Page 53 of Personal Foul
Chapter Nineteen
Sydney
We pull up in front of the entrance and Jairo opens the door for us. Colson runs his hand over his hair, a grin curving his mouth. I fold my lips together to contain the laugh, knowing I had been tugging on the strands just a few moments ago.
You wouldn’t know looking at him though.
When I step out of the limo, I’m blown away by how beautiful it is here. The Liliana House overlooks the water, giving a stunning view as the sun has started to set in the distance.
The walkway leading up to the doors is lined with black lanterns, giving it a romantic and calming atmosphere. The charity gala is normally hosted at someone’s home, however, this year we decided to switch things up.
I’ve been working hard on the planning of tonight since I first started with the organization. I’m blown away and so impressed with how beautiful it turned out. One of our sponsors took care of the accommodations, taking the stress off me when it came to decorating and setting up today, leaving me to focus on the auction and this evening’s presentations.
We are quickly ushered onto the red carpet for pictures. I notice a few curious glances thrown our way, as Colson links our fingers together. Any lingering questions on whether we are together or not are put to rest when Colson’s arm wraps around my waist, leaving no space between us when he presses me against his side.
“You look beautiful,” he whispers, as we both look forward, lights flashing before us. I feel out of my element at these big events, although I do enjoy being able to help organize anything that will help the charities the Miami Blaze supports.
The night begins with cocktail hour. We don’t make it more than a few feet through the door when I hear Jaxsen Wild shout out Colson’s name. He’s not hard to miss, like many of the players on the Blaze team. He waves us over, as I do a quick gaze around the room, surveying who all is here when my eyes land on Mr. Bruner’s. He’s the owner of the Blaze and happens to be my boss.
He looks at me, over to Colson, and down to where our hands are joined. A brief look of surprise flashes over his face before his eyes find mine. I’m not sure what I expected. A part of me wants to let go of Colson’s hand, fear and apprehension creeping in that I could be blowing it all, until he flashes me with a wink and a smile. He lifts his glass in “cheers” before his wife, standing next to him, pats him on the arm to get his attention.
It’s as though a two-ton weight has been lifted off my chest, and I can breathe. It’s likely not going to blow over that easily, but I’m still relieved to see it wasn’t as bad as I feared it could’ve been.
“I have to go take care of some things. Give me a few minutes, okay?”
The room is packed with people. Several who I recognize, many I don’t. I’m able to slip away to check in with the rest of the crew who have been helping me make all the final arrangements.
I do a quick run-through to make sure everything for the auction is ready to go when I run into Emily, the event coordinator.
“This looks stunning. You did an amazing job; this looks even better than I had envisioned in my mind.” She clutches the clipboard against her chest, dressed in a black blazer and matching slacks. She looks as though she means business, ready for anything that could come her way tonight.
“I told you I had it all handled. Now that you know you can trust me, get out of here and enjoy the evening with everyone else.”
She waves me off, assuring me she made sure all the auction items were organized and set to go. When I’m about to insist on looking over everything for my own peace of mind, she shakes her head and tells me to go.
“I promise you, I took care of it all. You have nothing to worry about.”
I sigh, clutching her forearm and mouth a “thank you.” She nods, giving me a smile that says, “I told you so,” before I turn to head back in search of Colson.
The ballroom is filled with tables and a dance floor off to the side near where the stage is located. Small teardrop lights twinkle overhead, giving the room an elegant glow and the same romantic and calming feel I had when we first walked in.
The tables are all numbered and covered with black tablecloths; nameplates are at each chair. I intentionally set us, along with the rest of the players’ families, toward the front. We are being seated with Jaxsen and Miles, along with my parents and a couple other guys from the team.
Standing off to the side, my eyes search through the crowd of people, looking for Colson. I want to take back my earlier thought. You’d think finding him would be easy, much like Jaxsen, except he’s nowhere in sight.
“There she is!” my dad boasts.
Glancing in the direction of where his voice came, I find him with my mom standing next to him. She still looks so much smaller next to my dad’s tall, burly frame.
They are both dressed in black. My mom’s hair is pulled up away from her face, with a jeweled hair pin glistening beneath the twinkling lights overhead.
“Oh, Sydney,” she croons. “You look stunning! You did a wonderful job with the event, too. I’ve heard multiple people say this is the most beautiful and organized gala we’ve had. Good job, honey.”
She reaches her arms out toward me, pulling me into her warm hug. My father is standing behind her, smiling at me as he nods his head in agreeance.
“Thank you!”
“Did you see Colson, honey? He’s here. I just saw him not too long ago.”
