Page 17 of The Hellion and the Captain
But it wasEmmett’sfirst time.
She nodded to Milton behind the bar until she remembered that she was supposed to have never met him before.
“New around here?” Milton asked as he cleaned a glass with a rag.
“I’m with Manchester Central now,” she said, jerking her thumb toward the table where a few of the other players were beginning to congregate.
“Ah, you must be Williams,” he said, telling her that there had been some talk about her.
“That would be me,” she said with confidence she didn’t quite feel.
“What can I get for you?” Milton asked before peering closer at her. “You know, you look awfully familiar to me.”
“I get that a lot,” she said nonchalantly. “I must just have one of those faces. I’ll have an ale.”
Rhys had told her to come for a drink. If she was going to listen to him, might as well go all in and drink what the rest of the team was having.
Milton filled a mug and slid it across the bar toward her.
She reached out and took a long drink, thirsty from practice. It was still warm at the beginning of September. She was now looking forward to the weather cooling slightly, and soon enough she would have her own uniform, for games at least.
“Williams!”
She turned when she heard the call, finding that Tommy – of course – was waving to her to join them.
She made her way over, selecting a chair that was, from what she could tell, covered in more darkness than the rest of them.
“Good to see your face off the field,” Tommy said.
Emmaline nodded, taking another sip of her ale. “It’s good to be here,” she said, trying to keep her voice low and even.
Rhys slid into the chair across from her, his piercing blue eyes studying her intently. “I’m glad you could make it, Williams.”
She met his gaze, hoping her disguise would hold up under his scrutiny. She was about to say that she hadn’t had much choice, but she bit her tongue and smirked at him, knowing that he understood exactly what she wasn’t saying. Instead, she said in a tone on the edge of sarcasm, “I couldn’t agree more, Captain. The stronger our camaraderie, the better we’ll play together.” She smiled as she would have as Emmaline, forgetting for a moment that as Emmett, she wouldn’t be flirting with the handsome, burly captain.
Rhys’s lips twitched into the barest hint of a smile as that questioning expression returned. “Well said.” He raised hisown pint in a toast. “To Manchester Central. This is our season, boys.”
Emmaline lifted her glass, clinking it against his. “To success,” she echoed, taking a long drink to hide the nerves fluttering in her stomach.
As the team fell into easy conversation around her, Emmaline found herself relaxing slightly. She laughed at their jokes, interjected with the occasional comment, and listened attentively to their stories. For a moment, she almost forgot that she was playing a role, that she wasn’t truly one of them.
The illusion was shattered when the pub door swung open. She had expected Colin, of course, but she hadn’t expected his companion. Lily. Her arm was looped through her husband’s, her eyes scanning the room until they settled on their table. Emmaline froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She trusted Lily with all her heart, but would she accidentally reveal her secret?
Lily’s gaze landed on their table, and her eyes widened in recognition. She tugged on Colin’s arm and then began to make her way towards them. Once Lily was upon them, mischievousness glinted in her eye.
“Well, well, well,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “What do we have here? The entirety of the famous Manchester Central team, bonding over drinks?”
Colin chuckled, his arm tightening around Lily’s waist. “We’re all here now. Williams, good to see you.” He nodded towards Emmaline. “Lily, this is our newest addition to the team. He’ll play in Joey’s place, for this season, at least.”
She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. “Emmett Williams. Mrs. Thornton, good to meet you.”
Lily’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Williams.”
Emmaline inclined her head, hoping the dim lighting would hide the flush creeping up her neck at Lily’s teasing tone. If she didn’t hold back, both Colin and Rhys would know something was off. “The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Thornton.”
Rhys cleared his throat, drawing their attention. “Lily, what are you drinking?”
“I’ll get it,” Colin said, rising from the table and walking toward the bar. It was busy tonight, so Milton had his hands full.
