Page 100 of Endurance
A glossiness shimmers in his gaze and he frowns, clearing his throat.
“What is it?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “I proposed to your mother after only two weeks. Seeing your face today is bringing back memories.”
Memories. Memories he’s never shared. I know the logistics. I know that Mum was pregnant with Gareth when they married. However, all the warm and fuzzy stuff about how Dad fell for Mum has been hidden for so long that I actually forgot to keep asking.
“I’d like to hear more about that sometime,” I add.
He nods and looks around at everyone. “Another time. For now, I’d like to go congratulate your fiancé.”
That label brings a smile to my face.
Belle continues fielding hugs from everyone. Even Gareth, who’s saying something to her about how she could do a lot better.
I don’t care.
She said yes.
THE DAY OF THE MAGAZINEinterview is upon us. It’s been a few days since Belle’s charity event, and the only people we’ve told about our engagement is my family and Indie. I thought she’d want to go home and tell her parents, introduce me to them properly, but she refused. She said she didn’t matter to them unmarried so she won’t matter to them married. It’s sad, but I’m relieved I won’t have to see her prick of a father again. He deserves a knock to the jaw.
However, someday she may want them in our lives again. And when that day comes, I’ll endure him…for her.
Speaking of wedding bells, Belle says she wants to wait to get married. Apparently there’s some archaic twenty-eight day notice we have to give the Register Office before we can make it legal. Now she wants to finish her fellowship and me finish out my season, then take a long holiday. She’s wanting to get married on a beach, just the two of us, which in girl talk means Indie and Cam can come, too.
So, for the past few days, Belle and I have been keeping our engagement quiet. She seemed slightly bothered when I told her I didn’t want to mention it in the interview either. I hated planting that seed of insecurity in her but…
I have plans.
The interview is at Tower Park after the team finishes practice, so Belle plans to meet me here when she gets off work. It’s a small crew. Two cameras, two camera operators, and the interviewer, who’s a short, little, Irish spitfire that introduces herself as Georgina. They set up near the east side goal post so their shots can get both the pitch and the stands in the background.
When Belle arrives, my nerves set in. I’d been so calm and cool and collected before. Now that I see her, that’s all gone.
The London sun is beginning to set, bathing the lush grass of the pitch in a warm, heavenly sort of glow. Belle’s dressed in a simple pair of black leggings, hot black boots, and a green plaid button down, subconsciously representing Bethnal Green through and through. She looks perfect.
Her dark hair is long and straight, blowing in the wind as she strolls onto the pitch toward me. I meet her halfway, pulling her in for a kiss that I need to breathe some life back into me.
“Hiya,” I husk against her lips.
“Hiya,” she smiles back.
“How was your day?”
“It was great. Yours?”
“Just another day at the office.” I tweak my brows around the stadium.
“Sedgwick let me in.” She shoots a sneaky smirk at me. “Feels kind of cool to be down here, actually on the pitch.”
My eyes heat. “I have plans for afterwards.” I wink and she bites her lip, a crimson blush colouring her cheeks.
We walk over to join the crew.
“Hello, guys, I’m Georgina. Thanks for chatting with me today.” She gestures to the two director’s chairs seated next to each other as she takes one facing opposite ours. There’s one camera angled at us and another angled at her. “This is going to feel like friends talking, so please be candid, be colourful, have fun. Your fans will love it.”
“Fans,” Belle huffs. “His fans you mean. I have no fans.”
“Oh, you have fans, dearie,” Georgina corrects, her heavily mascara-covered lashes batting excitedly. “You’re a high-risk foetal surgeon dating a famous footballer. Together you two are a power couple and an inspiration to women and men everywhere.”
