31. Make Room For Someone
MAKE ROOM FOR SOMEONE
“ T hank you for the signed book.”
“You’re welcome,” Emma said on Sunday. Warren had told her that Lily was a big fan and she thought it’d be nice to bring a signed book for her.
“Gus told Warren that we’d like to have dinner with you two at some point. I know you’re busy and all, but if you’re around some time.”
She found it odd that Warren had said nothing to her about this.
But it seemed when they were together, they spent little time talking about those things, but more about them.
She knew once the season started, he’d be around less. She didn’t have a problem with it because she was going about her life like she normally did.
“I’d love to,” she said. “But it’s hard for him and me to get our schedules together. Can I ask, do you work?”
The two of them were on the field while the team warmed up.
Lily and Gus’s kids were next to them. “I was a teacher before. Gus and I met in college. It was easy before the kids were born to work. I got home early enough in the day and had weekends off. The summer off for him and me to travel and do things. But he got traded when I was pregnant and then we decided it was best if I stayed home. Why, did you want to ask me questions for a book?”
Lily’s eyes were lit up. Her loyal readers knew she did those things. “I might at some point,” she said. “I don’t have any teachers in my family. And I haven’t had any in a book.”
“Do you really work in positions like you talk about on social media?” Lily asked.
“I do,” she said. “If I didn’t, I might not leave my house much. Everything I talk about on social media is true. I’m a complete hermit. I’ve left my house more in the past four months than I have in the past four years.”
She almost slipped and said the island but didn’t.
She figured Lily and others knew she lived on Amore Island, but it wasn’t something she volunteered often either.
“I don’t think I could do that,” Lily said. “Do you find it overwhelming coming to games like this with all the people?”
“No,” she said. “I’m good in almost any situation. I’m just lazy and selfish.”
Lily laughed. “I doubt that.”
Emma was grinning when she said, “I kind of am. I think I’ve spent so much of my life alone and doing what I want when I want. It’s hard to change or make room for someone.”
“I think it’s normal to feel that way,” Lily said.
“When I had my oldest, I didn’t know how I was going to do it with Gus gone so much.
I wanted to go to his games with him, but it wasn’t possible as much.
Even the home ones. It’s not always possible now either.
We come early when the weather is nice, but once it gets colder, someone is always sick or they don’t want to leave the house. ”
“I know that feeling,” she said. “I don’t want to leave my house much either.”
“But you do for me.”
She turned her head to see Warren next to her. “I do,” she said. “How long have you been standing there?”
“A minute or so,” he said. “You don’t seem to notice when I’m around. I’m trying not to be hurt over that.”
She laughed at him. “I’ve seen the bruises on your body after a game. It takes a lot to hurt you.”
He closed one eye at her. “We are all made of flesh and bone.”
“Now you’re quoting my book,” she said, bouncing on her toes.
He laughed. “Those were my words,” he said. “You’re repeating them.”
He got a drink and then put it down and went back on the field.
“You used Warren’s words in one of your books?” Lily asked.
“He helped me write one not that long ago. It’s not out yet. It’s still with my editor.”
“The War Show wrote a book with you?” Lily asked. “I mean, he tells everyone he reads your books.”
“He didn’t write it,” she said. “I did. But he gave me a lot of ideas for the storyline. It was so much fun working together like that. I’ve never done that before.”
“I think that’s sweet,” Lily said. “You two look cute together.”
She giggled. “I don’t think Warren thinks he’s cute.”
“Probably not,” Lily said.
“Hi, Emma. I see you’re back for another game. Lily. We don’t see you here much.”
“Hi. It’s Tiff, right?” Emma knew DeMarcus’s fiancée’s name but was being a little bitchy saying that considering how Tiff gave Lily the once over.
“Yes,” Tiff said. “I heard you’re going to be on TV.”
“No,” Emma said. “I’m not. One of my novels is being turned into a mini-series.”
“Oh,” Tiff said, waving her hand. “I guess I heard wrong. I’ve been a little busy lately and under the weather.”
“I’m sorry about that,” she said. “I hope you feel better.”
“I will,” Tiff said, her hand going to her belly. “In about seven months. It was a surprise, but DeMarcus is thrilled.”
“Congratulations,” Emma said.
“Oh,” Tiff said. “The girls want to see me.”
Tiff turned and strutted over to the sidelines where there were other WAGs.
“Don’t let her kid you,” Lily said. “DeMarcus is not at all thrilled.”
Emma frowned. “How do you know?”
“Because Gus said that he was talking about it and that Tiff told him right before last week’s game and his mind was on that, and now she’s pressuring him for a wedding before this baby comes.”
She snorted. “That’s their life,” she said.
“Exactly,” Lily said. “I don’t get in the middle of it.
It bothers some of them I don’t want to hang with them over there.
I don’t even come on the field often. I only did today because I knew you’d be here and I wanted to thank you.
She was probably coming over to see what she might be missing.
She has to have her nose in everything.”
“I can’t be bothered,” Emma said. “I don’t have enough time in the day or brain power. Do you know how many facts and characters I’ve got in my head?”
“No,” Lily said. “But I’d love to.”
“When we find time for dinner, you can ask me,” she said. “But I’m going to go up to the suite now, as my family should be there soon.”
“Warren knows how to reach Gus,” Lily said. “Thank you again for the book.”
Lily gathered her kids and walked away and Emma turned to watch Warren warming up.
She didn’t want to leave without telling him, but she didn’t feel as if she had to stand down here the whole time either when he had a game to get ready for.
He finally looked over and she waved her hand and pointed to the suites.
He stopped what he was doing and jogged over. “You’re leaving?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m done talking to people. Mike came over to ask a few questions about the series, then I met Lily, and Tiff had to stick her nose in. A few others stopped too and my head is spinning. I want to just watch you and I’m not able to do that.”
She hadn’t realized how much it would bother her to be bugged like that when she wanted to spend time with her boyfriend.
He leaned down and kissed her. “I’ll text you when I’m ready after the game and come get you again.”
“I’ll be waiting. I expect my family will be here soon. I can’t hear any helicopters with all the noise here.”
He laughed. “Only your family comes in by helicopter,” he said.
She shrugged. “It wasn’t the plan and you know that. But Egan and Eli wanted to come. This made it easier for them all.”
Since she’d had Bond Charter bring her here a few times for Warren to pick her up, it wasn’t much work for them to do it on game day other than work around other flights coming in with people.
“I’m just glad you didn’t decide to come and leave with them.”
She didn’t want to tell him she’d thought of it. But if she did, then she wouldn’t get to spend the night with him.
If they won today, he’d have tomorrow off. If not, he had to go in and she’d drive home.
“And miss being in your bed for two nights,” she said. “What are you nuts?”
“Warren!”
She turned her head and saw one coach pointing to the field.
“Go do your thing. I don’t like being here if it takes you away from your job.”
“Yeah, I’ll see you later.” He leaned down to kiss her and when he lifted his head, she noticed that there was a camera on them and a few pictures being taken.
She wanted to roll her eyes but didn’t.
Instead, she made her way to the private suite and ordered some food. Everyone would be hungry when they arrived.
She was taking a bite of her slice of pizza all alone when the door opened and Roark walked in followed by Chelsea, her parents, Eli, and Egan.
“Just in time to eat,” she said.
“I knew you’d have it set up,” Roark said. “This is awesome.”
“I can’t believe none of you have done this before,” she said. Eli or Egan for sure would have in her mind.
“I’ve brought enough people here and back,” Egan said. “I’ve been to a few games too but never in accommodations like this. I don’t think I can do anything different now.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Eli said.
“Get comfortable, everyone,” she said.
Her mother moved close to her while everyone else was taking their jackets off and getting food.
“What’s going on?” her mother asked.
“Nothing,” she said. “Why?”
“You look bothered,” her mother said. “I know my daughter.”
She shrugged. “I was chatting with more people than I wanted to on the field. I was there for Warren, but now that everyone knows about our relationship and who I am, they want to meet me.”
Her mother laughed. “If they wanted to meet you for your books you’d be happy.”
“Yes,” she said. “But I planned those things. This is about Warren, not me. And I don’t think half the people are sincere.”
“I understand,” her mother said. “You’re going to have to get used to this. It’s not an enormous price to pay, is it?”
“No,” she said. “But you know me, it’s a lot to take in.”
“Because you’d rather be home writing,” Roark said. “You can’t spend every waking moment with your nose in front of a computer.”
“Oh really,” she said. “You do.”
“No,” Chelsea said. “He doesn’t. Not anymore.”
She stuck her tongue out at her brother. “Fine, you’re perfect. I’m still getting there.”
“Just write yourself that way,” Egan said. “Isn’t that how you do it?”
She laughed and shoved one joker of the family. “I could. I might have done it a time or two in my books.”
“See,” her mother said. “You have the ability to do those things. Visualize it and it will be fine.”
“What’s going on?” her father asked, moving closer.
“Emma is struggling with the attention she got today now that it’s out there about her relationship with Warren and who she is.”
“It’s not that so much,” she said. “It’s just the typical mean girl group that wants to know information for their own gain.
Then there was Warren coming over to see me twice and getting called back on the field by his coach.
He’s always said that he didn’t want distractions in life and I feel maybe I’m one for him when I’m here. ”
She’d told him she wasn’t coming to every game. There was no reason for it.
She didn’t want to sit in the stands and it cost way too much to buy this private suite each time. They’d argued over who was paying for it. Since her family was in it, she wanted to pay for it and he wouldn’t let her.
She didn’t know if someone finding out would have embarrassed him.
He didn’t like that she brought that up either.
It’s not like she had more than him. She didn’t, not even close.
At least not now.
“That’s something the two of you are going to have to work out,” her mother said. “It looks like they are getting ready to bring the teams out.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I need to watch Warren come out. Oh my, it’s so sexy when he runs out ready to battle.”
“I can run out like that,” Egan said, laughing. “I do that to my helicopter all the time. Blake loves it.”
“In your Birks,” Eli said. “Yeah, that’d be a sight to see.”
She turned to look and Egan did have Birks on his feet, but they were closed-toe brown leather ones rather than the summer sandal-type he was famous for always wearing.
Emma looked around this suite and had to laugh. The amount of wealth in it was much more than any of the players on the field, yet no one looked it.
They were all wearing jeans and team gear of some form. No one had fancy dressy clothing on, even if their jewelry and accessories hinted at their wealth.
To her, they looked like everyday ordinary people.
And when Warren connected with DeMarcus on the opening drive for a sixty-yard touchdown, they were all jumping and cheering.
“We’re on TV, Emma,” Chelsea said.
She looked up at the screen in the suite to see that, yes, she and her family were front and center for millions to see right now.
At the end of the game, they’d been viewed more than a dozen times and she wondered how many ruffled feathers that would cause.