“Yes.” Sliding her hands into the pockets of her Albion hoodie, Erin leaned a hip against the sink beside Lia. “I let her affect my career, and that was unacceptable. I swore it wouldn’t happen again.”
“I don’t want her to affect my career.” Hannah had already ruined so much. “Though I guess she already has.”
“By improving it.” Erin’s voice was fierce. “Not everyone can move to another team and fit in like you have. Not everyone can replicate their form at a new club. And arguably, you’re doing better than ever.”
“Again with the compliments.” Lia managed a watery smile.
Erin shrugged but didn’t meet Lia’s eye. “Just the truth.”
“I wish she wasn’t playing as well as she is.”
“She’s okay. Predictable, though. Keeps looking for space between our centre-backs but refuses to put the ball out to the left. And she’s weaker on her right foot—it looks like she’s carrying a knock from when Cerys tackled her early on.”
Despite Lia’s pleas to leave Hannah alone, Lia had no doubt that tackle was Cerys’s special gift. She’d winced when it had happened; Cerys had been lucky not to receive a yellow card.
“And she might not be affected by you right now,” Erin said, “but I think if you were on the pitch, it might be a different story.”
“You think so?”
“She’s in your head. There’s no reason to think you won’t be in hers. And if you’re not, you should be.”
Before Lia could reply, a cheer rang out from the stands—but it wasn’t loud enough to be from their own fans. Had Wanderers scored? “That doesn’t sound good.”
Erin made a face. “No, it doesn’t. You ready to go back out there?”
With another deep breath, Lia nodded.
“Good. Because I think we might need you in the second half, if you’re up for it.”
* * *
“You were gone ages,” Maisie said when Erin slid back into her usual seat on the bench behind the players. “And you left me alone! What if someone kidnapped me?”
“They’d soon bring you back.” Erin ruffled Maisie’s unruly hair. “And I’m back now, aren’t I?”
“You missed a goal. Wanderers scored.”
And Albion were playing like they’d never kicked a ball before. By the time the half-time whistle went, Erin had counted a mere two shots on goal by Albion, and neither of them were on target.
“They need to bring Lia on.”
Erin agreed wholeheartedly, but… “I’m not sure she’s fit enough.” Mentally, not physically. Hopefully she’d said enough in the bathroom to get Lia out of her own head. She’d certainly said more than she meant to. Few people knew about her first and only relationship, and Erin had spilled it all to Lia because she’d been looking lost and dejected.
Well, Erin couldn’t take it back now. And maybe it would help. She didn’t want Lia to act as rashly as Erin had. Getting banned for their next game wouldn’t help anyone, even if a hard tackle would wipe the smirk off Hannah Edgerton’s face.
Erin didn’t know what Lia saw in her. Sure, she was a good player, but Erin had seen better. And she was stereotypically pretty—with high cheek bones, bright-blue eyes and a long, blonde ponytail—but her smug expression wasn’t attractive.
Some would say Erin had that same expression whenever she was on the pitch—but at least when she did, she was the best player on it.
“If Lia’s still injured, why’s she warming up like she’s about to come on?” Maisie’s voice tore Erin’s focus away from the back of Hannah’s head as she walked down the tunnel.
Sure enough, Lia had stripped off her jacket and was jogging across the pitch in her full kit. One of their striking coaches ran alongside her, and they passed the ball quickly between one another.
Lia showed no hint of her ankle bothering her, nor of any nerves at the prospect of setting foot on the field. Good. Albion needed her, and they needed her at her best. Already a few of the Wanderers fans booed her, but they were soon drowned out by cheers from the Albion fans.
“Maybe she’s more ready than I thought,” Erin said, hoping it was true. As the second half commenced, and Lia took her place on the pitch, Erin swallowed down some of her own nerves.
She needn’t have worried.
