Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
NATALIE
My stomach buzzed with a mixture of excitement and nerves as Rhett and I pulled up to the venue of tonight’s charity event. The valet opened my door, and I stepped out, smoothing a hand down my pink dress. It was short with a graceful fit that still looked classy. Best of all, it was comfortable.
Rhett rounded the truck in a dark suit that looked custom-tailored to fit him perfectly. His dark brown hair was styled, taming whatever little wave he had. He looked every bit of the NFL playboy that the media made him out to be.
“How come your parents won’t be here tonight?” I asked as we made our way up the grand steps of the hotel.
I assumed his entire family would want to support him, but I overheard him talking to his sister on the phone when he picked me up from the spa earlier.
“My folks are in Washington for a White House event. My brother had a prior engagement, and my sister has the flu. This is the first year where my family has had to miss it. ”
He didn’t seem all that upset, but this was a big deal to him, and I would think they would want to be there.
“It doesn’t bother you?”
“Nah, everyone has their own lives. This event is about raising money for the mission. They sent their donations in, and tonight is about focusing on the people that are here rather than the people who aren’t.”
This was the sixth year in a row that the tickets have been sold out. According to Rylee, the event continued to get bigger and bigger. He was downplaying the impact he made. The money coming in tonight wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for him.
“Well, judging by how many tickets were sold, I think tonight is going to be a huge success. That should make you feel good.”
He gave me a modest shrug. “I haven’t really done anything. Rylee has done most of the planning. All I’m doing is bringing my pretty boy face and charming the guests.”
I raised an eyebrow, giving him a playful nudge. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re the reason all these people are here tonight.”
He chuckled. “You make me sound like I’m some kind of superhero.”
“I bet to some people you are.”
He shook his head. “Maybe I’ll add that into my speech tonight.”
“You better.”
He looked at me, his eyes softening. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“So am I.” I squeezed his hand briefly before he opened the door for me.
When we stepped inside, the ballroom was alive with chatter and laughter. As we made our way through the crowd, people approached Rhett from all angles. I was so busy watching him charm his way through conversations that I almost forgot to snap a few photos. He chatted easily with each guest who approached him, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride in my chest.
There were only a handful of people I recognized, so I excused myself and made my way to the other ballroom, where we were holding the auction later in the night.
Instead of having items on the table for people to bid on, I convinced Rhett to have a live auction. I thought it would be more fun and engaging, and Rylee agreed.
Speak of the devil. When I rounded the corner, Rylee and JP were walking toward me.
I set my champagne down and slipped my phone out to get a few close-up shots.
“You look stunning,” I said, admiring the emerald-green dress that clung to her in all the right places. A few men had turned their heads and were having a hard time looking away.
JP snaked an arm around her waist and glared at the group in tuxedos who were caught staring.
“Like you’re one to talk.” She smiled so I could snap a couple more pictures. “Where is the man of the hour?”
“He’s mingling.” I clicked on the screen and tucked my phone back in my clutch.
“Good to see you, Natalie.” JP’s eyes darted around, seeming impressed. “It looks like you guys are going to be bringing in the big bucks tonight.”
“I hope so.” I picked up my glass of champagne. “Your fiancée did all the work. She deserves all the credit.”
He looked down at her with affection. “Rylee is the best, but I think you’re being modest. I heard you were able to get one of the hottest chefs in Atlanta to donate his services. ”
“It was nothing.” I smiled at how easy and friendly he was. “I just threw my uncle’s name around and did a little sweet talking.”
“How much sweet talking?” Rhett stepped up to my side and raised an eyebrow.
“Enough for him to say yes.” I gave him a coy smile and blinked up at him. It was hard not to admire every six-foot two inches of him and the way his suit hugged his broad shoulders.
“Maybe you should save some of that sweet talking for me.” He pinched my side playfully.
Rylee glanced around while sipping her wine. “This place is gorgeous. It might just make me change my mind about an outdoor wedding.”
“Have you guys set a date yet?” I asked them as she played with the engagement ring on her finger. They have been going back and forth because Rylee wanted a fall wedding, and JP wanted it to happen before the season started so all his friends could be there.
“We’re getting closer.” She rested her head against JP’s shoulder.
A pang of jealousy hit my chest just from watching them. I shouldn’t feel it. I shouldn’t be thinking about how there were times when I wished my marriage was real or that Rhett would look at me the same way JP looked at Rylee.
My phone dinged with a notification, so I dug it out of my clutch and glanced at the screen. “I’m sorry. Will you guys excuse me for a minute? I need to grab the auction paddles for later.”
“Need any help?” Rylee asked, stepping forward.
“Nope.” I squeezed her arm. “You have already done enough, so try to enjoy yourself. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I turned and started walking toward the service elevators, smiling and greeting guests as they passed by. I didn’t want to be running back and forth all night, so I reviewed my checklist to ensure I didn’t forget anything.
I grabbed the paddles off the shelf and went down the long corridor. Just as I was rounding a corner, I bumped into someone.
“Shit,” I said, watching the paddles land all over the floor. “I’m so sorry.” I looked up at the woman scowling at me.
She placed her hands on her hips. “Watch where you’re going.”
I squinted my eyes, trying to pinpoint where I knew her from, but she stormed away before I could get a word in. I was impressed that she could even move that fast, seeing how tight her dress was. Normally, I would lecture her on treating people with kindness, but I didn’t have time to deal with petty people today.
I leaned down, started shoving all the paddles back in the bin, and hurried toward the ballroom. Once everything was organized, I turned and collided with a muscular chest.
“Jesus,” I cursed. Rhett instinctively wrapped his arms around me and held me in place.
“What are you doing?” I stepped back once I gained my footing.
“I just wanted a minute alone with you,” he whispered.
I tilted my head to the side, noticing he seemed a little off. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I just needed a break. Everyone wants to talk to me, and when they’re not, they’re staring.”
I laughed. “I thought you enjoyed the spotlight?”
He looked off to the side, never settling on one spot for too long. His tension was obvious. “I’m not sure how to answer that. This charity means everything to me. It’s the securing sponsors and rubbing elbows part that stresses me out. It reminds me of being forced to attend fundraisers for my dad. I hated every second of that part of my life. But I know all this is necessary to ensure the charity’s success.”
I grabbed his hand in mine as chatter and laughter could be heard outside the double doors. “I understand this might not be your favorite part, but you are making an incredible impact, and these people just want to support you.”
He nodded. “Speaking of support, I appreciate all the extra work you put in. You’ve gone above and beyond.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I am happy to help you in whatever way I can. I’m proud of you.”
His eyes shined with warmth. “You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now.”
“I would like that too, but I think people would get the wrong idea about us.” I glanced around to make sure no one could see us.
He slipped a hand around the back of my neck. “You should be more afraid of people getting the right idea about us.” He leaned in close and angled his mouth right at my lips. “Now, open that mouth for me, wife.”
My breath hitched as his knuckles slowly drifted across my cheek. My brain was acutely aware of how dangerous this was. Anyone could walk in, but my body said the hell with it.
I gripped his suit jacket, not giving a damn that we were pressing our luck and could get caught at any moment.
My lips parted open, and a soft moan came out. His mouth moved slowly against mine, in a rhythm that overwhelmed my senses. The gentle pressure and the slight teasing of his tongue made me acutely aware of every little detail. The warmth of his breath, the smell of his cologne and the way his palm burned through my skin. Kissing him felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Little by little, he’s been stealing pieces of my heart, making it impossible to even think about leaving him when our month was up. It was crazy how much I wanted to abandon my responsibilities and give this thing with him a real shot.
Rhett walked me backward until I was against a wall. He shoved his legs in between my thighs. “Why does kissing you always feel so good?” His voice came out in pants as he rained kisses across my face. “Why does touching you drive me crazy?”
I didn’t know, but if he kept talking like that, we would end up doing a lot more than kissing.
One of the doors started to push open. Rhett turned around, and I brought my trembling hand to my mouth. He glanced back at me over his shoulder and watched me adjust my dress and attempt to fix my hair. I didn’t need a mirror to know that I looked like a hot mess.
A woman in a tight, black, sequined dress strode our way. I recognized her immediately. It was the lady with the snotty attitude from earlier, the one who bumped into me and left me to pick up the auction paddles after scolding me about not paying attention to my surroundings.
She clutched her wineglass and gave me a once-over. The diamonds along her wrist glistened under the chandelier. She was dripping in money, and I didn’t like to judge, but she looked like a stuck-up snob who was fed with a silver spoon her entire life.
“Rhett.” She slid up next to him with an exaggerated sway to her hips. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Claire, I had no idea you would be here tonight.” He shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep her at arm’s length .
Ah, this was the woman from the restaurant—the one his mom was trying to set him up with. Everything was starting to make sense.
“Of course, I would be here, silly. I love supporting your little cause.” She lingered against his arm, eyeing me curiously. “I was actually coming to find you to see if you wanted to dance.”
His eyes flickered to mine briefly, and he offered her a polite smile. “I appreciate the support tonight, but as far as the dance, I’m a little busy at the moment.”
Her smile never faltered. “You need to find time for fun. I miss the old Rhett. Life is too short to be all work and no play.”
Clearly, they had some type of history. How much, I wasn’t sure, but we would be having a conversation later.
Rhett cleared his throat and motioned for me to come over and rescue him. “There is someone I want you to meet.” His shoulders relaxed slightly when I stepped up to him. “Claire, this is Natalie, Natalie, this is Claire. She’s a family friend.”
Her face contorted into something sour at that introduction. “I’m also an old friend of Rhett’s too, isn’t that right?” She reached out and pulled on his tie so she could run her fingers through it. “And let’s not forget the benefits part.”
Rhett’s eyes met mine, silently pleading for patience.
I took a deep breath, doing my best to stay composed. I couldn’t stake any type of claim on him without causing a scene, but seeing her openly flirt with him and not being able to say anything was driving me crazy.
“Is that so?” I stepped closer, feeling my disdain for the woman override my common sense. I plucked her hand off him. “Funny, he’s never mentioned you before. ”
She pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Aren’t you the worker who knocked me over earlier?”
“You mean, am I the one you bumped into, causing me to drop everything and pick it all up by myself? Yes. That was me.”
Her smile tightened. Oh, she didn’t like that very much.
She let out a light laugh that didn’t reach her eyes. “Right. I’m sure you have work to do, so if you wouldn’t mind giving us a minute alone, that would be great.” She drained the rest of her champagne and held it out for me to take. “I could use another glass. Would you mind running to the bar and grabbing me a refill?”
Thankfully, Rhett stepped in, saving me from causing a scene.
“Claire.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m going to be honest with you for a second. I know you are hoping for something more between us, but that’s not going to happen. I’ve tried to be polite, but it seems that hasn’t been clear enough. You need to stop letting my mother plant ideas in your head.”
She blinked, clearly thrown off. “Do you really think this is an appropriate conversation we should be having in front of one of your employees?”
Ouch!
I cleared my throat. “Technically, Rhett isn’t my boss. I work for the Arrows, but it’s my job to stay by his side and make sure he stays on task tonight.” I smiled sweetly, but my tone was icy enough to warn her not to mess with me.
Her eyes narrowed. “So, what are you? His personal manager?”
“Among other things, yes,” I replied with a forced smile.
Rhett glanced toward the door to make sure no one was paying attention. “I don’t want to make things more awkward, but I hope I made myself clear on where I stand.” He motioned for me to start walking toward the main ballroom. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to get ready for the auction. I hope you enjoy the evening, and thanks again for your support.”
Rhett guided me down the hallway to a small room away from the noise and prying eyes. “I’m sorry about that. She just wouldn’t take a hint.”
“I know,” I said, softly noticing how tired he looked. “But you were honest. That’s all that matters.”
He nodded, his gaze softening. “I needed her to understand that there was no chance. Not now, and not ever.”
I shook my head. “I think you made your point. You handled it perfectly. I’m the one who lost my shit.”
He chuckled, keeping his voice low. “This is getting harder, and I think we are both getting sick of pretending, so I’m ready to quit playing games when you are.”
“This isn’t a game to me.” I sighed heavily. Didn’t he realize that I was already feeling too much too quickly? That I was so damn scared that I couldn’t see straight.
“Then why are we putting ourselves through this?” he asked, searching my eyes for an answer.
“Because I’m scared of getting hurt again and I’m trying to be smart about how we move forward.”
His expression softened, and he grabbed my hand. “I get it, but being afraid doesn’t mean you have to let the fear control you. We’re in this together, remember?”
The faint sound of voices started seeping through the doors, breaking through our little bubble.
I sighed. “We need to get back out there before people come looking for us. ”
He kissed my lips gently. “Fine, but this conversation isn’t over.”
I stepped into the main ballroom, where the auction was in full swing. Everywhere I looked, legendary players and coaches from all the different teams filled the room. The sound of hushed whispers and occasional bursts of laughter filled my ears. If it weren’t for Rylee talking nonstop about how they were “some of the greatest players of all time” I never would have known who half of these people were.
“Our first item up for bid is a signed helmet by a nine-time pro bowler, three-time Super Bowl champ, and five-time most valuable player, Maverick Cross.”
Applause erupted, and I spotted two eager bidders with their paddles shaking in their hands. There was going to be so much money raised tonight from all the signed helmets, jerseys, and exclusive meet-and-greet packages. Rhett could downplay his role all he wanted, but the truth was, he was making a real difference in the community.
“Let’s kick off the bidding at one thousand dollars.” Paddles were thrust in the air, each one a challenge to the previous bid. The auction was swiftly turning into a fierce contest.
“Going once, twice, three times.” The auctioneer pounded the gravel. “Sold for fifteen thousand dollars to the man in the third row. Congratulations.” The crowd clapped, and my eyes caught Rhett’s from across the room. A smile lit up his entire face as he sipped his champagne.
The sports world might have painted him as a carefree party boy, but beneath that image was a man of substance.
Everywhere I looked, people were smiling and enjoying themselves. Rhett poured his heart and soul into this charity, and it was touching to see his NFL family show up to support him.
The next item up for bid was a beautiful gold necklace with an opal pendant donated by a local jeweler. I was tempted to join the bidding war, but with my new car payments and trying to save up for my own place, I needed to be responsible with my cash.
Rhett walked over to a silver-haired man sitting on an aisle seat in the second row and whispered in his ear. They spoke briefly while the man nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on the stage. My brows squinted together, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it as I made my rounds around the room, snapping pictures while trying to stay out of the way. I needed to make sure I had enough photos and video content to put together later.
It wasn’t until I turned my attention back to the stage that I realized the necklace went for ten thousand dollars to the man Rhett had just spoken to.
My eyes went to my sneaky husband, who simply winked back at me.
The crowd applauded before a hush fell over the room as the final item of the evening arrived on stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat for you. Our final item up for bid is an exclusive date with Atlanta’s most eligible bachelor, star tight end, six-time pro bowler, and four-time all-pro Rhett Daniels from the Atlanta Arrows. He holds the most receiving yards in the league and would be a great catch for a local hometown girl.”
Rhett sauntered across the stage with a playful grin as he waved to the crowd.
My stomach dropped when I spotted Claire. I tried to focus on taking pictures, but the worry was eating away at me. I knew I couldn’t afford to bid on him myself, and if I did, it would only cause a scene.
The bidding started at five thousand dollars and quickly rose to twenty, with Claire having the last active bid. A lump started to grow in my throat, and I had to remind myself that this was for charity.
I stood back, fully prepared for Claire to win, but at the last second, Rylee stood up and raised her paddle. “Fifty thousand dollars.”
I turned sharply, my eyes locking onto hers. What the hell was she doing, and why was JP not stopping her?
“Sold!” Rylee gave me a triumphant smile. It was so big, it practically split her cheeks.
Claire, on the other hand, dropped in her seat, crossed her arms, and glared at everyone around her.
Guess she wasn’t used to things not going her way. Welcome to the real world, sweetheart.
Rhett exited the stage, and my head spun.
I waited until most of the people started to disperse before I walked across the room and stepped into his personal space. “What is going on?”
He pulled on his tie and looked around, playing stupid. “I have no idea what you mean?”
I whacked him on the shoulder. “I have so many questions, but let’s start with the big one. Why did Rylee bid on a date with you?”
He motioned for me to follow him backstage, which was more private, and watched as the guests started to depart and head back toward the bar.
“I paid her so I wouldn’t have to worry about being auctioned off.”
“You did?” I blinked, trying to make sense of this. “Wasn’t that the whole point?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “If I’m going on a date with anyone, it’s going to be with you. I didn’t want to leave it up to chance and end up with Claire.”
I looked up at him with wide eyes. “So, you donated your own money to keep yourself from being bought?”
“I did. I also got you something.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a tiny object, and handed it to me.
As soon as he placed it in my hand, I already knew what it was.
Tears pricked my eyes. “You bought this for me?”
I held up the gold chain and admired the opal pendant. The chain was delicate, like it could break easily, but I knew, based on what he paid for it, that it was solid gold. My thumb rubbed circles around the opal as it dangled in the air.
“I saw you eyeing it from across the room, so I had to get it for you.”
There was a lump in my throat, making it hard to speak. “It’s too much.”
He squeezed my hand. “I disagree. It’s not enough.”
“Why did you buy this for me?” I stammered, feeling my thoughts scatter like a pile of leaves blowing in the wind. I had no idea what was happening, all I could do was stand still and try to keep my brain from short-circuiting.
“Because I feel something for you, and I know you feel it too.” He said, and lifted my hair up so he could fasten the necklace around my neck. “And there is nothing I won’t do to show you how serious I am about you.”
I couldn’t focus. His words wrapped around me like a vise, suffocating me and taking away my ability to breathe. He was right; I felt it, too, but I was terrified to admit it.
My vision blurred with tears as I played with the pendant around my neck. At that moment, I realized that I had just fallen head over heels in love with my husband.