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I watched Emily disappear up the stairs, and it took everything I had not to run after her. I knew she wouldn't have appreciated it, though, and I didn’t want to sprint when we were still crawling.

Although I didn’t want to, I closed the door behind me. My mind went into overdrive about all the things she said, and it broke my fucking heart hearing her say them.

I’d show her that I was here for her as well as Liam, that I was here for my family. I knew I couldn’t gain back the years I lost, but I could make up for them in any way I could.

After grabbing my phone from her car, I posted the keys through the letterbox. I glanced up towards the only room with a light on upstairs, knowing that she was in there. All I wanted to do was hammer the door down and tell her I’d fight for her, for them both, but I knew that wasn’t the way to go. I wasn’t one for showering her with words that she’d just think were false promises. I planned on showing her. It was the only way she’d believe me in the end.

I made my way back to the car. Ollie looked over at me as I got into the passenger seat. “You good?” he asked.

“I will be.” I smiled at the house, knowing I had to put my plan in motion.

Once back at my parents house, I stood beneath the spray of the shower, the warm water cascading down my body. The sight of Emily in a towel was burnt into my retinas. How she smelt, how she felt—everything about her drove me fucking crazy.

I was hard just thinking about having her that close to me again. I fisted my cock as the desire and craving I had for her caused my muscles to coil tighter. My thoughts were consumed by her, her soft skin and inviting curves dancing through my mind. I could feel myself growing harder at the mere thought of her. With each stroke of my hand, the sensation intensified, my fingers grazing over every inch of my aching cock.

But in my mind, it wasn’t my hand touching myself, it was Emily's. The memory of her breathy moans drove me closer and closer to the edge. And just as I imagined her lips wrapped around me, I let go, claiming my release with a shuddering groan as pleasure coursed through my body at record speed. All that remained in my mind was the thought of her and nothing else.

There was one thing I was certain of—the next time I came, it would be inside of her.

A week passed, and my days were jam-packed with physiotherapy and Liam’s training sessions. I even managed to squeeze in a visit to the park with him. Physio went better than I had expected so early on, but there was still a long road ahead. It gave me hope, and I was optimistic enough to think I’d be back on the pitch before I had initially planned.

I was about to knock on Emily’s door when it flung open, revealing an overly excited Liam in his Bluehaven United football shirt.

I laughed. “Wow, someone’s eager!”

“I can’t wait! I’ve never been to a match before!” He grinned, practically bouncing on the spot.

“Well, it’s a day of surprises for you then. You ready to go?”

“Am I ready?!” He slid his arms into his coat. “Of course I am!”

Emily emerged from the kitchen, her long hair neatly woven into two braids cascading down her back. Her dark-rimmed glasses sat perched on her nose, framing her bright eyes and rosy cheeks, and a dainty apron adorned with floral patterns and frills hid what her faded jeans couldn't. As she approached us, her eyes shone with excitement for her son. "He's been talking about nothing else all morning!" Her voice was filled with cheerful enthusiasm, matching the vibrant hues of her apron. The smell of freshly baked cupcakes wafted from the kitchen behind her, making my stomach growl in anticipation.

“So, you mentioned a day of surprises. Can you tell me what they might be?” Liam asked, hoping I would tell him everything I had planned.

“It’s going to be a good day, that’s all I can say.” I ruffled his hair. “I’m not sure what time we’ll be back, but I’ll message you, is that okay?” I asked Em, who nodded in agreement. “Right then, let’s get going.”

Liam skipped out the front door and down the lawn to the private car I had hired for the day as I stood with Em for a moment.

“Em—”

“I hope you two have a wonderful day.” She half smiled for a moment. “He’s having a really great time with you.” I waited for the ‘but’ to follow, however, it never came.

Liam called from the open window of the back seat. “Beckett, come on!”

“You’d better get going.” She waved at Liam before locking eyes with me for a moment. Our gaze lingered longer than it should have. Something tightened in my chest—subtle at first, then stronger, like a thread tugging from deep within, drawing me toward her. It was that same magnetic pull I’d felt a hundred times before, quiet but insistent, like my heart couldn’t quite accept me leaving her again.

With great difficulty, I made my way to the car as she closed the door behind her.

“I’ve never been in a car with a driver before,” Liam exclaimed when I scooted in beside him.

“I wanted you to have a special day, so why not travel in style.” I grinned, leaning back in the seat as Liam chatted my ear off for the next hour.

Excitement bubbled in my chest as we pulled into the car park of Bluehaven United Stadium. Beside me, Liam was practically vibrating with energy, his eyes wide and sparkling. The moment the car stopped, he flung the door open and jumped out, nearly tripping in his rush. “Come on!” he shouted, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Then, to my surprise, he grabbed my hand—his grip warm and urgent—as if he couldn’t wait another second.

We made our way inside the stadium. We were early, but neither of us seemed to mind. The concourse buzzed with a low, growing energy—like something waiting to erupt. The walls were plastered with decades of history, framed photos of club legends mid-strike, faded newspaper clippings behind glass, murals of past glories and heartbreaks. Every corner seemed to tell a story.

The air smelled of fresh chips, and grilled meat, mingled with the faint tang of beer. Merch stalls were already open, their racks overflowing with scarves, shirts, and flags. Liam slowed at every one, wide-eyed, fingers brushing the soft fabric of a home jersey like it was holy. Somewhere to our right, a group of fans chanted in bursts, their voices echoing off the concrete and steel like distant thunder.

He was in awe of everything around him, and it was a joy for me to watch. I saw myself in his every glance and gasp, felt that old excitement stirring just beneath the surface. Football was everything then, and while it was now too, there were two people who meant a hell of a lot more to me.

“So, how high up are our seats?” he asked, squeezing my hand tighter as people skirted around us.

“Not too high, we’re in the VIP section.” I smiled as he stopped in his tracks. He looked up at me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“VIP? Really?!”

“As I said, today is full of surprises.”

As we made our way towards our seats, we were met by one of the hosts at the grounds.

“Mr. Ashmore, it’s an absolute pleasure to have you here at Bluehaven United.” He gave a warm smile, handing Liam a programme.

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here.” Liam responded, his smile stretching from ear to ear.

“We cannot wait to see you back to full fitness. I always watch La Liga!” With a spark in his eyes, the host clapped his hands and spoke with contagious enthusiasm.

“I hope to be soon, but I guess we have to see how long it takes.” I looked down at Liam, who was flicking through his programme, not paying attention to what we were discussing.

“Why don’t you two head up to your private box, and I’ll have them bring in the food you requested.” He swept his hand out in front of him, guiding us in the direction we needed to go. “Box number nine. Best in the stadium.”

“Thank you.”

We arrived at our box as the energy around us began to shift, it was unmistakably electric. It wasn’t just noise, it was a current in the air, alive and thrumming with anticipation. Liam rushed through the door to our seats, his face lit up like a Christmas tree the second he saw the pitch like a dream finally came to life.

The early afternoon sun casted a warm glow over the sea of blue and white that surrounded us. The stadium stood tall and proud, its bright sapphire walls adorned with the home team’s flags and banners. It was still relatively quiet, but I knew that it would be filled to the brim with passionate fans soon, all eagerly anticipating the start of the game.

Liam smiled wider than I’d ever seen, and it made me so grateful and happy to be spending moments like this with my son.

“I can’t believe we’re here, Beckett!”

“You’d better believe it, mate. Today is all for you.” I walked closer to him. “I’m going to nip inside the box and bring the food out, okay?”

“Okay! I’ll be here, watching them warm up.” He couldn’t even look at me, he was too engrossed with what was happening.

The match finally kicked off. Over the next ninety minutes, Liam never took his eyes off of the pitch. He was mesmerised, especially once they were three-nil up.

“Did you see that goal?! It was top bins!” He bellowed, making me chuckle.

“I saw. It was incredible!”

“I bet you can do that with your eyes closed, can’t you?” he asked.

“I can but not with my eyes shut.” I laughed. It was the first time I felt like he was being himself with me. Sure, we had some great times out so far, but he had still always been a little closed off.

The referee blew his final whistle. Liam jumped up and cheered for his favourite team. A team that had once wanted me, but I chose Sevilla Sols and declined their offer. Looking back, I wish I would have fought more to come back. Maybe then everything would have been different.

“Beckett, are we leaving?” Liam interrupted my thoughts.

“Not quite. I have one more surprise for you.” I took his hand and walked with him downstairs where we met the same guy as before.

“Did you enjoy the match?” he asked Liam.

“So much! And we won!”

“Too right we did. We’re top of the league now!” They high fived as I looked on. “Mr. Ashmore, you have a tour now, correct?”

“A tour?! This day just keeps getting better!” Liam practically bounced in place, his voice high with excitement. He tugged at my sleeve, eyes wide and shining, barely able to stay still. His feet danced with every step as we followed the host downstairs, and he kept turning back to grin at me, as if needing to make sure I was just as thrilled. His words tumbled out in a rush, faster than his mouth could keep up, and he pointed at everything we passed like each hallway held some hidden magic. It was all a wonder to him—pure, unfiltered joy.

“Right, well, this is the changing room.” The host gestured proudly.

“I’ll take it from here, Peter.” Jerry, the manager of Bluehaven United, said when he came up behind us and approached our host. He stuck his hand out for me to shake. “Hey, Liam. Beckett.”

“You know my name!” Liam’s mouth hung open before splitting into a grin so big it looked as though it might take over his face.

“Of course. Beckett told me we had a special guest today.” Jerry crouched down to Liam’s height. “That’s why the guys played so well today.”

“It was amazing to see a game that wasn’t on the TV.”

“Well, how would you like to meet the team?” Jerry asked, already opening the door that led to the team’s changing room.

“Yes, please! I’d love to.” Liam was polite when he spoke, and it made me realise just how much of an amazing job Emily had done raising him.

“Well, then, right this way.” We followed Jerry through another door where the team was waiting to meet Liam. “Guys, this is Beckett Ashmore, and of course, our VIP guest, Liam.”

“Nice to meet ya, mate.” Ricky Towler high-fived Liam before walking him around to meet the rest of the team.

“Thanks for making this happen, Jerry.” I shook his hand in appreciation.

“No worries, fella, you know that.” He stroked his chin for a moment. “However, there is one way you could thank us.”

“Hmm, how might that be then?” I laughed, already knowing what he was about to ask.

“I think you already know.” He slapped my shoulder and smiled.

“Beckett, I think Ricky could beat you one-on-one.” Liam bantered as Ricky handed him his signed shirt.

“I don’t know about that, mate. Ashmore is a killer on the pitch.” Ricky laughed.

“If you say so, but I haven’t seen him play properly yet,” Liam chimed in through the laughter.

“Give it time and you will.” I said, ruffling his hair.

“So, Ashmore, what do we have to do for you to join us, hmm?” Jerry smiled, and I felt put on the spot as Liam looked up at me hopefully.

“I can’t promise anything. My career is in the hands of another team right now.” I responded, but as I answered, I noticed Liam’s smile falter a little.

“I get your life is in Spain at the moment, but have a think about it. You have my number.”

“Thanks for the offer. Let’s see if this leg still works and does what it’s supposed to do.” I politely replied.

“We’d love to have ya mate. You’re just what we need to stay at the top of the league,” Ricky spoke up from beside Liam. This guy was usually the class clown with his jokes, but when he spoke, his words were sincere and serious.

“You’re doing just fine without me.”

“Trust me, we want ya more than Sevilla Sols.” Ricky slapped my shoulder in good fun, probably hoping I’d say something along the lines of, “I’ll think about it.” Ultimately, I wouldn’t.

“My top priority right now is getting back into shape but cheers for the confidence boost.” I laughed.

Although he seemed to enjoy the rest of the meeting with the players, his mood had definitely taken a turn. I had no bloody idea if it was because of all the talk of me leaving soon, but that’s what it seemed like.

“Thank you both for coming and bringing us luck today.” Jerry aimed that comment at Liam, who only just mustered up the happiness to smile. “I meant what I said, Beckett. We’d love to have you.” He leaned into my space. “And before you start—no, I ain’t poaching you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I shook his hand in a goodbye and left with Liam trailing behind with a face like a wet weekend.

***

The ride home was a lot quieter than the one we had on the way to the stadium. Liam barely spoke, and when I tried to talk to him, he just grunted at me like a moody teenager.

“Mate, what’s going on?” I asked, twisting in my seat to look at him.

“Nothing.”

“You sitting there with a face like thunder tells me a different story.” I smiled slightly.

“Why did you take me today, Beckett? Why are you doing all this fun stuff with me if you’re just going to leave soon?” There it was—the explanation for his reserved mood, and the reason that my heart shattered.

He turned to face me with the straightest face I’d ever seen on him. “Did you only do this to make my mum happy? You know, since she’s your friend? I mean, why bother being so involved if you don’t really care?”

Ouch.

“I do care, Liam. Of course I do.” I sighed. “I wanted to do all this fun stuff with you because you’re an amazing kid. It wasn’t just because I’m your mum’s friend.”

“You shouldn’t have bothered. You’re leaving, and I probably won’t see you much after you go back to Spain, so I’d rather you just be a coach with Dan and that’s it.” I felt sick. His words destroyed me, and the fact he could barely look at me made it ten times worse.

“Liam…”

“Leave it. Let’s just go home.” He closed his eyes, but as he did, I could have sworn I saw a single tear escape and trickle down his cheek.

Dealing with all this was never in the cards for me. I was supposed to come home for a couple of months to recover in my own way, and then fly back and be the man I once was. But now, everything I had planned was slowly going to shit.

What the fuck was I supposed to do?