Michelle Betham - Final Score

‘Yeah, I know who Ken Hollins is, in case you’ve forgotten what I actually do for a living. So, they’ve sacked him? I know it’s sort of been on the cards for a while now… Is that what all this commotion is down at the stadium this morning?’

‘The ground’s surrounded by press and fans. Heaven knows how I managed to get in and out without anyone seeing me.’

‘Seeing you? Jim… what’s going on?’

He sat down on the edge of her desk, pulling her in between his legs, his hands on her hips. ‘They want me back.’

Amber’s frown deepened. ‘Who do?’ That was a rhetorical, not to mention stupid, question. Because she knew exactly what the answer was.

‘Endleigh United. They want me back in charge.’

‘Hang on… you’ve got a contract with Newcastle Red Star.’

‘Contracts can be broken, Amber, and you know that.’

She was confused now. ‘And, when… when did all this kick off?’

‘Well, you just said yourself Hollins’ job has been on the line for a while now. The club hasn’t really done all that great since I left…’

‘Big yourself up there, why don’t you.’ She couldn’t help smiling, a smile he returned and she felt her stomach dip and dive all over again. She loved this man so much it was ridiculous.

‘I got an email a few days ago, kind of giving me a heads-up on what was about to happen, but I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure what was going on. And then, late last night, I got a call, asking me to come down and talk to them, and… Baby, I know this seems like it’s come completely out of the blue, but it couldn’t have come at a better time in reality.’

‘How do you work that one out?’

‘We can make a fresh start down here, Amber, don’t you see? You were already thinking about moving away from the north-east anyway, and I hated that idea because I didn’t want you to leave me. I didn’t want you to be so far away I couldn’t… I couldn’t see you. But things have changed now, baby. We can make a new start here. Together. And maybe that’s just what we need.’

‘Whoa, hang on. Slow down there. They’ve offered you your old job back?’

‘More money, more power, a relocation package you wouldn’t believe. Honey, this is so perfect. It’s almost like fate has thrown this at us and I… I really think we should consider it. Seriously consider it.’

Amber couldn’t say anything. All of a sudden this whole situation had just got real, and she didn’t know what to do, or what to say.

‘Most of your work is down here now, Amber. You’re in London far more than you’re up north these days, and if I stay at Red Star we’re hardly gonna see each other. But if I take the Endleigh United job, and we make London our base…’

‘I never wanted to live in London, Jim. Not really. All that talk of moving down here, it was only because I couldn’t think of another way to distance myself from a situation I…’

He stood up, pulling her closer, kissing her quickly, but long enough to make Amber’s knees go weak. That’s how easy it was for him to draw her back under his spell. One kiss. That was all it took. ‘A new start, Amber. And don’t tell me you don’t think we need that.’

‘Do they want you straight away?’ she asked, running her fingers over his cheek, her eyes watching their every move.

‘Pretty much. You know how badly their season’s gone so far, and whether I say yes or not, Hollins is out and someone new is coming in, regardless. They can’t afford to waste any more time.’

‘And when do they need a decision from you?’

‘As soon as possible. A couple of days, max.’

She let go of him, suddenly aware that anyone could walk in at any given moment. And the one thing she didn’t want was their rekindled relationship announced on the gossip grapevine. ‘Ryan won’t be happy.’

‘What’s Ryan got to do with it?’

‘He’s Rico’s dad, Jim. And I promised him I wouldn’t take Rico away from him. I promised him that.’

‘You aren’t taking him away from anyone, Amber.’

‘That’s not how Ryan’ll see it. He thinks any move to London is off now.’

Jim reached out and took her hand, pulling her back against him, and she didn’t fight it. Not this time. If anyone saw them, so what? It was all going to come out anyway. Eventually. And if Jim took the Endleigh United job then it was going to come out sooner rather than later.

‘Our lives are not gonna revolve around Ryan Fisher, baby. Not any more. It’s time to think about what we want now. Because we need to make it work this time, Amber. We need that. Because I don’t know how many chances we’ve got left.’

She looked at him, into those beautiful green eyes, her fingers still lightly trailing over his cheek. ‘I know,’ she whispered. The love she felt for this man was all-consuming; confusing. Unbearable, at times. But she needed him, no matter what. She needed him. And no matter what it took, she’d do it. If it meant they could finally be together.

‘What do you want to do, Jim?’

‘I want to do whatever’s best for us, Amber. And if that means taking the Endleigh United job and moving down here, then that’s what I’ll do. But only if you want that too.’

She felt his fingers slide between hers and she looked down at their joined hands, at his thumb gently rubbing her knuckles. ‘I only know I want you , Jim.’

He tilted her chin up, kissing her long and slowly, and once more she let herself become lost in him, her body falling against his like that rag doll she always became in his arms.

‘You do realise that if it had been anyone other than me who’d just walked in here, you two would be all over Twitter by now.’

Amber broke away from Jim, turning to see Ronnie standing in the doorway.

‘I’ll leave you to it.’ Jim smiled, quickly squeezing her waist.

‘Are you going straight back up north?’ She didn’t want him to go. She really didn’t want him to go, not now he was here. She wanted him to stay, at least for one night.

He smiled again, moving his mouth close to her ear, his hand resting on her hip. ‘I’ll see you at home. Then we can get naked and talk some more.’

She breathed in deeply as she watched him leave, unable to stop her stomach from somersaulting so fast she almost felt dizzy.

Ronnie stood aside to let him through the door. ‘They’ve offered him the job, then?’ His tone was matter-of-fact as he threw the newspapers he was holding down on his desk next to Amber’s.

‘I… that isn’t common knowledge, is it? I mean, he’s only just left the stadium after talking to them…’

‘Chill out, will you? It isn’t common knowledge. But I’m not stupid enough to think he’s come all the way down here on a Thursday just for sex. He’s too professional for that.’

Amber threw him a look as she leaned back against her desk. ‘People are gonna put two and two together, though, aren’t they? If he’s seen down here.’

‘Probably, yes. His name’s already being touted around by the bookies as favourite to be Hollins’ replacement so I wouldn’t think it’ll be too long before the rumour mill is well and truly up and running.’

‘He wants us to move down here.’

Ronnie stopped what he was doing and looked at her. ‘He’s taking the job?’

‘I don’t know. No. I mean, he hasn’t come to a decision yet. We haven’t come to a decision yet.’

‘A fresh start, huh?’

Her eyes met Ronnie’s, and once again she wondered how different her life would have been if they’d stayed a couple. When she thought about it now, those few months they’d been together back when he’d been a player in Manchester and she’d been working as a reporter for New North East, they’d been good. Fun. Uncomplicated. If she’d just let that ride, given that relationship a chance to evolve, could it not have turned into the perfect life she’d been looking for? But she already knew the answer to that. It never would have happened. Because she’d never have left Jim behind. Ryan was right – nobody else had ever stood a chance. ‘Would that be such a bad thing?’