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Those same hands touched me,caressedme, like I was something precious. Something to be adored. No man has ever treated me so delicately.
I grip the back of my chair and collapse into my seat. It’s quieter down here, and I can block out the noise and the people trying to get my attention.
“Lacey,” Maggie says. She drops into the plastic chair beside me. Her knees knock against mine, and she takes my hands in hers. They’re softer than Shawn’s, but not nearly as warm or nice to touch. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good.” I lift my chin and give her a smile I hope is convincing. I nod toward the field and gesture vaguely at someone in a jersey doing something sports related. It’s better than stewing in my thoughts. “I hope the Titans can keep their momentum in the second half.”
Maggie snaps her fingers in front of my face and frowns. “One kiss with Shawn and suddenly you’re a football expert?”
I laugh and rest my head on her shoulder. “I’m fine, Mags. Really. That was clearly a friend helping out another—shit.Where’s Matthew?” I ask.
“He left,” Aiden says, and he’s trying not to smile. “He had some nice comments on the way out about the middle class and how people who work in hospitality suck. It was weird. The crowd gave him a nice farewell, too. I’ve never seen so many people flick off a single person in my life. Well, that’s not true. I saw a Red Sox game in Boston once, and—”
“Honey,” Maggie says. “Now is not the time.”
“Sorry.” Aiden gives her a sheepish grin and takes the seat on my other side.
“What a disaster,” I say. “Is it wrong that I feel bad for Matthew? This is my fault. I should’ve just—I don’t know. Hid under my seat or not let the antagonizing get to me. Oh, my god. I was pushing him to do something he didn’t want to do.”
“Your fault?” Maggie asks. She shakes her head and hugs me tight. “That was not your fault, sweetie. If this was about a personal boundary he didn’t want to cross, he would’ve expressed that to youorhe wouldn’t have made a spectacle about the whole thing. This was an exertion of his power and trying to be better than everyone else. If he doesn’t want to kiss the woman he’s on the date with, even in a platonic, friendly and fun way, then he’s not the one for you. You’re someone who always looks for the fun in life, Lace.”
“I didn’t like that kind of attention,” I admit. “I felt trapped. Like it was an invasion of privacy, almost.”
“Let’s sue the camera guy,” Aiden declares, and I pat his arm in appreciation. “Fuck him and fuck him for not getting the hint the first seven times.”
“Seven?” Maggie asks. “I think it was more like nine.”
“Let’s just forget it happened, okay? It’s no big deal. Matthew is gone, the camera is gone, and the Titans are playing in a close game. We have other things to worry about,” I say.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Maggie asks, and I nod.
“I’ve never been better, Mags, but I could use another drink. I’m freezing my ass off.”
EIGHT
LACEY
I wakeup to my phone vibrating under my pillow.
I grab the alarm clock sitting on my bedside table and toss it on the mattress when I see it’s only five thirty in the morning. I didn’t plan to be up for another two hours.
The vibrating starts a second time and I fumble with my phone, sitting up when I see my mom’s name on the screen.
“Mom? What’s wrong?” I ask, still half-asleep.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were dating Shawn Holmes?”
“What are you talking about? I’m not dating Shawn. Where would you get that idea?”
“The news,” she says. “The internet. Every person in the world except my daughter, who used to tell me everything.”
Dread ices my blood. I pull the phone away from my ear and my fingers fly across the screen to search my name on the internet. What once used to show my LinkedIn profile as the top hit, followed by a handful of articles I’ve written for various children’s pediatric magazines, is now replaced with a photo of Shawn’s mouth on mine at UPS Field and dozens of headlines from gossip websites.
Kiss cam gone wrong—or right?
Was this kiss cam kiss staged or real? Body language experts weigh in.
Who is Lacey Daniels, Shawn Holmes’ new leading lady?
