We all looked up at the young, attractive waitress. She stared at me, an inviting smile on her lips. Her long blond hair was swept up in a high ponytail and she’d created cat eyes with her makeup. There was enough of a hint of Beth to her that I looked away as Baird asked for menus.
“How are you?” I asked Ainsley as the waitress walked away.
Ainsley was Baird’s older sister by two years. Their dad took off when Baird was born, and their mum had moved them in with their grandparents in Falkirk. They were a close-knit family and Ainsley had fallen in love with Edinburgh when she studied art history here. It suited Baird just fine to have his sister in the same city.
“I got a new client this week, so I’m good.” She was an interior designer. Her business had taken off on social media when her design videos started racking up some nice views. “How are you after last week’s defeat?” She gestured toward the bar where the arsehole had called us out.
Before I could respond, a shadow fell over the table. It wasn’t the waitress. An older man, eyes glazed with the whisky he reeked of, put his hand on my shoulder and bent his head to mine. “Just wanted to come over and tell you laddies not to worry about last week.” He slightly slurred his words. “Not your fault. Not your fault.” I was nodding along politely while inside wishing for a moment of peace when his sympathetic smile turned wicked. “But I’m a Leith United man, so I could give a fuck. Imagine getting whipped by Dalmarnock, you pathetic bunch of pussies.”
Considering Dalmarnock were the reigning champions, his comment made no bloody sense.
Ainsley reached across and shoved the man’s hand off my shoulder. “Fuck off. You’re the pathetic one.”
He stumbled back, eyes blinking blearily at her. “You don’t talk to me like that, you cu?—”
“Finish that and die.” Baird nudged me hard, and even though I knew I should stop him, I slid from the booth to let him out.
My friend and teammate towered over the drunk. “Whit were ye gonnae say tae ma sister?” Baird asked with quiet menace, his accent slipping.
“He’s just drunk.” A short, younger bloke was suddenly at the drunk’s side. “Dad, leave it, eh.”
The drunk curled his lip. “I can say what I want, ye wanker!”
Seeing his fist tighten, I grabbed Baird’s shoulder. “He’s not worth the fine,” I reminded him. Any antisocial behavior on or off the grounds resulted in having to pay a hefty fine to the club.
“Settle, lads.” The bartender, a big bruiser of a man who was a fair match for Baird, crossed the now quiet pub. “Ant, get your dad out of here,” he ordered the short guy. “And I’ll not let you back in here if this happens again.”
Two more people appeared to help Ant get his moronic, drunk father out of the pub. I’d like to say this was the first time we’d encountered such a situation, but it definitely was not.
The bartender sighed and turned to us. “I’m Al. I own the place. Sorry about the hassle.” He glanced sternly around the pub and said loudly, “It won’t happen again, or folks will find themselves out on their arse.” Al turned back to us. “Your meal is on the house.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said.
“No. I do. No one gets hassled in my pub. No matter who they are.” We really shouldn’t have come to a pub in Leith.
I gave him a nod of thanks, though, and then nudged a still furious Baird back into the booth.
Ainsley eyed her brother in concern. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Conversation rose again. Baird narrowed his eyes. “You should be able to say what you want without some prick talking to you like that.”
“I don’t know how you guys put up with this.” Ainsley frowned. “People think they have the right to shit all over you.”
“It doesn’t happen all the time,” I assured her. “We’ve got places we can go where we get peace. But we’re the bad guys here, Ainsley. Leith United fans hate us.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head, her short dark hair swinging around her face. “It’s appalling. How would they feel if someone came up to them on a daily basis to criticize how they were doing at work?”
I nudged Baird with my shoulder instead of answering his sister’s rhetorical question. The truth was, I couldn’t letcomments like that get to me. They used to when I first started playing professionally, but I’d found a way to compartmentalize them. When national newspapers turned the criticism into blazing headlines, I had to find that place in me that could let it roll off my back. Some days that was easier than others. But I had to try, or the pressure might break me. “You calm now?”
Baird wasn’t easily riled, but if you messed with his sister, he’d mess with your fucking face.
“Aye, aye, I’m fine. Just hangry. Where are those menus?”
The waitress returned seconds later with them, and we quickly ordered food before chatting with Ains. She and Baird talked every day, so it was mostly me and her catching up.
“How’s Helen?” I asked about the woman she’d been seeing last time I saw her.
Ainsley snorted. “Oh, she lasted all of five seconds. I’m seeing a guy called Ky at the moment. He’s not the brightest highlighter in the pack, but he’s fun in the bedroom.”
