The Summer Games: Settling the Score

  I WAS ON my way to the last practice before our final game when the news of Caroline’s pregnancy broke. I knew something was different the minute I stepped out of our complex. There were paparazzi hovering outside the perimeter of the village, snapping photo after photo as we loaded onto the bus. They were far more desperate than usual. An Olympic official was shouting at them to get back, but they kept right on snapping photos until the bus doors closed behind me. I could only imagine what the headline read that morning: Mother Theresa Step Aside, There’s a New Mum in Town. Gag me.

  She’d probably given them an array of photos to choose from, all of which solidified her image as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Virginal white, pale pink, pearls, diamonds, nude flats—she knew exactly what she was doing, I’d give her that.

  As I walked down the aisle of the bus, I heard whispers about her pregnancy, but no one had the guts to stand up and ask me. Even Kinsley and Becca danced around the issue, focusing on my wrist instead.

  “What did the doctor say at your appointment yesterday?”

  I shrugged. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure what his final decision had been, but I was still proceeding as planned. If Coach Decker asked, I’d lie. There was no other option. Soccer was the only thing I had left.

  When we arrived at the practice stadium, I trailed the rest of my team members off the bus, annoyed to find more paparazzi waiting there for me. I shoved my earbuds in and turned up the volume on my music, but I could still hear them shouting.

  “Andie!”

  “Andie! Are you and Freddie still seeing each other?”

  “What do you think about the pregnancy news, Andie?!”

  Kinsley reached back and tugged me through the door before they could ask anything else.

  The mood inside the stadium was different than it’d been in the weeks since we’d arrived in Rio. Everyone was tired and anxious. The final game was the next day and the tension emanating from the group was nearly tangible. We’d made it to the final round, which meant we were at least guaranteed silver. Even if we lost the game, we’d be the second best women’s soccer team in the world, but that didn’t matter. We only had eyes for gold.

  “Huddle up first,” Coach Decker shouted as we dropped our bags on the benches. “We need to go over a few things before we start warm-ups.”

  I grabbed for my water bottle and my shin guards then took a seat beside Kinsley on the scratchy turf. The other girls joined us, giving me a wide berth, which didn’t surprise me. Other than Kinsley and Becca, most of my teammates had treated me like a leper the last few days.

  “I’m going to cut right to the chase here,” Coach Decker said, clutching her clipboard to her chest. “The doctor didn’t clear Foster for the game tomorrow, which means Erin will have to sub in—”

  She said it so calmly I nearly missed it the first time around.

  “Wait, I’m sorry,” Kinsley spoke up. “Her doctor didn’t clear her?”

  Coach Decker finally glanced my way. “I spoke to him on the phone this morning and he thinks—

  “That’s bullshit!” I said, standing up. “I’m ready to play.”

  I hadn’t realized I’d yelled until Coach Decker narrowed her eyes. “Andie, calm down, or I’ll ask you to leave.”

  Kinsley reached for my hand and squeezed it before she continued in a diplomatic tone. “What did he say exactly? Is it broken?

  Coach Decker shook her head. “It’s sprained.”

  Becca groaned. “Are you kidding me? I’ve played with sprained ankles more times than I can count.”

  “Exactly!” I added. “Kerri Strug won gold in ’96 by vaulting on a sprained ankle. Tiger Woods played 91 holes and won the US Open on a broken leg and torn ACL.” (Clearly, I’d done my research over the last few days.) “My wrist is nothing.”

  Coach Decker shot me a warning glare. “That’s neither here nor—”

  “Please let me finish. Some goalie in Manchester named Trautmann finished a match with a freaking broken neck. I’m just trying to say that this isn’t the time to play it safe. I will do anything for this team…if it will have me.” Kinsley tugged my hand until I finally relented and sat back down beside her, then she spoke up.

  “Andie’s right. This should be a team vote.”

  My gut clenched. My team had pulled away from me the moment news about Freddie and I had spread. It wasn’t that they thought I was some home-wrecking whore, they just hated the negative attention my relationship with Freddie was bringing to the team. As if to nail home my doubt, I glanced down to Michelle to gauge her reaction, and she glanced away, too embarrassed to even make eye contact. Yeah, great idea, Kinsley. Let’s put it to a vote.

  Liam stepped forward. “I think a vote is a good idea. I think they have a right to decide who’s defending their goal.”

  Coach Decker shook her head, but Kinsley stood and cut her off. “It’s nothing against you, Erin. You carried this team through the 2000s, but Andie was named starter for a reason, and injury or not, we’re a better team with her in the net. She’s worked her ass off to rehab her wrist. She’s been at every practice and every team meeting. She knows Japan backward and forward. She’s as prepared as any of us to take the field tomorrow. Now, set aside the bullshit you guys have heard the past few days and remember that Andie is one of our own. She’s our last line of defense and she’s the person I want walking onto that field beside me tomorrow. Raise your hand if you agree.”

  Kinsley raised her hand and Becca followed right after her. I braced myself for the worst and prepared to handle yet another defeat. They had every right to keep their hands tucked by their sides. After all, the doctor hadn’t even cleared me.

  For those first few seconds after Kinsley and Becca raised their hands, no one moved. There were heavy breaths and cleared throats, but not a single one of my teammates raised their hands for me. For all my passion, I knew that if my teammates didn’t want me on the field, then I wouldn’t play. That was it.

  Erin stood up and walked over to me, and for a second I feared she was going to laugh and tell me to leave. To my surprise, she took my left hand and wordlessly raised it with her right. We only had 4 out of the 18 women on the roster, but Erin’s vote was obviously a game changer.

  “I think Andie should play.” My heart dropped as my gaze flew to Michelle. She had her hand stretched in the air, straight and confident. When our eyes locked, she nodded. “Sprained wrist or not, you’re one of the best players we have.”

  I swallowed down tears as Nina raised her hand beside her. “Yeah, I agree. Andie should play.”

  Like slowly falling dominoes, every single teammate huddled in that circle raised their hands. One by one by one they all agreed that I should take the field with them the following day.

  Becca nodded to Coach Decker. “I think that settles it, right?”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Freddie

  CAROLINE WAS MORE cunning and ruthless than I could have imagined. I had assumed she’d tried to rush the betrothal because she was anxious to get married before I changed my mind, but now it was clear she’d had everything planned from the start. Every single part of Caroline’s life was meticulously designed.

  The drunken sex was part of her plan. The more I thought of it, the more my stomach twisted with the hazy memories. Had I been the one to invite her to my flat or had she suggested the idea? How could I have been so careless?

  I wasn’t pushing all the blame onto her; I was merely learning to respect her devilry. She and my mother had timed the betrothal news so perfectly. By pushing it forward and announcing it to the world right before I left for Rio, they knew I’d be too distracted to give it my full attention.

  I’d never agreed to marry Caroline Montague, but I’d never put a stop to it either. Now, if the paternity test came back with me as the father, there would be no getting rid of Caroline. She’d be completely untouchable.

  I swam two races the same day the story of Caroline’s pregnancy broke. I
woke up early, rode a bus to the Olympic stadium, and warmed up alone. I dove into the water and let it take me in like a security blanket.

  “Freddie Archibald!” the announcer yelled hours later. “GOLD!”

  I couldn’t hear the crowd over the sound of my heart beating in my ears, reminding me of its true desire.

  I READ THROUGH the article about Caroline’s pregnancy for the fourth time that day, confirming she hadn’t said anything to harm Andie. She rambled on about how excited she was to be pregnant, how much she was looking forward to our wedding, and how happy she’d be to raise a child on my family’s estate. None of that bothered me. I was immune to her insanity and my lawyer was already working on retracting the article.

  Apparently Caroline had appreciated my interview the day before though, because she’d quashed any rumors about Andie in the article. Sure, she was lying, but when the reporters asked her if she knew anything about my alleged affair with Andie, she’d smiled and reveled in the martyrdom. “The past is the past, and Freddie and I are looking forward to a bright future for our family.”

  I hated playing her game. I hated having to tell that reporter Andie meant nothing to me, but I did it because I had to. If Caroline announced to the world that I had any kind of relationship with Andie now that I knew that Caroline was pregnant, they’d crucify Andie. I couldn’t let that happen.

  I stretched and adjusted the ice pack on my shoulder. “Georgie, listen—I have a plan, but I need your help.”

  She put her phone down and perked up.

  “I hope your plan involves a time machine so you can go back and kill baby Caroline—and baby Hitler too, I suppose, if there’s time,” Georgie said.

  It was late, I was knackered, and if I hadn’t needed Georgie’s help, I would have told her to bugger off.

  “I have a million things on my plate,” I said, motioning toward the growing pile of medals on the counter. “And no matter what I’ve done to fix this, Caroline always seems to be one step ahead of me. But you’re not busy, and you have an advantage I don’t: you’re living with her.”

  Georgie nodded in agreement as I continued, “I think you can help me find some dirt to undermine her efforts.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “So I’d be like a…proper investigator?”

  I shook my head. “No cloak-and-dagger stuff, Georgie. The last thing we need to do is give Caroline more leverage. I just need you to keep your eyes and ears open, in case she lets something slip.”

  “Fine I’ll do it.”

  That was easier than expected.

  “I’ve had plenty of time to think about about how looney Caroline is,” she continued. “And I’ve come to one conclusion.”

  “What it is?”

  “She’s obviously lying about the baby.”

  My brows arched. “Lying?”

  Georgie rounded the coffee table and took a seat beside me on the couch. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a bun with a pencil shoved through the center. Her t-shirt was stained with what looked to be jam and I couldn’t be sure, but I thought she hadn’t changed her socks in two days.

  “G, have you showered yet today?”

  She held up her hand. “No. Given the impending doom of a lifetime with Caroline, my hygiene is the least of my concerns.”

  “I figured the baby might not be mine, but what would she have to gain by lying about the pregnancy entirely? She’d lose everything when it becomes apparent.”

  Georgie threw her hands into the air like she was done with me. “It’s not what she stood to gain, it’s what she stood to lose as soon as Andie came into the picture. She had to do something that would at once sever you from Andie and bind you to her. And guess what—it’s working.”

  I let my head fall back on the couch, considering her theory.

  “Well if you are right, we’ll know eventually, right?”

  Georgie jumped up. “Well I for one won’t be waiting for eventually. I want to crack this case wide open.”

  “You know Andie has her final game tomorrow,” I said, tilting my head to look back at Georgie. “I can’t go and watch because I’ve got my races.”

  “Think she’ll stay after that? For the closing ceremonies?”

  My heart dropped; I hadn’t even thought of that. Would she really leave as soon as she was done competing?

  “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her since the party,” I admitted.

  Georgie finally glanced up with a frown. “She’s been busy. You know that.”

  I nodded.

  “But now that you’ve promoted me from sister to Minister of Espionage, I could probably help arrange a meeting if you want me to…”

  I shot up off the couch. “Georgie, you’re brilliant.”

  She smiled. “I know.”

  “After her game tomorrow, could you try and figure out where she is? I have a race in the afternoon, but I’m free after that.”

  “What are you going to do?” she laughed. “Kidnap her? If she wins the game she’ll be celebrating with her team.”

  I nodded. “Right, well, I’ll have to work that part out later. For now, I just need you to promise me you’ll help me. I can’t let her leave Rio without knowing how I feel.”

  “Okay, but you owe me. I’m already up to my ears in detective work and now you want me to help you win Andie back too?”

  “What do you want in exchange?”

  “A proper detecting hat, like Sherlock Holmes has got. Oh, and there’s this new Chloé purse…”

  I extended my hand for her to shake. “Fine, it’s yours.”

  She smirked as we shook on it.

  “Georgie Archibald, Detective/Love Guru, at your service.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Andie

  EVERY SEAT IN the stadium was filled by 80,000 loud, rowdy fans. From the top of the rafters to the exclusive field-side seats, there wasn’t a free spot anywhere. The announcers were pumping party music through the speakers, making it that much harder to keep my nerves at bay. My heart was already beating in time with the techno. Everyone in the crowd waved American and Japanese flags overhead and their screams echoed around the field well before the game had even started.

  I turned my head in a circle, trying to absorb the frenzy while Lisa wrapped my wrist. The crowd was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Their energy was electric and even though I tried to take deep breaths and stay calm, it was useless. I was just as hyped as they were.

  A group of girls in the front row caught me glancing over and they started screaming and jumping up and down. They had ponytails, braces, and fresh-faced smiles. All five of them were wearing white t-shirts with giant black letters covering the front.

  A-N-D-I-E.

  “We love you ANDIE!” they screamed in unison.

  Lisa laughed. “Looks like you have a little fan club there.”

  I smiled and waved, making a mental note to take a photo with them after the game—hopefully during a victory lap.

  “How’s your wrist feel?”

  “Fine.”

  “Andie, are you lying?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Honestly, I can’t feel my feet. I can’t feel my face. I can’t feel my freaking wrist. I’m about to play in the final game of the Olympics.”

  Lisa laughed and tossed her roll of tape on the back of the training table. “Well good luck. I wrapped it as best as I could.”

  “Thanks,” I said, sliding off the table and testing out the tape. There was a dull ache, but the tape definitely helped.

  “Oh, and Lisa—” I turned to glance back at her over my shoulder. “You’ve been a really good trainer.”

  She tilted her head and studied me with a smile. “I thought you hated me.”

  “Oh, I do,” I winked.

  “Foster!” Coach Decker called. “C’mon. Huddle up.”

  My team was already circled around Coach Decker and Liam. They stood just off the side of the field, adjusting shin guards and tightening cleats. My s
tomach dipped when I joined them. Each second that passed meant we were a second closer to game time. This was it. The final.

  “This stadium is yours, ladies. This game is yours, just like all the games that brought you here. So act like you own the field, and trust one another.” Her cool, confident gaze swept across the circle. “Do you hear me?”

  We all nodded and she continued. The energy spreading through us was enough to make me feel as if Kinsley had accidentally given me a tablet of ecstasy instead of an Excedrin that morning. I was hopping back and forth on my legs, keeping my body warm.

  “Hands in!” Coach Decker shouted.

  We stacked hands on hands until all of us were woven together in a tight circle. Our hearts were beating in time, our bodies were humming together, excited and nervous. Our eyes locked and our heads nodded. We got this.

  KINSLEY AND I took off for the field, jogging in tandem. “You good, Foster?”

  “Other than the fact that I’m about to throw up?” I laughed. “I’m great.”

  She shook her head. “Do you hear that?”

  I held my ear up to the stadium and listened.

  “That’s the sound of eighty thousand people who seriously don’t want to see your breakfast.”

  I shoved her shoulder and took off for the goal.

  “Keep that net clean!” Kinsley shouted after me.

  “Get theirs dirty!”

  I stepped past the goal line and inhaled a deep breath. This was it. This was my space. For twenty years I’d worked to earn a spot standing inside that net and as I turned toward the crowd and listened to them shouting my name, I knew that win or lose, I’d done it.

  I was an Olympian.

  “USA! USA! USA!”

  The entire crowd inside the bar was shouting the three-letter chant, holding their beers overhead and sloshing them around. There was a mix of athletes and fans congratulating us. Japan had knocked Brazil out earlier in the tournament, so Rio residents were more than happy to join in our celebration. Kinsley stood on top of the bar, leading the crowd through the chant another few times before she cut her hand through the air to silence everyone.