Chapter 43 #2
“Details, Diaz. Now close my case. Please and thank you.” I chuckle as I open it up and rearrange a few things before closing it, and the zip smoothly goes around. “Show off.” She nudges my hip with hers, and just because I can, I bend down and take her lips in a chaste kiss.
“Now, we better get a move on,” I say as we wheel our cases out of the room. Shutting the door behind us, I clasp her hand in mine and squeeze. “You good?” The words I asked her after we arrived now have a different meaning.
“Yeah. Really good.” She pulls me towards the elevator.
As we exit the elevator in reception, I expect her to drop my hand, but she doesn’t.
We stroll straight through the reception until we reach the desk to check out.
Lily catches the eye of the young waitress from our first day.
“I’ll be back in a moment.” She kisses my cheek before she leaves.
I watch as she embraces the young girl and reaches into her carry-on on pulling out an England strip with her name on the back.
I notice she has signed it and I’m beaming as she walks back towards me.
“That was nice of you.”
“I asked Leanne after the game if she could get me another England shirt, and of course, that woman can make anything happen.” She looks back at the waitress, who is smiling so big as she shows the rest of the waiting staff what Lily has given her. “And that look on her face was worth it.”
“You’re a good person, you know that, right?”
She shrugs.
“You are. Never doubt that.”
As we walk out of the hotel, I wrap my arm around her shoulder, hooking her into my side. She smiles up at me, and I kiss her forehead, just as a flash comes from the right. “Not again,” I growl.
“Marcus? Lily? Care to comment on your relationship?” A reporter who is completely different to the reporter at the start of the tournament comes forward.
She holds a recorder to our faces. “Everyone has been following you both throughout the tournament, and this looks like their wishes are coming true. You’re together? ”
Lily smiles up at me before she answers. “Yeah, we’re together.” I kiss the tip of her nose before she turns back to the reporter.
“But I still hate him.”
Harris - Operation Lily Love worked! I'd best be best man at your wedding.
Marcus - Why are you the way you are?
Harris - I have no idea what you mean.
Marcus - You’re insane.
Harris - But you are in love with Lily?
Marcus - Completely.
“The tournament was a triumph in every sense of the word.” Damen smirks at me from across his desk on Monday morning.
“It was. The ratings are higher than they have ever been, and obviously, I’m pleased with Spain’s win.”
“Yes, there is all of that, but also, you and our very own Lily Chambers.” He raises his eyebrow at me. “Together?”
He throws today's newspaper down in front of me, and I read the article.
And underneath is a picture of us leaving the hotel. My arm is tightly wrapped around Lily, who looks up at me like I hung the moon and the stars.
I smile at Damen when I place the newspaper back down. “Nothing more to say really. We’re together.” I shrug.
“I knew it would work.”
“What would work?” I frown at him.
“Putting you two together in such close proximity. You were always fighting and at each other's throats, but there was always something there. I saw it, and I wasn’t the only one, so we decided to put you together.”
“You tried to play matchmaker?” My voice rises slightly because, what the fuck?
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“Well, yes but—”
“And if it didn’t work, we would still get great TV, so it was always going to be a win-win situation.
Anyway, what I’ve actually brought you in for today is something completely different.
” He changes the subject so quickly, my mind reels.
“You know, before you left, I was in talks with Thomas and Hunter Stone at Bright Investments about widening the network? I nod absentmindedly. “Well, they accepted. We’re moving forward, and we want you as the lead presenter. You’ll be the face of our dedicated football channel. ”
That grabs my attention.
“You’re kidding?” Excitement vibrates through me because this is incredible. “I’ve got so many ideas.”
“We thought you might.” He grins as he leans back in his chair, assessing me. “We’re having drinks Friday night with Thomas and Hunter to discuss everything, along with the rest of the directors. We want you there.”
“I’ll be there. Send me the details.” I say quickly before my head catches up with my mouth. “But what about Lily?”
“We have other plans for Lily. Don’t you worry about her. She’s going places. High places.”
Relief courses through me that she’s also going to get something out of this deal, especially after what she told me at Mama’s vineyard about why she hated me so much.
God, I was such a dick. That’s not me. I don't think women are less than men. If I accepted this without knowing exactly what would be on the table for Lily, thinking she would be pushed to the side while I continued to climb, I wouldn’t take it.
“Great, she deserves it.” I let out a long breath.
“Of course she does. I’m not letting her go.
She’s a major asset to this network, not just in front of the camera.
I’m having a separate conversation with Lily later on.
” He steeples his hands in front of him.
“Now you go and enjoy the rest of your well-deserved week off, and I’ll see you at Fluid, Friday night. ”