Free Web NovelChapter 36: [36] "Alexi Doesn’t Knock"
Monday morning had this atmosphere that followed a comeback win nobody expected was possible.
SC Valois training ground ran a recovery session only involving light jogs, physio checks and mostly recovery exercises. Nobody touched a ball above forty percent intensity.
Hugo sat on the physio table with his ankle in a brace, scrolling through something on his phone, he was present out of stubbornness rather than necessity.
"You’re not even supposed to be here," Luc said, dropping his bag by the door.
"I’m supervising," Hugo said, without even looking up.
"Supervising what?" Luc didn’t expect an answer. He made his way to the field.
Henri kept the session short. Forty minutes, mostly stretches done in complete silence.
Idriss worked with the resistance training equipment without being told to. Bastien copied him a few feet away, no longer apologizing for taking up space.
Mateo hit Luc hard on the back as he was walking off the pitch.
"Light week," Mateo said. "Enjoy it, Yankee. Bretagne up next."
"I know."
"Away trip to a coastal town. With wind that’ll mess with every cross you try."
Luc nodded once and said nothing else. He was already thinking about something that had nothing to do with Bretagne.
---
Luc let himself into Juliette’s apartment with his own key.
He dropped his bag by the door and heard voices from the kitchen. Two voices.
He stopped in the hallway.
"Juju, you didn’t tell me he had a key."
The voice was lighter than Juliette’s, with a looser accent, Spanish folded under French folded under something else.
"Because I didn’t know you were coming until you texted from the airport," Juliette said.
Luc stepped into the kitchen doorway.
The woman at the counter turned first.
She was tall. Taller than Juliette by an inch, built like a model. She had dark hair like Juliette’s but loose, and hers was cut shorter, a streak of gold through one side.
She had Juliette’s same green eyes, hers were sexier somehow, like she’d spent her whole life using them as a weapon and gotten very good at it.
"So this is him," she said.
"Luc," Juliette said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "This is my sister. Alexi."
"Older sister," Alexi corrected, extending a hand with three rings on it. "By two years. Its a fairly important detail."
Luc shook it. Her grip was firm, maybe she was used to handshakes.
"She’s uhm... A... model," Juliette added, like an explanation and an apology in the same sentence. "Based in Madrid. She’s on leave for a month."
"A month?" Luc repeated.
"A month," Alexi confirmed, smiling like she’d won the argument.
Alexi poured herself coffee without asking where the mugs were, which told Luc she’d been in this kitchen before, more than once.
"You’re taller in person," she said. "The tabloids don’t get the shoulders right."
She stepped closer to rub Luc’s shoulders. He looked at Juliette with an eye she’d understand. "You read the tabloids?"
"I read everything with my sister’s name almost in it." She took a slow sip. "There was a photo from some gala. Black and white, very moody, very ’I don’t care about anything.’ She wouldn’t tell me who the woman in green was for three days."
Juliette set her cup down harder than necessary.
"That was me, Alexi."
"I mean, I know that now."
Luc stepped back a bit and leaned against the counter, he crossed his arms, watching the two of them.
Juliette worked in calmness...most times and professional precision. Alexi worked in volume and charm, like she’d know where every camera would be without looking. "I guess that’s a model for you," he thought to himself.
"You’re sizing me up," Alexi said, catching him.
"It’s a habit."
"Good. I’m sizing you up too." She bit her lips.
Luc looked at Juliette again. He gave her the same knowing look.
Alexi circled the kitchen slowly.
"Juliette doesn’t bring men home often. Actually, almost never," Alexi said. "She brought one guy to our family dinner eight years ago, and our father made him cry by asking about his five-year plan."
"I don’t think I’ve thought up a five-year plan," Luc said.
"He had a five-year plan and it still didn’t help him."
Juliette closed her eyes like she was praying for patience. "Alexi!"
"What? I’m just talking."
"You’re interrogating him in my kitchen."
"I flew six hours, Juju. Let me have my fun."
Luc poured his own coffee without saying anything, content to let the sisters work it out between themselves. He’d learned that much from years of locker rooms. Some fights weren’t his to win.
But he saw how annoyed Juliette was.
"Alexi," Luc said. "Your sister has fixed up my ribs and hamstrings this season. I think she’s earned the right to a quiet kitchen."
Alexi raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.
"He’s a diplomat. I love it," she said to Juliette.
"He’s not, usually," Juliette said.
Alexi pulled out a stool and sat. "Fine, I’ll behave. For today."
"That’s not reassuring," Juliette said.
"It’s not supposed to be."
---
Luc checked his phone against the counter. A text from Coach Henri, sent twenty minutes ago. It was the first time the Coach had texted him personally:
Sorry I didn’t inform you and the team earlier. Matea spoke to me before the season started, he explained that he wasn’t renewing his contract and that he’d leave during the January transfer window. He had already spoken to Valérie and agreed a contract with a Saudi club.
I honestly thought that maybe he had spoken to you already, but from the conversation we just had, I’m not sure he has.
Luc typed back:
He hasn’t told me any of that.
Coach Henri replied immediately:
Alright. Then I just did, I’ll speak with Mateo again and let the team know in our training session before Saturday.
Luc typed back two words:
Yes Coach
---
Luc was looking at his phone, half-listening to Alexi describing a runway disaster in Milan involving a collapsing set piece and a designer’s nervous breakdown.
"You’re not listening," Alexi said, catching him.
"I’m listening."
"What did I just say?"
"Something collapsed. Somebody cried."
Alexi looked at Juliette, almost impressed. "He’s good, I like him."
"I told you."
Luc finished his and set the mug in the sink. "I have to-- go do a few things."
"On a rest week?" Alexi said. freewёbnoνel.com
"There’s no such thing as a rest week," Luc replied. "Just weeks where the preparation is a little bit less."
He kissed Juliette on the cheek and made his way out.
Alexi watched the whole exchange. "Awww."
