Page 27 of King of Hearts

“Dale said you were coming in last night.” He paused and I felt his gaze before he turned back to the field. “Said you lost your shit when the paps turned up. Apparently you were very focused on ensuring your friend wasn’t photographed.” There was a hint of humour in his tone and I flicked my head to the side, my scowl heavy.

“Don’t beat around the bush, Pup.”

“I saw the photos, obviously. That dinner looked mighty cosy. Most people wouldn’t be able to tell who she is, but I would recognise that body anywhere.”

“Watch it!” I snapped, turning to see the smile spread across his face as his loud laugh echoed around the empty stadium.

“I fucking knew it. Fell right into that one, Gloss. The irony is the greatest part. You like her, don’t you? You like one ofthem?” Why did I think this douchebag would give me a break when he was so clearly loving this?

“Fuck. I don’t know.”

When he heard the anguish in my voice he stopped laughing. “Shit. Sorry, kid. I was just joking. Don’t worry, there’ll be another scandal floating through the country by tomorrow morning and you’ll both be long forgotten.”

I huffed. “Last night was for the article, you know? Except…”

“Except it wasn’t.” He finished the sentence I couldn’t bring myself to say. Who was I kidding thinking inviting this woman to dinner would end up just being work related.

“I haven’t spoken to her since, Pup,” I said. “I freaked out. You know how those bastards get to me. I can’t have a single second of fucking peace. And then we left and I barely said a word.”

“Why don’t you just call her? Have youseenthe photos of the two of you?” He asked seriously.

“Of course I’ve seen them. The whole bloody world has seen them.” I snapped.

“No, Andy. Have you actuallylooked atthem? I don’t know a lot about women - hell, Dale’s mum can’t stand the sight of me and I haven’t been able to get another one since, but the way that woman is looking at you is not the way you look at someone you arejustworking with.”

I glanced at him and could see no mockery or condescension in his demeanour. He took out his phone and opened to one of the photos, moving it into my line of sight.

My eyes zeroed in on the way Arna’s hand was wrapped around the back of my neck, her chin tilted slightly, and from this angle she looked as though she were leaning forward. I could feel the ghost of her fingertips on my neck as she gently tucked my tag back into my shirt.

No one else would know that was why her lips were centimetres away from my neck. They wouldn’t know that she smelt of sweet citrus and butterscotch or how her laugh was bubbly and light. They wouldn’t know that while I looked shocked, I was aching for her to bridge the gap so I could see if she tasted as sweet as she smelt.

“Fuck. This is not good.” I said, prying my eyes away from the phone which was begging me to study the photo again under this new lens.

“Stop being so hard on yourself. You live and breathe football and this club. It’s okay to remember you are twenty-nine years old. Be selfish for once. Finish the feature or I’ll kill you – but also, be selfish.” He stood, patting me on the back once. “You know what you need to do, Andy. I’m going to go see some of the team. They’re waiting for you too when you’re ready.” He threw over his shoulder, humour in his voice.

For a second I contemplated what it would be like to be selfish. How that might look or feel. How my life could entail pockets of happiness which didn’t necessarily centre around football.

“Yeah,” I said, shaking the possibility from my mind and following him. “I bet they bloody are.” I knew they were going to give me absolute hell. Every single one of them would have recognised Arna.

“May as well get it over with then.” Pup said, looking incredibly pleased to be here.

Entering through the side-door reserved for staff and deliveries, I made my presence known. “Seb, where you at?”

“Up here.” Sebastian’s voice bounced through the empty nightclub and I headed across to the stairs which led to his private office. The bar was shrouded in darkness and coupled with the noticeable silence, it was the complete opposite to how it pumped when open for business. On a busy Friday or Saturday night you weren’t getting a drink without a wait unless you had the hook up with the VIP area like we always did.

Nexuswas Sebastian’s dream when we were growing up, but it had evolved significantly since he first pitched us the idea as we sat around a campfire as a group of foolish teenagers. I could still remember his grand plans and how Cooper and I offered haughty suggestions like stripper poles and back rooms open only to the high rollers. Now it was one of the best places in Sydney, far from the outlandish dreams of his youth and consequently he had a lot of which he could be proud. The line was always out the door, and he didn’t overcrowd if it was at the detriment of quality which meant if you wanted to spend the night at Nexus, you knew you either came early or you potentially missed out.

“You have anything good up here or do I need to go back downstairs?” I asked to the back of his head before taking a seat on the single lounge in his office which sat opposite his desk.

He stood, closing the laptop he was working on and laughed before pouring us both a glass of whiskey. I took a small sip, savouring the initial burn, knowing I couldn’t have more than the one during the season, but it would be enough to loosen the muscles which had been strained since last night. I enjoyed coming here when it was closed knowing there was no need to hide or pre-organise a secure place to spend the evening.

The silence wrapped around us, Seb giving me a moment to settle in and me gratefully taking advantage.

“You could have drunk alone at home so I’m guessing you’re here for a reason. Unless you’re here to give me more of your money.” He spun the ice around his own glass, tracking the path with his eyes.

“Shut up. You got lucky.” I sulked before adding, “And drinking alone is a slippery slope.”

“You’re not wrong.” He agreed before waiting knowingly. Smug bastard knew exactly why I was here and I’d chosen the wrong place if I was searching for a sympathetic ear. Sebastian knew me well, but he also didn’t flatter your ego or validate you with falsities. “What’s troubling you, Ando?” He leant back in his chair and crossed his arms, a hint of playfulness on his face.

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