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“It’s ok. We should have been more professional. I wasn’t thinking.”
She giggled. “If I had a fiancé like that, especially if he were Dylan James, the last thing I would care about was being professional.”
I smiled. She wasn’t completely wrong.
The lights were brighter than I expected. I squinted a few times trying to adjust to the all the angles shining on us.
I took a deep breath. Dylan was laughing with Chantel about some miraculous play he made last season. I knew she didn’t work out of Austin. I was expecting someone with less star power from the network. We were a story, but did we warrant Chantel Morris flying in from New York?
I didn’t know why I felt as if there were an elephant sitting on my chest. The sound tech was fidgeting with the mic he’d attached to inside lining of my dress. He patted it a second time to make sure it was secure.
I realized how comfortable Dylan was in this scenario. He was one of those players that loved the attention he received. He seemed to be able to control his narrative. Even the partying. Despite the women and the drinking—they loved him. Maybe it was why they loved him. He was always comfortable in his own skin. He lived life the way he wanted to without hesitation.
I hoped some of that would rub off on me in this interview. I was out of my element. I tried to look past the glare of the lights. I saw a dark silhouette near the camera. Isaac.
I sighed. He was here. Just like he promised. There was something steadying about his presence. I smiled into the camera’s perimeter, hoping he knew it was for him.
Chantel stopped abruptly. “It’s time? We’re on?”
The producer pointed to us. “We’re counting down, everyone.”
Dylan straightened his tie. The butterflies were attacking my stomach. I wasn’t sure why I had agreed to do this.
“Good evening, I’m Chantel Morris. Tonight we have an exclusive interview with Warriors owner Vanessa McCade and Warriors wide receiver Dylan James. They made a startling announcement today that shocked the sports world.” Chantel paused. “At a team press conference the Warriors press director revealed that Vanessa and Dylan are in fact engaged to be married.”
I felt my stomach flip. My mouth went dry. I didn’t know how Dylan could stay calm. I knew I’d already wasted that extra powder the makeup artist had dotted on my nose.
“So, you two…” Chantel turned from the cameras and faced us. “What a story!” She grinned. “Everyone is talking about this engagement. It’s certainly unprecedented in the AFA. What has your day been like since you shared the news?”
Her eyes pressed into me.
I blinked several times. “Everyone has congratulated us. I think they’re excited for us.” I looked at Dylan.
He squeezed my knee. “Oh yeah. The guys are behind us a hundred percent.”
Chantel nodded. “You have to admit this isn’t the most typical relationship. Excuse the expression, but ownership getting into bed with the players’ side of things is unheard of.”
I knew my cheeks were instantly red. She said players and bed in the same sentence. I’d had two players in my bed last night. I was a complete immoral slut of an owner. My knees started to shake. The lights felt hot, not just blinding.
Dylan stepped up while I fought to find words. “I don’t think either of us expected our friendship to lead here.”
“So you two were friends first?” Chantel prodded.
“Oh yeah.” Dylan grinned.
“Do you have friendships with lots of the players?” Chantel raised her eyebrows. “Is that why Isaac Price is with us in studio tonight?” She looked off to the side.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I was sinking. I couldn’t even get a sentence together. Dylan moved his hand from my knee to around my shoulder.
“Actually, he’s here because I asked him to ride over with me after practice,” Dylan explained. “The Warriors are a family. He’s here to support both of us.”
Chantel flipped a page in her notes, moving right to the next question. She didn’t dwell on conversations. Apparently, she saved that for when the cameras were off. This was her time to pull as much information out of us as possible.
“Are you worried, Vanessa, that the other players on the team will perceive it las you are giving Dylan preferential treatment? He will after all be married to the team’s owner.”
I shook my head. “We have their full support. They’re happy for us.”
