Page 105 of Playing for Keeps
Almost as soon as he’d put his phone down, it began ringing. Udo’s first thought was it would be Steven. Yet it was too early. He’d still be at Newby Park with Javier.
He frowned when he saw Adam was calling.
“Skipper?”
“Hiya, mate.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Why don’t you pack a bag and kip here for a few nights? It’s shit what you’re going through and you shouldn’t be alone.”
This touched Udo beyond belief.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said.
“I know I don’t have to,” Adam replied. “But I’d like to. Come on.”
“Thank you.”
After packing a bag, Udo set off. The reporters at his gates barked their incessant questions but he ignored them.
Thank God for tinted windows.
As he drove through a small village that lay between his and Adam’s house, he pulled over. There was an amazing Thai takeaway that he and Steven had used on more than one occasion. It would be good manners to turn up with their dinner.
He hopped out of the car. On the little street lay a pub with the usual collection of smokers congregated outside.
“Holtmann!”
Udo turned to see a red-faced man approaching at speed.
Fuck.
“Hello,” Udo said to the man.
“I’ve been a Brockton FC fan for forty years. People like you are ruining my team.”
The force at which those words were served to him made Udo take a step back. Rage filled this man’s face.
“I’m sorry that you feel that.”
“I bloody do feel that. The fans think you should walk. I agree with them.”
Udo hadn’t been paying much attention to social media. Down that road madness lay.
“I have a contract,” Udo replied. “I can’t do that even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.”
The man stared at him with venom. “There’s no room for your sort. Do us all a favour and disappear.”
He stormed off toward the pub before Udo had a chance to respond. Which was handy because he had absolutely no idea what to say.
All thoughts of getting a takeaway were abandoned. He leapt back into his car and sped off. Was this really what the world thought of him?
The welcoming gates of Adam’s house greeted him in no time. He pressed the button and sank down in his seat. Anything to avoid another confrontation.
Once the gates had opened, he drove up to Adam’s house.
The captain was waiting for him in the doorway.
