Page 67 of Playing for Keeps
“Same, but I’m so happy for them.”
“Me too. They’ve earned it, especially Paisley.”
“She was so lost when she came to Hope Creek. It’s wild to think she was randomly on that flight… and now they’re getting married. If they’d sat in different seats, they might never have met.”
Wyatt nods, his voice quiet. “Some things are just meant to be.”
“For sure.”
We fall into a comfortable silence as we finish eating. A few minutes later, Wyatt glances up at me.
“So… you bringing a plus one to the wedding?”
I shake my head. “Nope. You?”
He smiles. “Nope. Especially now everyone thinks we’re dating.”
I blink. “Oh, crap. I hadn’t even thought about that.”
He chuckles. “I wasn’t planning on bringing anyone anyway.”
Before I can respond, Margot appears out of nowhere, her ever-present notebook in her hand.
“Hope I’m not interrupting,” she says, already poised to write. “Ready for a few questions?”
“Oh, yeah, sure,” Wyatt replies, his eyes still locked on mine.
“How long have you two been together?” she asks, pen poised.
“A few weeks,” Wyatt answers smoothly, flashing me a smile. “It’s still pretty new.”
Margot nods, scribbling quickly. “But you’ve known each other for a while, right? That’s already all over social media.”
“Wyatt is my best friend’s brother,” I tell her, before Wyatt can respond. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. Wyatt asked me to come and bid on him. We spent some time together before then and something clicked. Something we hadn’t realized before.”
I glance over at Wyatt, who’s watching me with a look I can’t quite read. I reach across the table and slip my hand into his.
“Sometimes it takes a different perspective to realize what’s been right in front of you all along,” he says quietly.
Margot beams. “So, you’d say the charity was a key part in bringing you two together?”
Wyatt laughs, still looking at me. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he was an actor, not a football player. He promised me an Oscar-worthy performance tonight, and damn, he’s delivering.
Wyatt answers a few more questions, most of them about football and the upcoming season. I can’t help but smile as I listen to him speak; he’s so animated and passionate when he talks about the game he loves. When Margot finally wraps up and thanks us both, she disappears into the crowd with her notebook in hand.
Wyatt turns back to me, an excited glint in his eye. “I think we’ve done our duty here. What do you say we go celebrate your birthday properly?”
I grin. “Really?” I say excitedly.
He smiles back. “Really. Let’s get out of here.”
He rises from his seat and extends his hand toward me. As I take it and get to my feet, he releases my hand, only to slide it to the small of my back, his palm pressing against my bare skin as he steers me through the restaurant. The warmth of his touch sends a shiver up my spine, each brush of his fingers sparking a trail of electricity beneath my skin.
I steal a glance at him, but there’s no hint that he’s affected by me, not like the way I seem so affected by him.
When we step outside, the sleek black car that brought us is already waiting at the curb. Wyatt opens the door for me, and I slide in, drawing a steadying breath as he rounds the hood and climbs in beside me.
