‘So it was out of the goodness of your heart then?’ A bitter laugh ripples from her lips.
‘I admit, I’ve found it difficult since I retired. Found it hard to find my place in the world away from the team.’ I shrug, and she interrupts before I can continue.
‘Your place was supposed to be at home here with me. And the girls. But it wasn’t enough for you.’
‘You are enough. I didn’t feel like I was enough for you. First I didn’t get the spot onA League of Their Own. Then my book offer was cancelled. When I found the club again, I found a purpose. I want to restore it to its former glory. I know I can’t be restored to my former glory, but by restoring the club, training kids, I think I’ve found my new direction. I’m not made to sit back and let life pass me by, Shelly.’
Shelly straightens against the counter she leans on, staring at me. ‘The book deal was cancelled? Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Arthur said they’d rather leave it for a while in case “the ending is different next year.”’ I use my fingers to emphasise the quote.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Shelly’s voice drops to barely more than a whisper.
‘Because half the country is talking about some sort of kissing curse, and there’s a lot of money wagering on you and Ben Battle apparently – don’t shoot the messenger – I’m only repeating what Arthur told me.’ Taking a sip of my wine, I let her digest that little snippet of information.
‘So, you lost your book deal because I’m doingSexy Come Dancing? Is that why you’ve been so mad at me lately? So distant? Shutting me out of decisions that affect both of us.’
Taking a deep breath, I rack my brains for the answer. The truth. Why have I insisted on pushing her away these last few weeks? I’ve been preoccupied, striving for my own goal, carving out my own project. It wasn’t out of badness. It was insecurity.
Not only has it been hard watching her paired up with a man who wanted her as badly as me, but despite me being the one to make captain, he was the one who ended up with the most success in the long run. I didn’t want him to end up claiming my wife in the long run too. I was frightened she might think he’s a better man than me, that she made a mistake all those years ago picking me.
It’s truth time; I only hope it’s not too late. ‘Partly. But it felt like you were choosing Ben fucking Battle over me, over our life together. And it hurt. You’ve been spending every waking moment with him. Pictures of you two wrapped around each other are plastered over every billboard in the city. And I didn’t know how to handle it, so I pushed you out.’
Shelly’s breath is shallow and ragged. The hand that holds her wine glass trembles, the rich red liquid swaying from side to side. ‘You didn’t just push me out. You let another woman in. Of all the hours I’ve been spending practising dancing with Ben, I wouldn’t dream of inviting him here. Your dad always maintained if you don’t put yourself in the situation, you can’t be accused either way. Well you’ve put yourself in one hell of a situation here, Marcus. The resemblance between that child and you is uncanny. If you want to prove to me there’s nothing going on between the two of you, or ever was, I want you to do a paternity test.’
‘A paternity test? You’ve got to be fucking joking? Is this what we’ve come to?’ This is ridiculous.
‘I came home to find you drinking wine with a stunning stranger in our kitchen, a woman whose child is the image of you. I don’t think there’s anything to joke about here, Marcus. All those rumours, over all those years. Despite everything, I never doubted you – until now.’
She kicks off her stilettos and pads through to the living room, closing the door behind her.
