For Everly (21 page)

She was doing it again. Putting distance between them…gearing herself up for the big goodbye. Did she think he wanted to cut her out of his life because of this?

He reached across the table to take her hand. When she met his gaze, he said, “That’s bullshit. I’m calling you out on that one, Everly. Give me more credit than that.”

Some color returned to her cheeks. “Okay.”

“Look, I know you didn’t intend for this to happen. I’d be lying if I didn’t say you caught me off-guard, though. I hope you’ll tell me about these things when they happen from now on.”

They both understood the significance of his phrasing as they looked at each other after his statement. It implied a future together in some form or fashion. He didn’t bother taking it back since he’d spoken what he felt.

“I will. I promise.”

He squeezed her hand. “Good. So we’ll work around this. Is it safe to say your father’s only sticking around because you’re supposedly dating me?”

She shrugged. “I really don’t know. I’ve only seen him twice since Aiden’s funeral. Each time was selfishly motivated. Why should this time be any different?”

Their food arrived before he could respond. He thought about what she had shared with him about her father over the past couple days. The guy sounded like a royal asshat. He wouldn’t be surprised if the guy hit him up for money or a favor when they met. He sure sounded like the type.

Then he realized that he’d just assumed he’d be meeting Everly’s father, like it was no big deal. He’d never met the parents of someone he dated. That was another indicator of how serious their relationship was getting. He’d only known Everly for a few weeks. How was this level of connection possible in such a short period of time?

He then considered that it was also the first time she’d talked frankly with him about her family. He knew she didn’t discuss such things with other people. She’d progressed beyond her usual personal protocols in their relationship, too. That fact made him feel a little less exposed and helped curb the last of his irritation over this curveball.

“Tell you what,” he said when they were alone again. “Let’s take this a day at a time, okay?”

She nodded and gave him a grateful smile. “One day at a time.”

Chapter 28

Everly did what she could not to gawk as Cole led her into the studio where he’d be having photos taken. She spotted six other professional athletes between the time they entered a lobby area and when they were escorted back through a series of hallways to what appeared to be a dressing room. It was all she could do not to fangirl out and embarrass herself and Cole.

“You’ll be getting ready here, Mr. Parker,” the harried-looking receptionist said. She waved her arms, making her impressive fake bosom nearly burst from her tight sweater. “Feel free to leave your coats and personal belongings here. I’ll ensure they’re not disturbed. Your dressing room is prepped with bottled water and soft drinks. You’ve been provided an assortment of snacks, but if you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you, Candice,” Cole said as he removed his jacket and reached for Everly’s.

Everly would have been more impressed by his use of her name if the woman hadn’t been wearing a nametag. Candice turned to Cole with a look of surprise as he hung the coats on a garment rack. Everly guessed she didn’t have many people address her by name.

The receptionist smiled. It made her look ten years younger than her likely forty-something age. “You can call me Candy,” she said.

Of course he could. Everly barely withheld a snort of amusement.

“All right, Candy,” Cole said. He winked at Everly when Candy giggled in a girlish way.

“I’ll come and get you when Bastian is ready,” she said, reaching out and touching Cole’s bicep. “Don’t hesitate to reach out to me in the meantime if you need anything.” Then she turned to Everly. “Mrs. Parker, please come with me.”

“Oh, um—” Everly began.

“Not without a goodbye kiss,” Cole said with a grin.

Everly didn’t object when he pulled her close. She was still reeling over being referred to as Mrs. Parker. Why had that made her heart leap and her entire body feel lighter?

Still, that didn’t compare to Cole’s kiss. Dear Lord, she could stay in that room all day kissing him. As it was, she didn’t really register when they parted and he told her he’d be out soon. She sort of floated beside Candy until they reached a large, dark room with spotlights focused on several stages bearing props. People swarmed in every direction.

“You can wait here,” Candy said.

Her tone wasn’t rude, but she clearly lacked interest in seeing to Everly’s comfort. That was just fine with Everly.

“Thanks, Candy,” she replied. “I appreciate your time.”

Something in her tone had Candy tilting her head and giving her a second look before she walked away. “Is there anything I can get you?” she asked.

Smiling, Everly shook her head. “I’ll be fine, thanks. I know you’re busy.”

Candy returned the smile. “You have no idea.”

“You’re right. I’ve never seen anything like this.” She looked around at people tinkering with lighting, adjusting props and backdrops, raising and lowering booms, and directing people into position as cameras flashed. “What I do know is that places like this couldn’t operate without people like you. So keep up the good work.”

Candy looked completely dumbfounded. Then she smiled again. “Thanks, Mrs. Parker. Just let me know if you need anything.”

Everly started to correct Candy on her name, but the receptionist turned and hurried off. Shrugging, she turned her attention back to her surroundings. Which of these sets would Cole be using? She hadn’t even thought to ask him what he was there to promote.

“Did I hear that woman introduce you as Mrs. Parker?”

Turning at the sound of the male voice, Everly spotted an attractive man who appeared to be in his early-to-mid thirties. Despite the season, he was tan, tall, and fit, with perfectly styled blond hair and blue eyes. His suit probably cost more than all of her clothes put together. When he smiled, she was nearly blinded by his straight, white teeth.

“Yes, but my name is actually Everly Wallace,” she said. “I didn’t have a chance to correct her.”

“Ah.”

The man’s gaze slid over her. She tried not to fidget, wondering what the intense scrutiny was all about. Her outfit of jeans, knee-high leather boots, a white and navy blue-striped top, and a navy blue cardigan with a belted waist wasn’t anything to draw attention. She brought a hand to her hair, which she’d clipped at the nape of her neck in a large barrette. It still felt largely in place.

“My name is Wayne Shelton,” he said at last. “I’m Cole’s agent.”

“Oh, right.” She remembered Cole mentioning him. He actually looked like what she imagined based on Cole’s stories. Not sure what else to do, she extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked, ignoring her hand. “Cole’s never brought a woman to one of his shoots. This is hardly the time for him to begin doing so. There are more cameras here than at any ballgame. Having his name tied to a former asylum patient has the potential to ruin his career.”

She went rigid. She couldn’t decide what upset her more: being referred to as an asylum patient or hearing that she could have that much of an impact on Cole’s career…not because of her current work with him on his injury, but because of her past.

A feminine laugh behind her had them both turning. Everly watched as a petite woman of indeterminate age approached. Her silver-laced dark hair was cut in a short, fashionable style that flattered her patrician features. While Everly wouldn’t call her beautiful, she would say the woman had a compelling presence. Something about her made Everly unable to look away. Her dark eyes held a world of knowledge.

“Did you really just use the word ‘asylum,’ Wayne?” the woman asked. “Are you quoting from a nineteen-seventies movie script?”

He flashed his white teeth. “Hi, Caroline. I was just—”

“Showing your ignorance?” Caroline interrupted. “Why, yes, you were.” She stopped a few inches from Wayne and tilted her head back to look up at him. “You have an older brother, don’t you, Wayne?”

Blinking, he said, “Yes.”

“Brad, isn’t that his name?”

“How did—?”

“So, Wayne,” she said, her voice barely audible over the surrounding noise, “imagine that you’re fourteen years old and you’ve just come home from school to find that Brad has shot himself. You find him on the floor of his bedroom and realize he’s not quite dead. You have to decide whether to stay with him to try and keep him alive or go and make the 911 call. In the end, regardless of your efforts, he dies in your arms.”

Everly staggered back. The woman reached out and grabbed her arm, but didn’t look at her.

“Now, do you think you’d need some therapy after surviving something like that? Maybe even a brief stay in a hospital that treats psychiatric trauma?”

Wayne’s tan now reflected as pale green in the studio’s lightning. Everly couldn’t meet his eyes, but she knew he was looking at her.

“Is that what…?”

“I should think you would have checked before making a fool of yourself,” Caroline interrupted. “Now, leave us so that I can perform what our industry likes to call damage control.”

At first, he turned to leave. Then he looked back at Everly.

“I’m very sorry.”

If she said anything, she was bound to burst into tears. So she just nodded.

He walked away, leaving her with Caroline. Everly stood very still, keeping her breathing under control. She stared at the floor and fought the memories that threatened her.

“What I just did was perfectly awful,” Caroline said. She grasped both of Everly’s hands, which had grown cold. “But it was the only way I was going to deflect a bulldog like Wayne.”

Everly took several deep breaths, trying hard to keep her thoughts on the present. When she could speak, she asked, “Is my past going to impact Cole’s career?”

Caroline smiled. “Why am I not surprised that you asked about him first?”

Finally, Everly lifted her gaze and met the other woman’s eyes. She had to look down a number of inches. The look she received in return felt oddly maternal.

“Cole’s career will remain intact regardless of your past, Everly. I’m sorry for dredging it up in such a harsh manner.” She gave Everly’s hands a squeeze, then let them go. “I’m Caroline Sanderson, by the way. Do you think you can ever forgive me for my intrusion?”

Caroline Sanderson.

Everly wanted to sink into the floor. She was standing in front of the woman married to the owner of Cole’s team.

“Sure,” she managed to say. Then, deciding she didn’t have much to lose by asking, she added, “Should I be scared that you know so much about me?”

“I don’t know…should you?” Caroline replied. Then she laughed at Everly’s wide-eyed expression. Hooking her arm with Everly’s, she started them walking closer to one of the sets. “I know quite a bit about everything that happens on this team, Everly. Can I add that I’m in love with your name? I’m going to do my best to convince my daughter to name her coming child Everly. If she refuses, then hopefully we’ll get a middle name out of it.”

Unsure what to say, Everly blinked and murmured a thank you. She realized they were approaching a set surrounded by other women. Their attention was centered on whatever the photographer was trying to capture.

When she glanced at the platform sitting in the center of the set, she saw Cole standing there wearing only a robe. He nodded as he listened to the rapid instructions of a stagehand who gestured as he spoke. Caroline maneuvered her and Everly to the front of the women. No one issued a word of complaint, telling Everly how respected—and feared—Caroline was.

“Are you ready for this?” Caroline whispered.

“I think so,” Everly whispered back.

She was wrong.

Chapter 29

“All right, Cole,” said the photographer. “Let’s see what we’re working with here.”

Everly gave the photographer a long stare. He was at least six feet, five inches of well-toned male. Dreads popped out of his head in a high ponytail that reached the middle of his back. His ebony skin glowed under the photographic light. She guessed his wardrobe choice of a tank top and shorts was due to the hot stage lights.

“That’s Bastian,” Caroline said in a hushed voice.

Everly nodded. Then she watched as Cole untied the belt to his robe. He took it off and handed it to the woman standing behind him.

Sweet baby Jesus
.

That’s all that ran through her mind. She did her best not to ogle. A number of appreciative murmurs issued from behind her. While it probably should have irked her, she just mentally added her own.

After all, Cole stood only a few feet away wearing just a pair of black boxer briefs.

Heat suffused her entire body as she studied him. He was utterly sublime. Why did seeing him like this have more of an impact on her than him in his swimsuit? Was it because she’d been too tied up in her own nervousness to notice while they swam? Or was it that those tight briefs left very little to the imagination?

“Excellent.” Bastian held his camera up and evaluated what he read. “All right. Grab your bat, Cole.”

Everly was surprised her eyes didn’t fall out of her head.

“If you don’t want everyone to know that you’re still a young innocent, you might want to focus on controlling your reactions,” Caroline said into her ear.

Swallowing, Everly nodded. Then she plastered a nonchalant look on her face.

Cole accepted a wooden bat from one of the stagehands. He held it with confidence, giving it a few testing swings.

“This is an advertising campaign for a high-end brand of men’s underwear,” Caroline explained in her low undertone. “They’re going for a sense of duality in their approach. Kind of a ‘you don’t have to be good at only one thing’ rebranding. They want their consumers to think of them as both a model of comfort and the epitome of style.”