33. Those Fate Things
THOSE FATE THINGS
“ T hank you so much for this,” Lily said to her two weeks later.
They were in the private suite. Emma, Lily, and Lily’s two kids. Her brother, cousins, Hunter, Hailey, Rex, and Skyler Stone, and her parents would join them as soon as the helicopter landed. Warren’s sister Stacy was on the way too, but not Stephanie or Casey.
“You’re welcome,” she said. “I hope you’re okay with my family being here.”
“We love it,” Lily said. “We’ve never had a chance to be up here. Gus does well and all, but not well enough to spend money on this.”
She was smiling at Lily. She’d won the battle and paid for it herself.
It was a lot, but worth it to shut more people up who thought she and Warren were having issues.
Though the video she’d posted two weeks ago put a lot of people in their place.
Maybe she was pulling it up herself to watch and see Warren’s face.
Yeah, that was what love was.
She’d thought she was being cute and funny and everyone would see the playful nature of their relationship.
People shared and liked that video thousands of times. Commented on how in love they were.
That was what you saw, not just how much fun they had together.
“I understand,” she said. “Don’t take this the wrong way. I just don’t want to sit in the stands. Even in the section for players’ family and friends. Too many people, too much noise. I’m just starting to be a football fan, so that’s almost too much for me.”
Lily laughed. “It is a lot to take in. We are used to it, but I can understand it. Fans can get over the top and they know who you are.”
“I think they might know me more now,” she said, smirking. “I don’t even know if I like the fact that they show me on TV.”
Lily laughed. “That isn’t going to change with you dating Warren. I felt bad when I saw the posts and comments a few weeks ago that people were assuming there was something wrong in your relationship since you weren’t at the game.”
She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t expect that. Afterward, I thought my video of Warren and me might have been a little petty.”
“Never,” Lily said. “It was so sweet and you’ve got a huge fan following. They were behind you all the way. Do you read everything that is said?”
“I don’t have enough time in the day to do that,” she admitted. “I try to follow things as closely as I can and I’ve got a personal assistant who takes care of the rest. I know I’ve got a lot of support.”
Many of her readers and fans were standing up for Emma that she had her own career and obligations and that in this day and age, no one had to be known for who they dated.
It was sweet to know she had so many people behind her.
“Family support is the best.”
She turned to see Stacy walk into the suite. “Hi,” she said, getting up. “Stacy Showers, this is, Lily Vanderroyal and her kids, Micah and Vera.”
“Nice to meet you,” Stacy said. “I’m a big fan of Gus.”
“He’d like to hear that,” Lily said.
Lily got up to get some food for her kids that she’d ordered to have ready.
“How was the drive?” Emma asked.
“Horrible,” Stacy said. “But it’s just traffic with people coming to the game. Warren said some of your family would be here again, but didn’t say who.”
“My brother,” she said. “Not Chelsea, she’s home with the kids. She’s got Hailey and Rex’s kids, since they will be here. Then my other cousins, Hunter and Skyler.”
“Hailey Bond will be here?” Stacy asked.
She smiled. “Yes,” she said. “And congratulations on passing the bar.”
“Thanks,” Stacy said.
She knew Stacy was working at some firm close to where she lived in Dartmouth. She seemed happy and it’s not like Emma would get involved, but putting Roark and Hailey in front of Stacy might get them talking a bit.
She knew Warren would love if his sister was closer.
Those things were out of her hands, but she didn’t mind shoving people in a room together either.
“They are all coming in on the helicopter again,” she said.
“But just being dropped off. My cousin Grace got married last weekend and is on her honeymoon until tonight. Lincoln is a helicopter pilot for Bond Charter and since they are down one man, Egan couldn’t come to the game no matter how much he wanted to today. ”
“You’ve got such a big family,” Stacy said. “It has to be hard to keep track of everyone.”
She shrugged. “I’m used to it,” she said. “Though now everyone is pairing up and marrying, it’s doubling in size. Then add the kids. It can be a lot.”
“We never had much family,” Stacy said. “Warren has been the big brother and father to me. I feel bad that he didn’t feel like he could have a childhood.”
She ran her hand on Stacy’s arm. “I don’t think he feels so badly about it.”
“He’d never admit it if he did,” Stacy said. “I’m really glad he found you. He needs to put himself first and it seems as if he is. I know he loves the game and all, but this is the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”
Emma smiled softly. “I’m glad to hear that. I think I feel the same way. Maybe we were meant to find it now.”
“We only want Warren happy,” Stacy said. “He says he is, but I’m not always so sure.”
She looked to see Lily at a table in the back with the kids. “Why is that?”
“Some of it is still this burden he’s put on himself to be the provider. I mean come on, how much money does he need?”
Emma laughed. “I thought the same thing. I’m trying to figure out why he’s still playing. It’s got to be the love of the game.”
“It’s that,” Stacy said. “For sure. Some of it is him not knowing what to do with himself after. He’s so dedicated and puts everything into it.
Without that, he might feel lost. But it was the money.
This last contract was more than he thought it’d be.
Once he won the Super Bowl, he wanted to ride that.
I think if he got a two-year contract, he would have been fine with it. Has he told you his future plans?”
She wasn’t sure if she should say this. “He has. Am I not supposed to know?”
“I’m glad he told you,” Stacy said. “Only another few months and then next year to worry. He needs to just relax some. Even in the off season, he’s never relaxed because, as I said, he’s so focused on one thing in his life.”
“I wondered about that,” Emma said. “I know he spent more time away from home this past spring and summer.”
“Because of you,” Stacy said. “That first week at The Retreat. He only did that because my mother was on his case to pamper himself some. She knows he likes to read and chill out and he never does. I think he compromised by staying close to home so he didn’t have to deal with airports and large quantities of people. ”
“And he got spoiled there,” she said. “The Retreat isn’t just a wedding destination. It’s a great place to vacation.”
“Spoiled in a lot of ways,” Stacy said. “He got to meet you.”
“One of those fate things on the island. Not that I’ve said that to your brother.”
Emma was laughing. She hadn’t said it to anyone.
She didn’t need her family busting on her about it, but she knew they were all thinking it anyway.
Funny how it took so long to hit her when she was the romance writer in the family.
Though no one thought of her as romantic just because she wrote it.
“The gang is all here,” Roark said, coming into the room followed by the rest of her family. “Do you have the food ordered?”
“It’s all ordered,” she said. “Come in and I’ll introduce everyone, you can all eat, and then we get to watch my boyfriend kick some ass.”
Emma stopped herself from adding that she’d take care of him later tonight when he was sore and tired.
Her family would think she’d grown two heads, but Stacy was right—Warren needed a break.