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On the morning Mitch and Jay were to move into the Meriton, Liana was due to leave with her football team for Southeast Asia. But nothing was going according to schedule.
The flight was delayed; a player couldn’t find his passport; the hotel couldn’t find reservations for five of their rooms; one of the physios fell ill and they had to find a replacement. Liana was on her phone pacing in the condo—trying to fix one of the issues—when the security buzzer sounded.
A gruff voice came on. “Mitch? It’s Jay. I forgot my keys.”
Liana pressed the button to open the security door. A voice picked up on her own phone. At last, a real person...
“Hello? Hello? I’m still here.”
False alarm: no real person on the other side. She looked to the ceiling, sorely tempted to find out if her phone would make a dent or be decimated if she threw it there.
She walked to the front door and propped it open just as the lift door opened. Out stepped a tall man whose neck was the size of her waist. She should be used to the size of rugby players by now, but he seemed extra-large even by rugby standards. She guessed he was about two meters tall. It wasn’t just the height though. It was the size of his whole being.
As if sensing her study of him, the giant stopped. He frowned slightly. She put the phone to her chest. “Hi. Sorry, I’m on hold. I really need to finish this call though.”
Thirty minutes later, her team was guaranteed their hotel rooms, they had a new physio, and the footballer in question had found his passport. When she walked out of her room, she saw Jay in the kitchen. He looked up, his dark eyes studying her.
“You’re shorter than I thought. Want a sandwich? It’s just ham and cheese on crackers, though. So not technically a sandwich but that’s the best I can do. You didn’t stock up.”
Liana blinked. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t think of doing that. I thought I should keep things empty when I leave.”
“No worries. My wife thinks you’re amazing. She said not to ask, which means I should.”
“Ask what?”
“She wants an autograph.”
Liana grinned as she studied Jay: ripped jeans, well-worn black polo. He looked like an average guy, except most average guys didn’t look like him. His black hair was cut close to the head, military style. Liana was also willing to bet that the pitch-black eyes now looking at her could be seriously intimidating on the rugby field. He was tall and built like a wall. She doubted many people got past him on the pitch. He’d have made a great goalkeeper.
“I’ll be happy to sign anything,” Liana said. “I hope I’ll be able to meet your wife one day.”
“Probably. But I won’t tell her that yet. She might want to move in. Aren’t you supposed to be traveling?”
“Yes. Leaving this afternoon. Had a flight delay.”
“And you have Tom Rowan’s old room, eh?”
“Yes.”
“He was a good fella. Lousy cook. Why aren’t you sharing Mitch’s room?”
Liana stared blankly.
“He’s single now, though that wouldn’t bother some people. Or is he not your type?” Jay frowned at that thought. “Nah, he’s everyone’s type. Guys and girls like him. You’re cute, and he’s... well, he’s Mitch Molloy. There should be fireworks. You know. Bam! Ka-boom!”
Ka-boom?
Liana shook her head to clear her mind. She approached the kitchen counter and pulled herself onto one of the barstools.
“Let’s start over. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself properly. I know you’re Jay Morrison. I’m Liana Murphy, the temporary flatmate. Mitch was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while I wait for my rental to be ready. But no, there was no hint, let alone a discussion about him and me... sharing a room... for any reason.”
Jay stared at the hand Liana offered, shook it quickly, wiped his hand on his shirt, and started eating again. Chewing, he asked, “Yeah, but why not? Most girls would give their right arm to be in the same room as him. I think he’s pretty hot stuff, and I’m not into the fellas. Or are you into girls? I’m a liberal-minded person.”
“You come to interesting conclusions, Mr. Morrison.”
“Please, just Jay. Not a fan of my last name. It belonged to a man who ran off before I was born. I’d have dropped it, but I haven’t found a last name I like. I’d take on my mother’s last name, but she goes by Morrison. So, I’m stuck. You don’t look like a Murphy. Are you really Irish?”
“Yes. My father’s family is from Killarney. I’m also half Indian.”
“You don’t look like a Singh, either.”
“Well, it’s because I’m not.”
Jay looked at Liana, seemingly taking in what she had said. He was about to say something when the door opened, and Mitch walked in. Mitch looked surprised to see Liana. Dressed in a blue sweatshirt, he had a day’s growth on his face. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.
“Hello,” Liana said. Was it her imagination or did she suddenly feel warm?
“Hi,” Mitch replied. He dropped his bags at the front door. “I thought you’d have left by now.”
“Flight was delayed,” Jay explained.
Liana grinned at Jay’s interjection. “He’s right. Then we had a few mini-crises, so I stayed in to sort out a couple of them. But that’s all taken care of now.”
“Sandwich?” said the third voice in the room.
Mitch dragged his attention to the kitchen and frowned. “What on Earth is that, Jay?”
“It’s all she had. Ham and cheese. And crackers. No bread. Told her she should have stocked up,” Jay said. He looked at Liana pointedly. “I always stock up the fridge before I leave.”
Before she could respond, Jay looked at Mitch. “You’re cooking tomorrow night, right? Otherwise, we’ll need to buy more bread. You know I only make sandwiches.” Jay stood up, stretched, and put his dish and glass in the sink. “Good meeting you, Liana. You seem more like a real person than some of those other celebs Mitch meets. I think we’ll get along just fine. I hope to find out the answer to my questions one day. Enjoy your trip, but don’t forget to stock up next time. Right now, I need to take a shower.”
Jay sauntered to the bathroom and shut the door.
Liana turned to Mitch, questions on the tip of her tongue, but she wasn’t quite sure how to verbalize them. Mitch nodded knowingly. “He’s one of a kind, Jay Morrison. But I tell you what: you can’t find a more loyal friend or a better lock. He plays full on, full strength all the time.”
“I bet,” Liana said, amused. “I must say I’ve not met one like him before. And I thought I’d met them all.”
“I’m sorry about the flight delay, but I’m glad to see you before you leave. Thanks for the picture from Bob’s Peak. Did it live up to expectations?”
“Much more. It’s beautiful up there. I’d like to go back and spend more time there one day.”
“The team ready for Singapore?” Mitch asked.
“I’m looking forward to finding out. We have a few days of PR before we play Singapore’s National Team...”
“... on the same day we play Australia.”
“Yes, I noticed that, too. After that, we play in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.”
“That’s a pretty compact itinerary.”
“It’ll be good for us.”
“Is Pillane the captain?”
“Yes. He’ll return to England right after our match in Bangkok. No changes to the lineup Hastings left,” Liana said. “At this point, it’s probably the only lineup we could have. We need to build depth. This trip will be a good test as to what I have to work with over the next few years, to see what kind of contender we’ll be for World Cup qualifications.”
Mitch continued to pepper Liana with questions about the team and their schedule. In turn, she had questions about his club’s final games, with the regular season ending a month earlier because of the World Championship.
“You’re doing well to follow the League.”
“I live in New Zealand; how can I not? Even the salon where I have my hair done has a rugby channel continuously streaming. It’s quite an intense interest in one sport. I mean, it’s not even like you’re in the middle of the World Championship yet.”
“It’s our country’s primary sport. Every Kiwi grew up tossing the ball at one point or another.”
Liana looked at her watch. “Well, I best be going. Southeast Asia awaits.”
Mitch walked her to the door. “Shall I shake your hand goodbye, or are we past that, now that we’re living together?”
Liana grinned. Straight to the point. She’d take that over vague innuendoes any day. “Depends. What do you and Jay do?”
“Jay and I? Uh... we shake hands... maybe a slap on the back. If I told you I kissed him, would that make any difference to your answer?”
She laughed. “No, it wouldn’t. I hug my friends.”
Mitch stood there, hands in the pockets of his jeans and a lopsided grin on his face. “I’ll take a hug.”
Liana hoped her own smile disguised her sudden nervousness. “Thank you for letting me stay here. It was nice to have one thing settled before the job started,” she said as she took a step toward Mitch.
Her eyes closed instinctively as his arms enclosed her. Nor could she stop her head from turning slightly so she could inhale his scent: musky, earthy, all male. The bare curve of his neck was just there, waiting for her bite.
She pushed herself out of Mitch’s arms with far more aggression than she had intended and reached for her bags, turning her back to Mitch. She didn’t need to see her reflection to know how flushed her face was. She felt it.
“When you return, we’ll have Connor and Cat over. Cat wants to try a new recipe on you,” Mitch said in a husky voice. He held the front door open. Liana turned to face him again but wasn’t ready for his proximity. Her back was now against the door as he took a step closer.
“Oh?” she breathed out.
“Yes. In his words, something a Kiwi wouldn’t try.”
“Enticing.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Sounds like it.”
Liana could see the specks of gold in Mitch’s brown eyes. They were studying her. If he took one more step, there’d be nothing between them. The thought both thrilled and terrified her. She needed a diversion. “Uh... oh yes, if you’re interested, I have invitations for the Skycatcher premiere.”
His gaze moved to her lips. She stammered. “Uh... a... friend of mine worked on the film. I know Cat’s a fan of Mark Johnson.”
Mitch’s head inched closer.
“Mitch,” Liana whispered. “I have to go....”
He stopped his movement but kept his eyes locked on hers. She willed herself not to pull him closer. Then he stepped back, interview-face on, still studying her. She moved past him, but before she entered the lift, she looked over her shoulder. “Good luck on Saturday, Mitch.”
“Thanks. You too.”
* * *
After Jay and Mitch had dinner, Jay went to his room and stayed there. That was normal. They had a full practice tomorrow, the first time the National Team would be gathering in Auckland. Barnsey had included Stanton in the next Test. Mitch wasn’t surprised and was pleased to have another member of his club team make it to the higher level; Stanton was ready. It was a strong-looking team.
Usually, he’d welcome the evenings to himself. That was one of the reasons Jay was an ideal flatmate. Jay didn’t expect to be entertained. Mitch would cook; Jay would clean up. They would talk over dinner. Afterward, Jay would retire to his room, giving Mitch some time to himself. It was a comfortable setup.
He should be going over his notes from the week, compiled in hurried scribbles after each workout: advice he’d received, advice to pass on, and feedback he wanted to study. The day was about working his body; he used the evenings to exercise his mind. Barnsey had also given him the tentative press schedule for the next few weeks. As captain, he was going to be one of the regular faces for the interviews and team announcements.
There was a lot to do.
But he couldn’t concentrate.
He had been so close to kissing her.
But she’d stopped him... again.
His instincts told him she wouldn’t have resisted if he had, but there was something—or maybe someone—that prevented her from giving him that chance. Mitch sighed. He really should be thinking about tackling and scrums and not about kissing and certainly not about that cute little behind she’d showed him when she’d reached for her bags.
He threw his pen across the table and watched it roll. He wondered what Liana was doing right now, on the plane, with a group of football players. There was going to be a lot of media interest in her debut as manager.
All of his ex-girlfriends were fairly knowledgeable about sports. They had to be for their relationship with him to have a chance of succeeding. Sport was his life, and even if he weren’t a professional, he would enjoy following anything from rugby to athletics.
At the Danes’ gathering, Liana had shown how different her mindset was from the ordinary sports fan. Her insights into her players were part intuition and part observation. She had an extraordinary ability to recall facts. He was just starting to appreciate the scope of her knowledge.
But he shouldn’t be surprised. His coaches for both the Club and National teams showed a similar understanding of rugby. If he were honest, Liana was the first woman to really challenge what he knew of the world he lived in.
He tried to identify other women who held similar positions. Many of the women’s sports teams had men as coaches. His sister was right; Liana was ahead of the game by taking charge of a national sports team, win or lose. Mitch wondered how the public would gauge her losses. He knew the weight of carrying the hopes of a nation; he couldn’t imagine what it must be like to carry the hopes of women all over the world.
“Why are you still up?”
Mitch looked up to see Jay, half-naked, saunter into the living room.
“Just couldn’t sleep.”
“What time is it?” Jay rubbed his eyes.
“Just past one.”
“In the morning? You worried or something? About Sunday’s Test? Aren’t we using it as a warm-up?”
Mitch nodded. “Yeah, I know. It’s all right. Just have a lot of thoughts running through my mind. About different things. Can’t seem to quite figure things out.”
“One of those things just doesn’t happen to have a cute little accent, lives under this roof, and loves daisies, does it?” Jay asked, lazily.
“Daisies?”
“I think they’re daisies. You know, the white flowers. There are some in the bathroom, and there’s a vase right here in the kitchen. You didn’t notice? Daisies. They’re not mums. I know mums.”
Mitch raised his eyebrows. “We are not having a conversation about flowers at one o’clock in the morning, Jay.”
“She loves daisies, our new flatmate.”
“Mate, what are you talking about?”
“All I know is that her face lighted up like a bulb when you walked through the door. And yours was equally as bright. Then it was like watching two eight-year-olds wanting to play but afraid to be the first to ask.”
Mitch sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“Daisies,” Jay repeated. “If they’re her favorite flowers, then she can’t be complicated. Now, if she liked yellow carnations, I’d tell you to get the hell away. But daisies—you’re a daisy kind of fella.”
“You are making no sense at all, Jay.”
“Damn straight because it’s bloody one o’clock in the morning. I’m going back to bed. You should too. Warm-up game or not, they’re in our country, and no one wins in our country.”
