Page 10 of Always on My Mind

“No way!”

“Yes, way!”

“This is the most Irish conversation I’ve had in months!”

“Me too!” Tessa set down her wine and yanked Niamh into a hug. All doubts about living with a footballer washed away. Niamh was not just a footballer, she was Dierdre O’Hartigan’s niece. She was a connection to home. And as much as Tessa didn’t want to live there again, she missed the people. “Welcome to the flat!”

“Really?” Niamh cried, pulling back to meet Tessa’s eyes. “You mean it?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely!” Tessa assured her.

Niamh was worth it. Besides, it wasn’t as if Jamie was coming to Stanmore. She was too good for a newly promoted club, her father would never allow it. As Tessa brought the lease, she told herself not to worry. Jamie was in the past. For good.

Chapter 3

Gray clouds hung low in the sky over the Hive, threatening to douse the women Wasps with rain on their first day of training in the new season. But even the clouds couldn’t dampen the spirits of a newly promoted team in the Women’s Super League. Hope surged through the air like electricity. Jamie felt it in the goosebumps erupting over her skin.

She had just gotten her practice kit on when a pair of tan, muscular arms engulfed her around the waist and lifted her off the ground. Jamie yelped with surprise and tried to wriggle free to no avail.

“Welcome to the Wasps!” the assailant said with a friendly squeeze before setting Jamie back down. She whirled around to see it was the goalkeeper, who loomed large with her broad shoulders and six-pack abs. Luckily, her smile was warm. “I’m Eliana. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too,” Jamie said after catching her breath.

“Jesus, Eli, you can’t just go around picking people up,” the woman two lockers down from Jamie interjected. Jamierecognized her—Neriah Price, an American defender Jamie had played against in international competitions. She shot Jamie an apologetic look. “You’ll have to forgive my girl. She’s overly friendly, but we’re working on boundaries.”

Eliana chuckled and kissed Neriah’s cheek. “Whatever you say, baby.”

A twinge of envy curled up in Jamie’s stomach, but she forced a smile. “Really, it’s fine.”

“Glad we’re on the same team, finally,” Neriah said, tying her locs behind her head. Then she offered her hand, which Jamie shook. “Welcome.”

“Thank you,” Jamie replied. Their kindness made it easier to forgive them for the ease with which they dated.

“Jamie!” a familiar voice called.

Jamie whipped around and grinned. “Paige!”

She flung herself into her England teammate’s arms and they laughed together. Paige Sutton was as reliable a defender as she was a friend, even if she was intense and opinionated at times. Jamie was thrilled to be her teammate on a club level as well.

As they swayed in each other’s embrace, another new signing arrived. Someone else Jamie recognized. Irish midfielder Niamh O’Hartigan, who had a friendly disposition, but a threatening one on the pitch. Jamie saw the news of Niamh’s signing shortly after her own transfer was finished.

“Jamie Hupp,” Niamh said brightly. “We’re on the same side at last.”

“And sharing the midfield,” Jamie replied as they exchanged a high five. “Happy to see you.”

“You too.”

Two other defenders, Salma Chafik from Morocco and Kiri Taimona from New Zealand, came over to say hello to the new signings as well.

“Oh no!” A young woman came around the corner, holding her hijab at her chin. “Does anyone have a pin? Mine broke.”

A collective groan went through the team, but they all moved toward their lockers.

“Got it!” Salma spoke up first. “It’s my turn, anyway.”

While she took care of it, the hijabi woman blinked her kind brown eyes at the newcomers. “Oh! Hi! I’m Zahra. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Jamie Hupp,” Jamie said with a grin. “Nice to meet you too.”

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