“We’re not responsible for how anyone else feels. How people choose to take it when they find out is up to them, apart from Libbie and Zara.”
“True. I know Neva found it hard.”
I knew that too. “How’s she been recently?”
Amber smiled, but it wasn’t a full smile. “Happy for me. But I know she wishes it was her who was pregnant and I feel for her that she’s not, but there isn’t anything I can do about it.”
“There isn’t. It’s up to her to find someone or use other means. Is it bothering you?” Because that was the bit that mattered to me.
“Sometimes.” She glanced again at the bath. “I love your house, Nate. It’s amazing. Was it Ava who did the interiors?”
Ava Callaghan-Ward was Amber’s sister-in-law and an interior designer. She’d had something to do with a few of the players’ houses recently. “Her company. She oversaw the initial stuff.”
“She’s really good at it. She’s said she’ll do the interiors for my next house.”
There was a wistfulness to her voice I didn’t like.
I finally let go of her, knowing that any fantasies I had of that dark hair cascading over my pillows weren’t going to happen today. “Shall we order delivery?”
“Pizza?”
“For sure.”
CHAPTER14
Amber
SIXTEEN WEEKS
I’d read somewherethat at fifteen weeks, the baby would be about the same size as a cupcake, so the bump that was no longer easy to hide was now nicknamed Cupcake.
Unfortunately, the nickname was inducing cravings for cake, or more likely, just providing a good excuse to eat more cake than usual. Neva had noticed this, and had now decided it was her job to provide ‘healthy’ cake, which meant sponges made without sugar.
To be fair, they were delicious, and Genny and I were eating far too much of them. What wasn’t delicious was Neva’s nervousness when she brought them in each day, because I knew they stemmed from the guilt at feeling jealous that she was trying to make amends for.
Word had gradually got out around the club that I was pregnant. My yoga pants and T-shirts that I wore while removing the knots and strains from players didn’t hide anything, and changing what I wore would only cause eyebrows to be raised and Jude to come out with something strange, probably in front of everyone.
Nate also decided to announce it in the changing room. A couple of the team had mentioned I looked a bit different, so, according to Jude, Nate had sat there, watching the conversation meander around a few theories, before simply saying that I was pregnant. Then, apparently, silence had fallen, he’d been under the spotlight, and then he’d said, “And the answer to your next question, is that it’s mine. I’m the father.”
I figured people had questions, probably centred around Chan, but they didn’t ask, at least they didn’t ask me and I tried not to overhear anything. I just heard congratulations and comments on how well I looked, which I took right now.
The banter would start later. When the squad was comfortable that this wasn’t something they needed to tread carefully over, the jokes would start, probably ones about Nate scoring in my net, or how I’d been unable to save his swimmers from scoring – I could guess what would be coming out of their mouths in another couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be happening from Neva’s.
“More cakes?” Genny looked at the table in our little physios’ staff room. A pile of healthy blueberry and oat muffins were stacked on a pretty plate in the middle of it. There was no note to say who they were from, because there didn’t need to be.
“More cakes. Help yourself.”
Genny put her hands on her tiny waist. “You being pregnant isn’t doing my waistline any good.”
“Just think what me not being pregnant is going to do to your liver.”
She sat down and picked up a muffin. “True. I’m looking forward to it. As soon as you’re allowed to drink, I’ll make plans for a big hangover. Maybe one that lasts two days.” She unpeeled the wrapper and pulled a bit of the sponge away. “I see Neva is still visiting guilt.”
“I wish she’d stop. Not the cakes. Definitely not the cakes; but seeing her look like a dog that’s expecting to be kicked is driving me mad.” I picked another muffin up. I’d already had one; at some point soon, I needed to stop eating for two, because there was no reason to do that. My boobs had already increased by a cup size, and I was pretty sure my arse was invading more space than it was entitled to when I sat down.
“She feels guilty because she told Nate.”
