Chapter Twelve - Kayla
Kayla
”You made it!” I greet Josh with a smile and walk into his outstretched arms for a hug. I’m not a fan of touching, but I mean . . . he’s done a lot of touching with me. At this point, hugging him feels natural.
He arrived in Philly yesterday and I asked him if he”d come to the stadium so we could hang out without having to be all paranoid about paparazzi finding me and painting me as a cheater. Everyone might be supportive of Asher and me, but I know how quickly the masses’ opinion about a celebrity can change.
The security for this game is so tight, there is no way anyone with an unapproved camera could make their way inside the stadium, so meeting here seems like the safest choice. I even waited for him at the entrance, collecting him so he wouldn”t get lost in the backstage labyrinth.
”It”s like a maximum security prison here,” he jokes and closes his arms around me and hugs me tightly. ”Thank God, they didn”t frisk me. Although, looking at your security guy right over there—” He points at a tanned guy with tattoos standing by the entrance with his arms crossed in front of his chest, making his biceps bulge. “—he can frisk me all he wants.”
”I was just about to say, knowing you, you would have been into that,” I joke against his shirt and let him go. He looks great. More refreshed than I was the day after my flight here. ”How was your flight?”
”Long. Tiring. Only slightly turbulent,” he replies, and I start walking towards the cafeteria. The coffee here sucks but they have delicious cake.
Millie and I have a long lunch break today since Mike has some important appointment in the middle of the day. He didn”t tell us what kind exactly, but I suspect he’s negotiating with another client.
This gig doesn’t last forever, so of course he’d need to get ready for his next gig, so no problem from Millie’s and my side. I hope it goes well; he seemed tense this morning. ”But the pilot was hot, so I forgive her.”
”So noble of you,” I say with an eye roll, and he nudges me with his shoulder. I know that he’s all talk. He finds everyone hot, but it’s not like he earnestly tries to get everyone to sleep with him. Otherwise, he would already have tried to chat up Millie, Mike and about ninety percent of our security team.
”Now, enough about me.” He links his arm with mine as we turn a corner. I freeze for a second. That’s a friendly gesture, right? It’s innocent enough to not seem romantic to an outsider, right? ”Tell me all about that boyfriend of yours.”
”The boyfriend can tell you himself.” Asher”s booming voice suddenly comes from behind us. Both of us freeze, shooting each other a glance from the corner of our eyes before we drop our arms and turn around simultaneously.
”Hey, man, so good to meet you.” Josh’s face breaks into a wide smile and he takes a step towards Asher, offering him his hand.
”Likewise,” Asher answers but his whole body language reveals his lie. A deep wrinkle has formed between his eyebrows and his jaw is tense, his muscles straining as he shakes Josh”s hand. I’m surprised he doesn’t squash it in his grip. “You must be Josh.”
”Oh, he knows my name,” Josh says with excited wide eyes and a happy grin on his face. ”Sorry, I”m a huge fan, Kayla, would you mind?” He pushes his phone into my hands without even looking at me and poses next to Asher without waiting for an answer.
God, Josh is the best.
I can see Asher wants to stay angry, his jaw is ticking, but it’s obvious that he’s trying to fight a grin, not anger.
That”s Josh”s superpower. He might overstep lines like it’s an Olympic sport and he’s chasing the gold medal, but nobody can stay angry with him for long. It”s just not possible. He”s such a sunshine, he even got me to warm up to him and that takes some skill and serious patience.
”Smile, Asher,” I tell him with a small grin and narrow eyes. ”You know that thing where you lift the corners of your mouth and don”t glare?”
I snap a picture of the two of them and another one when Asher”s face relaxes for a moment, as he seems to forget that he”s angry.
Fuck him, though. If anyone here has a right to be angry, it”s me. I”m still not over the first impression of his parents being me in sweaty workout clothes, probably with a beet red face and sweat running down my neck.
”Can I steal mygirlfriend for a second?” Asher asks as soon as Josh takes his phone back from me and nods, deeming the pictures okay.
”Huh? Of course.”
”You know, you could just ask the girlfriend, Honey,” I say, crossing my arms in front of my chest and shooting him a glare.
”Ohhh, you”re in trouble,” Josh laughs and claps Asher”s shoulder. ”I”ll pray for you.” Then he turns to me. “Tell me where I can wait for you?”
“The cafeteria is just around that corner, then another left.” I point to where we were headed, and he gives me a thumbs up.
”Appreciate it,” Asher grits out, and with a little wave over his shoulder and an amused grin towards me, Josh wanders off.
”What the fuck is he doing here?” Asher demands with a hiss as soon as he’s out of earshot and I roll my eyes at him.
”I told you Josh was coming and I”d be meeting with him,” I say defensively, then stop myself. Why the hell am I getting defensive about meeting Josh?
”I thought we said we”re playing this as exclusive?” Asher asks, raising his eyebrow at me, a muscle in his jaw ticking.
I exhale a deep sigh and cross my arms in front of my chest.
”Did you see me climb him like a tree? The two of us making out?” Fury races through my veins and I force myself to take a deep breath and lower my voice. ”I am perfectly capable of being friends with men.”
”I don”t care who you’re friends with, but I care what it looks like.”
”Linking arms is the new kiss or what? So I couldn’t walk around linking arms with Millie is what you’re saying?” He takes a sharp breath and rolls his eyes, but I raise my chin defiantly. ”You”re overreacting, Asher. Let it go. I’ll link arms with whoever I damned please.”
”I won”t let it go,” he spits and shifts his weight to his other leg.
”So, is that the only reason you had him go on ahead? Marking your territory?” I step closer, looking straight into his eyes as I dare him to answer.
”No,” he says more softly, his shoulders sagging. “That’s not the reason. Van wants us to go to a football game this weekend.”
I groan and lay my head back. At least he’s changing the topic but there is nothing more boring I can imagine than having to watch a football game.
It”s bad enough I”ll have to do it for this charity match and fake my enthusiasm. I”m not exactly fighting for the chance to do it in my free time.
”Do I have to?” I push a strand of hair behind my ear, then pinch the bridge of my nose.
”Yes.” A hint of amusement washes over his face when he sees my disdain. ”We need to sell this whole thing and we can”t do that by not being seen together in public.”
”I mean we could,” I say but I know how ridiculous that sounds. We’re trying to fool the media after all. “Alright,” I concede and rub a circle between my eyebrows. Fuck, I”m getting a headache. ”How about you send me the details, while I continue to hang out with my friend.”
”Okay,” he spits out. His jaw tenses again as he bites the inside of his cheek.
”Glad we’re on the same page,” I can’t help but grit out and turn right around, walking back to Josh who has made himself comfortable at one of the tables, checking out everyone who enters through the door. I make a beeline to the buffet and get us some cake.
”Did your keeper give his permission?” he asks amusedly when I reach the table and I shoot him a glare as I sit down next to him the two plates, very seriously contemplating not sharing.
”Do I look like I need permission for anything?”
”You”re right.” He raises his arms defensively. ”Sorry, sorry. Your new man is jealous as fuck.”
”I mean, you are someone I”ve slept with.” I shrug. If Asher were my actual boyfriend, I”d even understand his behavior. Jealousy would at least make sense.
But he isn”t. He won”t be. Maybe his acting just fooled me, but why would he continue with Josh out of earshot?
”Touché. But don”t worry, I won”t attempt to seduce you or anything. Only public meetings.” He holds up his hand, palm facing me. ”Scout’s honor.”
”You weren”t in the scouts, it means nothing,” I chuckle and shake my head at him, shooting Asher a glare as he walks through the cafeteria to his manager who’s buried behind a laptop screen on the other side of the room.
”Alright, let”s go,” I say with a sigh as I climb into Asher”s car, met with a cold silence. Oh boy, he’s still angry. This is the first time that he didn”t open or close the car door for me. Because I met with Josh this one time?
Seriously, does he think I hooked up with him in one of the stinky locker rooms or what is his problem?
”I got you a jersey,” he says, eerily composed, and nods towards his back seat. I sigh when I see the red and white fabric crumpled in the middle seat. ”Wear it.”
”I might if you say please.” I raise my eyebrow at him and see his whole body move with a deep annoyed sigh as his fingers flex around the steering wheel.
”Please.”
He peels out of his parking spot and drives us out of the parking garage as I reach back there, unfolding the fabric to see what I’m dealing with.
The damned jacket is way too big for me, and I close my eyes, realizing exactly what he or Van or whoever bought this thing is doing.
It”s supposed to look like I”m wearing his clothes. Innocent enough, right? But combined with the lack of communication about it, I’m livid.
Only a few more weeks. Less than two months and everything is done. I can wear this damned jacket as long as I keep reminding myself that it”s going to be over soon.
With another big sigh, I pull it on before I buckle my seatbelt.
The drive goes by slowly and silently as he broods and I try to come up with a plan to get revenge for him ambushing me with this damned jacket.
It’s ridiculous, such a mundane thing to be angry about, but that doesn’t stop me.
If he”d let me know before, I definitely would have worn clothes that fit the team colors. Now I look like an idiot, dressed in all black and then a bright red and white jacket. I’m a fashion icon, and I’m going to look ridiculous. I can already see the headlines highlighting my fashion faux pas.
It”s going to take me ages and a few pleading calls to my stylist to redeem myself.
Just as we arrive at the stadium, I get an idea. Oh, he’s not going to like this.
But I don’t give a fuck. As he parks the car, I rummage in my handbag, and when he turns the car off, I have my lipstick in my hand.
”Look here for a second,” I demand, and he does, his eyes narrow and suspicion wrinkling his forehead. I swipe the pad of my thumb over the bright red lipstick, then smudge it on his lips. And his cheek for good measure.
”What the fuck?” He jerks back and looks at me with anger simmering in his eyes.
”Payback,” I point out nonchalantly and put the cap back on my lipstick. ”You want me to wear clothes that look like they”re yours? You can look like we”ve had a make out session.”
Without asking, I reach my hand out and pull a few strands of his hair from his bun, then pull at his top knot a bit to make it crooked. Finally I reach up to my own lips and smudge my lipstick in the corner of my mouth and run my hands through my hair.
”Alright, we can go.”
”You”re trouble.” For the first time today, I hear him chuckle and he shakes his head at my antics.
”No shit, Sherlock.” I roll my eyes and jump out of the car, not even giving him the chance to get to my door.
We’re in the car park for workers and VIPs so thank God, there are no photographers around yet. He grabs a hat from his backseat and rounds the car until he reaches me, then puts it on my head and my breath hitches when he”s suddenly so close and touching me, his surprisingly gentle hands softly pulling at a few strands of my hair so they’re not trapped.
Fuck.
He nods, satisfied with how my hair looks under the hat and grabs my hand to pull me after him.
”Slow down, we”re not being followed.” I might almost be as tall as him, but even I have trouble keeping up with these high heels and his quick pace.
”Just want to get this circus over with,” he grumbles but slows his steps until we reach our security team, waiting right by the exit.
”Thank you,” I quip and now finally walk closer to him. He lifts his arm and I slip under it, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And even though I don’t enjoy being touched usually, right now, I’m not going to question this. I’ll do that later, when I’m tossing and turning in bed, wishing Asher to hell. ”Now, act a bit embarrassed.” I’m sure he’ll have no problem doing that.
As soon as the door out of the parking garage opens, we are blinded by camera flashes and deafened by people shouting our names and how they want us to pose, even though we’re walking. God, the entitlement.
I bite my lip and look down to the ground with a small smile, trusting Asher to navigate me through the crowd and our security team to keep them far enough away from us so we can walk.
From the corner of my eyes, I see that he shields his eyes with his other hand as he walks, dodging the bold photographers that jump in front of our feet before our security team pulls them out of our way.
”You know where we have to go, right?” I ask him under my breath.
”I have a rough idea,” he grits out through his smile, turning his head to talk close to my ear so I can hear him over the paparazzi shouting at us.
He makes a sharp right turn, pulls me through a swinging door, and thank fucking God, security that I hadn”t even noticed is keeping the photographers out of here.
God, blissful silence.
”Alright. So, what exactly are we supposed to do here?” I ask quietly when I”m sure no one”s listening, stepping out from under his arm.
”According to Van, enjoy ourselves and show everyone how in love we are,” he says, not sounding too enthusiastic about it.
”Great.” I gulp and sigh. ”Please tell me we have one of those VIP box thingies, though?”
”We do,” he assures me and rolls his shoulders, cocking his head from left to right. ”Van wasn”t too keen on hiring fifty security guys just so we could be in the stands.”
”What a shame,” I say, voice dripping with sarcasm as I trail after him. He finds an elevator, and once inside, I finally start to relax. The worst should be behind us now. At least I hope so.
When we finally arrive at the empty VIP box, I sigh, relieved.
”Are we in here alone?” Oh God, I hope we are. I’m too exhausted to be good company, especially to strangers.
”Huh?” Asher asks, already checking out the drink menu and food that”s set up along one of the walls. God, it smells amazing in here. I can”t wait until it”s socially acceptable to dig in. ”No, the Walker brothers have dibs on this one, but they let us join for today.”
Just as the last word leaves his mouth, the door flies open and a group of very similar looking men walks inside, stopping in their tracks when they see us. Then their faces light up.
”Ayyy, the couple of the year,” one of the younger-looking ones exclaims and walks up to me, extending his hand. ”I”m Reed.”
”Kayla,” I answer, confused, shaking his hand.
”Oh, we know who you are, we just figured you meet too many people to remember everyone,” Reed says with a chuckle and makes space for who I assume are his brothers to introduce themselves.
I remember them. They hang out with Asher and Luca quite a lot during their training. I”m pretty sure I”ve seen them together a lot.
Not that I”m looking at them exercise often. No way. Not me.
”I”m Adam, the oldest.” The next guy steps up to me and holy sex on a stick.
I knew he’s good looking. I’ve seen him in magazines and on the field, albeit from afar. But up close? I fight the urge to fan myself.
His dark hair is starting to pepper in his temples and laugh wrinkles are joined by age-wrinkles, but goddamn, it suits him well. He’s one of those men that age like fine wine. Or cheese. God, I would love some cheese right now.
”I love that you guys introduce each other with your succession,” I say with a giggle, making the guys laugh. The other two introduce themselves as well, but they look so damn similar, even though they assure me they”re not twins, that I already know it”s going to be hard to keep them apart.
All of them greet Asher with a clap on his shoulder before they immediately storm over to the food and pull the chafing dishes where they keep the food warm open, making the heavenly smell in this VIP box intensify.
”I like them already,” I admit to Asher as we watch them build towers on their plates, my hands itching to do the same. ”Thank God I don”t need to wait half an hour out of courtesy until I can start to eat.”
He chuckles and shakes his head at me. ”Courtesy? You? Didn”t think you had that word in your vocabulary.”
”Well, I can assure you, I have a bunch of curses in my vocabulary,” I assure him. ”Dickhead.”
”Come on, let”s get some food.” He turns around and I swear I can hear him mumble, ”Maybe it”ll put you in a better mood.”
A full belly and half a nice, cold beer later, the match finally starts and all of us line up at the glass front of the box to watch it unfold.
”I have no idea what”s going on,” I whisper to Reed, who”s standing to my left, Asher a warm presence to my right, as we all watch what”s happening on the field. I’m the only woman in this room, which sucks, but I’m quickly finding out that the Walker brothers are lovely to hang out with.
”Me neither,” he admits with a soft laugh. In the window’s reflections, I can see his red cheeks without even turning to look at him and I am eighty percent sure he had a beer, or three, more than me already. ”I”m only here for the vibes and I will cheer when my brothers cheer. I’m not even sure which team we’re cheering for.”
”That sounds like a wonderful way to spend the evening.” I giggle and clink my beer against his, then lift it to take a sip. Just in that moment I can see myself on the damned screen showing the audience and sigh.
Why can”t I just watch a damned football game in peace?
But, instead of showing my annoyance, I decide to grab a new red plastic cup with beer and just down it. Maybe the more I drink, the less I will care about being on those fucking screens.
When I”m done with the cup, the camera is on some other celebrity who”s not in our box and I sigh relieved, not noticing the silence that fell in the room.
”I really need another beer.” I sigh and turn to get one.
Suddenly and all at once, all of the guys burst into laughter and I blink at them, utterly confused. ”What’s going on?”
”Really? You”re on camera and you start chugging your beer?”
”I mean, what else am I supposed to do? A handstand? Isn’t chugging your beer something you do when the camera is on you?” I tilt my head, confused as to why they find it so funny.
”It is,” Asher assures me with a proud grin and I slightly relax. I almost thought I”d made a fool of myself. ”Unless it”s during one of the breaks when they”re doing a kiss cam or something. It will say so under the live feed.”
”Well, remind me to go to the bathroom when that happens,” I mumble and turn around. I really need more alcohol.
As the evening goes on, the Walker brothers get drunker and even funnier than they were to begin with. They joke around, sing fan songs I don”t understand in a pitch that makes my toenails curl, and scream and bump against each other when the team we”re cheering on scores a point.
Apparently, it’s the one with red uniform. I definitely could have guessed that, considering I’m wearing their color.
Meanwhile, Asher nurses his lemonade since he insisted on driving, and I have decided that my second beer should probably be the last alcoholic drink for today. With the occasional camera on me, it’s probably best to not make a complete, drunk fool of myself.
”Yoo, look at that mascot!” Reed shouts into my ear and points at the giant screen.
”What is it even supposed to be?” I tilt my head and try to make sense of what I”m looking at. It’s grey and has huge ears, and it’s currently breakdancing. ”Looks like a rat.”
”I think it”s supposed to be a bear,” Asher chimes in, but Reed shakes his head.
”That”s very clearly a meerkat,” he says contemplatively, then he bursts into laughter. ”Shit, I don”t even know anymore.”
”Well, whatever it is, it has some amazing dance moves,” I say with a giggle.
”Look at how that butt jiggles,” Reed points out between laughter, making me laugh even harder in return when I see it.
”Oh my God,” I wheeze, tears springing to my eyes as I bend over, laughter making my stomach hurt.
Whenever I think I can compose myself, Reed bursts into another giggle, making me laugh in return until I”m finally too out of breath to continue. The alcohol doesn’t help either. I turn away from Reed, hoping it will help, when I see movement from the corner of my eyes.
”Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” All four of the Walker brothers start chiming, their arms in the air and to my shock I realize Asher and I are actually on the kiss-cam and all humor leaves me at once.
Oh, come on.
I want to run away. God, I wish the ground would just open up in a hole I can jump right into. I don’t even know where it leads, as long as it gets me out of here.
But it doesn”t. And I can”t just turn away and run; that would mean all of this fucking charade was for nothing.
Asher lays his warm hand on my cheek and turns my head until I face him, leaning closer.
“Let’s give them what they want, shall we?” he asks lowly, his breath feathering across my face. His eyes search my face, looking for my answer.
He”s giving me the option to say no.
But I can”t say no. My heart pounds so loudly I hear it over the cheers and my blood turns to ice when I realize it.
I don”t want to say no.
So, I give him the slightest nod. For Millie, I remind myself. I”m doing this for my best friend. No deeper meaning. Just this charade.
His face moves closer until I can see each line, each little speck of golden color in his eyes until I can”t bear it anymore, the whole moment too intense to bear witness to. My eyes flutter close, and before I know it, his lips brush against mine.
The Walker brothers burst into cheers, and I”m sure this little peck of a kiss is already enough to satisfy a curious audience, but I lay my hand at Asher’s hip, fingers clinging to his shirt. His hand tangles in my hair, keeping my head right there, as he nudges my lips with his tongue until I grant him entrance.
I’m so fucked. No, really.
I figured Asher could kiss. If you talk big about your skills in bed the way he did, you really better know what you’re doing. And I hate to admit it, but he does.
I never thought that a simple kiss would sweep me off my feet like this. Never in my wildest dreams.
His hand wanders down the side of my throat, and then it’s on the small of my back, pulling me closer to him.
”Fuck,” I whisper into the kiss before he captures my lips again and all I can do is hold onto him.