Nikki helped herself to an olive. “I worked on the scouting team for the club that Javier took over. It was love at first sight. We soon got together. Of course, we kept it quiet. Then the job for Brockton came up. I said that if we were moving to England, I wanted to change careers.”
“And she’s never looked back.”
Javier came out of the house with a tray of drinks. Steven noted that he’d also poured sparkling water for him and Nikki.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Nikki replied. “We’re happy nonetheless. Even with the kids keeping us up morning, noon and night.”
They’d married before they left Spain and Nikki had fallen pregnant by the time they’d reached Lancashire. They now had two sons. One two years old and the other four.
“Where are your boys?” Steven asked.
“Asleep,” Nikki replied. “And pray it stays that way. They have a habit of taking over.”
Steven laughed. “I have a six-year-old niece so I know exactly what you mean.”
“She’s a force to be reckoned with,” Udo added.
Nikki and Javier shared a glance.
“So you’ve met the family then, Udo,” Nikki asked.
“I certainly have.”
“As a friend and colleague,” Steven hastily added. He didn’t want Javier to think that they were flaunting their relationship all over the place.
“That’s good,” Javier said. “I can’t stress enough that secrecy has to be kept at all times.”
“Oh, Javier,” Nikki said, resting her hand on his leg. “Don’t be so old-fashioned. Would you say that to Adam or Ewen or Shaun?”
Javier reddened. “I have many things I would like to say to Shaun, right now.”
“To be fair, he did apologise,” Udo said. “I truly believe he meant it as well.”
“That’s good,” Javier replied. “This week’s drama was simply Shaun thinking you were getting preferential treatment. Imagine how he, or the fans, would react if they found out you and Steven are sleeping together.”
Steven bristled.
“It’s more than sex, Javier,” he said.
“Forgive me. That was crass. Although I don’t think the media would focus on anything other than the physical. Let’s be real here.”
The fans and the press were worries that kept Steven awake at night. Society might be progressing but it seemed that the worldof football was being stubborn. Fans would shout obscene and despicable things in the heat of a match.
“You’re right,” Steven said. “I’ve seen it enough times.”
Nikki shuddered. “When our youngest, Pablo, was in hospital, the away fans were appalling. Shouting they hoped he died.”
Steven remembered that. Poor Javier had remained in the dugout for most of the games around that time, preferring to send Steven to the touchline.
Javier took his wife’s hand. “It was the hardest thing in my career. As a manager, I’m expected to take it on the chin. As a father, I wanted to rip their fucking heads off.”
“It was awful,” Nikki added. “All is well again now. Now excuse me, I should check on dinner. It won’t be too long.”
She got up and stretched. Steven noticed that Javier never took his eyes off her. Their love was rock-solid. It gave him hope for the future.
“Please, allow me to help,” Udo said.
“There’s no need.”
