Page 25 of Pucking the Team

Where are you?

Have you changed your mind about marrying him?

OMG! Your Aunt Mary has just told everyone that he’s been cheating with that old slag, Cheryl. Bastard.

I thumped him for you. We’re at the reception now. Food is AMAZING.

Call me!!!!!!!!

Where are you?

Sweet pea, I’m worried.

The rest of his messages were of a similar nature. I typed a reply.

Thank you for thumping that lying slimeball, you really are the best agent in the world, though defending my honor with your fists is not in your job description. I’m as well as can be expected, you know me, stiff upper lip, but I need some time to process. Losing Steven and Cheryl is the second worst thingto have ever happened to me. But I’ll be okay, and I’ll be in touch soon. Love to William xx

I hit send.

A reply came straight back.

Oh, thank goodness you’re alive. And I totally understand if you don’t want to talk about it, go take some time. You know where I am if you need me. William sends big hugs and kisses to you. Be safe, know you are loved, sweet pea. Don’t let the bastards get you down. Speak soon.

I checked again. There wasn’t a single call or message from Cheryl. I swiped delete on both her and Steven as contacts. It was time to move on.

And move on I would. I drew up Cardiff Airport on my phone and started searching for the next flight out. Dublin in half an hour, that was no good. Later in the day Amsterdam, and then in the evening Majorca. None of those were any good to me.

Damn it.

I flopped back on the bed and closed my eyes, exhaustion coming over me. It was as if I’d run a marathon, two marathons. My limbs were heavy, my body barely able to hold itself together.

Blackness enveloped me. It was welcome, a relief, and I let myself sleep and sleep and sleep.

A small tapping at my door stirred me.

With a yawn I stood, tucked my hair behind my ears, then opened the door.

“Hey, how you doing?” Gina stood there in jeans and a Vipers hoodie.

“I’ve been asleep.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay, I probably needed to get up.”

“Yeah, you did, the game starts soon.”

“Game?”

“Yeah, Vipers versus Devils, it’s going to be a good one.” She paused. “Unless you managed to book a flight to somewhere?”

“Er, no, I didn’t.”

She pulled a face. “I know, right, Cardiff is fairly limited, we have to go via Dublin tomorrow to get back to the US.”

I nodded.

“So come watch the game, you might enjoy it.”