Chapter 38
38
Monica has the office of a serial killer. It’s so aggressively tidy, sitting opposite her, I must look like I should be swept away. And everything’s absolutely modern and perfectly straight. Except, she’s drinking tea from a porcelain cup, covered in delicate pink roses.
There’s the briefest of greetings, then she launches straight in with, ‘Genie, you must find a boyfriend before the start of January.’
Is ‘how’ or ‘why’ the appropriate first response to that? I settle for, ‘Um…’
A normal person would take that as an invitation to fill in the gaps. But Monica passes across six sheets of A4, each with a headshot and a brief bio. ‘If you don’t have anyone in mind, here are possibilities.’
Against my better judgement, I leaf through the papers. Each man is from Monica’s business circle. Given Monica’s people skills, she may not’ve noticed one of them is gay. Alternatively, this might be more of a business arrangement than an intervention for my personal happiness. Actually, that’s almost certainly the case. But unless she’s looking to add madaming to her already impressive CV, I still don’t get it.
‘I’m not sure I quite understand?’
Monica drums her nails on the desk. The office is so quiet, it’s like gunshots on the polished glass. ‘I require Garratt to clarify his position before the January transfer window.’
‘You’re not selling Tony?’ comes out before I can stop it. Obviously, I’ve known that might be coming. The model player stuff fits with Tony putting himself in the shop-window. But it makes me feel sick, saying it out loud.
She sighs. ‘Not if I can avoid it.’
I’m ridiculously relieved. ‘Then I don’t see the connection. Between Tony and transfers, or me getting a boyfriend.’
Monica flexes her hands. ‘It’s quite simple. I assume you’re aware of the buyout clause in Garratt’s contract?’
‘Vaguely. It’s something like if there’s an offer of twenty million plus and he wants to go, you have to sell, isn’t it?’
‘Exactly. And twenty million is a laughably low price.’ She looks down and shakes her head. For once, her irritation seems self-directed. ‘I should never have agreed to it. But he was adamant he wouldn’t move to a smaller club unless he had the option to leave. I took a gamble.’ She sounds like she’s admitting to something despicable.
‘And an offer’s coming?’
‘No.’ There’s a flicker of her blood-red fingernails. ‘Not yet. But I know for a fact, in the last month, two La Liga scouts and a Serie A director of football have been in touch with Garratt’s agent. When I put that to Garratt, he didn’t deny it. But he did commit to stay until the summer.’
I turn my face away, hoping to hide that I can’t bear the thought of not even passing Tony in the hallways any more.
Monica clears her throat, demanding a return of my attention. ‘Obviously, I’d prefer to retain Garratt, given his current form. But if that’s not an option, January’s the time to invest in a replacement.’
‘So they’re integrated into the system by the autumn?’ I ask, mechanically. When Tony leaves, it will be like working in the Sahara.
‘I suppose.’ Monica’s voice suggests that hadn’t crossed her mind. ‘More to the point, we can drive a harder bargain with Garratt in place. The minute there are rumours that he’s leaving, it will be obvious we need someone urgently. And you know agents, once they smell blood.’ She crinkles up her nose, though I’m sure sharks are her favourite animal.
‘But I still don’t…’
Monica interrupts. ‘Garratt won’t confirm that he definitely plans to leave. If he’s still here next season, we’ll have spent a great deal of money on an unnecessary understudy. Uncertainty is the enemy of business.’
‘I can see that, but…’
This time, Monica sighs like she’s taken up breath work. ‘Basically, Garratt has made it clear that his future depends on your relationship status. Which isn’t ideal, obviously.’
Half of me is melting. The other half is furious that he’d suggest that to Monica. Oddly for her, it seems like she can read it in my face. Well, the anger, anyway.
‘He’s vehemently denied any romantic relationship between you.’ She sniffs, which somehow manages to convey irritation. ‘He’s also made it crystal clear if the club activates the termination clause in your contract, he will instigate a transfer. And he’ll ensure the purchase price is twenty million and not a penny more. If we move to sell before he’s ready to go, he’ll do the same.’ That might not sound like a threat, but given what Tony cost, it would be a serious loss for the club. She draws her brows together. ‘I have to say, it’s extremely trying. Not least because it’s completely unnecessary.’
‘Is it?’
‘Of course. I obviously can’t sack you over fraternization.’
‘Can’t you?’
‘No, not after Gavin. That would be entirely unreasonable.’ She says it like that’s obvious. And maybe it should be. Monica needs to be right, even when it means doing something she finds unappealing. And she can’t bear things to be unbalanced, whether it’s an account or the arrangement of items on her desk. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem remotely likely she’s behind the sneaky attempts to make me look incompetent.
Monica takes a dignified little sip of her tea. ‘And beyond that, I simply can’t understand Garratt’s position. I suggested the club could encourage a relationship between you…’
‘You did?’
‘Of course.’
‘It didn’t cross your mind that might not be your call?’ I ask, unable to hold my tongue.
Monica’s eyes widen. Perhaps this is the first time anyone’s pointed out club staff aren’t her personal possessions? ‘Not in the least. It seemed like the obvious solution for stabilizing the situation.’
I half sigh and half laugh, because what’s the point of doing anything else?
She frowns. ‘But he insists that he has no interest in a relationship.’
So, melty was premature. And stupid. I mean, I know about the ring, and beautiful Angharad, and the late-night drives. Of course he doesn’t want a relationship. Not with me, anyway. What I said to Katia must’ve been right. Tony’s feeling guilty over how things ended. He promised he’d be there for me in tough times. Living up to that will be a salve for his conscience. Making it part of his transfer decision is taking it to an extreme, but Tony doesn’t do anything by halves. And a promise is probably something else he thinks of as roughly the same as a tackle. Something you can’t back out of without losing face. I’m sure I’d think that was sweet, if it wasn’t so depressing.
Monica shrugs. ‘So, really, I’ve no idea. But he’s a player.’ She raises her brows. ‘Players do inexplicable things.’ There’s a faraway look in her eyes. I’d bet my life she’s fantasizing about player robots. Monica gives herself a little shake, abandoning her dream of perfect predictability. ‘Objectively, you finding a boyfriend makes the best of a bad lot. We can set in motion buying a replacement for Garratt. And we can agree his sale at a price of our choosing, rather than his.’
‘It’s not quite as simple as that.’
‘Those men aren’t to your tastes?’ she asks, waving a hand at the papers.
‘No, and even if…’
She cuts me off. ‘There is another option.’
I push my hair back and try to be patient. ‘Is there?’
‘Of course. Garratt might say he isn’t looking to pursue a relationship, but that isn’t at all the same as him not being ready to take one, if it were offered. In fact, in many ways, that’s the ideal scenario. It would certainly secure his services for the foreseeable future.’
‘I don’t think that’s a viable possibility,’ I say, flatly. Tony has Angharad now. And since he’s playing beautifully, I guess they’ve worked out their issues.
‘Genie, I’ve avoided being part of your annual reviews, because of, well, the situation with Gavin.’ Monica straightens the sleeves of her already perfect suit jacket. ‘Not that I’ve ever felt remotely guilty. Gavin suits me very well and you never seemed the slightest bit keen to keep him.’
That’s so obviously true that I smile, which she ignores.
‘But if you’ll accept some feedback, I am told, frequently, that you are extremely good at what you do. But you downplay your own abilities. You make yourself small. I would expect Garratt to worsen that.’ She tightens her mouth. ‘I meet so many men like him. Big personalities, I suppose people would say. Usually, they suck their wives dry, until they become dowdy little women. But when I’ve seen you with Garratt, it’s quite the opposite. You are more when you’re with him and so is he with you. Personally, I believe every woman should make that a rule, that they will seek to make themselves bigger than they are.’ There’s a little shake of her head, and I’m dismissed with, ‘But all I require is that you resolve the matter by the first of January. Whether it’s Garratt or another man is entirely up to you.’