Chapter 44 Callan
CALLAN
“Well, what happened?” Dara jumps to his feet when Da and I return to my hotel room after our meeting with my new agent and the management team from Thamesford FC—a Premier League club based in London.
Dad and I share an excited grin, and I’m sure the shock is still registered on both our faces.
I’m in a daze, and it hasn’t sunk in yet because this has all happened so fast. I only spoke with the scout a week ago, after we won our first match in the UK University Tournament, but the interest was crystal clear.
So, Dad hopped on a plane, arriving a couple of days ago, because he wanted to attend the meeting with me.
I’m glad he was there because I needed him.
I wouldn’t have asked half the questions he did, and he’s the one who rang Stephen, my old manager, and got some agent recommendations.
Dad spoke with a few agents and organized a call with the guy he liked best so I could talk with him and see if I agreed.
Eddie is sound, and he knows his stuff, so I was happy to sign with him.
He belongs to the same agency that negotiated Mason Melia’s contract from Pat’s to Spurs, so I know I’m in good hands.
“They made him an official offer.” Dad’s face is beaming with pride. “The contract paperwork is in motion, and they are moving fast as everything has to be registered and signed before the January transfer window closes at the end of the month.”
“Holy shit, bro.” Dara grabs me into a bear hug. “This is fucking amazing. I knew you could do it! I knew it!” His eyes look suspiciously glassy as he hugs me tight. “I’m so fucking proud of you, mate.”
“Steady on, lad. Can’t play ball in the Premiership if you hug me to death.”
Dara is fighting tears as he lets me go.
“You should ring your mother and tell her.”
“It’s five in the morning in Ryemont, Da.”
“If you think your mother is sleeping, you don’t know her, son. Trust me, she’s awake and desperate to find out how the meeting went. Call her. I’m off to phone your granddad. He’s already left me a ton of messages.” He slips out of the room.
“Tell me everything,” Dara says. “How much are they offering?”
“Listen while I tell Ma,” I say, punching in her number and putting it on loudspeaker as I plonk down beside my brother on the bed.
I desperately want to call Astrid first, but she’s most likely sleeping, and I don’t want to disturb her even if she told me to phone her the minute I got out of the meeting. She’s been burning the midnight oil on a big assignment this week, and I don’t want to fuck up her sleep.
Ma screams down the line when I tell her they have offered me a contract.
Then she bursts out crying. Dara grins. “Sorry, son,” Mum says when she’s finally composed herself.
“I’m emotional because this is everything you’ve dreamed of.
Everything you worked so hard for, for years, and to see it coming true is just incredible.
I am very happy for you, Callan, and so, so proud. ”
“Thanks, Ma.”
“I still don’t know the details,” Dara complains.
“Are you sitting down, Ma?” I ask before I tell her the rest. Don’t want her collapsing on me.
“Oh gawd. I’m going to cry again, aren’t I?”
I laugh. “Probably.”
“Hit me with it.”
I draw a deep breath and let it all out. “It’s a five-mil deal.”
Ma gasps.
“But I don’t get any of that. A percentage goes to my agent, and the rest will be split between Anto’s, Pat’s, and Bennington Turo.
My earnings come from my contract. Eddie negotiated a four-hundred-grand signing-on fee and a five-year deal at twenty-K a week.
There will be different bonuses too, like goal bonuses, relegation-avoidance bonuses, performance-based bonuses, and appearance fees, etcetera.
The club has insurance, so if I pick up any injuries and can’t play a match, I still get paid.
Get this, they’re gonna put me in an apartment for the first three months, and then they’ll give me an accommodation allowance.
With everything included, I’ll likely earn twenty-five-K sterling a week. Fucking hell.”
I drag my hands through my hair. “I’ll be loaded! It’s crazy. Getting to play football for a living is the dream. Getting all this cash on top is sick.” It’s not like I didn’t know there is a lot of money to be made as a footballer in the Premiership, but it’s never been my focus.
“You’ll be set up for life,” Dara says.
“Does the club provide any financial advisers?” Ma asks. “If not, we’ll hire one. That kind of money can last a lifetime if you’re smart with it. It’s best to start off as you mean to go on and—”
“Ma. Stop. I haven’t even signed the bleedin’ contract yet. I’m sure they have advisers, and I’ll worry about that later.”
“You should get your own adviser anyway,” Dara says. “Eddie will have contacts.”
My phone pings with a message from Astrid, and my smile gets wider. “I’ve got to go, Ma. I need to call Astrid, but I’ll ring you back later.”
“Tell her I said hi, and I’m so proud of you, honey. Can’t wait to hug you.”
Dara leaves to go back to his room, so I have privacy to FaceTime my girlfriend.
“You’re up early,” I say when she answers, leaning against the headboard with my knees raised.
She’s sitting cross-legged on her bed with the comforter wrapped around her lower body.
Her hair is in a messy topknot, and she looks tired but beautiful.
Always so beautiful. A pang of longing attacks me.
It’s been ten days since I last held her in my arms, and I miss her like crazy.
“You’re insane if you think I got any sleep. I’m too freaking excited.” Her face lights up. “What happened at the meeting?”
I fill her in on everything I told Ma, watching as her eyes grow wider and her smile expands.
“Oh my gawd, baby!” she squeals, and I really hope Paige is at Tonya’s and not in the other bed.
“You fucking did it! I knew you would. I am so freaking proud of you.” Tears glisten in her eyes, and she laughs as she swats some errant tears away.
“All your dreams are coming true, Callan. You deserve it, and I am so happy for you.”
“Thanks, beautiful. I couldn’t have done it without you. If you hadn’t come into my life, I might not have gone to Bennington Turo and missed out on this opportunity.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but this is all you, soccer star. You made this happen.” Her features soften. “Maybe your parents did know best after all.”
“It’s funny you say that.” I stretch my legs out on the mattress.
“I was only thinking that last night. I was salty because they made me move overseas, but they helped to set this in motion, and they’ve supported and encouraged me for years.
I owe them a lot. I’m gonna pay off their mortgage when I have enough money, but don’t tell them. I want it to be a surprise.”
“Wow, your parents will be thrilled. That’s so sweet of you.” She presses a kiss to two fingers and plants it on the screen.
“I miss you.”
“Miss you, too.” I return the kissing gesture.
“So, I guess you’ll be moving at the end of the month?”
My head bobs as I gulp over the messy lump in my throat. “I know a long-distance relationship isn’t ideal, but you’re important to me, and I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. I want this for you, and we’ll figure things out.”
“We’ll make it work.”
She nods before clearing her throat. “So, um, I’ve been conducting some research, and I could transfer to a London college.” She wets her lips. “I don’t want to be presumptuous, but—”
“I would love that.” I rush to reassure her because that would be fucking amazing.
“I would love you here with me. I’m excited, but it’s daunting too, ya know?
It would be great to have your support, but you shouldn’t give up your dream for mine.
I don’t want that. Only do this if it makes sense for you too. ”
“Aw, I know that babe, and I wouldn’t have suggested it if it didn’t fit my career goals.
Studying overseas will look great on my resume, especially if I can get work experience in England.
I found three London universities that offer similar degrees with rolling admissions for international transfer students, so there’s still time to apply for September.
I’ll talk to the international office first thing and start the process.
I also spoke to Mina, and she said she could help to line up summer work for me at an interior design firm in London, as she has some contacts overseas.
So, potentially I could relocate after my exams are finished. ”
Mina is the manager of the interior design company Astrid worked with last summer. “Wow. You’ve put in a lot of effort already.”
She shrugs and smiles. “What can I say? I have this amazingly talented boyfriend, and I believe in him. I knew from the minute the scout expressed interest that this would happen, and I wanted to be prepared.”
“Thanks, baby. I love you.”
“I love you too. So, so much, Callan.” Tears shimmer in her eyes again. “Did I tell you how proud I am of you?”
I bark out a laugh. “Maybe. Between you and Mum, I’ll be an emotional wreck by the end of the day.”
“Another memory for the memory bank,” she softly says. “Everything is going to change now.”
“Yeah, it is.” I haven’t given much thought to it as I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but life as I know it is definitely about to change.
“So, would that plan work for you?” she asks.
“It’s perfect. The season finishes at the end of May, and the new one doesn’t start until August. While I will have training and some friendlies, I will get a few weeks off. It’s part of my contract. I could help you to settle in, and maybe we could go on a holiday before you start work.”
“I’m so excited! This is going to be amazing.”
“I’m even more excited now I know you’ll be by my side.”
“We’ll get to go to bed and wake up together every day.” Pure happiness washes over her face, and it mirrors how I’m feeling on the inside.
“I’d love to be a fly on the wall when you break this news to your dad.” I chuckle.
“He’ll have over four months to get used to the idea. He’ll come around.”
“Four months feels like an eternity. It’s going to be hard.”
“You’ll be too busy to miss me too much.”
“Impossible. I’ll be thinking of you every second I’m off the pitch.
” I will be incredibly busy with training and matches because the manager has already said he’ll be starting me immediately.
The team’s form has been poor this season, and they’re trading their current center forward before the transfer window ends, replacing him with me to bolster the front line.
Which means the pressure will be on me from the very start, but I’m up to the challenge. More than that, I’m gagging for it.
“We can message and FaceTime, and I can visit you during spring break?” she suggests.
“I’ll have a full schedule, but I would love you to come. Maybe Dara can fly in for a few days, so you won’t be alone too much.”
“I don’t mind exploring London by myself. It’ll be fun.”
“I’d rather you have someone with you. London’s a big place and as dangerous as any major city is.”
“Relax, it’ll be fine.”
“Maybe I’ll hire you a bodyguard,” I muse. “Especially if people know you’re my girlfriend.”
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”
“I’ll ask the manager. He was fucking delighted when I told him about you. My agent said Colin loves when his players are in settled relationships as they’re more grounded and less likely to be distracted by outside forces.”
Astrid snort laughs. “I’ve never heard girls referred to as outside forces before.”
Laughter tumbles from my chest. “Truth.” I run the tip of my finger across the screen, wishing it was her face. “I’m glad I won’t have to keep us a secret. I don’t want to hide what we have.”
“Same, but if English soccer fans are anything like those girls around campus, we shouldn’t go shouting about our relationship either.”
“Agreed. I won’t do anything to make you a target. I promise.”
“When are you coming home?”
“As soon as the paperwork is signed, which hopefully will be in the next few days. I won’t be home for more than a few days though.
Just long enough to pack up my stuff and say my goodbyes.
I need to be at the club for the press conference, on the last day of the transfer window, when I’ll be officially announced to the world. ”
“I don’t care if I have to get up in the middle of the night. I’ll be watching it from here wearing the biggest, proudest smile.”
A small part of me was worried about telling Astrid because of the separation and the pressure it would put on our relationship.
I should have known my girl would take it in her stride.
Some girls might not want to do the long-distance thing, and I would never have asked her to transfer to university here, so having her immediately jump in to suggest it has made this best day of my life even better.
“Thank you for supporting my dream. I’m so lucky to have you. ”
“You’d do the same for me. We’re a team, babe. I’m excited for this next chapter in our lives.”