MASTERMIND | Jamie Tartt

FORTY NINE: A WHOLE LOTTA ZAVA

read 48 first!!!!

How does the starboy handle being knocked off of his top spot? How does the notably sensitive striker cope with being pushed back into midfield, when he's spent his entire career playing as a striker?

Six weeks had passed since Zava's arrival at Nelson Road and Richmond were on an unprecedented win streak. With each match, Jamie continued to find himself frustrated by Zava's presence, from taking what could've been Jamie's first goal of the season as his own, to the weekly mediation sessions that overtook the locker room.

Jamie often found his way into Billie's office, and ever since Keeley had moved onto her own firm, there had been more space in the room. So Jamie started spending most of his down time in there with Billie, or even when she wasn't there. He'd gone to the effort of buying a small sofa (in a colour Billie approved of) and keeping a small set of drawers in the corner of the room where he stored his essentials.

On non match days, he'd most likely get ready for training in there with Billie, his absence from the locker room was rarely noted, with everyone being so incredibly wrapped up in their obsession with Zava.

Six wins in six weeks was an impressive achievement for any club, but for a team like Richmond, to be promoted from the championship to the Premier League, then finding themselves at the top end of the table, well that felt like a fairytale.

"You ever think your book would be a fucking fairytale?" Roy glanced at Trent as they wandered into the locker room, with Billie and the boys, off the back of yet another win, this time against Brentford, in an impressive West London Derby.

"It's fucking unbelievable, eh?" Billie grinned at the two men as the team jumped around in excitement.

"Yo, yo, yo!" Sam stood on the platform in the middle of the locker room, "Listen, tomorrow everybody is invited to the restaurant."

The team erupted in cheers of delight.

"Please, we're still a few weeks from officially opening, so please lower your expectations," Sam told the team, "But there's gonna be an open bar!"

The team began to cheer in anticipation of a well deserved night off, following their undoubted success.

"What do you think?" Billie waltzed down the stairs into Jamie's living room, wearing his grey blazer buttoned up with nothing under it, black suit trousers and her chunky black boots.

"Fuck," Jamie looked up from his phone, tossing it onto the sofa as he stared up at her in awe, Nelson laying beside him, his tail wagging eagerly, "You look fucking fit, babe."

"You think it's okay for tonight?" Billie asked, having only bought limited options, "I wasn't sure what to choose."

"You look fucking incredible, Bils," Jamie took her hands in his, pulling her towards him to stand between her legs, "That jacket looks so good on you."

"I thought you'd like it," Billie smiled as she leant down, placing a kiss to his lips, "You look fit too, Tartt."

He was wearing a denim shirt with 'ICON' printed across it, choosing to leave his hair parted and messy, which was how Billie liked it best. She sat across his lap, running her hand over his jaw as she admired the new earrings he'd acquired, she loved it, she loved studying his face.

"I love you, Jamie Tartt," Billie whispered, kissing him softly as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "You are my most favourite person."

"Ditto," Jamie grinned, wrapping his arms around her torso.

He never felt safer than when he was with her, because loving Billie Kent was easy, it made sense, there was no judgment, and they understood each other completely. He sometimes still struggled to understand that anyone could love him like that, but it was Billie's words, affirmations and actions that reassured him.