This felt more right than it should.
This felt like heartbreak.
CHAPTER7
Neva
TWO MONTHS INTO THE SEASON.
Nothing good camefrom an immediate summons to Genevieve’s office, especially when you walked in there and saw Guy in there too. It was now October; the season was two months old and we’d had a shaky start, missing Jude’s presence on the pitch and a semi-unsettled team with the new transfers and the knowledge that Rowan was leaving at the end of the season.
Change was brewing.
I took a seat opposite her desk, refixing my glasses and hoping that I didn’t look like I’d just had a minor argument with one of kids who’d just been promoted to the first team squad and now thought he knew everything life could ever teach at the tender age of eighteen.
My reputation as a ballbuster was firmly in place. There was nothing like a packed dressing room for a good dressing down.
“Thank you for getting here so quickly.” Genny glanced at Guy. It looked like the two of them were currently fulfilling their peace convention. “We need a favour.”
My stomach flipped. I had a feeling I knew what this was about.
“What is this favour?” I didn’t try to keep the sigh out of my voice. I was busy, like everyone else was busy. This year I had two assistants who were both competent – one very much so – and while I lost time in managing them, they saved me time with the rest of my previous workload.
I was enjoying it. I was also able to keep Jude at a distance just in case he renewed his offer.
“Jude Whittingham.” Guy folded his arms and sat on the corner of Genny’s desk, a move I knew she hated. When he was gone, she’d get out the antibacterial wipes and disinfect the spot where his backside had been. “He’s got another four months to go before he’s ready to return, and by return that could be almost match fit or it could be he’s still got a ways to go depending on how it’s healing and how he’s managing it.”
“I heard it was healing well.” It was my job to be aware of players’ injury and look at how diet could support recovery, including altering macros or calories intake depending on their activity levels and what was happening with them. Even if I hadn’t been more curious about Jude, I would’ve known about it professionally.
That was my excuse for non-stalker-like behaviour anyway.
“It is.” Genny tapped a pen against her desk. “He’s doing exactly what he should, but he’s bored - ”
“I wouldn’t call it bored.” Guy shook his head at her. “That’s not what Clark said.”
Clark was our senior psychotherapist, or chief head doctor as Rowan called him.
Genny gave a very dramatic sigh. “Okay, so Jude’s missing having a main focus which is potentially resulting in behaviours that are seeking similar highs to what he’d get on match days.”
“Makes sense. Risk taking behaviour?” That would be Jude all over – at least the Jude from years ago. People often did revert back to type when life-changing situations occurred.
Genny frowned and shook her head. “No. He won’t do anything to risk his recovery, but he is risking pissing people off.”
“What do you mean?” And why hadn’t I known about it?
Guy’s smile was genuine, some amusement there. “He’s trying to help. He confided in me that he’s dabbled with online gambling and realised that he gets addicted easily.”
“How much did he lose?” I realised I needed to apply volume control.
“He didn’t. He won just short of twenty grand and then considered losing it all again, so he donated it to charity.” Guy smiled again. “I’m worried he’s going to implode.”
“He’s young, he’s - ”
“Not that young, Neva.” Genny interrupted me. “He’s mid-twenties and an adult not a kid.” She gave me a glare that could’ve frozen a dragon. “I know he’s been around the club since he was a kid, but he’s not a child.”
“So how do you think he’s going to implode?” And what was I meant to do about it? I was the food girl, not a psychotherapist.
“He needs something to focus on, something healthy, where he feels he can make a difference. Clark spoke to him at length about what he’s interested in and he mentioned food and nutrition, getting into schools and colleges to talk about it.” Genny gave me a smile that was potent. “We like this idea.”
