Page 40 of Payback
OPPORTUNITY STRIKES A FEW DAYSlater when I’m on the Tower Park pitch warming up for our friendlies match against Norwich City on a glorious sunny Saturday afternoon. Tanner stands five feet away from me as we do short warm-up passes back and forth to each other. He stops the ball under his boot and starts fidgeting with the sweatband he wears around his forehead.
As he does so, he says, “DeWalt! After the match tonight, we’re taking the ladies out and we need another man.”
“What for?” I ask, my face furrowing at his odd request. Tanner normally isn’t inclined to let me near his wife after he caught the two of us flirting at a pub before they started dating a couple of years back. That unfortunate history may have also been part of the reason it took us so long to get along with each other.
Tanner kicks me the ball. “Some date night thing that my sister set up for all of us. She says just because our brides are up the duff doesn’t mean we should stop romancing them or some nonsense.”
I roll the ball under my boot and stare back in confusion. “So, what exactly do you need me for?”
I pass it back to him and he stops it to juggle between his feet for a few seconds. “To be Allie’s date of course. The poor girl still doesn’t know anyone in London, so Vi told me to ask you since you two know each other from that wedding.”
Tanner passes the ball back to me and it rolls right between my feet. I’ve never wanted to kiss a Harris Brother more in my life.
With a shake of the head, I jog after the ball, amazed by how easy this just got. I return seconds later and casually reply, “Yeah, I suppose I can do that. What do I have to wear?”
Tanner’s face contorts as he catches the ball with his foot. “Clothes if it’s not too much trouble.” He turns and passes to Mac, who’s warming up beside us with another midfielder. “You need to come, too, Scot.”
“Come where?” Mac asks, bending over to adjust his shin guards.
“To this couples thing my sister is forcing us all to go to. It’ll be a big group of us.”
“Who’s my date?” Mac asks, his eyes bright and way too damn excited.
“Gareth’s wife’s friend, Freya. She said you two are acquainted.”
Mac deflates. “We are, but I don’t think she likes me.”
I roll my eyes and give him a shove. “Maybe stop talking about her breasts. That might get you back into her good graces.”
Mac nods in agreement, intrigued by the prospect of a second chance. I’m intrigued by mine, too. Tonight might just be the night that I’ll be able to take Freya’s advice and figure out what’s going on with Allie once and for all.
It’s aSaturday afternoon atthe Tower Park stadium and everyone is buzzing with excitement. I follow Vi down the concrete steps to our front row seats where Hayden is standing with Belle and Poppy. They’re all decked out in green and white Bethnal Green F.C. gear, and I’m feeling like an idiot in a yellow blouse because it’s apparently the other team’s colour.
However, I’m not stressing too much because I’m too busy taking in the splendour of Tower Park on a game day. The crowd, the lights, the smells, the grass. It’s all practically vibrating with enthusiasm even though this is a somewhat casual friendlies match. I can’t imagine what an experience it would have been to watch all the brothers play together in Russia for the World Cup last year.
Hayden, Belle, and Poppy all say hello but quickly turn their focus back to the pitch. I glance over at the three empty chairs beside me.
“Camden has a team meeting and will be joining us later, but Gareth, Sloan, and Freya should be here any minute,” Vi says, leaning over my shoulder. “I told Sloan to stop at the shop and grab you something decent to wear.”
I cringe down at my banana-yellow top. “Sorry, I had no clue what the other team’s colours were.”
She shakes her head. “It’s fine. They’re getting Sophia a new shirt anyway because she was really upset she couldn’t come to this game on the account of tonight being a grown-ups-only night out.”
“Where are we going?” I ask curiously. Vi was quite cryptic on the phone when she told me to pack a sexy dress to change into after the game.
“It’s a surprise!” Vi says, her blue eyes twinkling with an evilness that’s at odds with the innocence of her blonde features. “But we all got sitters for the night, so prepare for some fun!”
I look over and see Belle and Poppy snickering between the two of them, and I suddenly feel like I’m missing out on a joke.
“We’re here!” a voice says from behind me.
I swerve my gaze over to Sloan, who’s moving down the row to the open seat beside me. Freya shuffles in after her with Gareth bringing in the rear.
“Hi, Allie-Cat,” Gareth says, shooting me a wave. “Are you surviving at Camden and Indie’s all right?”
I nod earnestly. “I’m doing awesome, thanks! Good to see you guys again. Hi, Sloan. Hi, Freya.”
“Hi, hi!” Freya beams, looking delighted about being at a soccer stadium right now. “This is my first football game ever!”
