel. Lobster skin and a white dress. No, just no. ‘We should go and get a glass of champagne to celebrate, before we’re inundated by your husband and his teammates.’
She laughs and smiles up at Valentine. ‘She’s a treasure; I wish you’d introduced us years ago.’
She pats his chest in a very familiar gesture and I realise that they are friends too. That he hasn’t just brought me to meet influential acquaintances; these are his friends. I shouldn’t be surprised. But I don’t know; he just seems so reserved, so measured, so controlled... Not so much after you cracked him, though.
‘I only had the pleasure of meeting her recently myself.’ He grins at me and I want to mute my brain that is talking so much gibberish as I adjust to this side of him and his life.
‘You’ve known each other long then?’
‘Oh, years and years,’ Adele says, leaning into him a little. ‘He used to train with Louis but a silly little stunt one night ended up screwing his right foot—his extra-talented foot—for good.’
‘You weren’t even on the scene then,’ Valentine corrects her.
‘No, but I know all about it! Louis dined out on that tale for years.’
‘I’m so glad my misery was such a great source of entertainment.’
‘Your misery?’ She raises her eyebrows at him. ‘Your stupidity, you mean.’
‘I won the bet though.’ He grins back and I absorb this extra titbit, fascinated by their easy camaraderie over something that surely must have been devastating for Valentine at the time. Even more fascinated by the surprising idea of Valentine as a stunt performing footballer.
‘You used to train together? With Louis? At football?’
‘Back in our teens, yeah.’
‘You were a professional footballer?’ I say, still struggling to take it in.
He nods. ‘Never quite made it into the first team though.’
‘No,’ Adele pipes up. ‘Your wild antics saw to that.’
Wild? Valentine?
Now I really do want to laugh but I manage to hold it in, not my surprise though, that’s written all over my face as his eyes narrow on me.
‘You could say I learned my lesson the hard way,’ he says to me, like he’s daring me to question any of it.
‘You wouldn’t change what you do now though,’ Adele says. ‘It’s obvious you enjoy it, and you’re your own boss, none of the playing up to the fans, gruelling training sessions, competition nerves... Seriously, I keep telling Louis he’s got to think about retiring soon.’
Valentine chuckles. ‘Good luck with that. Now why don’t I go and get those drinks...’
‘I’ll go.’ I reach out, my hand gentle on his arm. I still need the breather and a chance to clear my head. ‘Then Adele can tell me all about the wild things you got up to in your youth.’
She chuckles as I walk away and I hear Valentine grumble something I can’t quite make out. But, truth is, I’d struggle to hear anything over my head that’s roaring so loudly with this new version of the man I know. Was it the so-called ‘stunt’ that made him so... I don’t want to say boring. Christ, he’s anything but boring now. Thursday night drowned out that impression of the man.
And now I want to know everything. Like, did he truly learn his lesson the hard way?
Did ending his football career ruin his life’s dream and create this tamer, more conservative version of him? Or was it something else?
And just how wild was he?
And how can he sit there and judge me when he’s done his ‘crazy’ and then some?
I smile all the more, my mind puzzling over it as I obtain our drinks and wander back outside to the viewing seats and find him still with Adele, chatting animatedly about something. Even seeing him like this is different.
I offer Adele one of the glasses.
‘I’m afraid I didn’t grab you one, Valentine. I wasn’t sure what soft drink you’d fancy, and it doesn’t help me pursue my goal if you’re within earshot.’
He grimaces as Adele laughs.
‘I really do like this one, Valentine. Can we keep her?’
I almost spurt my drink everywhere. ‘I like you too. If I’d known football attracted such like-minded women, I’d have got into it years ago.’
Valentine groans. ‘What have I let myself in for? I hope
