Will wiped a bead of sweat from his brow as he continued to load the luggage into the bus. He was beginning to think it was impossible to store everyone's bags. Jamie Tartt alone brought three suitcases. Who needed that many bags for a two-day trip? The professional striker explained to Will the fragility of his "shoe-case" as he referred to it. Will was doing his best in treating all bags with care, but the storage area was already full, and he still had five bags to fit.

"Move, you imbecile."

Hearing the familiar spat from Coach Nate, Will immediately retreated, and stammered out an apology as he did so.

"Any person with at least two brain cells knows you have to stand them vertically." Nate grumbled with disgust and proceeded to fix the luggage.

Will released a shaky breath, looking around for anyone else and finding they were alone. He was beginning to dread being alone with Nate as that's when he unleashed his frustrations the strongest. Will didn't really know what he'd done to offend his boss so much, he really was trying his best to be a great kitman. It seemed everything he did, Nate had something negative to say.

He told himself he just needed to endure this treatment for a bit longer, then they'd finally see his hard work and it would be worth it. Ever since he was a little boy, Will dreamed of working in the Premier League. He longed to be a part of the team, to help make a difference in the sport he loved.

"I'm sorry, Nate." Will said earnestly. "I didn't expect the players to bring so much luggage."

Nate dryly laughed at the younger man. "They're footballers." He spoke as if that explained everything. "They're almost as high maintenance as supermodels."

He watched Nate put the last of the luggage into the storage area with ease. The feeling of being useless crashed into him, it was beginning to be a familiar feeling. Relief soon chased it away when Will saw Coach Lasso and Coach Beard exiting the Richmond Stadium to join them.

"Howdy there, Will." Lasso smiled brightly at him. "You ready for 6 hours of my road trip playlist and the bodily smells of 25 grown men?"

"What kind of music is on the playlist?" Nate interrupted before Will could squeak out his reply.

"I'm glad you asked, Nate the Great," Ted beamed and gestured to Coach Beard. "We took turns going through the greatest hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It's got everything from Queen to Dolly Parton to Counting Crows."

"Don't forget The Beastie Boys." Beard interjected before moving to climb onto the bus.

"Wonderful." Nate mumbled with a false smile, the tension around his eyes went unnoticed by the head coach but not Will.

"Is Alexandra joining us?" He asked suddenly. Will liked Lasso's niece and considered her to be his friend. She would really help ease his anxiety of the bus ride.

"She sure is!" Ted grinned and gestured back to the stadium. "She's just chatting with Rebecca and Keeley before they leave on Rebecca's jet."

Will felt the hope leave as quickly as it came. "Oh, so she won't be riding the bus with us?"

Ted waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, no she'll be riding with us. There's only one extra seat on the jet and Keeley has already claimed it. They're just having some girl-talk before they go."

"Bloody hell, he practically fucking mauled you!" Keeley examined the reddish-purple mark on the side of Alex's neck.

It had been four days since the party, since she'd last talked to Jamie. The tense walk back to his place was followed with a mumbled goodbye as he made himself lost in the house as the party continued to rage on. She found Keeley and Roy still sitting in the living room, however Roy seemed a bit more intoxicated than when she left them. It took everything she had not to blurt out what had happened on the drive back home.

Alex had never been kissed like that. She knew to him it was probably an ordinary encounter, given his prolific experience with women. God, she couldn't even fall asleep that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his cloudy blue gaze watching her intently. She felt his lips on her skin and his rough hands on her jaw and tangled in her hair. However, the way he was able to simply toss her aside left a bad taste in her mouth. She felt used.

She'd cowardly kept herself in Ted's apartment to avoid having to see Jamie at Richmond. Uncle Ted was concerned with her behavior, but she simply told him she was homesick and needed some alone time. The excuse worked up until last night when he left no room for discussion about her joining him and the team to their game at Liverpool. He didn't feel right leaving her by herself for two days, and here she was, trying to work up the courage to face the footballer.

"Well done, Alexandra." Rebecca smirked at her proudly. "And don't worry, security already informed me of your little adventure on the pitch and I've taken care of it."

Alex flushed. At the time, she didn't consider the possibility of security cameras catching them on the pitch. The alcohol must have clouded her better judgement. And the way he stared at me.

The three of them sat on Rebecca's couch in her office. Alex practically ran to them for advice as soon as her and Ted arrived at Richmond. For the past four days she's worn the same black turtleneck - she thankfully brought one with her to England. Uncle Ted remarked on her devotion to the sweater, and to that she pointed out his obsession with always wearing the same khakis because he thought they brought him good luck. The love bite on the right side of her neck was too obvious and wouldn't be covered by makeup, no matter how much concealer she applied to it.

"How did I not notice this when you got back?" Keeley said in exasperation as she lightly touched the hickey. Alex winced as the prodding reminded her it was still sore.

"Well, you were completely shitfaced, that's probably why."

The tiny woman hummed with a casual shrug. "What happened after the steamy make-out session?"

Alex sighed and looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. "I thought everything was fine and suddenly he jumped away from me and insisted on going back to the party."

Rebecca contemplated what could have caused a hot-blooded footballer to turn down such a beauty like Alexandra. "Were you two talking about anything beforehand? Something personal, perhaps?"

"I asked him to call me Lexie." She blushed. "I like the way he says it."

Keeley nodded her understanding. "It's that Manchester accent, it's fucking irresistible."

Rebecca simply rolled her eyes as the two younger women shared a dreamy look. "There had to be something else that caused him to become instantly turned off. What else to do you say?"

There was a silence for a moment as Keeley and Rebecca intently watched the redhead rack her brain for more information. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "I told him it'd take some getting used to because… because only Uncle Ted calls me that."

The other two women instantly unleashed disapproving noises.

"There you have it." Rebecca stated with a sigh before taking a sip of her now lukewarm tea.

"Oh, Alex." Keeley looked at the younger woman with a pained expression full of pity. "Why would you mention Ted?"

Alex sputtered for a moment, not knowing what to say. "It just spilled out. I was nervous! I babble when I'm not sure what to do."

"You lay there and let the hot man ravish you, that's what you do!" Keeley playfully knocked her on the head. "Jamie understands who you are to Ted, alright? It took a lot of work for Jamie to get to where he is with Richmond, I'm sure he's terrified to lose it. If Ted found out he practically shagged you on the pitch, he'd freak the fuck out!"

She didn't understand what the big deal was. Jamie and her were both adults and could make their own choices. Ted would just have to get over it. "I thought Jamie was Richmond's best player? Why would he be afraid of losing it?"

"A lot happened before you came here." Keeley spoke cautiously. "Jamie burned a lot of bridges, and it took a while for everyone to trust him again."

Alex could tell there was more the smaller woman wasn't telling her, but suddenly everything was starting to make sense. She had no idea there had been problems between Jamie and everyone else in the past. Uncle Ted never mentioned anything negative about the team to her before.

So where did this leave them? Was he just going to ignore her now to avoid Ted's anger? Was what had started between them over before it had a chance to begin? Did he even think about her after what happened? The questions racked her brain, sending her into a further state of anxiety.

"Alexandra," Rebecca spoke gently, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "If you really want to know what's going on with Jamie you won't find your answers asking us. You need to speak with him."

"How am I supposed to talk to him with my uncle around?"

"Wait until you get to the hotel." Keeley spoke, calculating a plan as she went. "Figure out what room he's in. Then, show up looking hot and aloof and have your wicked way with him."

The redhead flushed a deep scarlet color at the idea of attempting to seduce a man. "I don't…. I don't know…"

Keeley watched with humorous concern for a moment as Alex struggled with the idea. "Babe, I'm joking!"

"Oh, thank god." Alex breathed a sigh of relief, sipping at her cup of tea. She still preferred southern sweet tea, but the English stuff was starting to grow on her.

"I'm sure the sex between you two would be fucking incredible though." Keeley replied casually, causing Alex to choke a bit on her beverage.

Rebecca stood from the couch and refilled her tea. "Here's what you need to do." She turned back around and spoke sternly to Alex. "You're going to march onto that bus, act as if you're not bothered in any way, spend the whole ride ignoring the twat, and then wait for him to come to you."

"Did that work for you, Keeley?" Alex asked the tiny blonde, remembering her mentioning there'd been a relationship between her and Jamie in the past.

"Oh, definitely." She reassured the redhead. "Jamie loves attention, and when you stop giving it to him it drives him fucking mental."

Keeley looked up at Rebecca for her answer as well, and the more mature woman looked at them with radiating confidence. "Trust me, there's nothing worse to a man than seeing a woman be unbothered by him. It might take a while, but he'll break sooner or later."

Alex swallowed back the sudden anxiety the quelled inside her. She knew she needed to be brave. She wouldn't allow him to toy with her. He may be used to having casual flings, but she didn't open up to just anyone and she was going to let him know that. "Wish me luck, guys."

"Be brave, Alexandra!" Rebecca spoke strongly. "He's just a man and you are extraordinary, remember that."

Alex hurried across the parking lot and over to the large, red Richmond bus as she noticed everyone else was already on board. The door placed in the center of the bus automatically opened for her. She took a deep breath before she climbed up the steps and was greeted with a group of rowdy men acting like kids on a field trip. They were giddily paired up in their seats, trading snacks and laughing at each other's Instagram posts. Keep walking. Don't look around for him. Act like you don't care. She only brought her bookbag and her carry on so she could easily navigate through the narrow walkway towards the front of the bus where Ted was animatedly talking to the bus driver.

"It doesn't need to be in order, shuffle will do just fine. Feel free to skip any songs you don't like, but I will judge you a bit if any Journey songs get kicked to the curb." Ted gave the older, sweet-faced man a friendly pat on the shoulder. "I appreciate you, Henry." He moved to turn around towards his seat when an idea came across his face. "Don't hesitate to pull over at a Nando's if you come across one. It's no KFC, but it'll do."

Nate, Beard, Will, Ted, and Roy were sitting at the front of the bus. Roy had headphones on to block out the chaotic energy around him. Beard was hunched over in the window seat, FaceTiming with Jane.

Will noticed her arrival and immediately stood up and took his bag off the empty seat next to him. "You could sit next to me, if you want?"

Alex smiled at his welcoming gesture and was about to reply when Nate scoffed from the seat in front of them. "Does she even know who you are?"

She was taken aback by Nate's mocking attitude. "Yeah, I do actually. We even cleaned the shoe room together."

Will and Alex shared a laugh before she plopped down onto the seat next to him. She heard Nate's grumble under his breath followed by a "how cute" comment. What was wrong with him? Alex hadn't really talked to Nate much since the gala, but she'd never seen him act in such a nasty way before.

"Nate," She looked at him from between the seats. He turned around in his chair to look at her with a lazy raise of his brow. "Are you alright?"

He looked back at her apprehensively and was about to respond when Ted approached their seats. "Hey, Lex. You bring any snacks with you? I forgot to grab any before we left the house this morning."

She grinned and opened her backpack and pulled out a container that barely fit inside. When she lifted the lid, Ted's eyes widened with joy.

"Sweet baby Jesus, are those what I think they are?" Ted turned to look down the aisle of the bus towards his players. "Oooh, gentlemen today is a special day! We got rice crispy treats!"

A rumble of excitement flowed through the bus, causing Alex to peek over the back of her seat to look at the smiling faces of the players. She did a quick sweep of the crowded space until she spotted Jamie sitting in the very back with Dani and Sam. He sat confidently in the seat closest to the aisle, chewing gum in an almost arrogant way. He had already locked his eyes onto her.

Alex quickly looked away from him and smiled back at Ted. "I made them yesterday while you were watching The Great British Bake-Off."

"Have you watched the German week episode yet?" Beard piped up from his seat, appearing to be done with his call with Jane. "One of the contestants makes a streusel that is out of this world."

Ted turned around with intrigue. "No, I have not but I can't wait to see that."

Her uncle took it upon himself to start passing out the treats as the bus slowly rolled into motion. She adjusted the collar of her turtleneck and relaxed into her seat before giving Will a small reassuring smile.

The bus ride felt shorter than 6 hours, and maybe that was due to the various games Ted persuaded some of them to play. It turns out Roy was surprisingly fantastic at playing Head's Up. The grumpy man definitely knew his pop culture. Alex was thankful to have the distraction, even though she felt Jamie's gaze on her more than a few times during the ride.

They arrived at their hotel in Liverpool at around 5 in the evening. Everyone stretched and shook themselves awake as they exited the bus. Alex looked up at the glamorous 5-star hotel. She'd never stayed at such a fancy place before. Maybe she shouldn't have worn jeans.

"Fancy place, isn't it?" Will spoke softly next to her, also looking up at the hotel with wonder.

"Are you sure they're going to let us in?" Alex joked, watching her uncle boisterously lead the team towards the entrance.

"We haven't been kicked out of a hotel since Rojas decided to fucking swim naked in the public pool at the Hilton in Derby." Roy came up on her other side. "Dani's penis was trending on Twitter for a full 24 hours."

"Dani did that?" She asked in shock.

Roy nodded. "He didn't mean it in a sexual way. Dani believes nudity is the purest form of living. At least, that's what he believes when he's had a couple of shots."

A chime came from Roy's phone, and he answered it swiftly. "Hey, babe. When is your plane landing?"

He started walking towards the hotel entrance. "I'll get the room sorted and then text you the number."

Alex gave Will a playful nudge and together they followed everyone else inside. They found Nate sternly explaining the rules to the players while handing out room keys. Uncle Ted was at the front desk, asking the concierge to provide extra coffee in his room.

"Here you are, Alexandra." Nate approached her with a room key. "Room 305, right across from your uncle."

She blinked in surprise, "I get my own room?"

Nate looked back at her with a bored look, "Lucky you." He turned to Will. "Take both of our bags up to Room 318. Looks like there wasn't enough money in the budget for the assistant coach who's been winning the games to have a room to himself."

With that, he walked over the remaining players and handed out their keys. Leaving Will and Alex to stare after him, her with confusion and him with dread.

"Why is Nate acting so rude lately?" Alex asked Will, hoping he knew what was wrong.

The kitman shrugged, "He's always like this with me." Then he picked up the heavy bags and began walking to the elevator. "It'll be worth it soon, I hope."

Did she not really know any of these people? She grabbed her carry-on and readjusted the backpack on her shoulders and walked over to her uncle at the front desk.

"Hey, Little Lexie." He grinned down at her. "I'm gonna get everything unpacked then Beard and I were thinking about checking out the hotel bar."

"Can I join you?" She could use a drink actually; it would probably help her nerves.

"I would be upset if you didn't, kiddo." Ted grabbed her carry on and directed her to the elevator.

Coach Beard, Alex, and Ted all fit comfortably in the lavish elevator. She stared at her reflection in the huge mirror wall at the back of the elevator. Her ruffled hair gave her a 'just rolled out of bed' look' and her turtleneck had chip crumbs on it from the bag of Doritos her and Beard shared on the bus. God, no wonder Jamie hadn't tried to talk to me yet. He's probably embarrassed he kissed me.

Ted broke the comfortable silence by asking Beard, "Have you noticed anything going on with Jamie?"

Alex felt her heart pound in her chest at just the mention of his name. She quickly looked up at the two men. Beard scratched his head underneath his baseball cap.

"What do you mean, coach?"

Ted nibbled on his bottom lip; brows drawn together in heavy thinking. "Ever since the game against Leicester City, it's like he can't even look at me. He was as jumpy as a frog around me at practice yesterday."

Beard looked confused and shrugged. "It's probably just nerves. We're starting to play harder teams as we reach the end of the season."

"Yeah." Ted muttered after a moment of thought. "You're probably right."

The drinks at the hotel were expensive. Thankfully, Alex wasn't the one paying for them, so she was taking advantage of the free tequila. Roy, Keeley, and Rebecca showed up at the bar shortly after them and they were having a great time laughing and sharing stories.

"I'm not lying!" Ted exclaimed before taking another sip of his whiskey. "My buddies and I were at a Pearl Jam concert in '92 and this fella just offered them to us. You ever listened to Even Flow on shrooms? It was a terrifyingly beautiful experience, but I wouldn't dare to try those again."

"Jesus Christ," Roy laughed, red faced from the several pints of beer he'd consumed. "I accidently got high before a match once. It was back in 2010 and we were playing against West Ham and I swear to God the fucking ball turned into Dame Judy Dench's head."

"That's sounds bloody terrifying!" Keeley laughed, "Did you win the game, though?"

Roy grinned down at her. "Of fucking course I did."

The couple shared a sloppy kiss, their glasses clanking on the table as they dropped them to clutch at each other. Ted and Beard made sexy noises as they watched the two embrace each other. Roy simply lifted his middle finger at the two men.

"Do they have karaoke here?" Ted asked suddenly. "You'd set this place on fire, boss!"

He looked at Rebecca with admiration gleaming in his eyes. Alex watched with curious eyes as the woman subtly flushed under his gaze.

"Perhaps we could sing a duet?"

Rebecca and Ted left the table to see if the live band would entertain their requests. Alex looked at Beard who was obsessively staring at his phone.

"How're things with Jane?"

He looked away from his screen fleetingly to give her a small smile. "We're doing well, actually. She couldn't be here because her mother's birthday is tomorrow."

"Does her mum approve of the relationship?" Keeley asked from her comfortable spot under Roy's protective arm.

Beard picked up his glass of whiskey and threw it back. "No."

The three of them winced and gave him pitied looks. "It's alright, I think Jane likes it that way. It adds a bit of rebellion to the relationship."

"I've been there." Keeley spoke with understanding before noticing Roy's tense form next to her. "Oh, it's not you! My mum adores you, Roy. She used to have all of your magazine covers when you played for Chelsea."

Roy raised an eyebrow down at her, "You realize that means your mother has probably wanked to those pictures."

Keeley smirked and rubbed her finger across his chin. "That's alright. So have I."

The couple become engrossed in each other once again. Alex sipped awkwardly at her tequila, trying not to get nudged or hit by an arm as they passionately ravished each other.

Suddenly the live band stopped and the familiar instrumental to Don't Stop Believin' by Journey started playing in the bar. The group looked over at the stage and found Rebecca and Ted gripping microphones and assessing their audience.

Alex was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful tone of Rebecca's voice. What couldn't that woman do? She grinned widely as she watched her uncle having the time of his life. He truly deserved to be happy, after everything he's been through with Michelle. Alex didn't need to pry it from him to know they'd gotten a divorce. Her mom let it slip during one of the nightly FaceTime calls.

Watching him now, she could see the genuine happiness light up his face as he watched Rebecca belt out the chorus. The entire bar was cheering them on with raised glasses and echoed singing. By the end of the song, they were applauded and encouraged to do another. This time they chose Under Pressure by Queen.

A sudden vibration against her hand pulled Alex's focus away from the performance. Her mom was trying to FaceTime with her.

"I'll be back." Alex said swiftly to everyone at the table before stumbling out of the bar. She waited until she entered the hotel lobby to answer the call.

"Hi, honey!" The soft tone of her mom's voice made her smile instantly. "How are things going?"

It must have been morning back in Kansas because her mom was standing outside in the sunshine and had a smear of dirt on her cheek. "Have you been gardening?"

Her mom laughed and rubbed at her cheek, missing the smudge completely. "Well, it's April already. The weeds aren't going to pull themselves."

"I'm glad I'm not there to help with that." Alex teased. "You'll have to send me pictures once the flowers start to bloom."

"You got it, kiddo." Her mom looked at her a bit more closely. "Alexandra Jane Lasso, have you been drinking?!"

Alex cringed in embarrassment and quickly fled the lobby to avoid being stared at. She got into the elevator and pressed her floor level. "We're at a hotel in Liverpool for a soccer game and Uncle Ted wanted to have a few drinks at the hotel bar."

Her mom scoffed on the other end. "Well, I'll be having a talk with Ted tomorrow. Your father and I didn't send you out there to party. I can't believe your uncle could be so irresponsible."

"Mom, I'm 21-years-old and can make my own choices." She spoke gently but sternly. "It's not Uncle Ted's fault for wanting me to have fun."

Her mom let out a sigh, "You're right. I'm sorry, sweetheart." Her eyes softened. "I didn't call you to fight. I miss you, Lex."

Alex felt her eyes water. "I miss you too, momma. Don't worry about me though, okay? I won't do anything stupid."

"I know. I guess I just overreacted because I worry about you being out there without us. Your father misses you too, by the way."

She smiled back at her mom. "Tell dad I miss him too. I'll have lots of pictures to show you guys once I'm back."

"I can't wait." Her mom sniffled on the other end.

The elevator opened up to her floor and she began walking down the hallway towards her room. The phone quality started to glitch and the screen went black. "Mom? Can you hear me?"

The called had dropped due to a poor connection. Alex sighed in frustration as she wiped the stray tear from her left eye. She heard the sound of one of the hotel doors opening and looked up. Out walked the person she had been deliberately ignoring. He looked comfortable in a pair of grey sweatpants and a blue sweatshirt. His black eye had mostly faded over the past few days, but he looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep.

Jamie stopped in his tracks when he noticed her at the end of the hallway. His throat worked as he swallowed uncomfortably. "Hi."

Hi? That's all he has to say?

"Hi." She returned, just as quietly. "How are you?"

Jamie took a few unsure steps closer to her. "Erm, I'm good." He cleared his throat. "I'm great, actually… You alright?"

Alex stared back at him blankly. She hated how he was acting as if he didn't care to know the answer, as if he didn't even want to be near her. She shook her head, giving up, and turning the other way to head to her room.

Behind her, Jamie was working his jaw and trying not to give into her. He cursed under his breath before quickly following after her.

"Alexandra, wait."

She quickly turned around and almost fell back in surprise at how close he was already. "I told you I want you to call me Lexie."

Jamie looked down at the carpet under their feet, reigning in his urge to be selfish. "You have to be Alexandra to me, alright? You have to just be coach's niece and that's it. I should never have touched you."

The sting of his rejection hit her quick. It sliced through her in waves and her throat closed at the pressure she felt building inside her. "Since when do you regret anything you do, Jamie?"

He faltered at her question, "I can't disrespect Ted. Not after everything he's done for me." A humorless laugh passed his lips. "I know I'm a bastard for it, but I can't let you get in the way of everythin' I've done to get here. No matter how bad I fuckin' want you. This team is everythin' to me. This isn't about you, Alexandra."

Alex felt herself getting smaller and smaller the more she listened to his explanation. The finality of his tone made her realize how unimportant she was. What did she expect? She was one of hundreds of girls to cross his path and there was nothing special about her.

"I wish you would have said all of this before you kissed me." She hated sounding so vulnerable and naive, but she'd never experienced such a passionate kiss before in her entire life and now she was being swept under the rug.

"So do I." His honesty shocked and angered her. "I'm sorry, Alexandra. But this is how it has to be."

Cold detachment filled his once softened eyes as he began to move away from her. Without thinking and possibly fueled by the tequila coursing through her veins, she grabbed ahold of the front of his sweatshirt and pulled him to her until he had her pressed against the wall. His warmth had goosebumps forming on her skin and his breath hitting her lips made her heart pound. The surprise and uncertainty in his gaze gave her the confidence to lean forward and press a small kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Lexie," He groaned. "I can't do this."

She watched the torment in his eyes clash against his self-control. His hands had instinctively gripped her waist and his gaze was heavily focused on her mouth as she leaned back to look at him.

The sharp sound of laughter followed by playful whispers broke them from their moment. Jamie pressed her further into the wall, burying her head in his chest to shield her from the approaching guests.

A couple came down the hall, clearly drunk and having a great time. Alex's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of who it was over Jamie's shoulder. Together they watched as the unsuspecting people passed them, completely oblivious to anyone other than each other.

"No fuckin' way." Jamie whispered in bewilderment.

They watched as a blushing Rebecca Welton and a flushed Ted Lasso walked into the club owner's hotel room, giggling as they shut the door with a soft click. Alex and Jamie looked at each other with wide eyes, barely believing what they just saw.

Holy shit.

Welp, that happened! Thank you all for reading! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one! : ) xoxo