Page 71 of The Long Game

Liam’s chuckle came through the line. “That’s my best gal.”

“Far from it,” I muttered.

A long pause followed. One that gave away the real purpose of the call. I knew my former agent like I knew the palm of my hand. I gave him shit because he gave me shit in return, but the truth is that we were like brothers. We’d risen together to the top, and he’d been loyal and honest to a fault. Letting go of him hadn’t been easy. But I’d had no use for him after hanging up the gloves, and he’d known exactly why. That was why he insisted on checking up on me.

“Listen,” Liam said, just like I knew he would. “I know you’re still processing where you stand with this, but let me stress once more how great of an opportunity this is. The channel—”

I laughed, bringing his words to a stop. “I’m not processing. I know where I stand. That’s why when you called the other day I asked you to kindly pass along my answer to RBC Sports.”

“A ‘fuck off’ is not something you kindly pass along, Caldani. Specifically not to RBC Sports.”

“Translate it into your language, then.” I took another sip of my coffee, trying to focus on the smooth bitterness, and not on theway my stomach was tying up in knots. “Say it in some pretty way they’d like.”

“Cameron,” Liam warned, all lightness gone from his voice. “I know you’re a giant twat.” I snorted. “But I never had you for a fool.”

And that’s why I signed with him when we were nothing but nobodies with big dreams. Liam never tiptoed around anything or anyone, he said it like it is.

When I wasn’t called up for the national team, he sat me down and told me to suck it up and move on. I was too old and there was younger and fresher meat. And when the smartest thing to do had been to pack up and sign for an MLS team, he’d never tried to sell me on the idea like it was some great plan to make me the legend I’d never be. He’d told me to move to L.A. and have one last hurrah. Make the contacts, take the cash, and get a break from the Premier League’s politics I’d never had an interest in.

In every instance, I’d listened to him. Because I knew he wanted what was best for me. For us. I hadn’t been a fool then. Was I being one now?

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he insisted. But I knew. I wasn’t born yesterday. The RBC didn’t call just anybody. Much less for a pundit gig on a prime-time show. “I haven’t said no, not yet. I’ve told them you are thinking about it. Considering your options. They think the managing position in L.A. is still on the table, and I had one of my guys spread word around about a couple other MLS teams potentially sniffing around.”

A ball of lead settled at the bottom of my stomach at the thought of how close I’d been to taking the L.A. Stars’ offer to lead their academy coaching staff. How I’d be trapped in a gilded cage, with a life and a plan that no longer made sense, if I had.

“There’s no thinking left to do,” I told him. “I’m fine where I am.”

“Are you, though?” Liam threw right back. “You might be fine now, man. But you don’t know how you’ll feel in three months. Or six. Or a year from now.” The pause was long, and I knew it was intentionally so. “This is it, Cameron. It’s a good deal. Just… consider it. Please.”

I processed his words, I really did. As much as I’d been quick to say no, I didn’t want to be the fool he’d accused me of being. The two boys who had shaken hands quickly after I’d signed my first contract in London were long gone, but I…

“I know you’re hesitant to come back,” Liam said, knowing exactly where my head had gone. “You’d have to be in London again, where the studios are.”And therefore lose all prospect of privacy, he should have said next. But Liam was too good at his job to hand me an excuse like that. “You’d be easily recognized there. And I understand that after what happened in L.A., that’s not exactly something you’re looking forward to. I get it, mate. I do. I’d be traumatized, too.”

Every muscle and bone in my body turned to stone. “I’m not traumatized.”

“So you’re not. Good. That’s why you’re hiding away in some town in the middle of nowhere. The question is, are you going to hide there forever?”

Sweat gathered at the back of my neck. “I’m not hiding.”

He ignored my complaint with a tsk. “Enjoy your time there. Decompress. Relax. I know you’re into the great outdoors and fresh air and all that mumbling nonsense. But we have that here, too. The proper countryside is a few hours’ drive away from London.” A pause. “Think of your future, man. You might not be on the grass anymore, but your career in football is far from being over.”

Football. I missed hearing the word. I’d been in the US long enough but I… Fuck. I didn’t even know. There had been no plan. I’d just come to Green Oak and decided to stay until I changed my mind. That had been the logic I’d applied to everything since that goddamn day.

Maybe I was traumatized.

I thought back to last night. To every day before that. I’d been so… busy with the hurricane Adalyn had brought to Green Oak that I hadn’t had time to think about much else.

As if summoned by my mind, Adalyn materialized in the yard. She was walking toward my cabin and, fuck, thank Christ the pantsuit was back.

“You know what?” I heard myself say. “Relaxing might be overrated.”

Liam laughed, but there wasn’t any humor in the sound. “So that’s your answer. Out of all the things I said? Tell me at least that you’ll think about it.”

I watched Adalyn making her way up the steps of my porch, and I turned on my heels, heading for the front door.

“Caldani?” Liam insisted.

I reached the hallway, words slipping carelessly out of my mouth, “All right. Yeah.”

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