Chapter 34 Liam
Liam
The first thing I do on Monday morning, after staying at Anna’s, is ring Danielle’s office and request a new agent. The Armani deal might be dead, but I couldn’t care less. Not if it means cutting ties with her.
Stacey transfers my call to a senior partner who oversees client relationships.
I tell him straight up: I don’t want to work with Danielle anymore, that “our values don’t align.
” He buys it and doesn’t give me any pushback.
Instead, he places me with Jed Scott, one of their most experienced agents.
He’s handled a lot of Championship League players, including Jack.
After a quick chat with Jack during weights, he confirms that Jed’s the real deal.
I decide he gets the green light. By early afternoon, Jed’s my new agent.
The fact he wears a ring on his finger makes me feel a hell of a lot more at ease. Sure, Danielle might have the best reputation in the business but, after Saturday night, I’m second-guessing whether that’s true or if she blackmails all her clients to recommend her.
Heading for the change rooms, I’m knackered.
Today’s session was brutal. The gaffer paired me up with a group of young lads, new recruits for the season, who ran me ragged with their endless energy, fancy footwork, and cocky attitudes to match.
It’s great to see more faces entering the Championship League with skills to back up the arrogance.
I managed to keep up with them and caught Sneath off guard when Hernandez, a recent trade from Barcelona, thought he had me as I made my run.
The ball hammered past Sneath, hitting the top corner of the net.
Jack pumped his fist in victory with me, watching with a massive smile as the youngsters packed up and stomped to the change rooms with their tails between their legs.
They might be my teammates, but I still get a buzz from humbling the lads now and then.
Jack flicks me with his towel as we step out of the showers.
“Plans for tonight, big guy?” he asks, toweling his arms.
I shake my head, rubbing at my sodden hair with the towel. “Nah. Finn’s got his weekly therapy, so we’ll just have a quiet night in after I pick him up.”
“How’s he getting on with all that?” he asks, becoming more serious.
We knot the towels around our waists and head out to change.
“He’s doing better. Loads better, actually,” I say.
The change has been drastic. He bounces out of bed in the mornings now, finally excited about seeing Yuki and playing with other kids in his class. He comes home chatting about his day instead of just shrugging and hiding out in his room.
Even bedtime’s become something we both look forward to, instead of wishing for a new day to arrive. He’ll have his shower, brush his teeth, then he’ll ask me to tuck him in and read a story.
We’re getting there.
“That’s brilliant, mate,” Jack says, and I know he means it. “He’s a strong one.”
“Yeah.” I feel so damn proud of my boy and how far he’s come. “It’s still early days, but… yeah. Things have taken a positive turn. What about you? Any plans?”
He smirks, pulling on a pair of joggers. “I might have something lined up for tonight.”
“Ah. She new, then?” He always has someone new. The guy goes through women like undies.
Jack grins like a fox in a henhouse, shrugging into a denim jacket. “She is. Tell you what, mate, I reckon she’s the one.”
My brows lift as I zip up my jeans. “Aye?”
He nods. “Long legs, red hair, freckles on her nose, all cute and shit. She’s smart. Like, witty and stuff.” He shrugs. “I like her.”
I clap him on the back and pull a pair of trainers from my bag. “That’s great, mate. I’m happy for you.”
“You still seeing that teacher?”
I tug my jumper on, not looking at him. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He scoffs. “Bollocks. Don’t think I didn’t see her up there in the stands watching the game. Sitting with your family.” He shakes his head, muttering, “Don’t know who I’m bloody well talking about.”
I shoot him a smug look and zip up my duffel, slinging it over my shoulder. “She’s a good girl,” I say.
“You like her, then?”
I exhale.
He points at me. “I know that look! You can bang on about this friendly shite all you want. But it’s right there in your eyes, mate.”
I huff a laugh, running my hand through my damp hair. “Yeah, mate. I like her.”
I might be starting to more than like her.
“About bloody time you admitted it,” he calls after me as I head for the exit.
I leave him behind, chuckling.
The smug prick.
“I like Miss Anna,” Finn says calmly as we cruise down the highway. I just picked him up from his psychology appointment.
The statement comes from nowhere, catching me off guard. I lift my brows. “Yeah?”
He nods enthusiastically. “Mm-hmm. A lot.”
I reach over, ruffling his hair. “Well, I’m sure she feels the same way about you.”
He giggles, pushing my hand away. “Do you like her?”
My grip on the wheel tightens. “Yeah, bud. I like her. She’s a great teacher.”
I steal another glance at him when he doesn’t respond to find he’s grinning at me from ear to ear. “What’s that look for?”
He pumps his eyebrows, looking pretty bloody pleased with himself.
“Oh no,” I say, shaking my head. “I think I can guess what you’re thinking, and I don’t know if I like it.”
“I’m not thinking anything, Da!” He smiles.
“Finn,” I warn half-heartedly.
He wiggles back in his seat, the light in his eyes dimming. “She would make a really good ma.”
He says it like he’s commenting on the damn weather.
My heart halts in my chest. “Finn—”
“It’s fine, Da. I was just saying.”
“Did this come up in therapy?” I prod gently.
“No,” he says, shaking his head and shrugging a shoulder. “I’ve only thought about it a little bit.”
We stay silent for the remainder of the trip.
When I pull up to our building, shifting gears to park, Finn takes me by surprise, unbuckling his seatbelt and swiveling his body to face me.
I mimic his position, resting my arm on the center console. His little face is deadly serious.
“You all right, bud?” I ask.
He rests his small, warm hand on my forearm. “I love you, Da.”
The words hit me square in the chest. “I love you too. More than anything.”
“I know,” he says quietly, dropping his gaze to trace patterns on my arm. “And I know you’re trying really hard to make everything okay for us.”
He’s opening up to me.
All the days and hours we’ve spent together have meant the world to me. They’ve been full of laughter, jokes, smiles, and building happy memories. But this? What he’s doing right now? It’s going beyond surface level. This is massive.
This is him trusting that I can handle his deepest feelings without letting him down. And I can’t even begin to describe how incredibly proud I am of him—putting that trust in me, feeling safe enough to articulate his thoughts and emotions. It means everything.
For the first time since I became a single father, I feel like I might actually be doing something right. And I’m determined to keep being the dad he needs. The person he can come to about the hard stuff.
The opposite of who my father was growing up.
Finn looks up at me, flashing a smile, but it disappears just as fast as it came. “I want to tell you that you’re doing really good.”
I know the best way to get through to him is to be real. Truthful. Showing him that it’s okay to be vulnerable, that it’s brave to express your feelings.
So that’s what I do.
I brace one hand on his shoulder. “That’s because we have each other.
I couldn’t do any of this without you, bud.
I wouldn’t want to do any of this without you.
You’re not just the best thing that ever happened to me; you’re the reason I get up every morning and try to be better than I was the day before.
” I wipe my hand over my cheek, surprised when it comes back wet.
I didn’t even clock that I was crying. “Sometimes I look at you and I can’t believe I get to be your da. How did I get so damn lucky?”
His eyes widen. “Da!” he admonishes my use of damn.
I wink, my throat still thick with emotion. “Just this once.”
He chuckles, leaning over to poke my belly. “You’re not supposed to swear.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. But sometimes grown-ups use big-people words when they really, really mean something.” I squeeze his shoulder lightly. “And I really, really mean what I just said. We’re in this together. You and me. Always.”
“I know,” he says, his bright expression dropping.
My throat constricts and I feel pressure behind my eyes. “Finn—”
“I just miss Ma sometimes,” he whispers, not meeting my eyes. “Even though I know she doesn’t want me. It’s nice having a ma around.”
Christ.
It feels like I’m swallowing needles. “I understand that, buddy. That’s completely normal.” I place my other hand on top of his. “You’ve been really strong, you know that, right?”
He nods. “Do you think one day we’ll have a proper family again?”
“We have everything we need. Right here. You, me, Uncle Roman, Auntie Zoey, and Mel.”
“You promise?” His voice is so hopeful.
I reach over and pull him into my arms, hugging him tight.
“I promise. With everything I am,” I say.
I press a kiss to the top of his head and his embrace deepens.
This.
As long as I can hold on to this, everything will be all right.