The knock on my hotel room door startles me, but not nearly as much as it startles Amy, who lies naked in my bed, her spiral curls matted and dishevelled from the friction against the plump pillows she now rests on. I place a finger over my lips, warning her to sit it out quietly. Ten seconds pass and the knock raps the door again, more insistent this time.
A glance through the peephole shows what I already know – it’s Eddie. Nobody raps the door as hard as he does. Shit.
My stance straightens and my face tightens into a grimace, ready for the confrontation I’m certain is coming. I hate sneaking around, but I’ve been unable to stay away from Amy since the first night we spent together, three months ago. Training has been less frequent over the summer, but she’s been doing a lot of work with the under-21 team and I’ve been doing promotional stuff with the rest of the lads.
Any night we’ve been apart is pure torture. She’s my unhealthiest addiction, yet she provides me with everything I need to feel complete. And it seems she can’t stay away either because I only left her room an hour earlier and within twenty minutes she followed me here for more.
Amy rolls from the mattress, scurrying underneath the bed frame that we almost broke not ten minutes earlier. Glancing round the room I find her indecent excuse for underwear and throw it down to her along with a hotel dressing gown.
Pulling on a pair of jogging bottoms, I open the door with a yawn, hoping I can pass as being half-asleep.
‘Where have you been all night, man?’ Eddie struts in without waiting for an invitation and I swallow the apprehension in my throat.
‘Just wrecked after training and that stupid photo shoot earlier.’
‘You’re not still wallowing about Anita, are you?’ He opens the minibar and helps himself to a protein bar before flicking the tiny kettle on.
The scoff from my throat reassures him I’m not, but I make sure to voice it for Amy’s benefit. I haven’t actually told her about Anita yet; I will, but it hasn’t come up yet, between everything else rising between us.
‘I honestly haven’t given her a thought in months.’
‘You sure, man? You’ve gone back to disappearing on us again.’
‘I told you, I’ve got bigger fish to fry now.’ Even with the knowledge that he will absolutely kill me if he finds out, I can’t help but grin thinking of my girl.
‘You’re not still seeing that one from Finding Forever?’ His voice is loaded with surprise. ‘Why haven’t we met her yet? Tell me, what’s she like in the sack?’ Eddie flops down on the same sack that I shagged his sister on only a few short minutes ago. The bed which she hides beneath. One cough or sneeze would blow everything.
‘Eddie, have a bit of respect, will you. Dude, I swear I think she could be the one.’ The wistful tone in my voice conveys the seriousness of the situation. It’s killing me not to come out with it – ripping my inside apart with guilt. I’m desperate for his approval, not only because it will make Amy’s life easier, but because he’s my surrogate brother and if this continues the way I think it will, one day we could legally be brothers.
Eddie’s laughter ripples round the room. ‘You never were one to kiss and tell.’ He shrugs and I pour the hot water over a green tea bag.
‘Believe it or not, there was never that much to tell – until now.’ The smirk is back on my lips again.
Eddie’s eyes glint with mischief. ‘Come on, give me something at least.’
‘Every time I think of her I get this goofy grin on my face. She has this crazy sunshine-like effect on me. All of her goodness, all of her wholesomeness fills me with something I’ve been missing my entire life without even realising it.’ It’s out of my mouth before I think about it and I pray I haven’t given too much away.
‘We are talking about the chick you met only a couple of months ago?’ Eddie checks, eyes widening.
‘The girl Finding Forever matched me with, three months ago now. The girl you inadvertently matched me with, seeing as it was you that signed me up.’
‘You owe me big time, by the look of it.’ Eddie rubs his hands together with childlike glee. I do owe him big time, I pray to god one day he lets me make it up to him, because one way or another I’m going to have some serious grovelling to do.
Eddie runs a hand through his dark wavy hair and sighs. ‘You know, I don’t want to put a dampener on things but I have to ask. Are you sure you’re not just on the rebound? I know you are desperate to meet the right one, but are you sure you’re not rushing it because—’
I cut him off before he can continue. ‘You’re the one that said it; when you know, you know.’
‘I did, didn’t I? Guess I’ll have to trust your judgement, seeing as you won’t let me judge for myself.’
‘All in good time,’ I say more confidently than I feel.
Out of the corner of my eye I catch a sliver of darkness lying not a foot away from where Eddie’s elbow is propped on the bed. One single strand of curly hair would be enough to blow everything. My heart hammers in my chest and I will my eyes to look anywhere but at it, so as not to draw further attention to it.
Never one to remain serious for too long, Eddie pipes up, ‘You’ve gone white, Ollie, what’s up? All the blood rushed somewhere else thinking of this mystery woman of yours?’
‘Don’t be daft.’ I turn my back to him and gaze out across the landscape, pretending I’m intrigued by the vast amount of land belonging to the hotel, all of it beautifully maintained.
‘So whendowe get to meet her?’ He is relentless.
