Page 23 of Keeping the Single Dad
Sean followed my gaze. A mean smile pulled at his lips, and he whacked me on the chest. “Great rack, but I wouldn’t get too attached if I were you. She’s fucked most of this team. She’s trying to collect us like football cards in an album.”
My temper flared and sharpened my voice. “You don’t talk about women like that around me.”
“Relax. I’m kidding.” He frowned and held his hands up in mock surrender.
My gaze flew back to Lana, and my stomach hardened with jealousy. Did these two have history? Had this cocky wee bastard been pawing all over her in the past? Had she moaned for him the way she’d moaned for me???
Sean inclined his head to the goal. “Come on, then. Get in there. I can tell my old man I got one past Alexander McAllister.”
I’d like to see you get one past me, you arrogant shite.
Sean trotted to stand opposite me at the ten yard line. I patted my gloved hands together and prepared myself. He might have been a prick, but he was also a phenomenal talent. Sean blasted the ball at me. I dived. The ball hit my chest, knocking the breath from my lungs. Still, I’d kept it from going over the line.
I jogged to Sean and handed him the ball. “Nice try.”
His eyes narrowed. “It was a goal.”
“No. I got there for it, pal.”
“No. You didn’t,pal.” A sudden chill hung on the edge of his words.
He glared at me, his nostrils flared with fury. I knew better than to go up against a hothead like Sean Wallace. It wasn’t as if we’d ever know the truth of it without watching a playback.
I eased my lips into a smile. “Fine. It was a goal if you say so, pal. No problem.”
?“Are you taking the piss?” His voice was cold and lashing.
A small group of players gathered closer. Sean chuckled, icily, but no one else made a sound. The shouting from the women’s team on the pitch next door rushed to fill the tense hush.
I kept my face level. “This is just training. It doesn’t matter.”
“It fucking matters to me.” Sean raked both hands through his golden hair and glowered at me like a toddler having a meltdown.?
Aiden, one of the young strikers, put a hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Why don’t you take a minute, mate.”
Sean shrugged his teammate off, picked up the ball, and booted it far into the distance. With one last withering look in my direction, he stormed off. The team stared off at him in stunned silence, before chatter broke out. What the hell was that?
Aiden sighed and flicked some mud from his kit. “Don’t take it personally. He’s not normally this bad. Did you see the news this morning? He’s had some kiss-and-tell story come out. It doesn’t make him sound good.”
Josh, one of the midfielders, tugged at his football jersey. “That’s putting it mildly. I doubt if he’ll ever get laid again. A load of women have come forward to testify what a lousy shag he is.”?
I couldn’t help my frown. The team was only as strong as the captain. Sean Wallace needed to get himself together, or we’d all be a mess. Everyone knew you had to ignore the stuff in the news. Press attention was part of the territory. I kept my nose clean and out of the tabloids these days. I had a son to think about. Besides, I was so boring there was nothing to print about me. My partying days were behind me.
Aiden toed the ground with his football boots. “Don’t listen to any of the crap Sean says. He’s threatened by you.”
“By me? Why?”
Aiden smiled. “Are you kidding? Because you’re a legend. You were my favorite trading card when I was a kid.”
I snorted. “Okay, now you are making me feel old.”
“The point is, none of us have played in a world cup. Sean knows that. He’ll try to wind you up, but don’t let him.” Aiden nudged me in the ribs. “You definitely saved that goal. We all saw it.”
Josh shielded his eyes from the drizzle. “It’s Dan’s birthday tonight. It’s a good chance to meet the rest of the guys. It’s going to be carnage…”
My stomach dropped. That was the last thing I needed. An evening with a bunch of twenty-year-olds getting drunk out of their skulls. I’d lost interest in all that years ago. “I promised my son I’d take him bowling tonight, and I don’t drink in the season.”
Aiden smiled. “Me neither, mate. I’m on the lemonades. You should still come for one at least?” His gaze drifted to the other pitch. “Most of the women’s team are coming, too. It’ll be fun.”
