Page 114 of The Alternate Captain
“Just want to add more net-front presence against these guys, but—what’s wrong?” he asks, frowning.
I lower my voice. “I don’t know how serious this is, but I just had one of the guys tell me that they saw Rodgers with pills. And I figured you’d have a good idea if he was on anything official from the doc or whatever.”
“For Christ’s sake.” Coach presses the clipboard to Springy’s chest before striding away towards the dressing room.
“I had a feeling this would come and bite us in the ass,” Springy says. “His stats were good, and he was cheap. The GM told us it was an easy decision. It figures.”
I nod, considering it for a moment, but then a flurry of people crowd the benches.
“Finish readying up, Johnny. I’ll see you shortly.”
I head back towards the dressing room, just in time to see Matt Rodgers coming out of the same office I went into with Robbo, looking nervous as hell.
I drag Tomalongwith me when I meet Charlotte for lunch. She called me out of the blue and said she was in town and needed to tell me something. And she’d be coming alone.
We agree to meet at a café in the city centre. Charlotte is already waiting for us; she springs to her feet, waving and gesturing for us to join her, and after all the usual pleasantries, we sit down and browse the tatty menu.
“So, Lyla’s pregnant,” Charlotte says.
Her tone is so casual, I wonder if I’ve misheard her.
“Excuse me? Did you say...?”
“Yes. Pregnant. Lyla. She’s pregnant. And she’s keeping the baby, which is fine and all, but she doesn’t know who the father is.”
Tom and I gape at one another as if we’re featuring in one of those TV shows where someone pops out from behind a screen and tells you that you’re being filmed. But when I glance back at Charlotte, I see she’s never been more serious in all her life.
“Yep. She cheated on me, and it all came out when we met up for the date with you and Johnny, Kel. It’s been a rollercoaster ride since she lied about it. But we’ve split up for good and she’s been trying to get me to forgive her, asking for me back and all that. I can’t even look at her, let alone take her back.”
“Well, shit. I’m sorry that happened to you, Char,” I say.
“Why are we in a café?” Tom says. “Why aren’t we drinking? I mean, I could use a drink, and this sounds like a conversation for a drink.”
“You could always use a drink,” I say.
“No, he’s right,” Charlotte says, twisting in her seat to pull her coat from the back of the chair. “Let’s get out of here. Let’s find a bar or something.”
I’m practically dragged out of the café by Tom and Charlotte as they lead the way.
We walk up the high street and dip into the first place we walk past that looks open. It’s not somewhere I’d usually go, since it looks upmarket, but Charlotte waves a credit card she pertains to be Lyla’s and drags us into the bar.
I don’t feel overly comfortable having drinks on Lyla’s card, but when Charlotte tells me she owes her five hundred quid, I give in.
“Our entire relationship was a complete nightmare, when I think about it,” Charlotte says, tapping her card on the reader. “And what makes it worse—she told me she hates men. Like actually hates them. I hate liars.”
My cheeks flame red, and I’m just about to open my mouth to come clean to Charlotte—even though now may not be the time to do it—when a blonde I recognise pushes the door open and ambles inside.
I stare at her for a moment, my mind wandering from the conversation as I wonder where I remember her from. Then it clicks. It’s Sarah, Johnny’s ex.
“... Kel thinks so too.” Tom nudges my arm.
“Huh?” I tear my eyes away from Sarah.
“Darren. The whole drama with him and what’s-her-face. All a complete shitstorm too.”
“Oh, yeah,” I say, letting my eyes wander back to Sarah.
She’s taking her coat off and draping it over the back of a chair, revealing her tiny figure. My face flushes with embarrassment. What is Johnny thinking getting involved with me?
