Walking quickly toward the stage, I don’t get a chance to pick up my skirt. Tripping, I expect to keel over, but an already strong arm gets stronger as it steadies me. I glance over at Wyatt, but his focus is straight ahead. I catch my footing and scoop up my skirts with my free hand before plastering a smile back on my face. Nothing bad will happen this time. Not on his watch.
This time, Wyatt doesn’t stop at the bottom of the stage; instead, he escorts me up the stairs. He pauses for a brief moment before giving me a proud nod and turning back to take his place in the audience.
Charlotte meets me and hands me the award before leaning in. In a moment I will remember forever, she embraces me with a force I hadn’t expected from a woman of her age and whispers, “You deserve the world.” Pulling away, she loops her arm through mine and leads me to the microphone.
Looking out at the theater, an extreme rush of gratitude overtakes me. “Wow,” I begin, running a shaky hand down my dress. I take a moment to calm down before speaking. It’s the one speech I truly didn’t prepare for, and yet I know exactly what to say.
“I want to dedicate this win to the city of LA. This town has gifted me so much the past few months, including someone who planted himself next to me and has never wavered, despite the craziness of my profession. To my found-family in LA, thank you.” Eyes wild, they land on Raleigh next. “To my incredible team, my band, Chris, and Linda, my mother … ” I get choked up thinking about my mom, sober for the first time in my lifetime,watching me tonight. “I’m so glad I get the opportunity to go on this crazy journey of life with you. This road has not been an easy one but I am so grateful to each and every one of you.” I can hear the music swelling, so I pick up my pace. “Storytelling is so powerful and so, so important in every medium. I am beyond honored to tell stories that matter to so many, and I promise you that I will never squander that opportunity.” Lifting my award to the crowd, I can barely hold back the tears as I look directly into the closest camera and thank the one group that has made this possible. Taking one more breath, I make my final statement: “To my fans, thank you for following my story from the very beginning. You have changed my life for the better. You continue to make my life better every day. I love you all!”
As I step away from the mic, the orchestra overpowers everything else. Charlotte gathers me, and we stand on stage, smiling and making small talk as the broadcast ends.
Chapter 31
Wyatt
WAKING UP NEXT to Mae in the morning could possibly be the most stunning sight on the planet. Her oversized sweatshirt – my sweatshirt – eats her up, but she’s surely so warm and cozy that it only adds to her cuteness. Curled up next to me, I’m compelled to rest a gentle hand on her cheek. A gentle smile twitches at her lips as she sighs, but she doesn’t wake.
She’s been in town for a few days now, and I’ve had the opportunity to show her the LA that I know. It’s been tough going with all of the attention we’ve been getting. I swear there are more paparazzi on my street every single day. We aren’t hiding, but we are making sure to stay vigilant.
Thinking about what could be outside waiting for us today, I drape my arm across her sleeping frame and coax her to open up. She welcomes me, half asleep. Ducking her head into my chest, I rest mine right above hers and let my lips brush against her. I’ve felt such a duty to her since I first met her, like I need tokeep her safe. I’m a tough guy, always have been, but I’d be lying if the pressures of her spotlight haven’t weighed down on me as well. It’s an adjustment going from the habitual life of home to the overbearing weight of the media.
“Why are you trying to smother me?” Mae asks with a groggy giggle, pushing away to no avail.
“Sorry,” I say, immediately releasing my constricting arms.
“No, no,” she says, catching me before I can move too far. “It makes me feel safe.” In two more seconds, she’s gone back to sleep, and I let my arm go back to its position, albeit a little looser this time.
I wish we could stay here forever but in reality, we only have two days left together before we part ways to get ready for whatever the Las Vegas Championship has in store for us. Taking this realization a little too seriously, I wrap my arms around her tightly again. She groans, and her eyes open.
“I didn’t mean to wake you up,” I muse.
“Yes, you did,” she laughs. She makes no move to sit up, though. In fact, she snuggles further into the blankets. “It’s okay; I’m sure it’s not 5 a.m.” I watch as she lifts up her phone and then drops it on the bed. Turning to me, she gives me a death glare.
I clear my throat, knowing it is, in fact, the 5 o’clock hour. “I wanted to at least say bye before I got ready for practice.”
She gives me a sleepy kiss, says her farewell, and then rolls over with a grin. She knows exactly what she’s doing.
Despite her annoyance, I can’t help but smirk. This has been our pattern the past few days, and I am living for it. I know she hates the disruption of her sleep, but she always has a smile for me, no matter how grumpy she is.
I reluctantly toss the covers off and pad toward the bathroom. While brushing my teeth, I try my damnedest not to dreadpractice. I’m excited to get the work in, don’t get me wrong, but how could I rather be anywhere else than right here beside her?
I allow these thoughts to permeate my headspace inside my car, down the street, and all the way until I pull into the lot. I join a few offensive linemen and follow their lead inside. Ben meets up with us along the way, and we end up getting ready at the same time.
“How are things going with Mae?” he asks, tying off his left shoe.
“Pretty good. I like having her around.” I leave it at that. Confessing that I’d been tired of sleeping alone before I met her seems too desperate. I can’t bring myself to express my concerns about the paparazzi on my street either. “We’ve been switching back and forth on fun dates.”
Ben leans over, content with tying up his cleats. He’s just making small talk but it’s welcomed. “Where all have you guys gone?”
“It’s been kind of tough to find any privacy at all, but I’ve taken her to the pier and the observatory. She took me to Disneyland -”
“Well, she won that one,” Ben says, slapping me on the back. We both grab our gear and shuffle toward the door. “Who’s up next?” he asks, keeping the conversation going as we stroll down the hall toward the field.
“She is. We’re just going out to a bar, though. Chris Mayfield is in town.” I try to keep the edge from my voice, but I can tell I’ve failed when Ben answers.
“Did something happen there or … ”
The whistle thankfully blows, and I’m given an excuse to end the conversation by pulling my helmet on. It’s not that it’s a sore spot, but I’d hoped our last evening together could have been, well, together. I will forever be thankful for Chris and Linda, but sharing our time with them at such a pivotal point just seems wrong to me.
