Page 14

CHAPTER 14

V ictoria had come to many sporting events at Wembley with her family, but now she was the Women’s FA Patron, she was the one in the spotlight. Much as she was used to it, she didn’t think she’d ever love it. She simply found ways to manage it, get through it.

Her therapist had told her to take a few moments to centre herself before she stepped out tonight. Victoria hadn’t told her the added complication of Ash. She hadn’t even told her brother, standing tall beside her. At least with him there too, he could share the limelight. Although as he always reminded her, “the only people interested in me are star-fuckers and middle-aged women. Everyone loves you. You are the country’s great hope for the future.”

When the country found out the truth about her, she was going to let everyone down.

She pushed that thought out of her head as she and Michael stood for the national anthem. The one praising their mother. The one that would one day praise her. The familiar notes struck up and Victoria and Michael sang with gusto, just as they’d been taught from a young age. Hearing a full stadium of 90,000 people singing it still gave her goosebumps. For her, it was a song of her past, her present, and her future.

The camera panned down the two teams, lingering on Ash. Victoria looked away when she saw her, knowing a blush was about to hit her cheeks. When the singing stopped, cheers filled the stadium, and then the game got underway.

Michael nudged her, his shirt unbuttoned one too many, showing a hint of his ginger chest hair.

“You scored two goals past the England keeper recently. I’m surprised you’re not on the pitch.”

Her penalty prowess had got a lot of media coverage, and she was now known as Princess Penalty. She had mixed feelings.

“Score predictions?” Michael asked as they settled into their seats.

“2-1 to England,” Victoria replied. “Ash to score the winner.”

He gave her a look. “You on first-name terms now you’re a bigwig of the game?”

She shrugged. “We’ve met a few times and I like her. Plus, she’s pretty good at football, which helps.”

The first half flew by with no goals and not much goalmouth action, the two teams cancelling each other out. However, England came out for the second half all guns blazing, determined to make something happen and beat the USA, even if it was just a friendly.

Ash had messaged earlier in the week to say that training was going well, and that their set-piece specialist had come up with a new routine that, if it came off in-game, would be incredible. When England got a corner early in the second-half, Victoria rubbed her hands together and sat up.

“This is going to be good. I can feel it,” she told Michael, slapping his thigh. “Get off your phone and watch.” He did as he was told.

Sure enough, from the corner, Ash whipped in a curling ball that landed in the middle of the penalty area, causing mayhem. Sasha climbed highest for the knock-down, and young Lionesses’ striker Nat Tyler spun and hit a shot that flashed into the net before anyone from Team USA could react. The stadium erupted as Victoria jumped to her feet and punched the air. She’d watched many Lionesses’ games before, but somehow, now she knew the team, this one felt far more personal. Ash was in that melee of players, celebrating.

Ash, who’d chatted to her and kept her company when she was the other side of the world. Who’d made her laugh and shared bits of herself over the past few weeks.

Ash, who she was desperate to kiss.

Michael nudged her. “You were right.” He raised an eyebrow. “Who’s going to score the next goal then, Mystic Meg?”

“Sloane Patterson,” Victoria replied without missing a beat. It was a fair guess, seeing as she was on the pitch and the US star striker. “But I’m still backing Ash to score the winner.”

Fifteen minutes later, most of the stadium groaned as Sloane Patterson duly rounded Cam in a one-on-one and scored the equaliser. Victoria checked her watch. Twenty minutes to go. Plenty of time for the comeback. She made a fist in Michael’s direction to show him she had faith, but he was on his phone again. She nudged him. It wasn’t a good look especially when there were cameras everywhere.

He gave her a sheepish smile and put his phone away. “How long to go? Is it time for more champagne soon?”

“Twenty minutes plus stoppage time.”

He looked less than impressed.

With each passing minute, Ash commanded more of the pitch. Every time she touched the ball, Victoria leaned forward, willing her on. Two perfect crosses had already sliced through the air, begging for a finish. What they needed was another Ash in the box. One to create, one to convert. Because those crosses deserved better than to die in empty space.

She checked her watch again. Five minutes to go. The crowd were giving it their all, trumpets blazing the familiar England song, and the singing as loud as Victoria had heard it. There would be one more chance, she just knew it.

Two minutes later, Sasha slalomed through the middle and threaded a peach of a ball to Ash. She still had a lot to do, but no time to dawdle, with three defenders on her. Victoria craned her neck even though she could see perfectly well, as Ash thumped a first-time shot towards goal, and the crowd held its breath. The ball was a low-slung arrow, and in the slick warmth of the evening it bent around the defenders, and nestled into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal before the US goalkeeper even knew it was past her.

Victoria shrieked and threw her arms around Michael. Pride and elation swelled inside. She knew the goal scorer. She was going to kiss the goal scorer. She’d never had a cool girlfriend before. Someone other people might look at more than her. She had no idea how that might feel, but she wanted to try.

When the England manager showed Victoria into the dressing room, an arc of beer sailed through the air, liberally spritzing her. She’d had worse things thrown at her. However, the collective gasp as it happened, and then the stunned silence wasn’t how she’d planned to make her entrance into England’s post-match celebrations.

Cam was first to react, jumping up and offering Victoria a towel, but she shook her head. “I’ve been known to have a beer before, but I usually prefer drinking it to wearing it.” She grinned, trying to be cool, and not like she wanted to jump in the shower and wash her hair immediately.

“So sorry, Your Highness.” Cam patted Victoria down with the towel whether she liked it or not.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team stared at her with panicked faces.

Victoria turned up her grin to diffuse the tension. “Serves me right for coming in here post-game after such a great win.”

Tentative smiles appeared on a few faces.

She crashed on, walked around the group and shook everyone’s hands. “I just wanted to come in and tell you that being the patron of the Women’s FA is one of the biggest honours of my life, and I plan to make sure the Lionesses are supported and paid properly every step of the way.”

She gave Sasha a strong handshake and a “great assist”, which she seemed thrilled with. When she arrived at Nat Tyler, the young star striker, she made sure to linger a little, even though Nat looked absolutely shocked to be speaking to her.

Right at the end of the handshakes was Ash. Looking sweaty and delicious with her socks rolled down, feet in sliders, shinpads and boots discarded. When they shook hands, the effect was quite different to everyone else who’d touched her before. Ash’s handshake had weight. History. Promise.

“Well played.” It wasn’t what she wanted to say to her, but she figured this was the best in front of the group. Then she lowered her voice. “Good to see the corner routines paid off, despite you hating them over the past couple of weeks.”

Ash treated her to a full smile. “They’ve been hit and miss in training, but it was nice one came off.” She lowered her voice, although the rest of the team had recovered from dousing Victoria in lager and were chatting among themselves again. “I didn’t know you were coming in,” Ash whispered.

“Neither did I, but my PR arranged it. A photographer is turning up any minute.”

Right at that moment there was a knock on the door, and a photographer walked in, camera strung around her neck. The team posed for a few photos, and then it was time for Victoria to leave. “Great game today. Persistence, tenacity, bundles of skill and talent. Thanks for a great evening, everyone.”

She went to leave, then doubled back to Ash. “Are you around this weekend?” Her gaze dropped to Ash’s lips before she could help it.

Ash winced, then shook her head. “Got some FA sponsorship stuff to do Saturday and Sunday, and I’m at the premiere of the new James Bond film on Saturday night.”

A triumphant buzz fizzed through Victoria. “I’m there, too,” she said. “We’ll meet somehow Saturday night.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Ash replied, her voice low.

Victoria held her gaze, then slipped out of the dressing room, hoping nobody in there could read body language.

If they could, she was screwed.