The Own Goal ✔️

Part 68

I wait for it and close my eyes as a bucketful of cold pool water lands on me.

"Thanks!" I say trying not to laugh. "Honestly it's like having two children half the time!"

I watch Jack make big eyes at Mia before they share a 'team work' high five.

***

Later, after the kids are in bed we are sitting outside with the Kane's, the Henderson's and the Trippier's.

There's a few more families here, but these are the ones we seem to have slotted in with. We are sharing bottles of local wine, which is truly awful, proper cough after you take a gulp awful, but it's hitting the spot and the conversation is flowing freely punctuated with lots of laughter.

"What did the gaffer say to you earlier Jack?" Jordan suddenly asks him softly about the phonecall Jack took.

"Ah, not much.... y'know....somehow the FA have managed to lock the media blackout....no press conference"

"How the fuck have they done that?" Asks Kieran, knowing full well nothings that simple with the FA and the media.

Jack smirks.

"Yeah Jack looked at them like that and they agreed to anything!" Kate Kane mocks him.

"Nah, nah, I've got a mate at the FA ain't I, reckon he pulled some strings y'know"

"Who do you know at the FA Jack??" Jordan is staring at him, no one knows if Jack is actually joking or not.

"The chairman! Me an' him are like that!" Jack holds up his fingers, twisted around each other.

"Who's the chairman of the FA?" Jordan's wife asks innocently.

Jack sits back, waiting for someone else to answer for him.

"Prince bloody William" Harry says, before turning to Jack, who looks absolutely full of himself  "prince William did not organise the media blackout on Mia being kidnapped and all this group crime stuff....surely?"

Jack plays with my hand.
"He knows about it, he sent a message to me through Villa, sayin' he hopes Mia's, ok, he was sorry to hear about it......" He finishes his glass....... "Jus' sayin' it mighta helped y'know, that prince William likes me" he grins.

"But will he still like you if you leave villa, hey golden boy?" Harry says in jest.

"Nah, let's not talk about it bro......" He squeezes my hand. Neither of us feel ready just yet for that conversation. He's got three firm offers on the table. Four if you count villas revised terms on offer. We know we need to talk about it.
But it's like we've both subconsciously agreed to not discuss it while we are in this little blissful bubble.

-

Later and Jack is naked above me, his wet hair dripping onto my face as his body softly writhes above me.

I don't know if it's the alcohol, or just that it's Jack above me causing my spine to tingle like it is, but I'm savouring it.

"Are ya mine Chels?" He breathes, his nose against mine, his lips millimetres from mine......

"Yes....I'm yours Jack......" I whimper
"But.....are you.....ahhhh..... mine?...."

"Always....only yours....."

I wrap myself up in him, right now we're locked in own fairytale.

***

A week later and we are on a yacht off of the shore of Dubai with Jack's family.

I find Jack with his dad and brother sat around the table looking at some papers.

"It's not about the money at all....." I hear Jack say, he spots me. "Come 'ere Chels"

He pulls me onto his lap and moves a sheet of paper in front of me.

"These are the main details of the offers......" He looks at me, studying my face.

"Are these monthly figures?" I try to make sense of what I'm looking at.

"Weekly" Jack says, "this is how long each contract will be for, playin' fees, personal terms, moving allowances...."

"What are your thoughts though Jack?"

"London's out" he says

"Definitely?" Kevin prompts?

"Yeah, I spoke to the boys, I just think its not right for me...."

"So that leaves Villa or city?" I watch his face.
I don't envy him making this choice.

"You can be a hero at Villa Jack" Kevan adds, "it's all built around you....."

"Deanos been honest with me, we're a good 3 or 4 years away from European football....." Jack says softly.

"That puts you to your late twenties Jack" Kevin is talking again. "You've only just made the England squad......theres always the possibility of relegation battles again......plus injuries, any big injuries now Jacky and you've got be releastic about how easy you can bounce back"

He groans as he rests his head against my back.
I rub his arms that are around my waist.

"What about one more year at Villa?" I ask

"They won't let him go this easily again, if he re-signs with them Chelsea the new contract will have clauses to the hilt to keep him" Kevin explains.

"It really is now or never to leave villa......but the thought of it makes me feel sick...."

"Oh Jack....." I take his hand and squeeze it.

"Look, maybe you two should have a talk and then sleep on it, but you've not got long left to decide Jacky"

"I know dad, I know"

"Do you want to talk about it?" I try to turn to him a bit more as Kevin and Kevan leave to join the others.

"Nah, not really...." He sighs heavily.
"I know, I know what I wanna do......but I jus' feel guilty for wantin' that"

I kiss his hand. "I think you've decided......." I say softly