Things felt as though they were getting serious pretty damn fast.
I covered my face with a pillow and squealed. Because I was falling for Lucas and it was comforting to know he felt the same.
I heard laughter out in the hallway. Then a thud against the wall. The bathroom door remained closed so I got up, grabbed Lucas’ robe and wrapped it around my naked body.
I opened the bedroom door a crack, my eyes widening at what I saw.
Alan had Anna pinned against the wall, their bodies pressed together. They were kissing. No, devouring each other was more like it. Then they parted and Anna pulled him into a room and closed the door.
“What are you doing?” Lucas asked, coming up behind me.
“I thought I heard something. It was nothing,” I said quickly, closing the door.
Lucas
“Mate, you’re on fire! What’s your secret?” Bruno, our defensive midfielder from Brazil asked. We were running drills at the training ground and even I had to admit I was in peak form.
Jack didn’t look too disgusted with me for once, which was a nice change.
Alan jogged up and slung an arm around my shoulders. “It’s the regular muff he’s getting from his American lady.”
I elbowed him in the gut. “Shut it, Cole before I shut it for you.”
“So are the rumors true then? Lucas Bradley is settling down?” Charlie Barker asked. Charlie was new to Chester this season having transferred from Bristol. I personally didn’t think he was being given much of a chance to show what he was made of. Jack had relegated him to bench warmer. He had yet to have more than five minutes of playtime.
“Why is my love life of interest to you lot? I would think our upcoming game against the Wingers would have more of your attention.” I kicked the ball towards the goal, David Johnson, our second string goalkeeper missed it. It hit the corner of the net with force.
“And that’s why you’ll never get any first team play,” Alan called out. David flipped him off and threw the ball back to me.
I dribbled the ball over to Stoney who was paired with Finn for passing drills. “Here you go, mate. “I’m joining you guys. I’ve had enough of the knob gallery over there.”
“Oh, yeah, that would be great.”
Martin Stone always looked at me like the fans did. Poor kid had a bad case of hero worship. Too bad I wasn’t the best role model.
He was a hell of a striker in the making. Jack had pulled him up from League two. At only eighteen, he was very green. I had seen many a young kid letting the sudden money and fame go straight to their head. Professional football could ruin a person if you weren’t careful.
“Come on, let’s run some set plays. You up for it Finn?” The right back gave me a nod and the three of us ran through some plays. Stoney impressed me with how aware he was. How his head was always up, scanning the pitch, looking at the other players. He was an intuitive player. In spite of his young age, he was head and shoulders above a lot of players that came through the Premier League. I just hoped he got the notice he deserved. I felt it my duty to take him under my wing. To coach him a bit. To help him become the player he could be.
Just as Gaz had done for me.
After training, I declined drinks with some of the guys. I had made plans with Morgan. I had actually agreed to go on a walking tour of Chester. She was more than a little excited. I was less than. But I knew she’d be extremely appreciative later.
“Ditching us for your woman?” Nick asked with a cheeky grin.
“Are you going to let us meet her? Or are you afraid that once she meets the rest of us, she’ll realize what a bum deal she got?” Shane laughed and the room full of half-naked jackasses joined him.
“Fuck off, all of you,” I responded good-naturedly.
“Don’t be like that, Bradley. We just want to make sure she’s good enough for you,” George Fletcher said, wrapping a towel around his waist.
“Marla’s planning a dinner party for later in the week, you should bring Morgan,” Craig suggested.
That sounded like the worst idea in the history of bad ideas.
“I’m not sure we can make it.” I didn’t even bother thinking of an excuse. Taking Morgan to Craig and Marla’s was the last thing I wanted to do.
Craig looked crestfallen. “Come on, it would be nice to meet her. It would mean a lot.”
