couple. She needed to set him straight.
"It’s not easy for him," Chris was saying. "The divorce was hard on him, he’s been wary ever since. And you’re a lot younger than him. The boys having a go hasn’t helped."
She loved that despite all this, Chris still seemed to assume that it could all happen. "What was she like, his ex?"
"Bree? A sort, you know. Better off with the footballer she ditched him for. More glitz and getting her photo in the papers."
"How long has it been?" She felt guilty for asking, like she was snooping on him. After all he’d never even told her he was divorced. She knew practically nothing of his past.
"Two, three years now. Don’t worry, he’s long over it." He spoke to her like an equal which reminded her of Richard.
She wanted to ask what Mr Walker had actually said to Chris about her but thought it would make her sound girlish and needy.
"I’d better get back. Have him bring you up on the weekend, we’re playing Somerset."
The week after was clear of exams so the weekend was open. She’d have to talk to Becky and figure something out. Despite what Chris seemed to think she wasn’t in a position to discuss weekend plans with Mr Walker. The fact that she still thought of him as Mr Walker pretty much said it all, though she avoided calling him by any particular name to Chris.
Becky and Jules arrived back. "Chris have anything to say?" Jules asked.
"It was kind of awkward. He spoke about me and Mr Walker like he thought we were a couple."
"You’re both crazy about each other. It’s pretty obvious," Jules said. Once again Alice felt herself surge inside.
"But nothing’s happening. He keeps pushing me away," Alice said.
"Except for the constant trysts in the pavilion. And he came to Selsley don’t forget. It was obvious why he came."
It appeared to be obvious to everyone except Alice. "He didn’t lay a finger on me though. Absolutely nothing happened that night."
"You were sky high. I expect he didn’t want to take advantage."
Alice felt exasperated. "So what I am supposed to do?"
"Just wait until he’s a bit drunk again," Becky suggested. "There’s a party in Gloucester on Saturday night. I’m sure Chris will drag him along."
As the game continued the good-looking fielder continued to give her the eye whenever he was positioned near them. "You going to be in the bar afterwards?" he asked when the ball was the other side of the pitch.
Alice knew she should really head home and revise. Maybe an hour or so wouldn’t kill her so long as she didn’t drink anything.
"What do you reckon Becky?" She’d let Becky decide.
Becky was obviously keen to see Brett and Jules didn’t have an exam the next day so was up for it.
"Maybe," she told the cricketer. He looked slightly familiar. Perhaps she’d seen him in a bar.
He grinned at her and returned his focus to the game.
"He is really fit," Jules said. "You should go for it."
"I’m just not interested."
"Well I would be. If it wasn’t for Leafy obviously." The fact that Jules admitted this gave Alice her first ray of hope since the whole Leafy and crusties thing had begun. Old Jules was still in there somewhere.
"I told Brett we’d have to leave early because of Biology tomorrow. Do you think it will look too keen if we all go and hang out in the bar now?" Becky was fretting.
"I think you’re past that stage now," Jules said. "It’s not like you have to tiptoe around any more. You are his girlfriend now, officially."
Becky looked embarrassed but happy. "OK then."
They sat back to watch the final play. The dark-haired cricketer had been moved to a different location and since there was no one directly near them on the boundary, Alice got out her notes and did a bit more revision. She’d read it all a thousand times but you never knew. Maybe some critical fact or formula would stick in her mind just that much bit more with repeat readings.
* * *
They were the centre of attention in the bar after the
"It’s not easy for him," Chris was saying. "The divorce was hard on him, he’s been wary ever since. And you’re a lot younger than him. The boys having a go hasn’t helped."
She loved that despite all this, Chris still seemed to assume that it could all happen. "What was she like, his ex?"
"Bree? A sort, you know. Better off with the footballer she ditched him for. More glitz and getting her photo in the papers."
"How long has it been?" She felt guilty for asking, like she was snooping on him. After all he’d never even told her he was divorced. She knew practically nothing of his past.
"Two, three years now. Don’t worry, he’s long over it." He spoke to her like an equal which reminded her of Richard.
She wanted to ask what Mr Walker had actually said to Chris about her but thought it would make her sound girlish and needy.
"I’d better get back. Have him bring you up on the weekend, we’re playing Somerset."
The week after was clear of exams so the weekend was open. She’d have to talk to Becky and figure something out. Despite what Chris seemed to think she wasn’t in a position to discuss weekend plans with Mr Walker. The fact that she still thought of him as Mr Walker pretty much said it all, though she avoided calling him by any particular name to Chris.
Becky and Jules arrived back. "Chris have anything to say?" Jules asked.
"It was kind of awkward. He spoke about me and Mr Walker like he thought we were a couple."
"You’re both crazy about each other. It’s pretty obvious," Jules said. Once again Alice felt herself surge inside.
"But nothing’s happening. He keeps pushing me away," Alice said.
"Except for the constant trysts in the pavilion. And he came to Selsley don’t forget. It was obvious why he came."
It appeared to be obvious to everyone except Alice. "He didn’t lay a finger on me though. Absolutely nothing happened that night."
"You were sky high. I expect he didn’t want to take advantage."
Alice felt exasperated. "So what I am supposed to do?"
"Just wait until he’s a bit drunk again," Becky suggested. "There’s a party in Gloucester on Saturday night. I’m sure Chris will drag him along."
As the game continued the good-looking fielder continued to give her the eye whenever he was positioned near them. "You going to be in the bar afterwards?" he asked when the ball was the other side of the pitch.
Alice knew she should really head home and revise. Maybe an hour or so wouldn’t kill her so long as she didn’t drink anything.
"What do you reckon Becky?" She’d let Becky decide.
Becky was obviously keen to see Brett and Jules didn’t have an exam the next day so was up for it.
"Maybe," she told the cricketer. He looked slightly familiar. Perhaps she’d seen him in a bar.
He grinned at her and returned his focus to the game.
"He is really fit," Jules said. "You should go for it."
"I’m just not interested."
"Well I would be. If it wasn’t for Leafy obviously." The fact that Jules admitted this gave Alice her first ray of hope since the whole Leafy and crusties thing had begun. Old Jules was still in there somewhere.
"I told Brett we’d have to leave early because of Biology tomorrow. Do you think it will look too keen if we all go and hang out in the bar now?" Becky was fretting.
"I think you’re past that stage now," Jules said. "It’s not like you have to tiptoe around any more. You are his girlfriend now, officially."
Becky looked embarrassed but happy. "OK then."
They sat back to watch the final play. The dark-haired cricketer had been moved to a different location and since there was no one directly near them on the boundary, Alice got out her notes and did a bit more revision. She’d read it all a thousand times but you never knew. Maybe some critical fact or formula would stick in her mind just that much bit more with repeat readings.
* * *
They were the centre of attention in the bar after the
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