Read Online Paradise Fields by Katie Fforde - Free Book Online Page A

condition of the buildings.
    â€˜The showers are so bad, the players warm up running up and down trying to catch the drips,’ said one.
    â€˜Yeah, and the water that does come out is full of rust. Our Kevin played up here as a junior once. Don’t think anything’s changed since.’
    â€˜Hey, they’re off!’
    With Suzy at her side explaining things, Nel found herself getting caught up in the match. She got excited when a goal was scored, and although she didn’t join in with the chants (everyone seemed to know what they were, even before anyone started), she found the whole experience extremely enjoyable.
    It wasn’t, she explained at half-time as she ate a thousand-calorie meat pie with Suzy, that she wanted to become a regular, ‘but I can see how people get bound up in it. I’m just sorry my boys didn’t get interested. I wonder if I didn’t encourage them enough.’
    â€˜My brother’s not into football and Dad is, so I don’t suppose it’s your fault,’ said Suzy. ‘Have a chip?’
    â€˜You realise I’ve just blown an entire week’s dieting just with the pie. The chip will turn me into Colonel Blimp by next Monday.’
    â€˜Why Monday?’
    â€˜When I get weighed.’
    â€˜I really don’t think dieting’s good for you, you know.’
    â€˜It’s funny, but it’s only people who don’t need to who say that.’
    Nel’s feet were very cold by the time Meadow Green Rovers had won their match. ‘It means they’re up for promotion,’ reiterated Suzy, still enthusiastic, but losing hope that one day Nel would understand the offside rule.
    â€˜That’s good. It’ll give me something to talk about when I go and speak to the chairman. Now, can I just march up to him and say hello, or is there an etiquette I should know about?’
    â€˜No idea. I expect you can just go up to him. He’s not royalty, after all.’
    â€˜Are you going to come with me? Or do you want to meet up with your friends?’
    â€˜I’ll meet you later. Have you got your phone on you?’ Nel nodded. ‘Send me a text when you’re ready.’
    â€˜I don’t do texting. I’m over thirty.’
    â€˜Mum does! And she’s well over thirty!’
    â€˜So am I actually. I’m going now. See you soon.’
    Nel was considered by all who knew her to be friendly and outgoing. Only she knew that inside she was extremely shy. Now, for instance, although she was holding her head up and had a smile at the ready, inside she was convinced that the chairman wouldn’t want to talk to her, and she’d have to fight her way back through the crowd rejected.
    She got herself near the middle of the throng before asking someone if they’d mind pointing out the chairman to her. The someone obliged, and Nel plotted a course in the direction of the navy blue overcoat indicated.
    She cleared her throat. ‘Excuse me! Oh! It’s you.’
    Jake Demerand was the last person she wanted to see.
    â€˜I was looking for the new chairman. I was told it was you. Can you point him out to me, please?’
    â€˜I’m afraid it is me.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜I am the new chairman of the football team.’
    Nel’s feet hurt. She was cold, and her pie was beginning to give her indigestion. ‘Oh God! This is so awful!’
    â€˜Why? You weren’t hoping for the position yourself, were you?’
    â€˜Of course not! It’s just I was going to ask the chairman of the team for some support for my campaign.’
    â€˜What campaign?’
    â€˜Derr!’ Nel heard herself sound just like Fleur but didn’t care. ‘The campaign I’m going to organise to stop your millionaire clients from building on the water meadows!’
    â€˜If my clients were millionaires they wouldn’t need to build on them.’
    â€˜They don’t need to