My head falls. Yep, I’m right again. “I do.” There’s no reason to deny it. I lift my head. “Carson Lee, I said it, and I meant it, but you don’t have to say anything back. I don’t want to push you into expressing anything you don’t want to.”
“I love you too, Kinley. No pushing necessary.”
I don’t know if my brain understands what my ears just heard from his beautiful lips. My mouth drops. He said it. Carson Lee told me he loves me. I’m not going to lie my heart is about to pound out of my chest. Since Elliott and I ended our marriage, I wasn’t sure I would be able to utter those words to anyone else ever. Carson’s different. He understands me. He knows I have my career, and that it’s my passion, but he still loves me.
“Whatever you do, don’t you dare tell my mother. She’ll have the ballroom booked for the weekend to have us walking down the aisle.” I take another bite of the food.
Carson laughs loudly. “You don’t have to worry about me saying anything to your mother ever again.”
I giggle. “So, let me clarify one thing: you love me and not just the amazing sex we’ve been having?” I wink at him.
“Yes, I love you.”
~
The stadium is packed. Carson’s holding my hand tightly as I guide us to our assigned tunnel. I didn’t make him wear a ‘Bama t-shirt, even though I teased him the whole time that I was. He isn’t going to be able to make any of the other games because the hockey season is getting closer to starting, but he made it to this one. I look back at him as we walk down the stairs to our row. He looks like he’s about to go into the dentist office for a root canal.
“Carson Lee, stop acting like I’m dragging you to your death. It’s a football game.”
“You just proved my point for me. You are dragging me to a football game.” I pull him to our seats. “If I suck it up, what do I get in return?” he trails his hand up my thigh.
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“Ha, nothing.” I slap his hand away. “This is payback for the season tickets that arrived the other day from the Blacksmiths office. Know anything about that?”
“You received season tickets?” Carson has a fake shocked expression. “Wow, someone loves you a lot to gift you such a thing so you can see your boyfriend play.” He chuckles. “Are you trying to say they are going to go to waste?”
“You’re such a drama queen.” I roll my eyes at him, looking out at the green football turf in front of me. “I’m not going to let them go to waste. And I think that since I’m your girlfriend, you should do things I enjoy too, like football.”
“Isn’t there supposed to be compromise in a relationship?” Before I can open my mouth to yell at him, he waves his hand. “But fine, fine. I will do whatever you want if it’s something you enjoy.”
“Whatever I want?” I purse my lips at him. “Hhmm, that sounds so tempting right now. I’ll have to remember you said that.”
He grins. “Why do you think I said it?”
~
“You got Carson Lee, bad-boy of hockey, to go to a football game?” Cassie looks shocked.
“Yep, and I think he even enjoyed it. He lied and said he hated it though.”
I have my iPad on my lap double checking everything. Cassie and I are off to the Big Apple for fashion week. Our fall line with Carson is going to fly off the shelves. We’re already backordering the jeans. This will be my first fashion week, and I can’t wait. This is what I have worked for. This is my moment. I have been working so hard for it, and I’m at the top of the mountain. I look at the list of people I have to meet with while I’m there. All big names in fashion and it’ll take LSMP to a whole new level that no one even dreamed of.
“You’re excited, aren’t you?”
I smile at my best friend. “You have no idea. I’m a bundle of nerves, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited.”
The intercom calls for our flight. I shut down my tablet and put it in my purse. My phone lights up, and I see Carson’s face, sticking his tongue out at me. It’s the goofiest picture of him, but it makes me smile every time.
“Hey, Carson. I’m about to board. Are you wishing me good luck?”
“No, sweetheart, I’m not. I…it’s Gracie, Kinley.” My heart stops. “Darcie just called me.”
“Oh my God.” My mouth is dry. “Where is she? At the hospital? I can meet you there.” I stand up grabbing my purse. Cassie’s face is confused.
“Yeah, I’m already on my way. Kinley, you’re about to leave for your trip. You don’t have to.”
“No, Carson Lee!” I shout at him. “I want to be with you right now. I don’t give a shit about anything else. I’m grabbing a cab and I’ll meet you there.”