Londoner; we say what we think, and I think you're as fit as hell.''
''Fit?'' she asked.
''In England, we say a girl is fit when we mean she's beautiful.''
''Oh. I thought you were referring to my athletic prowess,'' Amber said as she looked deep into his eyes. She began to play with her hair and stepped a little closer to him.
''I'm sure you're very athletic when you need to be,'' he said, pushing the conversation the direction he wanted it to go.
''Stop or you'll make me blush again.''
A bell rang, and people began to leave the reception area and head into the dining room. ''Bloody bell. I was just beginning to enjoy myself,'' Danny said. ''Oh well, I suppose I'd better go.''
''I suppose you should,'' she said equally as disappointed that the conversation was coming to an end.
''Come on Danny,'' Rod said pulling his arm.
''See you after dinner?'' Danny asked.
''I'd like that,'' Amber replied.
Dinner was a long drawn out affair. There were speeches by old players who re-lived the match all those years ago. Danny listened with interest for as long as he could, but soon his thoughts were with the leggy American. He looked for her but didn't see her. He craned his neck and looked to the back of the room. She was sitting with Josephine on the last table next to the door. She saw him looking and waved; he acknowledged her wave with a movement of his head.
''He's fit isn't he?'' Josephine said.
''Fit? Ah yes. He's very fit.''
''He likes you, I can see. Do you know how rich these young guys are?''
''No idea.''
''Two hundred and fifty grand a week, pounds not dollars. That's a million a month sterling, so in your money about one point seven million dollars a month.''
''That's ridiculous. For kicking a ball?'' Amber said in amazement.
''It's a bit obscene if you think about it. A fireman only gets twenty-five grand a year. That puts it into perspective.'' Josephine took a gulp of wine and Amber noticed she was a little drunk.
''Crazy,'' Amber said. She looked across at the back of Danny's head and smiled to herself. She liked him. She didn't know why. Was it his cheeky disposition, his stunning looks or the way he complimented her without inhibition? Maybe she was just charmed by his English accent. Whatever, I might as well enjoy it, she thought
Finally, the speeches stopped. The band leader introduced himself and his colleagues and began to play some dance music that was popular fifty years ago. A lot of older players took their wives to the dance floor and soon it was full.
Amber saw Danny deep in conversation with a Spanish looking man. She wanted him to look around at her, but he didn't. The conversation became animated, and Danny stood up and kicked his chair over. When he stormed out of the room, Amber instinctively stood up and followed him. He turned left and walked through the revolving front door onto the street. As he sucked in the night air, his face was lit up again by the photographers.
''Fuck off you ass-holes,'' he shouted. He grabbed a camera and was about to smash it on the ground.
''Danny, stop,'' Amber shouted . She ran to him and pulled him away. ''Come on. Let's walk,'' she said. Danny was breathing hard, looking for a fight, but none of the photographers were brave enough.
''Shit,'' he said as they walked away from the hotel. ''That'll be all over the tabloids tomorrow. More trouble.''
''Calm down. So what if it is in the papers tomorrow? You're Danny Constance, brilliant footballer. You're not the Prime Minister or a policeman . Everybody expects a young man like you to be a bit wild.'' She took his arm and threaded it through hers. ''Come on take me to one of your famous pubs.''
The White Horse was busy inside, but it fell silent when people saw Danny.
''Danny Constance, you are a hero, ain't he lads ,'' the barman exclaimed. The pub exploded into raptures of applause and cheers. Danny turned around and smiled. ''Thanks. Thanks a lot.''
They sat in a cozy corner next to a real
''Fit?'' she asked.
''In England, we say a girl is fit when we mean she's beautiful.''
''Oh. I thought you were referring to my athletic prowess,'' Amber said as she looked deep into his eyes. She began to play with her hair and stepped a little closer to him.
''I'm sure you're very athletic when you need to be,'' he said, pushing the conversation the direction he wanted it to go.
''Stop or you'll make me blush again.''
A bell rang, and people began to leave the reception area and head into the dining room. ''Bloody bell. I was just beginning to enjoy myself,'' Danny said. ''Oh well, I suppose I'd better go.''
''I suppose you should,'' she said equally as disappointed that the conversation was coming to an end.
''Come on Danny,'' Rod said pulling his arm.
''See you after dinner?'' Danny asked.
''I'd like that,'' Amber replied.
Dinner was a long drawn out affair. There were speeches by old players who re-lived the match all those years ago. Danny listened with interest for as long as he could, but soon his thoughts were with the leggy American. He looked for her but didn't see her. He craned his neck and looked to the back of the room. She was sitting with Josephine on the last table next to the door. She saw him looking and waved; he acknowledged her wave with a movement of his head.
''He's fit isn't he?'' Josephine said.
''Fit? Ah yes. He's very fit.''
''He likes you, I can see. Do you know how rich these young guys are?''
''No idea.''
''Two hundred and fifty grand a week, pounds not dollars. That's a million a month sterling, so in your money about one point seven million dollars a month.''
''That's ridiculous. For kicking a ball?'' Amber said in amazement.
''It's a bit obscene if you think about it. A fireman only gets twenty-five grand a year. That puts it into perspective.'' Josephine took a gulp of wine and Amber noticed she was a little drunk.
''Crazy,'' Amber said. She looked across at the back of Danny's head and smiled to herself. She liked him. She didn't know why. Was it his cheeky disposition, his stunning looks or the way he complimented her without inhibition? Maybe she was just charmed by his English accent. Whatever, I might as well enjoy it, she thought
Finally, the speeches stopped. The band leader introduced himself and his colleagues and began to play some dance music that was popular fifty years ago. A lot of older players took their wives to the dance floor and soon it was full.
Amber saw Danny deep in conversation with a Spanish looking man. She wanted him to look around at her, but he didn't. The conversation became animated, and Danny stood up and kicked his chair over. When he stormed out of the room, Amber instinctively stood up and followed him. He turned left and walked through the revolving front door onto the street. As he sucked in the night air, his face was lit up again by the photographers.
''Fuck off you ass-holes,'' he shouted. He grabbed a camera and was about to smash it on the ground.
''Danny, stop,'' Amber shouted . She ran to him and pulled him away. ''Come on. Let's walk,'' she said. Danny was breathing hard, looking for a fight, but none of the photographers were brave enough.
''Shit,'' he said as they walked away from the hotel. ''That'll be all over the tabloids tomorrow. More trouble.''
''Calm down. So what if it is in the papers tomorrow? You're Danny Constance, brilliant footballer. You're not the Prime Minister or a policeman . Everybody expects a young man like you to be a bit wild.'' She took his arm and threaded it through hers. ''Come on take me to one of your famous pubs.''
The White Horse was busy inside, but it fell silent when people saw Danny.
''Danny Constance, you are a hero, ain't he lads ,'' the barman exclaimed. The pub exploded into raptures of applause and cheers. Danny turned around and smiled. ''Thanks. Thanks a lot.''
They sat in a cozy corner next to a real
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