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‘Did you cheer when I scored?’ he asks.

‘Of course,’ I reply. ‘I was sitting with the home fans, I had to blend in.’

He laughs.

He picks up a towel and wipes it over his face, then tosses it on the floor.

‘So…’

‘So…’ I echo.

‘I’m playing your boyfriend in the final.’

‘Leeds still have to win tomorrow,’ I remind him.

‘They will,’ he assures me. ‘And then we’ll beat them.’

‘We’ll see, won’t we?’ I reply. ‘You seem like you just want to beat Leeds, rather than you want to win…’

‘Well, they say they’re the best, and I want to beat the best,’ he tells me. ‘I want to beat Hood.’

He leans back against the treatment table, folding his arms. His biceps bulge, but I try not to notice.

‘Well, we’ll see, that’s all I’m saying,’ I tell him. ‘Will you be popping the champagne tonight?’

‘Why, fancy some?’ he replies.

‘I’ve got a train to catch,’ I tell him. ‘Have one for me though.’

There is something magnetic about people immediately after a victory. The same energy I noticed around Eddy; it fills the room, makes everything feel better somehow. It’s like his victory is contagious, like I’m basking in his glow.

Jamie looks as though he could run back onto the pitch and play the whole game again.

‘Boo,’ he says. ‘But I guess I’ll see you at the final, if all goes to plan. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Hood if you want to support me instead.’

I laugh.

‘Tempting, but I’m loyal, unfortunately.’

The words leave my mouth before I think about them. That didn’t come out right – and Jamie has picked up on it too.

‘Unfortunately?’ he says, his smile widening.

‘I didn’t mean it like that.’

‘How did you mean it?’ he asks.

‘I mean I work for Leeds.’

‘Right.’

‘And Eddy is my boyfriend…’

‘…unfortunately,’ he replies, to finish my sentence for me.

‘That’s not what I meant,’ I insist.

‘Well, I won’t tell him that either,’ he replies. ‘Loyalties are meant to be tested sometimes.’