“No, but it does allow Worcester to catch up.”
“They’re playing Exeter next. I doubt they’ll win that.”
“Who?” Danny asked, appearing on Charlie’s other side with a bag slung over his shoulder. I frowned because Danny didn’t usually come up to the lounge since he didn’t have a girlfriendand his family rarely came to watch. Maybe he was going back to Charlie’s for dinner since the two of them were close.
“Worcester are two points behind us now,” I said. “But they’re playing Exeter next and Charlie doesn’t think they’ll win that.”
“Nah, not a chance. Worcester are good but notthatgood. They’re mid at best, and their front row is shit,” Danny said as he pushed back his hair, which was still wet from the shower and kept falling into his face.
“See, we’re good.” Charlie clapped me on the shoulder as we reached the lounge door. It was only then that I realised what was about to happen… the team were going to meet Harper.
Christ on a fucking cracker. How had I not thought this through? It was one thing for him to come with Hannah and meet everyone’s wives and girlfriends, but to meet the rest of the lads? Some of whom couldn’t keep a fucking sock in it if they tried? They were going to be all over me on Tuesday, and I wouldn’t have any excuses.
It wasn’t like I was embarrassed. It was just that Harper was special and I didn’t want these wankers scaring him off with whatever stories they could invent or dredge up.
But when I walked through the door and saw Harper sitting near the window with Jack on his lap, chatting happily with Hannah, Tils, and Amanda, my thoughts about everyone else dried up. It didn’t matter what they thought, only what I did, and seeing Harper sitting there with my son, the golden afternoon light streaming in through the window and lighting him up like an angel in a medieval painting, was like a damn revelation.
If I could have walked over and kissed him, I would.
But we hadn’t talked about what the hell we were doing outside of making out on my sofa at one in the morning, and in the kitchen while cooking a mountain of banana pancakes, and Iwasn’t prepared to spring that on him now. Especially not with Jack and Hannah here.
Instead, all I could do was wave and stroll over while pretending I wasn’t thinking about the taste of Harper’s strawberry lip balm.
“There you are,” I said, leaning down to kiss Jack’s temple. “Having fun?”
“Daddy, I had gogagges,” Jack said, smiling up at me, the tiniest blob of dried ketchup next to his mouth.
“Yeah? Were they nice?”
“Yes!”
“Did you watch me play?”
Jack shook his head. “No. I was busy.”
I chuckled and kissed him again. “Thanks, mate.” I glanced up at Harper, who was watching me with a smile. There was a sharp pull in my stomach, like I was being dragged towards him, and all I wanted was to lean in and kiss him. We were so close. It would be so easy.
But it would have to wait.
“How’re you doing?” Harper asked softly. “I thought you played really well.”
“Thanks. And I’m doing okay—disappointed that we couldn’t get it across the line, but it just wasn’t meant to be. We made some mistakes and we let them get to us. It happens.”
“Next time.”
“Absolutely,” I said with a nod.
“I still think you were great,” he said. “Although I don’t know how much my opinion counts because I still have no idea what the rules are.”
“I’ll have to teach you.”
“You’ll be a better teacher than me,” Hannah said, startling me because I’d almost forgotten she was there.
“Yeah, well, you don’t know the rules either.” I grinned at her, hoping she hadn’t noticed me twitch because she’d figure out what was going on in two seconds flat. She was the most observant person I knew, except when it came to herself. Which was how we’d ended up with Jack.
“I’m getting better! I know what a line out is for now.”
“Impressive. It’s only taken you nine years.”
