01

« And there’s the kick ! Goal ! »

A cheer went up and Thea smiled, cheering with them in her mind as the soccer ball entered the net. Tonight was the Quarterfinals of the World Cup and the little pub of Saint Arlington was packed to the brim.

On any other night, Thea would be sitting by the bar, drinking and cheering with everyone else but Matt had been desperate for a waitress and Thea couldn’t say no to him. He’d helped her out too many times to count and he didn’t like to ask for favours. Collecting empties, she walked through the crowd back to the bar.

« How you going out there, Thea ?: Matt took her order, pouring the drinks as Thea and Shae, the only other waitress working tonight, waited, glad for the small reprieve.

« Not too bad. No one’s copped a feel tonight, so I can’t complain. » Thea searched through her apron to put her tips in the jar.

« They wouldn’t want to either, » Matt grinned, « half the department’s here tonight, they wouldn’t be game to. »

Thea’s eyes drifted to the largest table, surrounded by the off duty cops of the Saint Arlington Police Department. They had come here for every match, making Soccer Nights the safest nights she had ever worked. It didn’t hurt that Josh Cooper, the detective she’d been crushing on for the last two months was off duty tonight and sitting in perfect eyesight.

His blond hair swept back from his face, small tendrils often falling in his eyes. Her hands itched to brush them away and he had a smile which made her weak at the knees. Matt pushed more drinks at her, interrupting her thoughts and Shae moved behind her, taking them.

« Hey ! » Thea protested.

« It’s okay, I got this, » she winked. « Cutie detective has been sneaking glances at you all night so you should take their drinks. »

« Really ? » Thea turned around.

« Don’t look ! » Shae hissed. « He’ll know we’re talking about him ! »

Thea rolled her eyes.

« Besides, » Shae continued, « he’s not the only one who’s been giving you the eye. »

« Why ? Who else’s staring at me ? »

Shae nodded over her shoulder. « Check out the hottie in the corner with the black hair and smouldering gaze. »

Trying to not appear too obvious, Thea glanced over Shae’s shoulder and saw who she was talking about. He seemed to be a few years older than her, a five o’clock shadow around his jaw line adding to his appeal. He wore a black leather jacket with a white shirt visible, and Thea could see the outline of hard muscle beneath. He had dark and broody written all over him.

His eyes flickered and then his blue orbs were staring intently into her own, causing Thea to flush and a flash of pain to sear through her skull.

« He’s alright, » she muttered, touching her brow.

Shae snorted. « Of course you would say that, you’re mind’s too filled with cute Detective Cooper to see the other hotties in this place. »

Shae watched Thea rub her head, concern flashing in her eyes. « Are you getting another headache again ? »

Thea sighed. « I don’t know. I hope not. »

« Tell me if you are, » Shae said kindly, « I’ll cover for you. »

« Thanks Shae, I think I should be alright. »

For the last two months her headaches had been increasing. She couldn’t figure out why they were happening but the headaches started the day of tsunami on the island of Crete, about three months ago now. She had also been having dreams of walking through a forest, waiting for someone but she didn’t know who.

Thea remembered that day, watching the report on the news at work, when a blast of pain tore her head open and before her skull cracked open on the floor, Detective Josh Cooper caught her, like something from a fairytale and from the first gaze, she was in love.

It was the day she fell in love and the day her headaches began. Thea couldn’t decide if that day was a blessing or a curse.

Shae sighed, still looking at the dark haired man. « I wish someone would send a smoulder like that my way. »

Thea grinned, her headache already fading. « Just you wait, a hottie will walk in here and save you one day. »

« Oh, I hope so ! Now go and deliver your police cutie’s scotch, before he forgets what you look like. »

Matt laughed and Thea smiled, heart fluttering as she took the police their drinks. « Alright guys, make way for the girl with the drinks. »

The table separated like the red sea as Thea placed the tray of drinks down.

« Ah, thanks, Thea. Have you caught any of the match yet ? » Detective Jackson asked, grabbing a beer.

Thea shook her head. « Only bits and pieces but it looks like a nail biter. »

« You can say that for sure. Brazil is definitely going to win though. »

« They better, I placed fifty bucks on them ! »

Jackson laughed. « Oh a gambler, a woman after my own heart ! What about you Josh ? »

Thea flushed, feeling Josh’s eyes on her. « It’s good to have a little risk in your life. »