“Oh, the press.” Joanne waves a manicured hand through the air. “They’ll be on to the next juicy story in about three days’ time, don’t you worry about them. We’re only interesting to them while we’re performing. Just live your life and they will get bored very quickly.” She reaches out and squeezes my hand. “I am happy for you though, and Dominic is a good man.”
“I thought you hated him on account of your PA?”
Joanne lifts her eyebrows. “Well, in hindsight I do think he was right to avoid a commitment to her. She was a bit of an idiot. I’ll send you her cooking channel, you’ll see what I mean.” She pats my arm before turning to leave. “I’ll send round some things for your new flat, darling. My new line is fabulous, green that matches your eyes, it’ll be stunning.”
“Could you come round maybe?”
Joanne stops and slowly turns back to face me. “Come round?”
I suddenly feel like a little girl, wanting the older cool girl at school’s approval. I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “Well, yeah. You know, my new place over in Kensington, I need to kit it all out, and you have such good taste. Plus I think I owe you a cuppa after what you did for me on the morning show.”
Joanne’s face lights up in a smile, and she nods. “I’d love that.” She gives her shoulders a shake and leaves with a wave. “I’ll call you!”
Char comes out of the bathroom and fixes me with a wide smile. “And who were you chatting to?”
“Joanne Murray.”
“Ooh, made a new friend, ey?” Char asks as she washes her hands.
“I think I have, yeah.” I shake my head with a smile. “She’s going to come round and help me with the flat, bring me some things from her new line.”
“A new friend and an interior decorator, you lucky duck.” Char throws an arm around my shoulders. “It’s really all coming together for you, innit. Now we just need these boys to win this game tonight and everything will be perfect.”
Back in the stands I look down at the field, making out Dominic on the sidelines in a black suit, talking to Jordan and Troy, gesturing to the goals.
“Look at him, in his element,” Char says. “Best decision he’s ever made if I’m honest.”
“He’s like a different man now that he’s back down there.”
Char chuckles and gives me a nudge in the ribs with her elbow. “Bet the sex has been incredible.”
I nudge her back, a little harder than she did, and she giggles.
“The sex is always incredible, as you well know. I give you enough gory details, don’t I?”
“I cannot look at his beard the same way anymore, believe me.” Char laughs out loud as I shove her hard. “You get so touchy, you Northerners.”
“I asked him to move in with me.”
Char’s jaw drops and her eyes light up. “You didn’t tell me that!”
“I just did, you daft cow,” I say with a roll of my eyes, my cheeks flushing even though I have no idea why. “It just sort of happened, the other night, he was sitting in my flat, and it were raining, and he were wearing this slouchy knit jumper.”
“Ooh I can picture it now.” Char leans closer. “Was he wearing his glasses and looking so very serious while he was reading? Classical music playing? Glass of wine in hand?”
“Sure was.”
Char throws her head back with a strangled gurgling sound. “That is so fuckinghot. Please take a picture next time.”
“Anyway, I just asked him, why don’t you just live here?” I shrug, looking back down at the field. “We’re both so busy it’s not like we’re living in each other’s pockets.”
“But it does mean you both have someone to come home to.” Char tucks her arm around my shoulders, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I am so bloody happy for you, babes. This is exactly what you deserve.”
I sit with that feeling of happiness and contentment as the second half of the game starts below. It’s a strange feeling, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get entirely used to it. But I’m willing to try.
The second half heats up quickly, with Bradshaw scoring a goal that sets off most of the stadium into a symphony ofBoo-ing. And Ezra and Ricky into another bloody fist fight that Dominic himself ends up breaking up.
He’s the picture of control, pointing at both of them and giving them a stern talking-to that’s honestly kind of sexy.
