Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
NOAH
Noah sprinted as hard as he could on the treadmill. It had been four days and he’d only had one text from Carmine. His father was getting stronger and the signs were good. He was still under constant supervision from both medical staff and his family.
It gave Noah a glimmer of hope that Carmine had even bothered to tell him. Although it was torture that things between them were left so much in the air. He scolded himself for being so selfish. He had to be patient and see what the future held. Carmine had enough on his mind at the moment.
Of course he’d done the only thing he knew to take his mind off things. Trained. Hard.
Udo hopped up on the machine next to him. He set his at a steadier pace.
“What are you doing for the rest of the day?” he asked.
Noah shook his head and pointed at the display. Udo frowned and reduced the speed significantly.
“Hey,” Noah said.
“I want to talk to you,” Udo replied. “You’re away with the fairies whenever you’re not on the pitch. I thought perhaps this would be a perfect middle ground.”
They fell into step with each other. Noah had suspected he was overdue an interrogation from one of his teammates. He had expected Adam to conduct it. Surely it was the captain’s job?
Then he realised. Steven had probably pushed Udo to do this. Perhaps the fact-finding mission was coming from higher up than the captain. Noah made a point of not getting on the wrong side of managers.
Once he’d got his breath back, Noah took a swig of water.
“I’ll be okay,” Noah replied gruffly. “I’m still playing well, aren’t I?”
“Have you not had any success with Carmine?”
“He’s got some family issues.”
Udo stared at him.
“Things haven’t been plain sailing for me and Steven,” he said. “We had to learn to communicate with each other pretty early on.”
That was something he and Carmine were failing at. Noah stopped his treadmill.
“I can’t parade people into Malcolm’s life,” he said. “He is my responsibility. Nobody else’s.”
“What if Carmine had a child?”
“What are you talking about?”
Udo looked around. They were alone.
“Would you expect Jonas to be okay if Adam didn’t allow him to be part of Olive’s life? To sit on the sidelines and watch. Maybe grab some time together when all Adam’s other commitments were fulfilled.”
“That’s different.”
“Not in the slightest.”
Noah sighed. “If you’re trying to tell me something, I’d appreciate if you’d come out with it?”
“Take the jump, Noah. The world isn’t full of endless opportunities when it comes to finding decent men.”
“I think it’s too late for me and Carmine.”
Udo slowed his machine down to walking pace.
“You’re going to give up? Just like that?”
“I’m not giving up but how hard does it have to be?”
“Bloody hell, Noah,” Udo said. “It’s always tough. Especially at the beginning.”
A flash of shame burnt through Noah. No one had had a worse start to a relationship than Udo and Steven. They became headline news before they’d even worked out what they wanted. His and Carmine’s situation was child’s play in comparison.
“I can’t force him to want to be with me.”
Udo fiddled with the control pad and let the machine grind to a slow halt. “I don’t believe I’m hearing this. He’s really into you and I think you feel the same.”
“I have to let him come to me,” Noah explained. “He’s got bigger things on his mind.”
They walked to the door together.
“So what are you doing this afternoon to take your mind off things?” Udo asked.
“Going to see how the house is coming on.”
“And you’re dead set on selling?”
Noah nodded. “It’s too soon to splash my cash on a house. I need to do this charity thing. For my parents and my brother.”
They walked out onto the corridor. Noah was a sweaty mess. Quick shower then a site inspection.
He frowned when he saw Adam standing in the doorway of the locker room.
“He’s coming,” he said.
“What’s going on?” Noah asked.
“Come with me.”
He allowed himself to be led into the briefing room where Javier, Ewen, Tito, Jonas, Steven, Ingvar and Goran all waited for him.
“Skipper?”
Adam stood in front of the small crowd.
“Me and the lads have been talking and we think what you’re doing for your brother and the wider community is pretty amazing.”
Noah dropped his head.
“Thanks,” he mumbled.
“We’ve decided to give you a month’s wages as a head start.”
Noah was so shocked he couldn’t find any words. Were his ears deceiving him?
“What?”
Javier stepped forward. “You can’t do it on your own and you shouldn’t have to. Save your brother’s league and do your charity but please, for fuck’s sake, keep the house.”
With the combined salaries in that room, they were giving him a huge amount of money.
“I can’t accept this.”
“Of course you can,” Tito said. “Are you seriously going to refuse it?”
The determination on all their faces told him resistance was futile.
“I can really get this going.”
Jonas squeezed him on the shoulder. “And hopefully find some balance in your life.”
Noah knew what he meant. He shook his head.
“Before you ask, I’ve not heard anything,” he replied.
“I went to La Piazza last night,” Goran said. “Stefano is out of intensive care and on a regular ward.”
Noah’s heart soared. He was so pleased for the Amato family. Then it plummeted. Carmine hadn’t told him. He was ashamed of his selfish response. Yet still it stung.
“That’s good news,” he said.
He hugged them all.
“Thank you,” he said. “From the bottom of my heart.”
“Now that you don’t have to sell your house, go and do that inspection,” Udo said. “And plan for moving in. This is exactly the right time.”
Noah nodded. “I will.”
The builder had made great progress. There were actual walls now.
“We’ve had a few shit weather days,” Ben said. “On the whole, we’re keeping up with the schedule.”
Noah walked through what would one day be his front door. Finally, he would have somewhere to call his own that he’d created. Well, with a little help. He wondered if Carmine would ever visit. It would be hideous to think not.
He forced it out of his mind as they toured each room.
Noah inspected everything. His eyes kept returning to the view.
He could see himself waking in the morning and making coffee whilst taking in all the changes throughout the year.
Being surrounded by tranquillity would be everything he’d ever craved.
“I can’t wait to move in,” he said. “Will I get in for Christmas?”
“Depends how long the interiors take,” Ben replied. “Have you found a designer?”
Noah shook his head. With everything that had been going on, it had fallen to the bottom of his list.
“I’ll sort it next week. Don’t suppose you have any recommendations?”
“Sorry. Not my thing.”
“I’ll ask around,” Noah replied.
His instant reaction was to contact Carmine. Although it was an excuse. A pointless one at that. If Carmine wanted to talk to him, he would’ve called by now.
“Show me where the deck is going to be.”
He followed Ben to the other side of the building. He’d been proud of his suggestion to have a covered area to sit out on damp summer nights.
“It’s raised,” Ben explained. “Underneath you can keep chairs, table and any other garden stuff you find.”
Noah walked out.
“Careful,” Ben said. “We haven’t put the guardrails up yet.”
“Don’t worry,” Noah replied. “I just need to get a feel of it.”
He stood and closed his eyes. The birds were twittering in the trees. He would get the comfiest furniture and spend hours listening to them.
Once he’d satisfied himself, he joined Ben at the door. His eyes were instantly drawn to a figure by the gates.
Could it be?
“I’ll be in touch,” he said to Ben, shaking his hand.
His heart was racing as he walked up the drive. There stood Carmine. He looked tired and nervous.
“What are you doing here?” Noah asked.
“A little bird told me you were doing an inspection. So I borrowed Samantha’s car. Don’t worry, she knows. I’m not suicidal.”
He gestured to a Fiat 500 parked on the roadside.
“Which little bird?”
“Tito.”
For someone who professed that he only cared about number one, Tito was one of the kindest people Noah had ever met. It wouldn’t do to let him know. Otherwise he’d be crowing for weeks to come.
“I’ll have to pass the ball to him this weekend for that.”
“How is the place coming on?”
“Really brilliant.”
They were being painfully formal. Noah had held this man as he slept and now they were talking like business acquaintances.
“I’m glad to hear your father is out of danger.”
“I should’ve told you. I’m sorry. It’s been so hectic.”
“Don’t worry. I understand.”
“I don’t think you do.”
Had he come all this way to dump him face-to-face? That would be too cruel.
“Oh?”
“Can I buy you lunch? There’s a café in the village.”
What did this mean? Noah was desperate to question Carmine on his intentions. He must be more than hungry to have driven all the way out there.
Yet whatever remained between them was fragile. Noah didn’t want to destroy it by charging in like Ewen at an open goal.
“I’d like that very much.”