CHAPTER17
Rowan
“So have you found a house yet?”Rhys was sitting on the sofa in the apartment, the same sofa where I’d done very dirty things to Dee two nights previously. I hadn’t told Rhys this. I was saving it for when he asked me questions that really annoyed me, because although he liked to overshare on some of the physical aspects of his relationships, he really didn’t like to hear about mine.
“Not yet.”
“What’s stopping you? We’re ten games into the season and ideally, the club would like you properly settled before the transfer window opens.”
Which meant they were getting twitchy because I was still living in their accommodation. Buying somewhere in the area signified my intention to stay put in Manchester, which was what I did intend to do.
“I haven’t found the right place.”
Rhys’ eyes narrowed. “What would the right place look like.”
Ryan walked in, iPad in one hand, the Financial Times in the other. “One that Dee wants to live in.” He put the iPad down and grabbed a green smoothie from the fridge.
Rhys’ face turned from surprise to wonderment to pleasure to wariness. It was a treat to watch each expression and figure out the thought process behind each one.
“You haven’t corrected Ryan.” Rhys pointed at me. “You haven’t said he’s wrong.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know if he’s wrong or not. Sparkles has only just agreed that she’s my girlfriend.” This was true. Jesse had carried on making comments about how talented Dee was, and what a good ambassador for the club she was being, and then suggested that he and Dee could be a power couple for the sport. While we hadn’t been keeping our dating secret, it wasn’t well known.
Until that point. Then everyone in the changing room knew. Especially Jesse.
Because Sunshine Sparkles had grown on me like a diamond, and while her ever smiley demeanour at stupid o’clock in the morning still made me put my head under a pillow, it also made me smile, which was a miracle for a non-morning person.
Rhys grinned, taking enjoyment. “Our Rowan’s not getting what he wants, man. There’s a fucking first.” His Geordie accent was suddenly thick, something he kept toned down most of the time now.
“Dee knows her own mind. And we’ve only been seeing each other a couple of months.” It was a bit more than that actually, but if I was any more precise, Rhys would be ecstatic at how much he could take the piss out of me.
The stupid grin was still on his stupid face.
“What about you, Ryan, are you looking to buy somewhere? Alderley or Hale are decent areas to look.”
I knew exactly what Rhys was doing: digging. It was what everyone did with Ryan; they wanted to find out what the fuck was going on in his life, because he was just so private. I lived with the lad, and I had no idea what he was up to when we weren’t training, playing a game, or doing something club related.
Ryan sat down at the breakfast bar. “I’m looking at buying somewhere, but maybe a bit further out. I’ve actually seen a farmhouse that has some land which is about forty minutes away from the campus.”
Both mine and Rhys’ heads turned round like sheeps’ to look at Ryan. This was news.
“A farmhouse? I didn’t know you leaned that way.” I knew I looked puzzled. If anything, I’d have guessed he’d buy a city centre apartment.
Ryan cracked his neck from side to side. “I like my privacy. The farmhouse I’ve seen will give me that. And it has land.”
“How much land?” Rhys leaned forward. “What will you do with it?”
“About twenty acres. Probably have horses. I’ll expand the farmhouse as well.” He took another sip of his green shit smoothie. I downed those in one because they were so fucking awful it was best to get it over and done with quickly. Ryan seemed to savour the taste.
“Big plans.” I watched him shift his glasses further up his nose. He wore contacts for playing and had dismissed the idea of laser surgery when I’d asked.
“Sort of. We’ll see.”
I looked at Ryan who seemed intrigued, almost as if a light bulb moment had just occurred. “Maybe I should buy a farmhouse.”
He shrugged. “Have you asked Dee? Have you had a discussion about the future and shit like that, or are you just pussying around, man?” He stood and headed to the coffee machine, the one appliance in the home that he knew how to work.
“I just said, she’s only just agreed that she’s my girlfriend.” This was true. I knew she’d had a couple of doubts about me, that I’d get bored or a pair of big tits with blonde hair would catch my eye. We’d been in a trendy restaurant with one of the other players from her team and her girlfriend when some reality television star came in. Apparently, she was looking over at me like she wanted me to come over to her, and made some comment to Dee when they saw each other in the bathroom. I didn’t notice her at all; one, because I wasn’t looking, and two, because Dee was wearing a shirt that was split right down to her bellybutton. I only noticed when Dee was quiet on the way home and not interested in getting frisky in the car, and then she’d brought it up. I didn’t grovel, because I hadn’t done anything wrong, but it took a lot of convincing that I hadn’t even noticed Lara whatever she was called.
