Striker (79 page)

‘Yeah?’

‘Thanks.’

‘For what?’

‘For being my friend.’

He smiled back. ‘I love you, kiddo. It’s what I do.’

She looked at him for a few seconds, their eyes locking together in a brief moment of intensity. ‘I love you, too, Ronnie.’

‘Yeah. I know… Amber…?’

She was still looking at him, waiting for him to say whatever it was he was going to say.

‘No… sorry,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘You sure?’ she asked.

‘Yeah,’ he smiled, climbing out of the car. ‘I’m sure. Look, I’ll see you in there, okay?’

She nodded, watching as he walked towards the register office entrance, exchanging a brief word with Jim before he went inside.

Taking another deep breath Amber shook out her curls, composed herself, and looked over to where Jim had now stopped pacing, because he was looking over at her. And the second her eyes met his she knew everything she was doing here was the right decision. She wanted to marry this man more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life. The fact her heart had started to beat faster and harder just at the sight of him told her that.

His face broke into a smile and she smiled back, clutching her bouquet tight against her as she walked over to him, her eyes never leaving his, and then he was right there, in front of her. Her teenage fantasy. Her first love. The only man she’d ever really wanted.

‘You look beautiful,’ he whispered, sliding an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

‘You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.’

He laughed that low, deep, sexy laugh and Amber felt her stomach flip a thousand somersaults, her head beginning to spin as the events of the day began to completely overwhelm her. ‘Just kiss me, Jim. Please.’

He didn’t need to be asked twice, and Amber closed her eyes as his mouth touched hers, moving against it in slow, soft movements.

‘I thought you’d stood me up,’ he said quietly, still holding onto her, his mouth still close to hers.

‘That was never going to happen.’

He gently pushed a strand of dark red hair from her eyes as the cold, brisk, north east breeze whipped her loose curls around her face. ‘But you’ve been to see Ryan. Haven’t you? I’m guessing that’s why Ronnie’s here.’

She nodded, pulling away from him, walking over to the railings to the side of the register office, staring out at the view of the
North Sea
. ‘Did you know?’ She looked at him. ‘About Ryan not turning up for training all week?’

Jim nodded, staring straight ahead, his hands back in his pockets. ‘I was made aware of it, yes.’

‘And… and do you know what’s really happened? Do you know the state he’s in right now?’

Jim nodded again, sighing heavily as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the railings. ‘I’ve spoken to both Colin and Max Mandell. So, yes. I know the full extent of what’s going on now. It’s a mess…’

‘He just needs to get his head together, sort himself out. You
are
going to support him, aren’t you, Jim? I mean, the club aren’t just gonna wash their hands of him…’

Jim turned to look at her, taking her hand and pulling her close. ‘The club will give him all the support he needs, Amber. Believe me. I’ll need to have a meeting with the Chairman tomorrow before we head down to
Wigan
but, I can assure you, honey, we’ll do everything we can to make sure he comes through this. You have my word on that.’

Once-upon-a-time his word hadn’t meant all that much, but she believed him, now. She believed him.

‘I feel so guilty, Jim. Did I push him too far? Did I do something wrong?’

‘Hey, listen, it wasn’t your fault, okay?’ He ran his thumb lightly over her cheek, leaning over to kiss her gently. ‘He was damaged goods, Amber. Before you and he got together.’

‘So was I,’ she whispered, looking deep into his eyes.

He looked away for a second, down at the ground, his hand still resting lightly on her cheek. ‘It’s time to make things right,’ Jim said quietly, his eyes meeting Amber’s again. ‘For both of you.’

‘Do you know where he’s going? Max said something about rehab and I…’

‘Amber, honey, he’ll be fine. Max is talking to the club as we speak and between them they’ll make sure he has the best care possible. Money’s no object, remember? And it’s in the club’s best interests to make sure that kid is back to full strength and back on that pitch as soon as possible. Fighting fit and ready to concentrate on his career because, if he does that, then he’s gonna be one hell of a legend.’

She looked into his eyes again. ‘I care about him, Jim. I can’t stop doing that, I can’t turn those feelings off…’

‘I don’t expect you to, baby. Look, underneath all that crap he’s a sensible kid. He knows what he really should be doing, and I’m sure he’ll come out of this a better man. Trust me.’

Trust me. Two little words that he’d used so flippantly in the past with little regard for their meaning. But it felt different this time. This time she felt as though he meant what he said. Because he loved her. He really loved her. And she really loved him. No more lies. No more hurt. No more pain.

‘I never loved him the way I love you,’ Amber said quietly, glad of his arms pulling her closer against him as the cold breeze grew stronger, sending a sharp chill right through her. She wasn’t really dressed to be outdoors for long periods of time. ‘I thought I
could
, y’know? I thought I could, and then forgetting you would be so much easier…’

‘If I hadn’t come back, do you think you and Ryan would have had a future together?’ Jim asked, playing with the loose curls that hung around her bare shoulders.

‘I don’t know,’ she replied, exhaling quickly as Jim’s fingers brushed against her skin, sending a welcoming warm shiver right through her. ‘I doubt it. But I don’t know.’

‘Are you glad I came back?’

She looked at him, her face breaking into another smile, her fingers fiddling with the collar of his dark shirt. ‘Yeah. Of course I am. Now. But you better be good to me, Jim Allen. This time, you better be good to me because I can’t go through…’

He shut her up with a kiss, a long, slow, deep kiss that seemed to wipe clean away any more thoughts of anything other than why she was here, with this man. Even the cold sea-breeze was having trouble bothering her now because all she could feel was his body against hers, his arms holding her tight.

‘So, you still wanna marry me, then?’ he asked, that warm, rich accent of his melting her heart, bringing back a million memories and the delicious promise of a million more to come.

She smiled. ‘Well, let’s see… Amber Allen… it
does
have quite a nice ring to it, don’t you think?’

Chapter Thirty-Five

The warm May sunshine beat down on Amber’s face as she looked up at the bright, blue cloudless sky. It was a glorious day, and one Newcastle Red Star had been waiting for for as long as the club, and their supporters, could remember. There was no doubting how much of a success the club had become over the past few seasons, but one trophy had always eluded them – the league title. That prestigious accolade that put you right at the very top of the tree as far as English football was concerned. For too long that title had evaded them, been within their grasp only to slip away at the final hurdle, but now – now they had just one more game to play, one last game to win and the title would be theirs. They needed the three points a win would give them, a draw wouldn’t do. A draw would see them having to rely on other teams’ results going their way and nobody wanted that, so they were going all out that afternoon to win.

Amber finished her cigarette and walked back inside Tynebridge, smiling as she looked down at the thin band of gold glinting on the third finger of her left hand. Mrs. Jim Allen. She was Mrs. Jim Allen, and for the past four months she’d been the happiest woman on earth. No argument. To finally be Jim’s wife was her dream come true, although it hadn’t come without its problems, once word had finally got out. Her father had only just come round to the idea, Kevin had sulked for almost a week after he found out, claiming she’d denied News North East their very own “happy ending” news story, although Amber thought there’d been more than enough news knocking around at the time to fill a multitude of shows, what with Ryan’s absence from the Red Star squad and the rumours of his visit to rehab. Which hadn’t stayed rumours for long. It had all come out, eventually, meaning that Kevin had finally got off her back and forgiven her for leaving him in the dark as far as her love life was concerned.

‘Do you fancy a drink before kick-off?’ Debbie asked, catching Amber as she walked through the main reception area.

‘I’m gonna go see Jim,’ Amber smiled. ‘Just to make sure he’s okay.’

‘Okay?’ Debbie frowned. ‘Why wouldn’t he be okay?’

‘He won’t thank me for telling you this, but he is incredibly nervous about this afternoon. It’s not that he doesn’t think the guys can do it, they can. He has every faith in them, and after the way they’ve been playing lately the title should be well within their grasp. It’s just that, he puts so much pressure on himself. So much pressure to succeed, and he’s always wanted this for Red Star. This title, this accolade. So, to be able to give it to them with
him
at the helm… He didn’t sleep much last night, let’s put it that way.’

Debbie slipped her arm through Amber’s as they walked towards the Players Lounge. ‘I’m really glad you and Jim decided not to move to
Spain
,’ she smiled, leaning in towards her friend. ‘I mean, what would I have done without my closest girlfriend there at my wedding? You’re my Maid of Honour, I need you there.’

‘And I’m gonna be right by your side, kid.’ She squeezed Debbie’s arm. ‘It wasn’t the right time, to make that move. If Jim had taken the Malaga Athletico job it would have meant we were running away and although, at the time, it seemed like the perfect thing to do, it would’ve been a mistake. Everyone needed to face up to everything that had happened – both in the past, and the present. Besides, he loves this club far too much to sell them down the river. And look what he’s done for them? He’s got them right where they’ve always wanted to be. He’s about to make them champions. No, we’ll be sticking around for a while yet, don’t you worry.’

‘Good,’ Debbie said, planting a quick kiss on Amber’s cheek. ‘I’ll see you in a bit, then, up in the hospitality box. We can talk about my Hen Weekend to Lanzarote during half time.’

Amber threw her a smile and left her at the door of the Players Lounge, continuing down the corridor to the dressing rooms, taking in the noise and the excitement of this incredibly important day in Newcastle Red Star’s history. The atmosphere was heady, the air thick with expectation, the noise coming from the Home Team dressing room loud and excitable. So no wonder Jim was nervous. He had a lot riding on this. He’d promised the fans victory, and if he didn’t deliver he wouldn’t be the only one who was disappointed.

Tapping quietly on his office door, she gently pushed it open, peering inside. ‘Okay to come in?’ she asked, catching sight of him behind his desk.

His face broke into a smile as he stood up and walked round the front of his desk. ‘Hey, baby.’ He opened his arms and she stepped inside, hugging him tight. ‘Oh, Jesus, you feel so good.’

‘Everything okay?’ Amber asked, pulling away slightly and looking up at him. His handsome face was a mask of worry, but she knew that the second he stepped outside of the office he’d show no outward signs of the anxiety he was currently feeling.

‘Everything’s fine, honey. I’m just… This is it, y’know? This is what this club has been waiting for, and it’s so close we can almost touch it… The guys are gonna do us proud this afternoon, I know they are.’

She smiled, reaching up to gently stroke his rough chin with her fingertips. ‘I’m so proud of you, Jim. You’ve worked so hard to get this club where it is now. You’re a hero to those fans out there.’

‘Which is why we need to bring that title home, here to Tynebridge.’

‘Baby, even if it doesn’t happen you
know
you’ll still be their hero.’

‘Managers have lost their jobs over less, Amber.’

‘The board have just extended your contract, Jim. Last night. Why would they do that if they had any intention of sacking you? You’re not going anywhere, handsome. Except, maybe…’ She smiled, taking his hand and sliding it underneath her shirt, placing it over one of her breasts, ‘… inside me?’

He smiled, too, running his thumb over her nipple until it became hard beneath his fingers. ‘Jesus, you kill me, baby. You fucking kill me.’

‘You don’t
have
to,’ she whispered, standing on tiptoe so her mouth barely touched his. ‘I just thought you might need a little bit of stress relief, that’s all. Something to calm you down before the game. But, I can always go away…’

‘Hey, little lady. You ain’t going anywhere. Get back here.’ He pulled her against him, kissing her long and slow. ‘You taste so good,’ he groaned, pulling her shirt out of her jeans and pushing it back off her shoulders. ‘So, so good.’