42. Nicole
NICOLE
The back door opens and a whirlwind that looks a lot like my son comes barreling into me.
I laugh as he wraps his whole body around me, like he hasn’t seen me in forever, when in reality it was only a few minutes ago.
Normally when he heads out to the garden with his dad he comes back tired and muddy, having spent most of their time ‘training’.
But today he’s practically vibrating with energy.
“What’s got you so excited?” I ruffle his hair as he tilts his head to look at me, his eyes wide and his smile huge.
“Daddy got us tickets to his next game. It’sa treat before I go back to school. Dey gotta beated Highgate FC dis time. I’mma wear my goalie kit like daddy. Mumma, you can wear da top he got you too.”
My smile flickers as I bring my eyes to Owen’s, his blue pools swimming in hope. I bite my lip and fight the urge to jump up and down like Lucky. The idea of his name across my shoulders for all to see makes me feel a little giddy, but I manage to compose myself.
“We’ll see.” I smirk as Owen grins at me. He can read me like a book and he knows I want his shirt on me.
“It’s Wednesday night. It’s a big deal, Nico. It’s derby day and after they won the league at our ground last year… Let’s just say it’s even more personal this time around.”
I place my hand on my hip and stare him down.
Does he think I’m some sort of novice when it comes to the game?
I know how much of a big deal playing Highgate is.
They’re the closest team in location to Heath Hampstead, which automatically makes them rivals, but they also swiped the league from them by securing an away win on the last day of the prior season.
Everyone was pissed about it, including me, and he knows this. So why he’s telling me is beyond me.
He catches on quickly though and grins as he continues. “Emilia and her husband will be there too. You, Angie, and Edie are seated with them if that’s okay?” I try to hold my smile back, but I can’t, and beam at him. Including me with the wives and girlfriends is special.
“That’s perfect. Thank you, Owen,” I say through my smile and lower my lashes as his stare blazes through my skin.
“You’re welcome. I can’t wait to look up into the stands and see you there. Maybe you’ll be our good luck charm.” He winks and I feel the heat rush to my cheeks.
Get a grip, I tell myself, but smile at the reactions he’s evoking from me. They’re doing wonders to eradicate what little insecurities I have left and help me remember how he makes me feel, how he’s always made me feel.
Cherished. Worshipped. Wanted and loved.
He steps closer, and I wrinkle my nose at the sweat soaking through his shirt, but he just laughs as he turns toward Lucky. “I’m going to shower. You need to as well, Luck. You stink, but I still love you.”
He winks at his son as he grins like a Cheshire Cat and turns to leave, but stops. He looks over his shoulder at me, his eyes burning their way into my soul, and leans down and kisses my cheek. “You smell beautiful and I love you too, Nico.” And with those last words he’s gone.
I feel like I need to run upstairs and take a cold shower, or jump into a nice hot one with him. But instead, I’m being dragged into the kitchen by Lucky, who’s demanding I feed him, while my heart flutters with love for my very own saviour.
“I’m not sure, Edie. This will be the first time I’ve gone to a game officially as Owen’s.
And it’s a big game. All eyes are going to be on us.
” I turn around to view my reflection from behind, trying to ignore the warm fuzzy feeling that starts in my toes and radiates through my body like an internal heating system as I hone in on his name emblazoned across my shoulders.
I quickly avert my gaze to my dark jeans that fit snugly over my bum and hips, but kick out a little at the bottoms. According to Edie and Angie, the nineties styles are all back in fashion, and skinny jeans are out.
I’m a little bummed by that as I love my skinny jeans.
I just hope all the nineties fashions don’t come back in because I certainly do not have the desire to showcase my thong sticking out from my lowrise hipster jeans, that's for sure.
“And? If I had a hottie like Lockheart wanting to claim me publicly, I’d be singing from the rooftops and smashing into buildings on a bulldozer to get everyone’s attention.
Screw what anyone thinks. Let the world and him know you’re his.
” Angie puts her long blonde hair up into a ponytail and sends a grin to me through the mirror.
“Time’s precious, Nicole. I waited a stupid crazy amount of time before I got with Jaxy. Learn from my mistakes,” Edie continues, cutting Angie off and giving her a biting look for being so blunt.
But it’s one of the things I love about Angie, so I stop and focus my gaze on them, giving each of them a reassuring smile so they know I’m okay with what they’ve both said.
Angie winks at me and then starts to pile Edie’s red hair into a messy bun, which I happen to know is Jaxson’s favourite hairstyle on her.
She grins and crosses her leg over the other, pulling the black leggings tighter over her skin.
They’re both wearing Heath Hampstead shirts.
Edie’s barely hides her hourglass figure beneath it.
She’s got ‘Brady to Be’ written on the back with the number thirteen—Jaxson’s number—in the middle.
Angie has hers tied at the side so it shows a sliver of her toned belly and the famous TikTok leggings on.
Even I can’t stop staring at her ass in them.
Edie pushes her black framed glasses back up her nose and tilts her head a little with a tug from Angie. I adore these two humans.
“Angie’s right. I know she’s right, so why can’t I just do as she says?” I flop down on the bed and throw my arms out to the sides. Edie reaches over, chuckles and grabs my hand and squeezes it. But it’s Angie’s words that shock us both.
“Because it’s hard. You’ve got trauma, and it takes time to admit that and move on from it.
You’ve done so bloody well in the short amount of time you’ve been seeing your therapist. You just have to keep reminding yourself he chose you.
He wants you. Forever. Not just as a quick one night stand or a fleeting fuck. ”
She takes a second and cringes, closing her eyes as her mouth twists in pain, but then in a flash it’s gone.
She squares her shoulders and shakes her head a little.
“There’s no rules here. Love is an amazing concept, one that everybody should have.
Because when it’s good, it’s unbelievable.
Earth shattering and mind blowing all at the same time.
But when it’s bad, it’s catastrophic. It breaks us.
And no one else knows how it feels because your love is synonymous with you.
The love she has with Jaxson is different to the one you have with Lockheart.
“No two love stories are ever the same. They may share similarities, but ultimately, they’re different because people are different.
Only you can know how you feel in here.” She points the comb she’s been teasing Edie’s curls into the perfect messy bun with to her heart, smiles, and they both come and sit on the bed.
Edie lays on her side with her head propped up on her hand.
“She’s right. Only you can decide whether you want this.
Whether he is it for you. There’s no judgement either way, but don’t punish yourself because of what might happen in the future.
You can’t predict it. Live in the now. The ultimate question is, does Owen make you happy?
If the answer is yes, then go for it. Don’t let fear get in the way.
You deserve happiness, Nicole. We all do.
” She gives a pointed look at both of us.
Angie rolls her eyes, but that glimmer of vulnerability is back again, and it makes me wonder if she’s really okay.
I manage a smile as I whisper, ‘Thank you,’ and jump when Lucky barges into the bedroom.
“Come on, it’s not naptime. It’s go time. We hafta leave now.” He’s bouncing on his toes and I wink at the girls.
“Oh I don’t know, maybe the time is right for me to become the w–o–r–l–d–s s–l–o–w–e–s–t r–o–b–o–t.” I stretch out the words and slowly rise from the bed, moving my foot up in slow motion as I fight the giggles that bubble into my throat at his stricken expression.
His mouth is set in a tight line, his eyes wide in horror. “No, Mumma. It’s not da time. You can be a slow robot afta, not before. Now come on.”
He grabs my hand and pulls with all his might at the same time I decide to move at a normal speed and we end up in a heap on the floor. He turns his face to look at me, his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows drawn in a frown. “Not funny, Mumma,” he tells me as I giggle at his reaction.
“Hey Lucky, now you look just like your dad. That frown is spot on,” Angie calls over to us.
Lucky tries desperately hard to fight the smile from his face and keep his frown in place, to be like his dad, and I find myself wondering if I’ll be able to put a smile on Owen’s face to match Lucky’s, instead of the other way around.