Page 43 of Always on My Mind

The first ten minutes passed with no luck for the men, except for their defense and Jordan’s remarkable saves. Jamie had to admit, he was one of the best keeper’s she’d ever seen, in the men’s game and the women’s.

As Zahra made another run up the side, Kâmil, one of the men’s defenders, tried to poke the ball out from under her feet and into touch. She leaped to avoid the challenge, but as she did, her chest met his shoulder. The contact must have dislodged her pin, because her hijab came loose and began to slide off her head. In her panic, she tripped over the ball and careened across the grass.

“Shit!” Kâmil cried as he slapped his hands over his eyes and turned his back, letting the ball roll out of play.

“LOOK AWAY!” Osahar bellowed at his other teammates. “COVER YOUR EYES AND LOOK AWAY!”

Jamie and the other women all surrounded Zahra, who got herself to her knees and searched the grass for the pin.

“Oh no!” she cried.

“I’ve got one in my bag by the bench,” Jamie said. “Back in one second.”

The group closed in the gap she left and she hurried over to her bag to retrieve the box of pins. As she jogged back toward Zahra, she looked up and saw the men. They all had their backs turned with their hands over their faces. Even Jordan, acres away in the goal. Peter too, at midfield and not in direct line of sight. All of them respected it. Respected Zahra. And in that moment, Jamie felt they respected all the women.

Smiling, she made her way back to the huddle and helped Zahra.

When Zahra was decent again, Tessa whistled, and they all took hesitant looks at first. Kâmil was the first to approach a watery-eyed Zahra.

“I’m so, so sorry,” he said. “I didn’t see anything, I promise.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” she assured him. “But thank you, anyway.”

He nodded and let her be. Hector on the other hand, came all the way from the other side of the pitch. He moved to put a hand on her shoulder, but stopped himself before he touched her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, with such tenderness to his voice that it almost brought Jamie to tears.

Zahra nodded, a smile forming on her lips. “I am. Truly.”

“I’ll punch Kâmil if you want,” he offered. “Just say the word, and I’ll—”

Her laughter stopped him. “I appreciate it, but really, it’s not necessary.”

“Okay. Offer stands, though.”

She giggled and shooed him back to his side of the pitch.

The sting was gone from the match after that. Not that the men had much of it to begin with, other than being disgruntled at Peter for instigating this whole thing. Peter and Jamie didnot come to blows again. Not even when the women scored from a bicycle kick Neriah put into the net from a corner. His deep frown and narrowed eyes told them he wasn’t happy, but that was nothing they didn’t get from other players after a goal anywhere.

Jamie scored the third goal. Monika took a shot that ricocheted off the post. With one touch, Jamie redirected it to the opposite corner. It bounced right past Jordan’s outstretched hands.

The men got one back before the end, putting the final score at three-one. When the whistle blew, the women all ran together and cheered. Peter was silenced.

“Whoo!” Neriah cheered. “Man, what a slaughter! And we just mowed the pitch with you from one end to the other!”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Okay,slaughteris a strong word.”

“Face it, O’Riley,” Jamie teased. “You guys are good. But we’re better.”

He looked at Jordan, who was shaking hands with Eliana. “You didn’t let any get past you on purpose, did you?”

“Did I fuck?” Jordan returned, affronted. “They won fairly. I’m going home to my wife now.”

Chuckling, Jamie made her way over to Tessa and pulled her in for a hug. Tessa stiffened at first, but leaned into it, wrapping her arms around Jamie’s waist.

“I want to kiss you more than you know,” Jamie murmured into her hair.

Tessa pulled away and met Jamie’s gaze. “You won’t, though.”

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