Page 27 of Unexpected Pass

“I know what I’m doing, Mom. Trust me,” I stated firmly.

She stared at me for a minute. A thousand expressions displayed across her face.

“Just be careful, baby. Y’all ain’t gotta move fast. Take your time,” she cautioned.

“I am, Ma,” I assured her.

“Okay, Son. I’ll be outside. Have a good show.”

She exited, leaving me standing with thoughts of Phileigh playing on repeat in my head. I heard all of my mom’s concerns. They were all valid, but a little too late. I didn’t know how to slow things down with Phileigh. The undeniable pull to keep pursuing her had me operating in the fast lane.

“I got this.” I exited the dressing room and headed toward the set.

The cameras stopped rolling,and Brittani Shepard blew out a deep breath. “Woo. Thank you so much, Kellon, for being on the show today. You did great.”

She leaned back in the chair, relaxing her perfect posture and professional voice. The interview was cool. She mainly asked fluff questions about my hobbies outside of football and cracked jokes. I appreciated that there was no mention of Jeronee or theaccident. It made it easier for me to stare at Phileigh as she sat big-eyed and mesmerized in the front row.

“Thank you for having me.” I stood from the sofa, preparing to leave. I had only a tiny window of time to get down the hall to the next studio for my next round of appearances.

“And congratulations again on your big win! You made me an even richer woman,” she joked.

“Always bet on blue and green. Only the wise people know that,” I replied, shaking my head.

I wasn’t surprised at all that she had bet on the game. She wasn’t the only one who had cashed in from our win. I was sure of that.

“So, what’s next for you? Any big plans after the victory, sugar?”

“More press and just trying to enjoy the moment.”

“And enjoy it you should. Have a good day, Kellon.” She rose from the sofa, preparing to walk away, when I remembered what I was supposed to be doing.

“Aye, Brittani,” I called out, making her turn to look at me. “I almost forgot. If you don’t mind, I have someone that would love to meet you. She is a big fan.” I glanced at an unsuspecting Phileigh, who was busy flashing pictures by the show sign.

“Sure! Who is it?” she asked.

I glanced toward the studio entrance and waited for Phileigh’s eyes to meet mine before waving her over.

“Aye, come here for a second!”

Her mouth dropped, and I could see when she realized what was happening. Phileigh’s hand flew to her mouth as she slowly made her way over to us.

“Brittani, this is Phileigh. She’s a huge fan of yours.” I introduced them, and Phileigh’s eyes lit up.

“Oh my. It’s really you. You’re Brittani Shepard. I can’t believe I’m meeting you!” She squealed. Brittani laughed, clearly flattered.

“Thank you! It’s nice to meet you, Phileigh. Love the name by the way. I hope you enjoyed the show.”

“I loved it. I’ve been watching you since I was ten. It’s always been a dream of mine to see one of your shows live.” Phileigh gushed.

“Well, let’s get a picture,” Brittani offered, and Phileigh started screaming.

“I’ll take it,” I offered, taking Phileigh’s phone from her hand.

I took a few steps back and snapped a few shots of her posing with Brittani. The happiness radiating from her face was contagious, and it had me smiling from behind the camera. I wanted to recreate this look on her face every day, for as long as she would allow.

“I got a couple of pictures,” I said, handing Phileigh back her phone. I watched as she smiled happily at the photos.

“Tell me… What do you do for a living, Phileigh?” Brittani asked.

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