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“Quite alright,” he assured her.

Then he too was gone. Mrs. Gallagher followed after him, whispering something about giving them a moment, but Jamie wasn’t listening. The room had condensed down to her and Tessa.

Once they were alone, Tessa rounded on Jamie. “Is that true? You had a brother who—who died that way?”

Jamie swallowed. “Yes. I’m sorry I never told you, Tessa. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry I let myself live in fear of him for so long that it cost me our relationship. Twice. I meant what I said. I love you and I’m ready now to tell the world.”

Tessa’s watery eyes were filled with joy. “Oh, Jamie. . . ”

She claimed Jamie’s lips in a tender kiss. Jamie’s heart soared. She had finally broken the chains her father had placed on her, and she was free. Free to recover from her injury. Free to love Tessa. Free to be her most authentic self.

Most importantly, she was grateful. She knew that she could never have faced her father alone. Her true family was at her side all along.

Chapter 30

“I can’t believe our final match is against City, and I’m missing it,” Jamie complained. “Again.”

Tessa chuckled. Jamie had already been frustrated that the first time they played Manchester City was when she had her concussion. Somehow, the concussion also coincided with their first match against Arsenal, so she didn’t get to play against either of her former clubs. The second match against Arsenal had gone fine. But there was a lot of public speculation about Manchester City and her reasons for leaving it. Jamie had been looking forward to playing that match and proving to everyone there was no bad blood there.

“No one can hold your injuries against you,” Tessa pointed out, trying to sound encouraging.

“I know, it just looks unbelievably convenient,” Jamie said. “Although, Rebecca did say she’d allow me to sit on the bench instead of in the stands. As long as my crutches don’t get in the way, she said it’s fine.”

“That’s great! Plus, you’ll be closer to me.”

Tessa kissed Jamie’s cheek. Even though they were back together, it somehow made Jamie blush. Tessa loved it.

Since her confrontation with her father, Jamie had made good on all her promises. She posted a whole slideshow of photos to Instagram to announce her and Tessa’s relationship to the world. Before she went in for her operation, she posted them together at the hospital. And even allowed Tessa to share a clip from after she woke, where she couldn’t stop giggling every time Tessa reminded her that they were girlfriends.

They posted to their stories while making dinner, watching television, or lying together on the couch. And the response had been overwhelming.

Support came in droves. Not only from the public, but other footballers as well. They had even come up with the couple name, “Jessa.” Tessa was overflowing with gratitude at seeing Jamie so happy.

Tessa’s mother had also come to stay with Jamie and help care for her during recovery, and it had done wonders for getting Mary Ann to like Jamie. In fact, there were a few times Tessa suspected her mother loved Jamie even more than her. Mary Ann would only roll her eyes, but Tessa maintained her theory. The pair were adoring of one another.

Her mother’s presence also freed Tessa up to enjoy simply being with Jamie as opposed to being a full-time caretaker. It gave them time to talk. To do more research into their past lives. They had finally discovered some records through online archives of their experiences as tobacco wives. On a manifest record from the Virginia Company, they found Verity and Abigail. And through property records, they found Jamie’s life as Kitty, the wife of the British aristocrat who lived in Georgia and fled before the American Revolution.

Even though they knew in their hearts it was real, seeing physical evidence solidified it for them.

“I wonder how many people are searching for their soulmate,” Jamie had said as they sat in front of her laptop. “D’you think everyone has one?”

“Oh, aye,” Tessa replied. “I think it depends on if it’s your first go at life.”

“I suppose if you found your happily ever after the first time, you wouldn’t need to come back at all.”

“Probably not.”

“I’m glad we’re finally getting it right.”

“Christ, I am as well.”

They had kissed to confirm their agreement.

Because Jamie was recovering from surgery, it meant that they couldn’t go out in public the way they would have liked now that they were out. However, Tessa was enjoying the intimacy for the time being. Because that was what it was. Intimacy, not secrecy. And that made it all the sweeter.

Even when Jamie was complaining about missing the last match.

“This might be silly, but I had this vision of scoring the winning goal tomorrow night and then running over and kissing you in front of everyone,” Jamie said with a frown. “Now that’s been spoiled.”