Page 13 of Matched Up

‘So why are you down here all alone?’Dad asked carefully.

‘Extra training,’ I said, followed by: ‘I didn’t make the first team.’Getting it out there before he asked.

He put his arm round my shoulder and pulled me closer to him.‘Keep at it, pet.If it’s something you really want, don’t give up.’He picked up a stone and threw it into the water.

‘I’ll get there.I know I will.I just have to work harder.’

‘When’s the next match?’

‘Friday, up at the Dub.’

‘Well, I might just swing by then.’Dad looked at me like he was going to say something else.‘You’re my favourite daughter, you know.’

I laughed.‘When are you away again?’

He sighed.‘Next Friday.Stockholm this time.’

‘Mum going?’I asked.‘Not sure she’s been with you to Sweden yet.Then she could meet real-life Swedish people and see that they don’t just murder each other and wear Fair Isle jumpers all the time.’I pulled a face.

Dad laughed and he looked like Niall.

‘She is,’ he said.‘You know, Alexandra, speaking of your mum, she thinks you’re doing too much training.What doyouthink?’Dad looked straight at me, so I didn’t have time to tell my face not to look so pissed off.

‘Too much for what?’

‘For your health.She’s just worried about you,’ he said, speaking louder over the wind.

I kicked the sand.‘Worried about me?What would Mum know about anything?The closest she got to a team sport was some snobby tennis club.’

‘Your mum knows a lot about sports.More than I do.’He looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

‘No, sure, you played football, didn’t you?’I looked at him, confused.I’d always seen myself as a carbon copy of Dad.Mumwasn’t into sports.

‘I did, but I wasn’t very good, and I certainly didn’t have your work ethic.But, listen, I just wanted to check that you’re not doing too much.’

‘I’m not.’

‘As long as you’re sure, Lexie.’

‘Positive.’I always liked the way Dad spoke to me like an adult.

‘Race you home?’

OK, not always like an adult.And despite everything, by the time we’d run up the steps to the house, I was laughing.

Mum smiled when we walked into the kitchen gasping for air.‘You’ll give yourself a heart attack running like that, Stephen!’

‘I’m very fit, I’ll have you know,’ Dad said, walking over and pulling her into a hug.

She squealed and tried to pull away.Then they started kissing.

‘Oh my God, please stop,’ I said, but not too loudly.I was hoping that Niall would come in and have to witness it too.

And my wish was granted because he came in a few seconds later, saw what was happening, then walked straight back out again.Then my phone buzzed.

NIALL: Tell me when that’s over

ME: No.Now you know how I felt.Except you don’t because Dad wasn’t …

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