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"I know." She whispered.

  I rolled off of her and collapsed on my back.

  "I think they liked you, too."

  Callie sat up.

  "You think so." She smiled. "Preston is really sweet. He admires you."

  I raised my eyebrows.

  "Why do you think that?" I asked.

  "I don't know. It's the way he talks to you. It's like you're the big star and he's so proud of you."

  I narrowed my eyes and Callie smiled and hugged me.

  "It's nice being around people who love you as much as I do."

  Five

  Callie

  Noah and I didn't fight.

  We disagreed on stupid stuff like where we were going to eat or who's apartment we were going to sleep in. We had a constant argument about me wandering the city at night when I had to stay late at school. It didn't matter that I grew up in New York and rode the subway by myself since I was thirteen. He wasn't overprotective and he didn't need to know where I was at all times. We lived our lives with little drama.

  So, his little green-eyed monster moment surprised me.

  I left him in bed, texted my sister, and jumped in the shower.

  By the time I got out, she had replied with an address and a time.

  "Put Nip in his crate when you leave." I jumped on the bed and leaned over to kiss Noah goodbye.

  "Tell Dani I said hello." He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned.

  I turned to leave, but he grabbed my face and turned me back to face him.

  He stared and kissed me again.

  "Have fun," he said.

  "You, too." I said and stopped. "But not too much fun."

  Noah smirked and waved.

  I waved back and headed out of the room to meet my sister.

  When I arrived at the posh restaurant on Melrose Avenue, I spotted Dani right away. She stood in the middle of the bar, her blond hair bone straight, her red shift dress accessorized in gold chains. Her black ankle books featured a gold buckle across the top to complete the outfit. In LA, she was in her element around the other beautiful people, but she was behind the scenes. Her look was not fake.

  When she saw me, she gasped and dropped the phone in her purse before hugging me. I didn't have time to hug her back before she stepped back. Her gaze scanned my body.

  "You just had sex didn't you?" Dani asked.

  My cheeks instantly heated.

  "Dani."

  "Seriously, he's that good." She nodded. "I mean, look at you. You have that proverbial glow. It's so retro."

  I shook my head and pulled her in for another hug.

  "Let's get a table so you can continue to embarrass me in front of a much smaller audience." I pushed her towards the hostess.

  "Right this way, Ms. Blake."

  My sister used her maiden name for business, much to the dismay of her husband, Corey Patterson. Corey was a third generation financial guy. He worked for his father and grandfather who built up the Patterson name from nothing to the most respected name in finance today. The fact my sister didn't want to use the name annoyed his family to no end.

  We settled into a booth in the back. A bottle of yellow label sat in a bucket chilling next to the table.

  "They know you here?" I nodded towards the bottle.

  "Yeah, I may have been her once or twice." She fished her phone out of her purse. Tapped the screen a few times and put it back in her purse.

  "Okay, you have an hour of my undivided attention. How are you? How's Noah?"

  I jumped when the waiter popped the cork. I watched him pour two perfect glasses in tall crystal champagne flutes. I took a sip before answering.

  "I'm fine. He's great."

  "I was right about the sex, right." Dani gulped down half her glass. "A little welcome to California quickie."

  "Why are you so interested in my sex life?" I asked.

  "Because for the longest time, you didn't have one," she answered.

  "I had one, I just didn't tell you about it." I looked across the crowded restaurant. People spoke in animated gestures and gruff tones. A guy across the restaurant stared at me. He raised his glass, tilted his head, and took a sip. I looked back at Dani.

  "Are men more aggressive in LA?" I asked.

  Dani laughed.

  "No little sister, they see you as fresh meat." She nudged me under the table.

  "How's Corey?" I asked "Is he in town?"

  "He gets back tonight." She picked up the menu. "You guys are able to come out on Sunday, right."

  "Valentine's Day?" I groaned.

  "Oh my God, Callie. You're in love. How can you still hate Valentine's Day?"

  "I don't hate it." I shrugged my shoulders. "It's just another day."

  Dani narrowed her eyes and peered at me with a familiar stare. She wasn't buying it.

  "You and Noah are really good?" she asked.

  "Yeah," I said as I looked down at the menu.

  "Oh no. What's wrong?"

  "Nothing." I laid the menu down and sighed. "We got in a fight today because he said some guy was flirting with me."

  The blonde haired guy with the piercing blue eyes stood up and the world grew hazy. He cocked his head and smiled. My throat hitched as he took a few steps in my direction, but then made a sharp right towards the front of the restaurant. Once he reached the door, he stopped and looked back. I averted my eyes, but he caught me.

  I heard him chuckle over the noise.

  "Hey, jealousy is a good thing in a relationship," Dani said.

  "What?" I shook my head.

  "Jealousy." She held up her hand. "It's good. Guy's hate to lose to other guys. It sparks that competitive spirit in them."

  "Noah is a professional athlete." I held the menu up, again. "Don't you think he gets enough of that competitive stuff on the field?"

  It's true my lack of actual adult relationship experience made me question stuff. I hated playing games, especially since I had no clue about the rules.

  "Listen, I wouldn't worry about it. Noah adores you. He's a good man. No matter what he does to piss you off, remember, it comes from a good place." Dani studied her menu.

  "What's place is that?"

  "He doesn't want to lose you," she said and gave me a reassuring wink.

  Lose me.

  I couldn't remember my life before Noah. We had gotten so close over the last year. I couldn't imagine my future without him, either.

  My sister's undivided attention lasted exactly an hour. Dani fidgeted, anxious to get a look at what had happened in the world without her.

  The waiter brought the check. We slid out the booth as she dropped cash on the table. I walked behind her as we exited the restaurant. She stopped three times to talk to people she knew.

  Instead of following her, I headed outside.

  Dani joined me a few minutes later. She handed the valet her ticket.

  "I can drop you off at the hotel," she said. "That way we can catch up some more."

  No such luck.

  She answered her phone as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot and talked on it the whole drive back.

  One of her clients was in crisis as she put it. Something about a photo that was taken with her client having a moment with a person who wasn't his to have a moment with. At least not a moment caught on camera.

  God, I couldn't imagine if Noah had people. He does, but not to this extent.

  I stared out the window at LA rushing by.

  Am I PR approved?

  Six

  Noah

  Callie seemed fine when she left. We made up, but it bothered me; four hours in LA and we were fighting.

  I heard the guys as the elevator doors opened in the lobby.

  "Noah." The guys sang out as I walked up to the group. It was eight of us total. Preston, Peter, and Paxton, Preston's little brother, and Johnny, Preston's best friend from high school. Donovan, Chad, Michael, and myself were all former or current teammates. We were quite the multicultural party. Preston's fam
ily was African American and Hispanic. Johnny, Chad and I Caucasian, Donovan and Michael African American.

  I greeted each guy with a hug and a pat on the back as we headed out towards the bus. I didn't know Donovan and Johnny very well, but we all played in the NFL. We were brothers.

  Chad and I, that was another story.

  "Noah, my friend. How are you?" Chad pulled me into an awkward hug. I pushed him away and hugged the other guys. No love lost between Chad and I. Maybe it was because his hair was too blonde and his eyes too blue and his attitude too much.

  We piled into a small party bus. Dark blue couches lined the walls of the vehicle. A bar situated near the front behind the driver's seat. With his dark grey suit and red V-neck shirt underneath, Preston looked like a king on his throne sitting on the back bench alone. We filed into the side coaches, his loyal subjects.

  As soon as we settled, Peter opened the bottle of scotch. He poured two fingers in eight glasses while Paxton handed them out.

  When we all had our drinks, Peter held his up.

  We followed.

  "To the outside world, Preston is a lot of things. MVP ..."

  "Two times," Paxton said.

  "Super Bowl Champion."

  "Two times."

  "Lucky," Chad said.

  "It's called being blessed, my brother." Preston added.

  "True, but I can speak for every one on this bus when I say we are fortunate, dare I say privileged ...blessed to call you brother and friend. To Preston," Peter said.

  "To Preston." We all yelled in unison and downed the shot.

  With the toast out of the way, the bus pulled away from the curb.

  "Where are we going?" Chad asked.

  "To a gentlemen's establishment." Preston said. He winked and grinned as he took a beer from his little brother. Most of the guys looked excited. Donovan frowned.

  "What's wrong Donovan?" Michael asked. "You're single."

  "I'm presently trying to rectify that situation, but I don't think lap dances will make her take me back," Donovan said as he rubbed his bald head.

  "Don't worry about it man," I said. "You'll be on the no lap dance list with me."

  I liked Donovan. He was a good guy, doing his best to live down his player ways like myself. It must have caught up to him; I heard his girl walked out on him at the Super Bowl.

  We pulled up in front of the spot forty minutes later. Donovan and Chad groaned.

  "Dude, the camera crew is here," Chad said.

  "They need to capture the shenanigans." Preston patted Chad on the back. "Makes for good television."

  "Fuck that, I'm staying on the bus." Donovan sat back down and crossed his arms over his chest.

  "Gentleman." Preston stood and adjusted his jacket. "Will you trust me? I won't get you in trouble. I promise."

  We all stepped off the bus. Other than the black paint, the plain structure had no identifiable characteristics. We walked into a dimly lit room. In rows of three sat four huge leather lounge chairs. Next to each one a Chinese woman and silver headed man.

  "What kind of freaky shit you got us doing, man?" Michael asked.

  Preston walked in and bowed to the little Chinese man standing in the front of the room.

  "You guys want to know the secret to my success?" Preston asked. "Chinese massages and a proper shave weekly."

  "Is that a euphemism for something else?" Donovan asked and laughed.

  "Listen, have a seat and be respectful." Preston selected his seat. "This will change your life, I promise."

  I walked to the chair next to Preston.

  "Take shoes off." The little Chinese woman said as I took a seat. The other guy had a tray with shaving equipment. I leaned back and tried to relax.

  She rolled up my pants leg and put my feet in a shallow tub. She alternated pouring hot and cold water over my feet. She finished with hot and as my feet soaked and the tension melted away, she massaged my hands. As a wide receiver, my hands hurt all season long. I got regular massages, but nothing like this little lady with her strong little hands.

  "Oh." I moaned.

  "I know right," Preston said. "So man, how you doing?"

  "I'm good." A little bit of tension eased back in. I hated these types of conversations.

  The little Chinese lady grunted as she worked hard to push it back down.

  "Why?" I looked over at Preston.

  "Nothing. I'm just checking in. You seemed a little wound up." He looked over and leaned back. "Maybe it's LA. It puts people on edge. Except for your little Callie. That girl is sunshine man."

  I grinned at the way he said her name and the description he used. She was the brightest part of my life.

  "I'm lucky."

  "No man. It's not luck. There's nothing lucky about love man." Preston leaned over. "It's work. Don't leave the fate of the two of you to dumb luck, it will let you down."

  "Why are you waxing so poetic with me? I know you."

  "You're right. You know me." Preston leaned back. "You know what I've done and why being where I am right now is nothing short of a miracle. I'll give the credit to God, Nietzsche, Confucius, and whatever higher power I know. Not for bringing Kate into my life, for giving me the knowledge and the lessons of my past to hold on to her and make her my future."

  "Yeah, Yeah." I said and closed my eyes as the little Chinese lady went to work on my feet.

  "All I'm saying is she loves you and you love her. Don't screw it up."

  "Some things are out of my control."

  "And, some things aren't," Preston said.

  I looked over at him.

  He had leaned back and closed his eyes.

  I shook my head and tried to relax.

  We headed back to the hotel for the rehearsal dinner. As we walked off the bus, Preston held me back.

  "Listen, you know I'm only looking out for you right." Preston punched my chest.

  "Yeah, I know." I dropped my head. "How did you know that Kate was the one?"

  "I don't know. I guess it was when my mind started adding her to the equation."

  I narrowed my eyes. My best friend always had a strange way of thinking about things.

  "Like whenever a decision had to be made, her opinion mattered. " He threw an arm over my shoulder and we walked into the hotel. "You know how people used to ask, What would Jesus do. For me, it is what would Kate do, in every part of my life."

  "Oh man."

  "Hey. I know. At first I didn’t like it." He stopped. "Once I stopped fighting and accepted it, we were good."

  "Okay. I get it." I nodded.

  "So, I heard some news. I didn't want it to blindside you, you know how sensitive you are over the middle." He grinned at his own stupid joke.

  I pushed him away, like I'd do a defensive back in my face.

  I was solid over the middle.

  "What is it?"

  "Maria is dating Terrance."

  "So."

  "So, Terrance RSVP's a plus one."

  "Listen, I've got no ill will towards Maria. She was in a messed up place. I'm happy for her."

  "That's very mature of you."

  "Thank you." I hit him on his side.

  "You're welcome," Preston said and punched me back. "No drama at my wedding. Only smiley happy faces, okay."

  "Okay." I nodded.

  "Callie Cal." Preston sang as we turned the corner.

  She peered over her shoulder and smiling. When she looked at me, my world stopped.

  I promised Preston a drama free wedding. When I tell Callie about Maria, I hoped I could keep that promise.

  Seven

  Callie

  I stepped off the elevator and heard my name, sort of. One of the ten versions of my name Preston had called me since we meet.

  "You look lovely." He said as he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. "Your boy's back there."

  "Thank you." I smiled. I turned and spotted Noah. My throat hitched as the look in his eyes reminded me of the look in his
eyes when he was over me a few hours ago.

  His mouth curled up at the end and his eyes widened, as he looked me up and down.

  I didn't know whether I should run to him or stop and enjoy the warmth in his eyes as he took me in.

  I usually wore black or green. I found a cute sleeveless red fitted dress and paired it with black heels. I wore my hair down in wavy curls. I pushed a curl off my face and stopped in front of Noah.

  "Wow." Noah said and leaned into me. He placed his hand on my hip and flexed his fingers. I bit my lip and looked up at him. He leaned over and kissed me so soft and sweet, a whimper escaped my lips. It caught me off guard.

  We both smiled as he kissed me again.

  "You look so beautiful."

  I reached up, touched his cheek and wrapped my arm around his neck.

  He pulled me close and kissed my neck. He nuzzled his nose in my hair.

  I breathed him in, too.

  "You smell good," I said.

  "It's sandalwood," Noah said as he leaned back. He grinned so proudly. "You like it."

  "It suits you." I squeezed the back of his neck.

  Noah bit his lip and leaned over to nibble my bottom lip.

  "It’s kind of manly and sexy." I spoke against his lips and blew a little stream of air over his lips.

  He groaned.

  "You better stop."

  I leaned back. "Stop what?" I whispered.

  "Stop trying to make me hold you down and count your freckles again ..." he leaned in and whispered in my ear. "With my tongue."

  I couldn't suppress the full body shiver as I recalled that night a few months ago. Noah had the game of his life. The good times, he loved to share with me.

  "Noah Patrick."

  Noah groaned.

  I turned towards the voice. A tall woman with messy blond hair, motioned for Noah. She wore a headset and a black power suit. She towered over me.

  "Mr. Patrick. I've been sent to retrieve you for the rehearsal. It will take ten minutes tops." She turned to me and stared at my hand on Noah. "If everyone would show up on time."

  I raised my hands in surrender and backed up as she dragged Noah away.

  I waited for Noah at the rehearsal dinner being held in one of the smaller ballrooms. Six round tables with six place settings at each made up the room. I spotted my name on a card and sighed in relief when I spotted Noah’s name on a card next to mine.. I figured since Noah was in the wedding party, we wouldn't have much time together. The wedding and reception was all held in the hotel, it made it easier.