Page 271 of The Perfect Spiral
I hate doing that to him. But also my best friend’s nieces and nephews, it happens a lot. They’re just kids, so I keep them away from it all as much as I can.
But the rest of them are happy I’m a pro football player, especially my mom. I’ve got a lot of love for her, she’s the one who pushed me to try my best but also reminded me to have fun on the field.”
He wears a serious expression on his face. Trailing his finger across his collar to loosen it up a little. He’s probably feeling hot under the lights. I can hear all the panties dropping around the world once he brought up the kids.
“And all the girls? You have a lot of them after you? How do you feel about that? And Lauren? Seeing as you’re dating each other...” Gerry trails off reading the questions in front of him.
“It’s flattering to have them as you say ’after me’-” noticeably dodging the reference to Lauren. The reporter picks up on that too but moves on from it.
His eyes tell a different story, they’re shining brightly through the screen. He’s got a wholehearted smile that makes my heart pick up. The butterflies erupt in my stomach making me swallow a lump lodged in my throat.
“So Carter, are you into blondes or brunettes?” I grinned at the question remembering our trip to New York when I asked him that in the car.
I see his eyes glint in the camera as he focuses them on it for a few seconds. He must know I’m watching him.
“Now? Blondes, but I do like brunettes too” he tells Gerry over the desk. He reaches for his glass of water beside him and takes a sip.
“You’ve been linked with a few girls over the past few years, Carter. Do you think there will be a time for you to settle down?”
This question looks to catch him off guard a little as he swallowsthe water down. Seeing the large gulp in his throat, I know it’s not a question he likes.
“You’re sounding like my mom. But yeah, when you’re well known, you’re linked to pretty much anyone. I want to settle down, I think I will soon. With the right girl of course,” he nods his head like he’s referring to someone.
Gerry picks up on his with a smile plastered on his face. What he says next instantly grabs my attention.
“Are you in love, Carter?” Gerry presses him reading his expression, and Adam pulls on my leg to lift him up onto my lap. Gerry is really asking if he’s in love with Lauren.
This is the question everyone will be listening tentatively for an answer to.
With Adam sitting on me comfortably he watches his uncle hesitate along with everyone else. His eyes flicker back to the camera and I feel my heart jump into my mouth.
I bite on my chicken waiting for him to answer the question. He’s taking too long. Why is he taking so long?
My fork rested in the air waiting for his voice to be heard again. The anticipation is killing me. Say no. I mentally scream at the TV. Say no Carter!
“I am” my heart drops into my stomach and I don’t feel hungry anymore. He’s smiling from ear to ear looking at Gerry.
Gerry looks shocked that he even answered the question but recovers almost immediately.
My entire body flops into a mess on the chair while Adam sits up on me. My body feels defeated. I feel defeated. He loves her? I can feel the tears stinging my eyes, but I have to hold them back.
My shoulders dropped down to a lower level and it felt like a blow to my stomach hearing that.
“How long have you been in love?” Gerry continues to press the issue but I don’t really want to hear it. I’m done. I just want to crawl back into my bed and cry again.
“Since I was eleven” I freeze in my seat staring up at the screen while my eyebrows shoot up.
“What?” Kyle asks out loud not being able to comprehend what his best friend just said. “That doesn’t make any sense?” Kyle looks over to Delilah who had a large grin on her own face much like the one Knox is sporting.
I squint my eyes to focus them better on him. My eyes darted around to think about what he just said on live TV.
“Umm.... but you haven’t known Lauren for that long?” Gerry asks him skeptical of his answer. Everyone is so confused except for my parents and his.
“I don’t understand?” Gerry flips through the sheets of paper on his desk. You and me both Gerry, you and me both.
I sit up straighter studying him on the screen, holding Adam carefully in my hands.
“I never said I was in love with Lauren” he simply says shifting forward in his seat. He’s staring down at his hands.
