Page 16 of The Hellion and the Captain
It had been good while it lasted, she told herself as she followed him over to one of the crude benches that had been set up beside the practice field, where sometimes those true team supporters would come to watch them practice.
“Sit,” he said, motioning to the bench, his face unreadable.
She did as he said, pausing and waiting for a second or two. Before he could tell her any more, she couldn’t stand the silence and opened her mouth to begin speaking.
“Listen, I know you said I needed to spend more time with the team, but you only said that last practice, so I haven’t had time to put it into place. I know that both Anderson and Jones will be fine, but I could have helped the team. I really could have. I’m a natural right winger, which is what you need, and the other two will not fit there as well. I have watched the team for years. I know where Colin sits and waits for the ball, and I know how to feed it to him. You’ve seen that. I can complement Felix when he’s on the left wing. I know which side Hardy favors. If you haven’t talked to Jones or Anderson, whoever you chose, yet, I implore you to give me another chance.”
She finally stopped, taking a breath, when she noticed the smallest quirk of the right side of his lip, one of his heavy brows raised.
“Are you done?”
Shefidgeted back and forth.
“Yes.”
“Well,” he said, drawing out the word as though to make her pay, although for what, she wasn’t sure. “If you had given me the chance to speak, I would have told you thatyouare the player that has been selected to stay with the team.”
Emmaline opened her mouth to protest once more, until she realized exactly what he had said. “Pardon me?”
“I said you made the team. But the truth is, you just said more in the past few minutes than you ever have to me since you began practicing with us. Keep that up.”
Keep it up? She had just berated him for something he hadn’t even done.
“Ah — thank you?” she finally managed, not sure what else she could say to make up for her initial doubt in him.
“Thank me by winning us games. By showing up and making me look like a genius for recommending the committee keep you over the others.”
“I can do that.”
“Are you ready to practice?”
“I am, sir.”
“Don’t call me sir.”
“Very well… captain.”
He sighed. “And after practice, we are going for drinks at The King’s Head. You will meet us there. Understood?”
She nodded. “Understood.”
She would have to keep to the shadows, but she supposed this would be a true test for her disguise, especially if she would be spending the entire season with them.
She practically skipped onto the practice field, holding back when she saw the gazes of everyone resting on her, likely because they were aware she had just discovered her fate.
“Ready?” Tommy asked with a grin, slapping her on the back so hard that she jumped. It didn’t hurt – she just wasn’t used to it.
“Of course,” she said, not meeting Tommy’s eyes. He and Colin knew her better than the rest of them. She would have to be extra careful around them.
All of this deception was taxing. But as the ball soared toward her and she deked out Jonny Tate, one of the fullbacks, a wide grin broke out on her face.
For every bit of it was completely worth it.
Chapter Six
Emmaline stepped through the heavy deep green door, beneath the painted sign of some unknown monarch, with trepidation that she tried to hide deep within her.
It was not her first time in the pub, even though her parents wouldn’t have appreciated her visits here.
