Page 92 of Matched Up

Grace.

I smiled at her because I didn’t know what to say, and because I was still enjoying the relief of finding out who she was.

She laughed, her face now bright red.‘You have no idea how happy we are.Shane is the best coach ever!’Then she ran off to the other pitch to join her team.

‘Best coach ever,’ Raj muttered, rolling his eyes.

‘She seems nice,’ I said.

‘They’re all nice.’Shane smiled.

‘What about you, mate?How are you doing with everything?’Raj’s tone was low, serious.

I looked at Shane to catch his reaction.

He hesitated for a second then burst into life.‘Ah yeah, man, all good.I’ve got some support now.’Shane elbowed me and I leaned into him.

‘I’m glad to hear that.Oh, and the under-nines have been asking for you now that they know you’re back.Sorry, you know I can’t lie.They’ve a match after and are asking if you could stick around?’Raj looked at Shane apologetically.‘They really missed you coaching.’

‘You coached kids?’I said.

Just when I thought I couldn’t love him any more.

‘Yeah, just a bit.I wasn’t very good at it,’ he said.

‘Don’t talk shite,’ said Raj, laughing.‘You were the best coach we had.Didn’t you hear what Grace said?’

‘Of course I’ll hang around,’ Shane said.

‘Thanks, mate, they’ll be buzzing.’

‘Is that OK with you?I know we were supposed to hang out after.Would you stay too?’Shane asked me.

‘Of course.’I couldn’t wait to see him coaching.

He grinned at me, and I had to stop myself from kissing him again.‘Should we start this warm-up then?’

He took my hand, and we walked over to join our new team.

33

I have never laughed so much in a football match.Correction: I’d never laughed in a football match.And we lost.Nine–nil.But it had never been more fun.Nobody cared if you messed up.Missed a pass?They just laughed at you and tried to get it back.Own goal?They took the piss.But it was all in good humour, no side-eyes or straight-up balling someone out for missing a chance.And when the game was over, I couldn’t shake the grin from my face.

Shane slung his arm round my shoulders.‘Have fun?’he asked into my hair, sending electricity the whole way down my spine.

‘It feels wrong to say yes,’ I replied and wiped sweat from my brow.

‘Nah, that’s what I loved about it here.Winning, losing, it didn’t matter.Everyone here just loves the game, even if they’re crap,’ he said and laughed.

But I barely got to talk to Shane because about six eight-year-olds had swarmed around him.

‘Mister!You’re back!’

‘Are you going to be our coach again?’

‘Raj is shite at coaching; we need you back.’

I laughed.Shane was laughing too, trying to calm them down.

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