“I’ll drop you at home and then head straight there. You need to be a few minutes later, otherwise it’ll look suspicious,” Rosa instructed, even though they were already in the car and minutes from Billy’s place.
“You think us turning up at the same time will instantly spell ‘shagged all night and came together’?” Billy grinned. “Literally?”
Rosa stifled the urge to grin. “I’m being serious.”
“So am I.” Billy continued to smile. She let her palm ride up Rosa’s thigh. “Thank you for last night. I know how big it was for you to let me stay over.”
Caught off guard by the sudden serious tone, Rosa said nothing.
“I just wanted you to know that.” Billy squeezed Rosa’s thigh gently.
“There’s never been anyone else in my bed, Billy, just you, so yes, it was a big thing for me, and I appreciate that you noticed.”
They turned the corner and Rosa pulled into the vacant space beside Billy’s car. For a moment, they just stared at each other, small smiles on their faces. Then Billy leant in and kissed Rosa sweetly.
“I’ll see you in a bit.”
Crowds hugged the touchlines of various pitches—mums and dads, siblings, even dogs on leads—all watching their kids run back and forth chasing a ball.
Rosa stood by alone, arms wrapped around herself. She’d waved at Imogen when she arrived, noticing the quick glance around to see where Billy was. Imogen hid the disappointment well, but Rosa caught it.
She checked her watch. Billy should be there any minute. A tiny pang of guilt ran through her for making Billy arrive late—she hadn’t considered Imogen would think she wasn’t coming.
Glancing across the field, she saw Georgia and Pippa. Max, their youngest, was running around with his own ball, while Cassie, the middle child, was trying to get it off him. Rosa smiled, remembering when Imogen was that little and would chase a ball around the garden on her own.
Another pang of guilt hit her. If they’d stayed together, maybe there would have been a sibling for Imogen.
The referee’s whistle blew and the game kicked off. Rosa didn’t know much about football—it had never been on her radar as a sport she enjoyed—but over the years watching Imogen, she’d picked up a few things.
Imogen played midfield, attacking the opposition—that much she knew. The ball was passed out to her and she began to slowly walk forward, keeping the ball at her feet as she looked up and around for her teammates.
“Go on, Immy,” Rosa called out just as Imogen brought her right foot back and hoofed the ball across the pitch towards Robbie. “That’s my girl,” Rosa said.
There was a murmur of excitement around her. She could see parents leaning into each other, whispering and pointing. Rosa tried to see what was creating the thrill, but her attention was quickly drawn to the long-legged stride and bouncing black curls, as Billy Fisk made her way across the park towards the match.
“Sorry… I ran in to get changed quickly and Mum called. Schultz had a fall,” Billy said to Rosa. They stood a foot apart, both staring towards the pitch.
“Oh, no.” Rosa turned instantly and stepped towards her, stopping herself from instinctively reaching out. “Is he okay?”
Billy glanced at her, unable to turn away. “Yeah, just needs to rest. The call threw me off schedule, though, and then I got stuck behind a taxi dropping someone off.”
Excitement from the crowd bubbled again—this time because Imogen was running at the defenders, twisting and turning, ball at her feet. Just outside of the penalty box, she took a shot and forced a brilliant save from the goalkeeper.
The referee blew the whistle for halftime, and the two teams ran to gather around their coaches. Imogen waved over and grinned at her parents standing together.
“Coffee?” Billy asked, rubbing cold palms together vigorously.
“Sure,” Rosa answered.
They walked beside each other, as close as they dared.
“Is it terrible that all I want to do is reach out and hold your hand?” Billy asked.
“Only if it’s just as terrible that all I want is for you to do that, but—” She glanced back over her shoulder to where Imogen was laughing with Robbie and some of her other teammates.
“I know. Not yet,” Billy said with a half-smile.
There was a queue when they reached the drinks van. Pippa was just ahead and waved.
