Page 35 of Everything In Between
I search her eyes, looking for any indication she doesn’t want that. But I find none.
I’m seconds away from taking the leap and crashing my lips to hers when the moment shatters.
In a split second, we’re surrounded by journalists and paparazzi. Cameras flash in my face, blinding me with the nonstop light.
“What the f—” I mutter, my grip tightening around Jersey, ready to protect her from the onslaught of intruders.How did the paparazzi even get entrance to the ballroom?
“Jersey, is this your new beau?”
“Jersey, what would Corey think about you being caught in such a scandalous position?”
“Jersey, are you trying to make Corey jealous?”
“Go!” Jersey pushes at my shoulders and I snap into action. I wrap my arms around her and push through the paparazzi. She keeps her head down until I find us a quiet alcove, away from the craziness.
Jersey is distraught, her shoulders shaking and her skin clammy. She’s muttering to herself, and I try my best to make sense of it all. “I should’ve known he’d do something stupid like this. That jealous asshole. I had to go and poke the bear, didn’t I?”
When I spin her around to look at me, she won’t meet my eyes. Again, I cup her cheek and tilt her face up to mine. “Jersey?—”
Her expression falls. “Hayes, I’m so sorry.”
She turns away from me then, but I catch her wrist. “Sorry for what?”
She shakes her head and tries to pull away from me again. “For all of it. I shouldn’t have done that...”
“Donewhat?” I urge, pulling her to me again.
She looks horrified. “I almost kissed you... and—the paparazzi were there. It’s going to be all over the news outlets tomorrow.”
“Hey,” I say again, raising my hand to cup her jaw. My thumb traces over her cheek and I stare down at her. “It’s okay. I don’t care about any of that.”
“You say thatnow,” she whispers, but I get the sense that she doesn’t believe me. “I should go. My driver’s waiting for me.”
“Jersey,” I protest, but she’s already pulling away from me.
Before she runs out the door, she looks back at me, and her eyes are glassy. “I had a really nice time with you tonight, Hayes. We’ll talk later, okay?”
My shoulders deflate. I don’t want her to go, but at least she’s not completely running away from me. “Yeah, okay.”
“Bye, Hayes.”
“Goodnight, Jersey.”
When she walks away, my heart seems to go with her.
Scrolling through the headlines,it’s one after the other of Jersey and me at the gala last weekend, but they’re not flattering remarks.
The next big thing in the football world: Jersey Matthews spotted with her rebound, QB Hayes Vogt
Corey Shrader shocked by Jersey’s scandalous outing: “She never used to be this way.”
“She’s only acting out,” says source close to Jersey Matthews
And the worst:
Secret baby on the way? Milwaukee QB captured in a relationship he never wanted
And this from a reputable magazine!Jersey’s horrified expression stares up at me from my phone screen. I’m standing right next to her, with my arm wrapped around her protectively, holding my hand in front of the cameras in a weak attempt to shield her from them. My expression is one of pure annoyance and frustration.
