Page 83 of Sweeper
“Okay then,” I reply, the giddiness in my voice painfully obvious as I slip off the sofa and make my way into the kitchen.
Zander Williams continues to surprise me, and if I don’t watch it, he’s going to burrow his way into my heart whether I like it or not.
Zander
There’s a knot in my stomach when I load the bus early Saturday morning for our match in Southampton. I spot Link and Knight in the back and make my way over to them.
“You look exhausted,” Link says, hitting my fist with his as I toss my backpack into the open seat by the window.
“Thanks,” I mumble, shaking my head and sitting in the aisle seat directly across from them. “I slept like shit last night.”
“Why?” Knight asks, leaning back from his row. “Are you anxious about today? You killed it last week. You should still be riding that high.”
I hesitate for a moment before reaching into my bag and pulling out a large envelope. “I got this in the mail yesterday.”
“Shit,” Link curses, staring at the envelope in my hands. He pitches his voice low as he whispers, “Are those the DNA results?”
I nod slowly. “Yeah, and I haven’t opened them yet.”
“Why not?” Link inquires.
“Because I don’t want to fuck up my game today,” I reply honestly.
The truth is, I’ve been playing really well the past few weeks. In matches, in training. I’m laser-focused and killing it. And when I’m not doing the plethora of soccer-related things I have to do, I’m with Daphney. This past week after she confided in me about her ex, we started hanging out more. The other night, I even sat in the pub and read until she was done with work. We’re developing a real friendship. I can’t say the friendship is better than the sex, because the sex is fucking exceptional, but it’s been freeing to spend time with someone who isn’t completely focused on soccer. Daphney is a much-needed break from the real world, which is why I was so annoyed when the envelope showed up in my mailbox. It popped this really nice bubble I’ve been living in.
I lick my lips and add, “I might wait until Monday to open it. I’m going to this wedding with Daphney on Sunday, and the whole Harris crew will be there. If it turns out to be a match, there’s no way I’ll be able to act normal around them.”
“That’s probably wise,” Knight says, watching me carefully. “You’ll have a lot to deal with if it’s a match.”
“But it’s probably not going to be…so all this waiting will be for nothing.” I force a smile I don’t altogether feel as I shove the envelope back into my bag and attempt to push it out of my thoughts.
There is no need to freak out. The contents of this envelope are only going to tell me whether or not my parents lied to me my entire life. Just another Saturday, right?
I pull my hood up to avoid the prying eyes of my two teammates. Now is not the time to be thinking about this. I have a match to focus on.
Daphney
“He sent me flowers for Valentine’s Day,” I whisper quietly into my mobile as I lean across the sink in my loo to apply my mascara.
“What?” Phoebe squeals excitedly. “Valentine’s Day was nearly a week ago. Why the bloody hell am I finding out about this now?”
I bite my lip nervously. “Because I wanted to see how the rest of the week was going to go before I told you.”
“And?” Phoebe barks, clearly impatient for my next words.
“Well, it was an extraordinarily ordinary week.”
“What does that mean?”
I pause my makeup application to focus on everything I’m about to unload on my best friend. I’m due at the venue in an hour for Santino and Tilly’s wedding, and I still don’t know what dress I’m wearing, but this sort of girl talk must be prioritized.
“It means we hung out,” I state, turning on my heel and leaning against the counter in nothing but my bra and knickers. “Like, we didn’t just have sex like normal. I mean, we did. My God, he did this thing with me the other night, and I swear I peed the bed.”
“Been there,” Phoebe laughs. “Only I really did wee the bed.”
“Shut up.”
“Well, there was some liquid substance. No telling what it was, and I certainly wasn’t about to investigate.”
