But he was ready.
Tommy was the only player who came over to him before the game, giving him a slap on the shoulder.
“Ready, Jon?”
“As ready as can be,” he said, his gaze wandering around the room, finding no one was meeting his eye, except for Rhys, who was staring him down unflinchingly. “Not sure I’m wanted here any longer, Tommy, to be honest with you.”
“They’ll get over it,” Tommy said as they walked out together. “I think if you told us what is going on with you, they’d be much more likely to support you than you realize. This club looks out for each other, as long as you give them your trust. I learned that the hard way myself last season.”
“You have no idea, Tommy.”
“I have some idea,” he said, looking at Jonny closer. “Does this have to do with Will or Ada?”
Jonny looked over at him sharply.
“Both.”
“Bit of a pickle, then.”
“You could say that.”
“Well, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s finding a way out of tricky situations,” Tommy said with a grin. “Let me know when you’re ready for some help.”
“I’ll do that, Tommy,” he said as they ran out onto the field, the cheers of the fans somewhat buoying his spirits. They didn’t know where he had come from, what he had done, nor the battle he was facing now. At least, most of them didn’t. To them, he was Jonny Tate, half-back for Manchester Central. And for the next ninety minutes, that’s all he could be. He stood there for a moment, filling himself with the scent of the hard grass beneath his feet, the sounds of the crowd cheering and the men yelling at each other around him, the damp in the air that was creeping through his cotton uniform, which the heat of his body would soon chase away once he got moving.
The collective groan when Rhys lost the coin toss shook him back to the present, and he found his place, focused.
And gave it all he had.
The game commenced with a flurry of energy. Fuelling all the restless drive that had been building within him, Jonny was in his element, weaving through opponents with the grace of a dancer, his mind focused entirely on the game. Every pass, every tackle felt like a chance to prove himself, to silence the doubts that had plagued him since the rumors started swirling about Ada.
As the game progressed, both teams fought fiercely, but Jonny’s perseverance and the chemistry with his teammates began to shift the tide. In the final minutes, with the score still knotted, he found himself in a perfect position to send a cross up the field to Tommy.
Jonny kicked the ball, placing it as flawlessly as he could before it soared into the air. Time seemed to slow as Tommy leapt, connecting cleanly with a powerful header that sent the ball crashing into the back of the net.
The crowd erupted in cheers, a euphoric wave crashing over Jonny as Tommy landed back on the ground. Manchester Central had secured the victory, and as his teammates gathered around Tommy, Jonny felt a surge of pride wash over him.
This win wasn’t just for the team; it was a testament to his determination to rise above the chaos of his life and embrace the future — especially with Ada cheering from the stands.
With the win now in place, all that he had blocked out during the game came rushing back to him — what he had done with Ada, how he had taken her without thought to her own feelings or experience, how he had gone against everything that told him she was not a woman to play around with, but one who deserved commitment and kindness, if nothing else.
Although he had a feeling that if she was with a man who wastoonice to her, she’d eat him alive.
Still, he owed her an apology.
What happened from there was up to her.
He quickly changed, not speaking much to his teammates, although they met his eye more than they had before the game.
“Jonny?” Tommy said as he was about to push through the door. Jonny looked back over his shoulder. “Join us at The King’s Head?”
He made a non-committal grunt as he walked out, not giving them an answer one way or another. He supposed part of it had to do with how well his conversation with Ada went.
And there she was, across from the changing rooms as he emerged.
Minnie, Lily, and Emmaline were nearby, but she was standing a few feet away from them, as though she had been pulled away.
Which, by the looks of things, she had.
