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  I found Preston's family table and frowned when I remembered Noah telling me about Preston's mother passing away their freshman year of college. He and Noah had that in common. Noah rarely talked about his mother. He would answer my questions when I asked, but it made him sad.

  I felt guilty when I complained about my over involved parents. I was lucky to have them both. After spending time with Noah, my family loved him, too. Once they got to know him. He was nothing like the tabloids portrayed.

  "Please tell me I'm sitting next to you." I stiffened as a strange voice whispered near my ear. I turned and took a step back.

  "I'm sorry. I ..." my voice trailed away when I recognized him. He was the man at the restaurant. "You?"

  "I knew fate would bring us together again." He held out his hand. "Chad Barrett."

  He didn't shake my hand, he held it.

  I pulled away.

  He tightened his grip.

  "Let me guess. You're an actress like Kate. Or a model."

  "I'm five foot four.” I narrowed my eyes. “Not sure if I could pull off fashion model." I pulled on my hand, again.

  "Hey maybe you only do print work." He looked down at my legs. "God you're gorgeous." His focus on my legs allowed me time to retrieve my hand.

  He looked back up at his empty hand. Instead of backing up, he stepped closer.

  "So, my beautiful ginger." He took a piece of my hair between his fingers and let it slide out.

  Why were people always touching my hair?

  "You haven't told me your name,” he whispered.

  "Noah Patrick's girlfriend," Noah said as he snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me flush against his front. "Back off Chad."

  Chad took a step back.

  "Whoa. My bad, Noah." He held his hands up. "I didn't know."

  He spoke to Noah, but his gaze remained on me.

  "She and I meet earlier at Ocean."

  Noah pulled me to his side and looked down at me.

  "We di… didn't exactly meet." I stuttered.

  "No, but we noticed each other." Chad smirked. "Dude, your girl is beautiful." Now he addressed Noah. "I couldn't help but notice her."

  Noah's eyes narrowed and he pulled me close.

  I unraveled myself from his grasp and glared up at him.

  "No harm, man. She belongs to you. I get it. I'm out." Chad walked away with his hands raised and a cocky grin on his face. At the last minute, he winked at me and turned.

  I groaned as the heat from Noah's stare caused me to sweat.

  "You can't seriously be mad at me for that." I shook my head.

  "Why didn't you tell me you met him?" Noah asked.

  "Because I didn't meet him. I had no clue who he was. I was having lunch with Dani and he was at the restaurant. He leered at me from across the room."

  Noah continued to glare at me.

  I threw up my hands and walked away.

  Noah grabbed my arm and pulled me into a corner away from the wedding party.

  "I can't help it if people look at me, Noah." I pulled my arm out of his grasp.

  "Men. Callie. Men look at you and you smile back at them and they think you're interested and available." He shook his finger. "You have to be careful."

  "I'm supposed to regulate what others think and feel." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Are you serious right now?"

  "Callie," He whispered. "We are not dealing with this right now."

  He stepped back and looked around the room. The guests filed in and sat down to dinner.

  I open my mouth, but Noah interrupted before I could speak.

  "Let's get through dinner and we can discuss it later." He held his hand out.

  My skin tingled at the thought of touching him right now and not in a good way. I backed away.

  He frowned.

  "We don't have to discuss it at all." I made a beeline for the closest exit and didn't look back.

  Eight

  Noah

  I stood in the middle of the room and watched her walk away. It was like a weird dream. The edges of my vision blurred. I was pissed, but at what and who, I wasn't sure. I followed her down the hallway. Once we reached the lobby, a tall mass with scruffy blonde hair entered my peripheral and I stopped and turned.

  My vision cleared when Chad came into view. He stood in a suit that was impossibly tight on his huge frame. I approached Chad. I was pissed at him. A few minutes ago he had his hands on my girl and I didn't like it.

  "Hey man." Chad raised his hand to shake mine. I hit it out of the way and stepped to him. We stood eye to eye, but he outweighed me by a good fifty pounds.

  His stupid blonde hair fell into his face.

  I saw myself, outside of myself, looking over at us and realized the ridiculousness of the situation. Before I could back down gracefully, he had to open his big mouth.

  "Where'd your little fan girl run off to?" he asked.

  Fuck it. He had it coming.

  I reared my arm back, but before I could let go, a strong arm dug into my bicep and all the feeling left my arm. I pushed back and turned on the new assailant. I calmed immediately. Peter had a hold of me.

  I once saw Peter pound a guy who swung on his brother. You didn't mess with Peterson Carter.

  "Hey Noah." Peter gripped my shoulder. "I've been looking for you. Wanted to chat about the toast for tomorrow?" He steered me away from Chad.

  I looked over my shoulder. Chad narrowed his eyes and shook his head. His stupid pale face looked flush. He knew he was minutes away from another embarrassing moment in his life. I turned back and found myself in a dark lounge off the lobby.

  "Sit down." Peter said.

  "I got it. I'm cool." I raised my hands.

  "Sit down, Noah." He glared.

  I sat down.

  "You know Chad's a dick. Why you letting him get to you?" Peter put his hand on my shoulder again. "He's not worth your career."

  "I hardly think smacking him in the face is going to hurt my career."

  "You don't think he'd hit back. When he does, how sure are you you'd win. He kicks your ass and then I'd have to kick his ass." He dropped into the seat across from me. "How do you think the media, the Giants and Coach are going to feel about it? I'm just happy the camera crew was otherwise occupied."

  "I'll be cool." I slid back into the chair and looked off to the side.

  "You need to talk about it?" he asked.

  I turned back to him. "About what?"

  "What ever it is that's got you ..." He shook his hands.

  "I'm a wide receiver. I'm always ..." I mimic his hand gesture.

  "Except when you're playing ball." We both nod.

  "Preston and I were talking last week." He leaned in. "You remember what it was like? Before the fame, the money, the girls."

  "Preston always had the girls." I chuckled.

  "True," he said. "We didn't do too bad."

  "Leftovers at UT weren't bad." I rubbed my hands together. "It wasn't bad being Preston's sidekick."

  "He was so powerful, he had to have two wingmen."

  "Yep." I grinned. I wasn't a nostalgic man, but I missed college. Life was simpler back then.

  "At least that's what I thought." Peter shifted closer. "But, the more I look back on our time at UT, I think you were Preston's sidekick and I was yours."

  I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.

  He sat back. His head tilted.

  "What's your point, Peter?" I asked.

  "I'm just saying. As much as you thought we were there to look out for Preston. I was looking out for you. Still am apparently." He stood up and patted me on the shoulder. "You need anything, I'm still there for you."

  He didn't wait for me to respond. He headed back toward the dinner.

  I leaned my head back on the chair and shut my eyes. The overstuffed leather chair offered no comfort. I missed Callie. I wanted to apologize and hold her. She was the only thing in the world that could comfort me.

  I heard a p
air of heels smacking on the marble tile towards me. I smiled. My thoughts had conjured my girl to me, but when I opened my eyes, I hid my disappointment.

  "Noah Patrick," Kate said. She stood with her hands on her hips, an off white dress hugged and flowed down off her waist. A thin line of a smile crossed her lips. "If you don't get into this rehearsal dinner, I am going to hurt you."

  "Is the bride a little nervous?" I stood up and Kate took a few steps back.

  "I'm not nervous. I'm concerned." She placed her hand on my forearm and guided me across the lobby. "Where's Callie?"

  "She had to take care of something." The excuse rolled off my tongue. "She'll be back." I hoped.

  "I like her." Kate squeezed my arm to get me to walk fast. "Is she good enough for you?"

  I stopped and Kate slid in her heels.

  I groaned. "That's the wrong question, Kate."

  She narrowed her eyes.

  "The question is, am I fucking good enough for her?"

  Kate tilted her head and looked up at me. Her eyes shifted back and forth.

  When she didn't answer, I frowned and shook my head.

  I leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and headed into the rehearsal dinner by myself.

  I hadn't noticed the little name cards on the seat before. I ignored them, grabbed a chair, and squeezed into the table next to Preston's grandfather.

  I didn't need to be alone.

  Nine

  Callie

  My heels on the lobby floor echoed in my head. I expected to hear another set of footsteps behind me, but when I found myself in front of the hotel, I was alone. I looked to my right and left.

  "Can I get you a car, ma'am?" The doorman asked.

  I hugged myself.

  "No." I walked to the edge of the building and spotted a few restaurants and bars. I crossed the street and walked into a dim lit place with a long dark wood bar down the left side. The music played low in the background. An animated group sat at the back end of the bar, I climbed up into the seat on the end closest to the door.

  "Hey. I'm RJ. What can I get you?" RJ had a shaved head and a scowl on his face.

  Was he mimicking the one I had on mine?

  "Patron Silver and two limes."

  He reached back and grabbed the bottle without looking. He sat a chilled shot glass in front of me and poured the shot. With his other hand, he retrieved a napkin and two limes and slid it in front of me.

  "You want to start a tab?" RJ asked.

  I grabbed my purse off the counter.

  "Just put the lady's drink on my tab."

  "Oh, no. That's not necessary." I looked up into a familiar face. "I can buy my own drinks."

  "I'm expensing this so technically, Vanity Fair is paying for your drinks." Garret nodded.

  RJ shrugged his shoulders.

  His arm brushed against mine as he sat in the bar stool next to me.

  "Feel better?" he asked.

  "I'll feel better in a minute." I squeezed one of the limes into the shot glass and took a sip. The tart mixed with the heat went down smooth. I sipped again and it was all heat. I licked my lips and looked up.

  "What?" I asked.

  Garret stared at me through the mirror behind the bar.

  "You are striking." He licked his lips and narrowed his eyes.

  I stared at him for few seconds.

  He grinned and winked.

  The alcohol must have ignited a spark in my brain because all I saw was red.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, opened them, and downed the rest of the shot. I jumped off the bar stood and headed towards the door.

  "Callie."

  I reached out for the door, but Garret grabbed my arm back.

  "Callie wait." He stepped in front of me. "You're obviously upset. What's wrong?"

  "No." I shook my head. "Not if you’re going to hit on me. I need you to be a good guy for a second. Okay?"

  "I can do that," Garret said.

  I stared into his eyes.

  He stepped to the side and motioned for me to sit down.

  When I climbed back on the bar stool, a full shot sat in front of me. I smiled at RJ and the side of his mouth curled up slightly before he turned to the other guest.

  "I’m sorry." Garret sat back down. "What's wrong?"

  "Do you live in LA?" I asked as I sipped my Patron.

  "No. God, no. I couldn't live in this city." He sipped his drink. "My residence is in Connecticut, but I'm on the road a lot."

  "You like it? Traveling around, writing."

  "I love it." He said and looked down into his glass. "I couldn't imaging doing anything else."

  "As a journalist, you have a unique perspective into the human spirit." I talked with my hands.

  He grinned.

  "What is it about LA that makes people act crazy?" I watched the group at the other end of the bar laughing and joking with each other.

  "Oh I don't know. LA doesn't have a monopoly on crazy." Garret shook his head. "Besides, what ever upset you here, I imagine would be upsetting no matter where you are?" Garret turned to me. "You don’t strike me as an emotional person."

  "You don't know me."

  "It was a compliment, Callie."

  "I know. But people are always telling me what I'm like." I looked down. "No one knows me, really."

  "Oh I bet I know you better then you think I do." The confidence in his voice irritated me.

  I turned to him.

  Garret held up his hand.

  "I've read your work," he said as he held up his drink.

  I relaxed my shoulders and nodded.

  "You are a talented writer. You have a unique voice. What do you want to do with your writing?" he asked.

  "I don't know." I grinned. "Write a book, I guess."

  "Every writer wants to write a book. What do you really want to do?" He sat his drink down and squared his shoulders.

  "I've always said I want to do creative writing and I love my classes, but the kind of pieces you do. Giving the world a glimpse into people’s lives. I love that stuff." I nodded eagerly.

  "You know what struck me about your blog?" He leaned in.

  I shook my head, feeling my face get red at the mention of my blog.

  "It rang true. Like you made up these stories about you and Noah, but you did your research. You made it believable. You weren't writing about a fictional love story, you were reporting on your perspective on being in a relationship with some fictitious character. It was compelling stuff." He nodded.

  "Yeah." I narrowed my eyes.

  "But you know this." He sat back. "You had followers. People miss it."

  "I can't keep doing it."

  "No. I guess you can't." Garret scratched his neck and scrunched his face. "I have an idea. Bench Reporter is looking to grow their female readership, why don't you let me show them some of your posts and see if they would be interested in a column."

  "I can't report on Noah's life," I said.

  "No, that's not what I'm saying." He grabbed my arm. "Report on your life." He squeezed. "You are a young woman, a journalism student, a red headed beauty --"

  I rolled my eyes.

  "Who just so happens to be dating one of the most recognizable men on the planet." He jumped up off his chair and leaned in. "Give the world a different perspective about your life, an alternative to WAGS and Basketball Wives and that other shit."

  "I don't know." I stared at the bar.

  "Listen, just think about it." Garret sat back down, took a sip of his drink and collapsed against the back of the chair. "So how did I do?"

  "With what?" I asked and looked back up.

  "With being a good guy. I think I'm almost at my limit, so hurry and tell me what's wrong." He wiggled his fingers for me to continue.

  "Don't worry about it."

  "No come on. Something has driven you to seek solace in the bottom of a shot of Patron while the wedding of the century is going on across the street." I turned my chair to face him. "I
s Noah being a jerk?"

  I laughed.

  "I'll beat him up if you want me too."

  I narrowed my eyes and looked at him. Garret was attractive, a solid build and looked good in a tight black t-shirt and black jeans. His Wisconsin accent contrasted with his sleek style and he had amazing blue eyes. Noah was at least a foot taller and about fifty pounds of muscle heavier.

  "I'll figure it out." I sipped my drink and smiled. "Besides, I wouldn't want you to strain yourself."

  "Ah, see, I knew there was a reason I liked you. You get me, too." Garret motioned for RJ and he brought us two new drinks.

  Garret held up his drink and I did the same.

  "What are we drinking to?"

  "Well, I could pontificate on your beauty for days."

  I lowered my glass.

  "But, since I have thirty seconds of good guy in me left for the night." He nudged my arm. "Let's toast to the written word."

  "The written word."

  "I have a feeling it's going to bring us much closer together." He wiggled his eyebrows.

  I narrowed my eyes.

  "Maybe not in the way I want." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'll take what I can get."

  I shook my head and drank my shot.

  Garret winked and downed his, too.

  I had a feeling he was right.

  Ten

  Callie

  A gaggle of blondes fell into the bar and Garret slammed his nice guy persona down for the night. Not wanting to cramp his style, I gave him a quick nudge and returned to the hotel.

  As I walked through the lobby, I spotted Kate coming out of the bathroom.

  "Callie." She scooted towards me in her four-inch heels, her dress flowing behind her. "Where have you been?"

  "I'm sorry. I just needed some air." I gave her a quick hug, but she latched onto my neck.

  "Come on." She pulled me towards the rehearsal dinner. "Maybe now Noah will wipe that scowl off of his face."