If Only Tonight

The Eye Of The Storm:
Chapter Sixty Five: Stormy

Cheering crowds could be heard through the tunnel. The game had ended with London FC winning, and still the people outside in the stands were chanting. Her team cap in hand, she scanned the hall for any unwanted cameras. The last thing she needed was to be caught off guard; she hated being badgered by photographers. Their interest in her baffled her every time, as she felt there were more important people who should have been followed and snapped.

Deciding the coast was clear, Mia walked down the nearly empty tunnel, heading for the exit to the complex. Their home games always gave her the convenience of being able to walk back to her office without having to wait for anyone else.

Matthew was probably still on the pitch, talking to the players of Newcastle, maybe even switching his jersey or signing one of the fans'. He had played amazingly, she mused, turning once more to find the exit light down a long hallway. Having scored two of the four goals, he had been named man of the match. She found herself thinking about how he had looked on the field. Quick and focused, he was a nightmare for the opposing team.

She had almost reached the middle of the hallway when a pair of hands shot out from the adjacent dark corridor and grabbed her by the waist. Unable to react fast enough to scream, Mia gasped as she found herself against the wall. Looking up, she found a pair of familiar blue eyes laughing at her.

"Couldn't resist, could you?" She glared at him. "Trying to scare me to death?"

"No. I saw you enter the tunnel, so I thought I'd catch you by taking the hall that links the change rooms and the exit." He told her with a grin. "I thought you would scream."

"You're lucky I didn't. Besides shouldn't you be talking to the others, or changing? Didn't Felix tell you that you were on press duty?" She asked him, softening her tone under his gaze. He always made her feel as though she was the only thing he saw. On the field, he would catch her looking at him, and smile back, before running off.

"I am...but I came to collect my reward." He smirked.

"Reward?"

Before she could ask him anymore, his lips were on hers, forcing her mind to go blank.

He pulled away with a wide grin, as he found her breathless.

"I was man of the match. Remember?"

"Yea." Mia leaned in closer to give him another kiss.

"One more. I'll need it to get me through press duty. "

Although fearing they would be caught, Mia relented, giving him one more kiss before pulling away.

"I'll pick you up, after we're done." He told her, taking the hat from her hand and putting it on her head.

"Okay."

"See you at your office." He said, giving her a peck on the cheek before running off.

Floating, Mia walked away from the corridor and back in to the hall. As she reached the exit she saw that there were no reporters around. They must be busy chasing the guys, she thought with relief. She was more than happy to walk without any qualms of being followed.

-----

The weekend match had allowed Matthew to cajole Mia into riding along with him to the game. Though he knew she would rather drive on her own, it was easier to leave together after the game. His heart had been beating with excitement since the game, not only had he played well but his agent had called after he had seen Mia. Aidan had delivered surprising news.

Shutting off the engine, the two of them got out of the car.

"Why are we at a park?" Mia asked, walking along side him, heading for the swings.

"Because it's nice here."

Sitting on a swing, Mia gave him an incredulous look.

"Right...so you drive all the way here because it's nice?" She asked, shooting him an incredulous look, as she sat on a swing.

Taking a seat on the one beside her, he sighed. He had been looking forward to telling her since finding out.

"Okay, so the park's natural beauty is not the only reason we're here. It's also because I wanted to tell you something."

"What?" She asked, alert. He still hadn't asked her about what had happened a few days ago. Mia had run in to his arms, with tears streaming down her face, he had held her until they stopped. Having helped her compose herself, he had waited for her to wash up so that Lina wouldn't suspect anything at dinner. Knowing that she would tell him what had happened when she was ready, Matthew hadn't pushed any further.

"My agent, Aidan, well he called after the match." Matthew started.

"And?"

"Real Madrid has been pestering him. They're thinking of talking to Felix so that I can be transferred." He told her.

"Oh! Wow! Congratulations!" She told him, surprised.

"It's not final yet, but I think I should consider the move. I mean it would be a dream come true to play for them. Many great players have been signed to that club."

"Of course. It's an awesome club. Beckham played there, Ronaldo, Kaka, and Cristiano Ronaldo." She told him smiling.

"Yea. But there are other things that I like about the move too. The nice weather in Spain, the people, the food. If it's confirmed, then I guess we can look at universities and research centers." He said, getting carried away with his thoughts.

"We?" She asked him, giving him a questioning look.

"Well, yea...if I get transferred, we can look for places together; maybe buy one close to the beach. Besides there are some great places to work at over there, and you might even get a job with Real as a specialist. Other teams might be interested in your work as well." He told her, grinning, while she looked contemplative. Maybe she was just nervous about starting over in a new place, he thought. Taking her hands in his, he looked in to her eyes.

"It'll be a great adventure. The start of something new."

"Yea, I guess." She said, hesitantly, slipping her hands out of his and taking hold of the chains on her swing.

"Congratulations again." Mia smiled, as she started to swing.

-----

His words echoed in the back of her mind. Viciously throwing the covers off of herself, Mia sat up. It'll be a great adventure, he had said. What he didn't know was that she was fine right here for now, or at least another year. How can he expect me to just pack up and move? The question in her head had been bothering her since the day before. Each time he smiled at her, Mia was unsure of how to tell him. She didn't want him to think that she didn't like the idea, just that it wasn't the right idea at the right time. Mia couldn't bear to hurt Matthew.

Flopping back down on her bed, Mia covered her face with her hands. What am I going to do? She thought. There was one more year on her contract, and Matthew wanted her to leave with him if he got bought by Real Madrid. I can't! She thought honestly. Felix was counting on her to see out her agreement, and no one would hire her with the amount of experience she had. The only job she would get was in research at a university, which at the moment was not something she had thought she wanted to go back to.

I should just tell him the truth, she thought, thinking about her alternatives. I should just tell him that its better if I just stay and finish my contract, then I'll come with him.

Resignedly getting up, Mia sulked out of her room and in to the bathroom. Brushing her hair, she saw a glint in the mirror. The blue gemstone of the silver ring he had given her caught the light. Why was she feeling so conflicted? She wondered staring at the ring on her finger. Why can't I say yes?

A part of her was a little angry that he would assume that she would just drop everything and go with him. Everything and everyone she knew was divided between England and Canada. She would have to start all over if she moved with him to Spain. I just need to think it over, Mia thought pulling off the ring. I need to think it through logically and without any bias, just the pros and cons of moving if Matthew does get signed, she told herself.

Placing the ring on the counter far away from the sink, Mia finished brushing her hair before starting on the rest of her routine to get ready for work. Leaving the bathroom, Mia glanced at the ring. Sighing, she closed the light and the door behind her. I need time to think...

-----

Rest days were usually the best days to sleep in, Matthew thought, as he flipped through the channels. Without Mia around to talk to there was little else to do but sleep in and relax while watching the matches and shows he had missed.

Changing the channel again, he saw that Top Gear was on. It wasn't long before Leon came to sit beside him, a plate of food in hand.

"Don't you have work?" Matthew inquired, looking at the food.

"Day off. We have a conference call on Saturday with some prospective retailers so Lina and I took today off." He replied with a grin, before offering his plate. "Want some?"

"Nah, I'll grab something later."

"So, I heard about Real being interested from Lina." Leon told him.

"Yea, I was going to tell you but you were out with Catharine until late. Aidan called yesterday after the match. He sounded like he was having a heart attack."

"He's probably hoping for a raise." Leon laughed.

"Yea, I'll buy him something big if the deal goes through." Matthew nodded with a grin.

"Going to Real will be a great opportunity for you. You get to grow as a player, maybe even learn a few new tricks." His older cousin snickered.

"Yea, but it could also be good for you two. You know, expanding the business and stuff." Matthew shot him a look of disdain.

"We've been thinking about it, but it's still too early to expand like that. I think for now it'll be good to just stay put. Besides, I bet Roderigo is itching to get out of the homeland and join you."

"That and I guess you can't bear the thought of leaving Catharine." It was Matthew's turn to snicker.

"Funny, you should mention that. What did Mia say when you told her?" Leon asked, brushing off the remark.

"She was happy for me. If I do get signed, then we can look for a place together during her vacation, maybe even look for a new job for her." Matthew answered; he had been unable to read Mia's feelings since telling her. She seemed happy enough though, he thought.

"She's okay with packing up and moving with some guy she just started dating?" Leon asked.

"She's known me for over a year, we've lived in the same place for most of that time, and we've been going out for over a month. I don't think it would be a problem." Matthew said heatedly, he hadn't thought about it like that.

"Still, Matty. You can't just expect her to leave everything behind and go with you." His older cousin told him wisely.

Before he could find a proper rebuttal, Lina walked in to the family room, holding something shiny.

"Leon, did Catharine forget this in the bathroom on her last trip to the library?" She asked, holding up the ring.

His heart stopping as he got a better look at what she was holding, Matthew felt all the colour in his face drain. Shit! He thought.

"That's not hers." Leon said, looking puzzled.

"It's Mia's." Matthew spoke up.

"How do you know?" Lina asked, giving him a questioning look.

"Because I gave it to her."

"Err...I hate to break it to you, Matty...but you might just be in trouble." Leon said, sounding hesitant.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Lina asked him, holding out the ring.

"Got to go." Finally springing in to motion, Matthew took the ring from Lina's hand before bolting for the hall.

-----

With her eyes covered by her hands, Mia leaned back in to her chair, a deep sigh escaping her lips. What do I do? She thought for the hundredth time that day.

"Something bothering you, Mia?" A voice came from behind.

Swivelling her chair to see who it was, Mia found Oliver standing inside her office, a duffle bag slung over one shoulder. Perfect, she thought, misery just loves company!

"No." She lied, not wanting to burden him with her miniscule worries.

"Are you sure?" She saw the concerned look on his face.

Nervously running a hand through her hair, Mia nodded, hoping that her face didn't betray her.

"So where's the sparkler?" He asked with a knowing grin, as he came to stand beside her.

"Where's the what now?" She asked looking up at him in confusion.

"The ring you were wearing over the last few days. Where did it go?" He pointed to her hand.

Oh crap! Mia thought, alarmed. He knows!

"I forgot it this morning." She tried, feeling horrible for both her actions and her attempt to lie to Oliver.

"Nice try, Mia." Giving her an all knowing look, he sat on the edge of her desk.

"It's nothing." She insisted.

"I've heard it all before, you know."

Not knowing what to say, Mia stayed silent.

"Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" He asked, gently.

Mia sighed; she looked up at the older football player.

"I'm just confused." She told him.

"About what?"

"It's just that even though I'm thrilled for Matthew since he might play for Real, which is his dream team...I don't know...I don't want him to expect that I'll go with him." She started, trying to put her conflicted feelings in to words. "I don't want to break my contract. Felix gave me this amazing opportunity to work here when I had just gotten out of school. Not many people would hire someone with no prior experience in field work. But he did, albeit because Dr. Philipps told him too...but he trusted me enough to give me a chance."

Oliver quietly listened to her.

"Even after James pointed out that we had started to go out, he still let me work with Matthew. If Matt does get signed, I can't just leave with him...or Felix will think it was a mistake to trust me in the first place." Mia said, knowing how much she owed to Felix for believing in her.

"I get it. You don't want to hurt anyone, least of all Felix who's done so much for you. So why didn't you just tell Matt?" Oliver asked her.

"I didn't want to ruin his happiness...and I didn't want to hurt him. I just wanted to think about it and figure it out. I don't want him to hate me." Mia admitted.

"You know...you should clear things up." Oliver advised her.

"I know..." She mumbled, reluctantly.

There was a knock on her door. Mia and Oliver looked to see who it was. She froze seeing the look on his face.

-----

Driving a little recklessly than he would have normally, Matthew had raced to see Mia. Why would she leave the ring? He had wondered, as he weaved through cars. Part of him wished that a police officer would stop him, just so that he would slow down. Is she angry with me? What did I do? The thoughts pushed him to go faster. He desperately needed to know.

Seeing her sitting there with Oliver by her side, Matthew felt unsure of how to approach her. Oliver noticed his hesitation and started to walk towards him, as he passed the older boy put a hand on Matthew's shoulder.

"Go easy on her..." His whispered, before giving Matthew a smile. Nodding in understanding, Matthew walked in to the office, closing the door behind him.

Mia had stood up to face him, her hands in her pocket, the distinct look of unease on her face. He stopped walking, standing an arms length away.

Not knowing what to say, Matthew racked his brain. He had never been in this position before. This relationship had so many new aspects to it, sometimes he felt a little overwhelmed.

"Why did you leave the ring?" He asked, as Mia looked away. When she didn't answer he pushed on.

"Are you angry with me?"

"No." She told him gently, moving her hand to hold on to her other arm. Mia looked a little upset.

"Do you want to end this?" Scared at what her answer may be, Matthew stared at the ground.

"No! Of course not." She said, he took in a deep breath of relief.

Looking in to her eyes, he asked one final question.

"So then what's wrong?" Matthew asked her.

The silence that followed felt unbearable. He couldn't fathom what she could possibly say. He stood quietly, unsure for the first time in his life, as Mia took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you...I didn't want to hurt you..." She said, quietly.

"Why would you hurt me?" Matthew asked, sure that his worst fear was coming true.

"I'm so happy that you have a chance to play for Real Madrid. I just don't want to get your hopes up that I'll come to Spain with you."

A small wave of relief washed over him. She wasn't breaking up with him, she was just unsure of moving to Spain.

"I can't betray Felix's kindness. He took a huge risk hiring me, he's done so much for me, and I can't just break his contract and move." She finished, looking miserable. "I'm sorry...I didn't know how to tell you."

Closing the distance between them, Matthew pulled her in to his arms. Her loyalty had always struck him with awe. She stood up for the people who helped her, and those she cared for. He knew it hadn't been easy for her to tell him, the look of horror when he showed up had given that much away.

Kissing her forehead, he stared in to the deep emerald depths, she was still upset for hurting him.

"I'm sorry too, Mia. I got carried away. I should have asked you...before making that assumption." Matthew admitted.

She kissed him tenderly, her fingers lightly brushing against his cheek.

"How about we drop the subject for a little while? I don't want this to come between us." She suggested.

Giving her another kiss, Matthew nodded in agreement, he pulled the ring out from his pocket and slipped it back on her finger before hugging her tightly.

"Okay."