Chapter 29
29
Eleven and a half days later (not that I’m counting)
It would be great if the next step was moving beyond company and cuddles. But Tony was straight off to an away game for the league. The minute he was back, he was laser focused on our next European match in which, incidentally, he played like an angel. So, I’ve barely seen him except on FaceTime, and I’m dying to engineer a quick meeting in the hallway as he traipses in from training. Only I can’t because my morning is fully occupied trying to set up a match-day visit for a junior we’re trying to tempt into our academy.
Callum’s a sweet kid, but his parents love him and loathe each other with an equal passion. I’m stuck as negotiator and when a message comes through, I’m dreading opening it, expecting it to be from one of them. But it’s Tony asking:
The roof is pretty much the only bit of this place not covered by security cameras, right?
11.47
Yes. Should I ask why you’re asking or is it better not to know?
11.48
Tell you in a minute, meet me up there?
11.50
OK SYS
11.51
As I push open the door onto the roof, the bitingly cold wind swooshes past me into the stairwell. Pulling my faux fur coat tight around me, I hurry over to Tony, who comes to meet me, smiling like sunshine.
‘Hello, love. Bit chilly, huh?’ He slips an arm around my waist and turns so his back blocks the icy gusts.
‘It is.’ I slide a hand under his jacket, searching under the layers until I can run my palm over the hard curve of muscle sloping into his spine. ‘You’re nice and warm though.’
He pulls me closer. ‘Snuggle in then.’
I don’t need to be asked twice, and he holds me tight, burying his face in my hair. There’s a stab of desire so sharp it hurts, and I almost pull away. But he’s already slackening his arms and asking gently, ‘All right?’ And that’s enough that I can let myself enjoy the closeness, the softness of his sweatshirt against my cheek, the strength of his hands on my back. But I did tell Sky I wouldn’t be long, so eventually, I untangle myself just enough to look up at him. ‘Did you need something?’
Tony smiles gently. ‘Turns out, I’ve been needing that all morning.’
I nuzzle back into his chest. ‘Bad day?’
‘Nah, not really. Training was a bit of a bitch, is all.’
‘Are you hurt?’ I ask, taking half a step back so I can see him properly.
He extends his arms to keep me close and shakes his head.
‘You’re sure?’
He nods. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. Promise. You know how it is sometimes. I weren’t feeling it, and I could do without this weather.’ His smile is still soft. ‘But nothing a bit of a cuddle with you can’t put right. Not that I dragged you out into the freezing cold just for that.’
‘I wouldn’t have minded. I’ve had quite an irritating morning myself.’
He stops smiling. ‘Yeah, it’s ’bout your workplace irritations that I got you up here.’ Tony lets me go with one hand and guides me over to the little hut that forms the top of the stairwell, out of the wind. We stand side by side, backs against the wall, Tony’s arm around me, his trainer against the edge of my ankle boot.
‘You know how I said I’d talk to someone, ’bout what’s been going on with the mistakes that keep happening? And about your computer?’ Tony asks.
I nod. Part of me doesn’t want to hear what’s coming next.
‘Well, there’s this bloke, Christian, who’s done some work for me in the past. He runs like a consultancy, doing digital security. So, he knows what he’s about.’
I nod again, an anxious twinge in my stomach.
‘And he used a load of fancy terms. But basically, he found some spyware stuff on your laptop that’d let someone come in remotely, see what you’re doing, make changes, that sort of thing.’
The shock is intense. Why would anyone do that? Tony senses it and squeezes my waist. I know he’s out to comfort, so I turn to let him and try to raise a smile. ‘But that’s good, isn’t it?’ I say, trying to convince myself. ‘Well, I mean, obviously it’s bad. But it’s better than it being someone at the club, or me becoming incompetent.’
There’s a twitch in his mouth that’s closer to pain than the start of a smile. ‘I dunno that it means it’s not someone here.’
I hesitate. ‘But it’s much more likely to be a rival club, or a journalist even, isn’t it?’
Tony sways his head back and forth, like a weighing scale. ‘I don’t think so.’ He covers my hand with his. ‘Cos, I’m not putting down what you do, or nothing. But targeting Player Care, it’s too much work for not enough back, don’t you think? Like if I wanted inside information, I’d target the coaching staff, the medics, that side of things. And if I wanted to cause trouble, the players’ phones’d be where I’d start.’
‘I suppose so.’ I lean my head against his shoulder, and he pushes his thumb into my palm.
‘But the biggest reason I think it’s someone here is it feels personal. Like it’s all designed to make you look bad.’
I sigh, and my breath is misty against the cold air. ‘It certainly feels that way.’
‘And that does kind of beg the question, who’d wanna hurt you?’ Tony rests his chin on my hair, and his voice is grim.
‘Well, like we discussed before, maybe Monica? I mean, I don’t think she’d be interested in hurting me particularly, but dispensing with me…’ I shrug.
‘Thing is, I don’t see it being her.’
‘Why not?’
Tony reorganizes us, so both his arms are around me and I can see his face. ‘You know when I first arrived and I was late?’
I nod.
‘Cos I got that text, changing the time?’
I bite my cheek. ‘You think it’s part of the same thing?’
Tony purses his lips. ‘Yeah, I do.’
‘Well, I can completely see why you don’t think that was Monica. If you hadn’t shown, it would’ve been incredibly embarrassing for her.’
He nods. ‘More than that, she’d have lost sway over the board. After she pressured ’em into approving the transfer when half of ’em was convinced I’d be toxic.’
I’m about to say no one could think that now, when something strikes me. Something horrifying, given how Tony and I have been messaging back and forth. ‘But Tony, if you got a text I didn’t send, then it’s not just my computer that someone has access to, it’s the phone too.’
‘You could be right, and we should definitely get your phone checked. Christian managed to retrieve the text, and it wasn’t from your number, it was just signed off “Player Care” so I assumed it was you.’
‘Could he trace it?’
‘Just to a burner phone. So, not massively helpful, ’cept the timing’s weird.’
‘Weird how?’
‘Well, that’s the start of all of this, innit? The first time you had any issues.’ His gaze has become intense, his grey eyes more green against the sooty winter sky.
I think about it, then shrug. ‘It’s the first thing I remember. But some of the little things might not have made much of an impression, until they started to become a pattern.’
‘Nah, I’m pretty sure, it was the first.’ Tony’s voice borders on impatient.
‘Why?’
‘Cos it’s amateur, innit? And a gamble, cos I could be like you and leave all my texts to mount up, case I need them later. Which actually, turns out, you’re absolutely right to do.’ He smiles at me, back to sweet and soft. ‘And the software, Christian dates it to ’bout a week after that. So, it feels like this was maybe something to do with my arrival here. I’d think it might be about the instant attraction between us but that doesn’t make sense of that first text.’
I can feel myself blushing at the instant attraction comment. Tony shakes his head once. ‘Don’t bother coming up with something to bat that away. You know I think you’re beautiful, and I think it was obvious from the start. Which you can accept since I’m not coming on to you, or no more than usual, cos now’s not the time.’
I slide my hands from his spine to the back pockets of his jeans, and smile up at him. ‘Isn’t it?’
He shuts his eyes for a moment, then they’re back to diamonds. ‘Nah, it’s not. I’ve made the mistake of moving too fast once when you was vulnerable. I don’t plan on doing it twice.’
My smile is the one that softens now. Tony’s here, and I don’t feel vulnerable. It’s impossible to be scared with his arms around me. Not even when someone’s gone to a huge amount of effort to cause me trouble. But I know that’ll change when I’m on my own again and that will gnaw at me. Maybe I am trying to force things on, just to delay him leaving.
I go to draw my hands away, but he shakes his head. ‘Leave ’em, love, for the warmth if nothing else. Which kind of gets me back on to why I got you up here in the cold. Cos it crossed my mind, you and me, we’ve been careful, but there’s been the odd hug in the corridor when no one was around, that sort of thing. Someone with access to the cameras, they could’ve seen. So, there’s no one in Security you’ve pissed off, is there?’
‘No. I’m not super close with any of them, but we’re cordial.’
‘And none of ’em have a stalker vibe?’
I think for a second. ‘No, not at all.’
‘You’re sure, not even someone who just gives you a bad feeling?’
I shake my head. ‘No. They’re all boringly normal family guys. And anyway, that wouldn’t make sense, would it?’
Tony gives me a slow look. ‘Why’s that?’
‘Well, if the first thing was the text message, that was before you even arrived. So, someone who’s jealous that we’re friends or whatev—’
Tony interrupts with one of his wider smiles. ‘We’re whatever. I’ve got zero interest in being friend-zoned again, thanks.’
I smile back. ‘OK, so it couldn’t have been someone who’s jealous that we’re two emotionally damaged people working out how to have some sort of relationship without anyone losing their job or getting hurt…’
Tony laughs. ‘You know that’s actually progress, don’t you? You saying “relationship” out loud.’
I hide my head in his sweatshirt. ‘I know. I’m sorry. I get scared.’
Tony does his best bear hug. ‘I know, beauty. But that’s why we’re going slow, right?’
I mutter into his chest, and he laughs. ‘Did you just say, like a glacier?’
I pull back from him and pout. ‘That’s what it feels like some days.’
Tony nods. ‘Yeah, I know. And I’ve got an idea for moving things on a bit. Which we’ll talk ’bout in a minute, when you’re done making your point.’
‘OK, so someone who was jealous over me and you, why would they send the text before we’d even met? It makes more sense for it to be someone who wants Player Care to look bad.’
‘You reckon there’s someone who fits the bill?’
‘Not off the top of my head, no. But I’ll put some thought into it.’
Tony lets me go for a second, then slides his hands inside my coat. ‘You do that, and I’ll do some thinking of my own. But if you’re sure it’s not Security, there’s no reason for me to keep you out here. You must be freezing.’ My cranberry sweater dress is actually quite warm under my thick coat, but I don’t say that, in case it makes him take his hands off my waist.
‘Before we go in though, Tony…’ I reach up and kiss him lightly, letting my lips linger on his cheek, which is marginally warmer than mine. ‘Thank you, for doing all that.’
He smiles like that means something, but his voice is offhand. ‘Yeah, it weren’t no bother.’
He lets me go and holds the door open. As I walk into the warmth of the stairwell, I try to sound just as casual as I ask, ‘Would you let me pay Christian’s fees?’
Tony grins as he shakes his head in exasperation. ‘No, I fucking wouldn’t.’ He wraps an arm around my shoulders. ‘But I appreciate you asking.’
I reach up and touch his hand. ‘Thank you. But I don’t want you to think I assume you’ll pay for things.’
‘I know. Which is mainly cos you’re one of the good ones, but there’s a bit of you not accepting stuff in there too. And that’s something we’re working on, right?’
I nod and slide my hand away, ready to walk down the stairs ahead of him.
‘Hang on a sec, Genie.’
I look up at him.
‘So, real quick, you know I get a whole day off tomorrow?’
‘Umm.’
‘Well, I know you’re busy, but I was thinking, me and you, we’ve not been anywhere together. Like on a date, or nothing.’ Tony twists his sweatshirt with one hand, and I realize he’s nervous. That makes me smile, which seems to make it worse. His voice becomes almost unrecognizably hesitant. ‘So, I was, um, wondering if you’re... you could free up any time, if you wanna, um, come out with me?’
I try not to smile again, but maybe overdo it a bit, because Tony says, ‘But I get it, if you’re tied up. Like, it’s short notice and I know you’ve got a lot on…’
I’m going to have to interrupt. ‘No, I’d love to. I am due some time off.’
Tony grins. ‘Great, that’s great. Cos I’ve got this idea that I reckon you might really go for.’
I let the smile come out now, all beaming and happy. ‘I’m sure I will.’ A text comes through on my phone. ‘Sorry, I’d better get this. It’s Skylar, she’s probably worried I’ve died of exposure.’
We walk downstairs. At the bottom, he says, ‘See you tomorrow, then,’ and begins to wander off towards the car park. I head in the opposite direction, then realize we are literally the two least relationship-functional people ever and call out, ‘Tony, what time tomorrow?’
‘Early, like eight. And wear something you don’t mind getting muddy.’