13. Grace
Waking up the next morning, I can’t help but have a smile on my face. Last night was unexpected but in the best way possible. Matt may have given me just what I wanted, but I gave him even more.
Getting up from the bed, I find my clothes for the flight home and get dressed. Walking into the small kitchen area to see Matt reading something on his iPad with a scowl on his face.
Grabbing a cup off the counter and fixing my coffee, I make my way over to where he sits, still with a look of disgust on his face.
“You know if you keep looking like that your face is gonna be like that permanently,” I say, sitting down across from him.
Looking up, he pushes the iPad to me so that I can see what has him scowling this early in the morning. A newspaper article that claims our marriage is a joke is trending online, and I can’t help but laugh when I read it.
“Did Matt McCall marry Grace Miller just to make a name for himself in NASCAR or is it the real deal, guess time will tell?” the headline reads.
Skimming the article—its so obviouse it’s a fluff piece, one used to get clicks on the internet. Literally none of it makes sense, and you can tell someone pulled all this from their ass.
“Matt, you have got to be kidding me. This is what’s causing that gorgeous face of yours to scowl this morning. You’re joking, right?” Pushing my coffee away, I get up to stand beside him.
Grabbing his face, I pull him to look at me.
“Cowboy, this story is nothing. Did you read it? It’s false. If you want the real one out there, then we need to tell it. When we get home, make a joint statement on our new joint Instagram page. That way, people get it from us and not from what they think they might know.”
Leaning down, I kiss him, wanting to deepen the kiss so that he can tell that my emotions are starting to come into play as we get closer. Last night changed things between us. The only problem is, am I willing to give this playboy my entire heart? Pulling away from our kiss, I look into his beautiful eyes. “Come on, we need to get to the plane before it leaves without us.”
Walking out to the waiting car, Matt follows behind me. I can tell that the article has really rattled him. Granted, I get that a lot is on the line for him this season. He needs to do great and keep his head down. That’s why the next two months are so important, especially with his contract at Mac coming up for renewal and the season finishing up.
I think to myself that the press is going to come and go but it’s what you turn it into that sticks with people. And being in PR, that’s just what I’m going to do. They want a love story, well then, we are going to give them one for the ages.
As we make our way up the steps of the jet, I smile as I see Tinley and Ryan already in their seats, ready to leave. Tinley raises her dark eyebrow at me as I sit down across from her. The girl has this natural ability to see when something is different. Most times, I’m the one to give her shit about things, but I know it’s time for the tables to turn.
I feel a blush come across my face and neck. I can’t face my best friend now. But I can feel her eyes on me. Just as Matt comes to sit beside me, my phone dings.
Tin:
Well, if this isn’t the walk of shame, I don’t know what is. (Winking emoji)
Me:
Don’t know what you’re talking about. (Laughing emoji)
Tin:
Oh, Mrs. McCall, you had a lot of fun last night after that win. Don’t worry, once we get in the air, we’ll be having a talk because I want details.
Me:
(face-palm emoji)
Tin:
And great job hiding that mark on your neck. (Laughing emoji)
Pulling my camera mode up on my phone, I search my neck to see what she’s talking about, and sure as fuck, he left a mark on me for all the world to see. I was so focused on that article this morning that I forgot to check my neck and cover up this bite that I knew was there last night.
Hearing her laugh beside me, I can’t help but give her a WTF look. I know she’s enjoying this a little too much.
I smack Matt in the arm and turn to him.
“Ouch, what the hell, woman? What did I do now?”
“Have you seen my fucking neck; it looks like a lion mauled me!”
“Not my fault this lion wanted to mark what’s his,” he says, coming close to my ear, making goosebumps run along my arm.
“Ugh, you are such a cave dweller.” I turn to face him. “You mark my neck again, and I’ll castrate you where you stand. I have a job where I’m in front of major people daily. I do not need to cover up marks on my neck each day.”
“Wife, you’re mine, and I’ll mark you every day to keep others away if that’s what it takes to make them see that.”
Rolling my eyes, I lean back in my chair as the flight attendants come over the intercom. They tell us we’re getting ready to take off.