“Just be you. That’s all anyone wants.”
“This place is amazing,” Ainsley’s girlfriend was saying when I stepped onto our patio.
Lars’s girlfriend placed her champagne flute down, tilting her head to the side. “I mean, listen to that. No traffic noise. It’s so peaceful. And private, too, with all these trees.”
“Private enough for topless sunbathing!” Ainsley shouted, fist-pumping the air, and I groaned.
“If you wanted me to take my top off, all you had to do was ask.” Jordan lifted his T-shirt, showing his chiselled abs, and Ainsley immediately smacked his hand away.
“No one wants to see you parade around in your underwear, bro. We already have to put up with you posing in your jockstrap before every game.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered as Ross came up beside me, accompanied by his wife, Abbie. He took one look at my face and started laughing.
“We did come over to say thanks for inviting us, but maybe I should ask if you need rescuing from your friends.”
I stumbled as a sudden weight landed on my back, arms encircling my neck, and then Reuben’s voice sounded right nextto my ear. “You get used to us. Cody wasn’t sure to begin with, but now he’s my best bro.”
“I’m fucking not. Get off me.”
He hung on to me even more tightly. Asshole. “Nah, man. You supply me with maple syrup. That means we have a bond.”
“Fuck off.” I managed to dislodge his grip, but he slid around to my front, shooting me a grin before turning to Ross and his wife.
“Alright? I’m Reuben Mendy. Cody’s best friend.”
“Say it as much as you want. It won’t make it true,” I said darkly, and Ross laughed again.
“I like your friends. You should bring them to a game when the season starts.”
“Oi! Mendy! Stop fucking with Cody and come and help me and Theo with the drinks,” Jordan called from the doorway. His gaze slid to mine, a smirk curving over his lips. “Remind me later to show you my PowerPoint presentation about all the ways you can make your new house more sustainable.”
Fuck. Off, I mouthed, biting back a grin. Something I’d been doing since I’d first stepped outside.
When Reuben disappeared into the house, I turned back to Ross and Abbie. “He’s right, though. You do get used to them.”
Ross nodded. “They seem like a good bunch of guys.”
“Speaking of a good bunch of guys,” Abbie said, “Ross hasn’t stopped talking about the improvements you’ve made with the youth team. It sounds like there’s a bit of hero worship going on in your sessions with them.”
I shrugged. “They’re good kids. Enthusiastic and willing to learn. It makes my job easy.”
“He’s being modest,” Ross said. His gaze swung to the left, and I followed his line of sight to see Scott Osterberg, Cheltenham Storm’s other assistant coach, stepping onto thepatio with a beer in hand. Ross waved him over, and he made his way across the worn flagstones, coming to a stop next to Abbie.
“Evening, all. Sorry I’m late. The satnav decided to freeze on me, and I couldn’t work out where the entrance was.” He held up his beer to me in a toast, and I realised I didn’t have?—
Reuben appeared at my side, thrusting a chilled bottle into my hand before disappearing again. I blinked, staring down at it, a smile tugging at my lips.
“Cheers,” I said, clinking my bottle against his. “Thanks for coming.”
The automatic outdoor lights flickered on as day turned to night. Reuben’s playlist had begun playing softer, more mellow tunes, and most of our guests had drifted towards the patio furniture, arranging themselves on the mismatched chairs.
Jude pulled me down next to him on a rattan sofa, leaning his head on my shoulder.
“You okay?” he murmured, and I nodded. It was the truth. Right now, even though I was surrounded by other people, I felt completely relaxed. Accepted.Home.
I looked around us. Ross’s wife was deep in conversation with Grant’s wife, a half-empty bottle of wine between them. Across from them, Scott and Grant appeared to be discussing their approaches to team psychology, from what I could make out. At the far end of the patio, Jordan and Theo were sharing a single sun lounger, pointing up at the stars. The rest of our guests were gathered around the table, engrossed in a game of cards.
“I can’t believe it,” I said aloud.
