Wags To Riches (44 page)

   “Yeah – and you just told me you would listen!  I didn’t say anything because I knew you would get upset and go off on one!” Adam retorts hotly.  “And look what happened!  You stomp off home from bloody Spain and don’t even give me chance to explain!”

I take a deep breath.  Okay – I know I was wrong doing that.  “Look” I reply, “I’m sorry about that.  I know I shouldn’t have ‘stomped off’ as you put it and I know I shouldn’t have lost my temper and thrown my engagement ring over the balcony – I know all that.  I was – well – I was just devastated after seeing all that bloody lot in the papers,” I add, glaring at him.  “Can you not see that?  And
now
you are saying ‘Oh actually - I do know her, which isn’t what you said before!”

   Adam sighs deeply.  “Look Gail” he replies, running his hand distractedly through his hair, “There’s nothing to get upset about.  When I met her – well – all that happened was that she kept trying it on – flirting like mad with me and hanging round all the time, but I just wasn’t interested.  I told her this as politely as I could and that’s it”.

No, that’s not it.  “But Adam – why do all the dates add up then?” I say snappily as Adam gets up, walks over to the window and stares out at the rain.  “You weren’t with me all those times, so where were you?”

   “As I said at the time Gail” he replies without turning away from the window, “I was busy doing my house up if you remember.  I’d just finished the master bedroom, I’d got a team of landscape gardeners in I needed to talk to and organise and then I was having the hot tub fitted – as well as the small matter of playing football, going to the gym and training!  It’s just a horrible, horrible coincidence – no more than that.  And seeing as its question and answer time” – he turns from the window, his face angry and his jaw set, “Why did you go?  Is that your idea of sorting out a problem?  Just run away?  That’s very grown up isn’t it?”

   “Well like I said,” I reply defensively, “I didn’t know what to do”.

   “I thought you of all people would want to hear my side!” he says bitterly, turning back towards the window.  Without waiting for a response he continues, “What exactly is it that you want from me now?” he asks.

   “To sort this out properly,” I reply quietly.  This is horrible.

   “Well listen to me then!” Adam retorts.

   “I am listening aren’t I?” I say sharply.  “I can’t change what I did and I’ve said I’m sorry.  But Adam – just answer me this...”

   “What?” he asks, turning back towards me.

   “If what you said is true and everything in that story is false…”

   “Which it is,” Adam asserts.

   “Okay – well,” Gail continues, “If that’s the case, then why not sue her?  Or sue the newspaper?”

   “Gail – if footballers sued everyone that made up stories about us – well we would be in court all the bloody time!  We’d never get chance to play any football!” Adam says, shaking his head.  He walks back over to me and sits down opposite.  “Look, there’s nothing more I can say Gail.  It’s up to you whether you believe me or not”.

   I look at him for a moment.  “I want to believe you” I say quietly, “but people always say ‘no smoke without fire you know?”  I look into his eyes, seeking reassurance.

   “Gail who are these people?” Adam says angrily, but before I can speak, he carries on.  “I’ll tell you who they are – they are people who have got nothing else better to do than gossip about other people.  And as for slags like her in the paper – well, they are just out to make money.  It doesn’t really matter to them if anything actually happened or not, just so they can get in the paper.  They don’t care if they wreck someone’s relationship in the process, they’re not bothered.  You go out with me with Gail – so you are fair game” Adam says shortly.  “It depends Gail on whether you trust me or not” he adds, looking into my eyes.

I don’t answer him.  I look at my feet and then back up at him.  “This is – this is what it’s going to be like though isn’t it?” I say quietly, more to myself than Adam.

   “How do you mean?” Adam asks, looking at me warily.

   “I must have got off lightly so far – but this is what it’s really like isn’t it?  Girls throwing themselves at you, trying to get you into bed and...”

   “And what Gail?” Adam asks.

   “And me having to put up with it – I don’t want to be worrying about some gorgeous woman – not that that slapper in the newspaper is even pretty – but I don‘t want to be worried about some beautiful woman throwing themselves at you and you – well” I take a deep breath, “And you not being able to resist”.

   Adam shakes his head and stands up quickly.  “Not being able to resist?” he repeats in disbelief.  “Gail, men always have a choice you know.  We are not slaves to what lives in our trousers.  We ALWAYS have a choice”.  He paces up and down the living room and I watch him, not knowing what to say.  Oh God.  

“And you have a choice now Gail” he continues, looking back at me, “A choice as to whether you stay with me or not.  I can’t change the world I live in, nor can I change the fact that people will write stuff about me.  Haven’t I given you everything you ever wanted Gail?” he asks angrily.

   “Oh – so that gives you the right to sleep around does it?” I retort, equally angrily.  “The clothes, the car, the house?”

   “No – I didn’t mean it like that” Adam says quickly walking back over to me, “You know I didn’t mean that.  What I meant was why would I give you everything if I didn’t love you and didn’t want to be with you?”  He leans towards me and takes my hands in his.  “You are the only one for me Gail – you must know that” he says softly.  “I trust you” he says and I have a pang of guilt as the memory of kissing Seb flashes across my mind.  Well – there’s nothing I can do about that now.  “Do you trust me?” Adam asks.

   I look at him.  My mind is made up.  “I do trust you,” I say.  “I love you”.

   “I love you too Gail” Adam replies.  “I would never hurt you like that – ever!”  He looks at me and his eyes are full of tears.  “I’m not like the rest of them Gail”.

   “I know - I’m sorry!” I say tearfully.

   “I’m sorry too!” Adam replies, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you and I’m really sorry you’ve had to go through all this!”  He puts his arms round me and we hold each other tightly for a moment and then I have to blow my nose.

   “And as for that other bloody fat girl” Adam says, “What’s her name?  Barbara?” and I can’t help but smile as I wipe my eyes.

   “Brenda” I correct him gently.

   “Well – whatever her bloody name is – I’ve never even seen her before!” Adam says.

   “She’s someone I used to work with,” I say.  “She was at my leaving do” and Adam’s mouth drops open.

   “Was she really?” Adam says and shakes his head in disbelief.  “Good grief!”

   “Yes – apparently, according to Alex, she’s hoping to have talks with a satellite television channel about presenting a show or something,” I say laughing and Adam snorts derisively.

   “Ah well – good luck to her” he says dismissively.  He takes hold of my hands again and looks into my eyes.  “I’m so glad you came back Gail,” he says, smiling widely at me.  It’s the first time Adam has smiled since he opened the front door and I’m not sure if it’s because he’s got a slight tan, but his smile seems more gorgeous than ever.  “Oh – and guess what I found?” he adds, his eyes twinkling as he reaches into his jeans pocket and takes out my engagement ring.

I gasp with delight.  “Adam!  I thought I’d thrown it over the balcony!” I say.  “I thought that was lost for sure!”

   “I know – I did too!” Adam says grinning, “But I found it after you’d gone – it was right on the very edge of the balcony, underneath the railing.  Do you want it back then?”

   “Yes” I say firmly and Adam slips the ring on my finger and kisses me. 

Well – what would
you
say?

The End