Chapter Three:

"Thank you, Phillip. I can finish clearing up if you wanted to head home." Juliet was standing in the examination room, a group of patient folders in her hands. Her hair was tied back and out of her face, having spent a good portion of the day working on some players and going over files.

"I won't argue with that. Have a good night Juliet."

Most of the clubhouse was dark. Only those finishing up their day remained, and Juliet could hear the familiar and faint voice of one Ted Lasso. She was sure that she had seen Coach Beard leave already, backpack on and phone to his ear.

Putting the files to her desk, Juliet decided she would finish her tasks in the morning before the players got in and instead grabbed her jacket and bag and, while placing her arms through the straps, she made her way towards the Manager's Office.

As she covered the distance, she noticed the voice quiet, until there was just the sound of the washers and the steps of those remaining. Juliet entered the first room and could see Ted through the window. His elbows were on the desk, his head was in his hands and his shoulders were drooped. The stance of someone with something on their mind, the stance of someone that you normally want no one else to see. So, taking a few steps back out of the room, Juliet stood, knocked on the wall as she re-entered the room with a smile on her face. "Shouldn't you guy be home by now? Big game tomorrow."

"Juliet?" Ted's head shot up from the table and he gave a few quick blinks. "What are you still doing here?" The normal Ted smile quickly came across his face.

"Pretty sure Phillip wants to be out of here the minute the game is over tomorrow, so I spent my day doing paperwork, and now I'm starving. How about you Coach? My treat."

"Sound like the perfect end to the day." Ted stood up and slipped on his jacket before loading up his backpack. It was at this moment that the screen on his phone which laid on the desk lit up. A picture of a young boy filled the screen and a text that said:

Henry: Good Luck Tomorrow! I believe in you!

Juliet would not pry as to who Henry was, as she had a pretty good idea already. However, she had been caught by Ted while staring at the device. "My son, Henry."

"He's cute."

"Yeah, he's the best parts of me," Said Ted as he picked up the phone, stared at the picture for a second and then pocketed the device.

Ted let Juliet lead the way out of the room and out of the building, and once they were out in the cool night air, Ted stopped and looked around the empty staff parking lot. "Wait, you don't have a car?"

"I do, but I prefer commuting and walking to work. The exercise is excellent, especially when I have to work late, because that usually means I've been sitting all day. Also, I like people watching."

A sigh left Ted's lips, and he pulled on the straps of his bag. "I have to ask..."

"Was I adopted?" Juliet quickly cut off with a laugh as she walked towards the gate.

"I was gonna go with switched at birth."

Both laughed and then Juliet looked at Ted as they walked. "I like to say Roy couldn't handle the amount of happiness he was given, so I had to take it all. Honestly, though, he's a teddy bear. I just think, he spent most of his time taking care of me, and then when he had to leave for football, he blamed himself for leaving me behind with our parents. They were always so busy trying to keep things going, pay for us to do the things we wanted, but that meant I was left alone a lot."

"Is that why you came here?"

"Yeah, he beat himself up for leaving me for his football career. I mean, I know he would make no other decision, and it wasn't his place to take care of me. I thought maybe if I could come back, maybe it would help. But I see you've already done that for me. You are different, Coach Lasso."

"Not the first time I've heard that, and probably won't be the last."

"Well, whatever it is you are doing, Coach, don't stop."

The rest of the trip was filled with small talk, almost as if they were approaching topics too deep and thus needed to sidestep. When they arrived at The Crown and Anchor, they each ordered a large basket of crisps to share and a burger each, along with a pint.

When May sat the basket of chips down and two pints with an enormous smile on her face as she looked at Juliet and eyed the Richmond logo on her jacket. "Well, aren't you a pleasant upgrade from this git's normal company?"

Ted let out a laugh. "May, meet the charming Juliet Kent. She's just started working at the clubhouse. Juliet, this is May, our esteemed host."

"Pleasure to meet you dear." Greeted May before she leaned slightly to her right, putting herself closer to Ted. "Quite the catch there, Ted." And then she was off before either party could say anything in response.

Ted cleared his throat and let his eyes fall to the basket. "I've almost been here a year and I still can't get used to calling these chips." He lifted a thin yellow potato between them, examining it before popping it into his mouth.

"I can't believe you call them fries." Said Juliet with a raised brow, before she too picked one up and popped it in her mouth. "Like, it rhymes with cries. Do you only eat them when you are sad or something? Oh no, are you sad?" The smile on her face told Ted that she was only teasing, and Ted's eyes lit up in response but then slowly they dimmed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Juliet trailed off, knowing that she had hit on something, but not being sure exactly what was on his mind.

"I was going to fly back home after the season. Henry and I made all these plans, but now, now I'm going to have to stay in a hotel, or worse yet, stay with my mother." Ted placed his arms on the table and linked his fingers together around his glass. "I only came here to give Michelle space, thinking that was the solution and I know it's better for the both of us to be apart, but what is that going to be like to Henry? Seeing me there, but not at home?"

Juliet reached across the table and wrapped a hand around Ted's wrist. "I'm sure he will just be happy to see you, and to spend whatever time he has with you. I assume that means you plan on sticking around here?"

"Rebecca wants to extend our contract, wants Beard and I to stay on another season at least, win or lose, but I don't know. I came out here for reasons that don't really exist anymore." Ted's eyes fell down to where Juliet's hand rested against his skin.

"You do whatever feels right to you Ted, but go see your kid. As someone who never got to spend much time with her parent's, it's what I always wanted. Kids are a blessing Ted, don't forget that."

Juliet's eyes turned glassy as she said this and with a quick shake, she pulled her hand from Ted's skin. "Sorry, can you excuse me for a moment? All that water I drank is haunting me."

Without waiting for a response, Juliet stood up and moved towards the restroom. Ted watched as she walked away from the table and wondered what caused the sudden sadness behind her eyes.

"So, can I expect to see her around her more?" Asked May with a smile, pulling Ted from his thoughts.

"Probably, she seems to get along pretty well with Beard and I." The implication that May was making was lost on Ted, and instead his answer was just honest to the moment.

"Ted, she's fit. If you don't I will," Said May with a laugh, placing the burgers down on the table. "You deserve to be happy too. Don't forget that."

"May, I'm pretty sure she is half my age."

"It's just a number Ted." May patted him on the shoulder in a motherly way and then walked away just as Juliet was coming back to the table.

Watching as she walked towards him, he could see the shine of unshed tears in her eyes, and his heart gave a lurch in his chest.

"Oh, thank goodness." Juliet said with a smile as she sat back down in her seat and looked at her burger. "Now I don't have to fight you for the chips."

While they ate, Juliet asked questions about the team and the club. About Rebecca, and Keeley, who had come bounding into her office earlier that morning to introduce herself. They had finished their food, including the entire basket of chips and two more beers each, when May finally kicked them out of the pub.

"Well Ted, I'll see you tomorrow." Said Juliet as she backed up a few steps from Ted and in the opposite direction that he as going.

"Are you close?"

"I live in Gloucester."

"I don't know where that is," Said Ted with a laugh.

"It's a good distance from here."

Ted's chest tightened as he watched her walk away. "I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I let you walk home on your own. Can I offer you my couch? I would feel mighty bad if something happened to you. Besides, if you want to sober up, we could chug some water, and I will make you a nice, strong cup of coffee in the morning. No funny business, I swear." Ted held his hands up in surrender as to emphasize his point.

"No funny business?" Asked Juliet as she stepped forward toward Ted.

"I mean, I won't try to sleep with you." Said Ted simply as Juliet came to stand next to him.

Bumping her shoulder into his. "What a shame." Then she let out a laugh. "Come on Lasso, I'm tired."

Once they had traveled the short distance to Ted's flat, he let them in. Once they were both inside, Ted took their jackets and hung them on a coat rack in the hall while Juliet moved into the kitchen. Having seen where the cups were held, she grabbed two and filled them both with some water from the tap.

When Ted entered the room, he graciously took one cup from Juliet, and the two stood in an awkward silence as they drank. She stood leaning back against the counter with both hands wrapped around the cup and Ted stood about five steps away, one hand in his pocket and the other around his own glass of water.

"This is awkward, isn't it?" Ted finally asked, breaking the silence. "I made it awkward with that sleep with you joke."

"Yeah, but like in a good way." Juliet replied as she looked over the top of her cup at Ted with a raised eyebrow. Then a laugh left her lips, and soon after Ted followed suit, and once they had both finally quieted down, and their chests were warm with alcohol and laughter, Juliet turned to look into the sitting area. "Ted, I can't let you sleep on that."

"It's fine."

"Ted, you are like six feet."

"Six-One actually."

Juliet finished the rest of the water from her glass and set it on the counter. "How about you lend me a shirt and I will sleep on the couch? Then you can make it up to me when you feel super guilty in the morning that you slept in your own bed, by putting food and coffee in front of me."

"This better not hurt my street cred." Said Ted with a laugh.

"If you want, I can shove a pair of panties in your pants pocket to find once you're at work?"

Ted let out a hearty laugh and set his glass down next to Juliet's. "Just carry an assortment of undergarments with you, do you?"

"I'm prepared for anything, Ted. I work weird hours, travel with the teams full of men. So I always carry emergency clothes."

"You carry emergency clothes, but no pajamas?"

Juliet looked at Ted with a smile. "Maybe I just wanna steal one of your shirts."

"You're gonna be trouble, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's usually what happens when I latch myself onto a new friend."

Ted examined Juliet, from her dark wavy hair, dark brows and freckle-less face, to the tips of her toes and back up again. "Nope, still don't understand how you two are related."

"Just stop trying to figure it all out and accept it for how it is Ted. Now, show me to the loo so I can brush up and change."

Juliet slept surprisingly good on the couch, and as she slowly awoke she realized it was the sound of hushed voices from the kitchen that had dragged her from her slumber.

"Do you think you are gonna win today, dad?"

"It would be nice, but you know what I say."

"It isn't about the wins and losses."

"Exactly."

"Mom and I will be watching. I can't wait to see you."

"I can't wait to see you too kiddo, but I better go okay. I need to wake up Beard and I did promise to make him breakfast and coffee."

"Okay dad, love you!" Henry was no longer whispering and instead shouted through the phone.

"Love you too Henry."

Juliet slowly propped herself up on her elbows. Staring into the kitchen, she found Ted sitting in the chair opposite her with a sad smile on his face. "He sounds like a lovely kid."

"He is." Ted said as he sat his phone down and looked across the room at Juliet. "Well, gosh darnit! You're one of those people."

"One of what people?" Asked Juliet as she tossed the blanket off of herself and stood up from the couch with a stretch.

"Those people who wake up from bed in the morning looking like..." But he voice trailed off Juliet reached towards the ceiling, stretching her arms and fingers to their full extent and causing the shirt she was wearing to follow, exposing more of her bare legs to the surrounding air. "Like you just had a beauty team attack you, and not like you've just woken up."

Juliet turned and looked at Ted, a smile on her face as she brought her arms back down to her side.

"Damn, Capulet gotta' go makin' that shirt looks better, too." This was spoken a lot softer.

The heat flared up in Juliet's face and she was sure that she was the same colour as the slightly faded red Kansas city shirt she was wearing. With a breath, she pulled on the way too long for her shirt and smiled at Ted. "You know I have to steal this, right?"

"Wouldn't expect any less." Said Ted before rising from his chair and running a hand through his bed head.

"So I don't know what Beard's appetite is like, but I'll eat double that, please."

"Sorry bout' that. Figured it was..."

"Easier than telling your son that you had a woman he's never met before, sleep over on his dad's couch. Don't worry, I understand. You don't need to justify anything to me about what you think is best for your son."

Ted ran a finger across his mustache as he stared at Juliet from across the room. "Is this you flirting with me, cause' I gotta' be honest, I'm feeling very out of my element. I haven't been single for a long time and I'm in another country, I've now had a one-night stand with Sassy, and now I got you standing there looking like somethin' out of a magazine I would have hidden under my bed from my momma."

A light laugh left Juliet. "Yeah Ted, this is me flirting with you. Beard told me everything that happened, why you came over here about the divorce. So this is me flirting, but not going any farther, because like I said, I cling hard, and I don't want you to hurt me if you realize New Ted isn't this Ted. You need to figure out who Ted Lasso is now, before you can start worrying about anything else. Also, who is Sassy? Is she hot?" Juliet asked in earnest, the wiggle in her brow causing Ted to let out a laugh.

"You are a smart cookie. I knew there was a reason I liked you. But you gotta' explain to me how you got all this from Beard?"

"Oh, we are texting buddies. Although I'm in his phone as Julian and I'm pretty sure his girlfriend thinks you are gay, but that is besides the point. I want to hear all about this one-night stand you had." Juliet bounced into the kitchen with an enormous smile. "Is she hot? Was she good? Do I get to meet her?"

"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."

"Perfect answer Ted. Now can we eat? I'm hungry!"