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A man dressed in a black shirt and black pants approaches us. He looks like a lumberjack except he’s missing the plaid button-down shirt. “Is there a problem here?”
My brows dip. I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or to Rivera, but I answer anyway. “Yes. This man is trespassing.”
“I am not,” he argues. “I can legally stand right here on this sidewalk.”
“Ma’am,” the man says to me, and he holds an arm out to escort my mom and me into the building. “I’m with Aces security, and I’m here for you all day.”
“Thank you,” I murmur. Lincoln somehow managed to think of everything. “Get that man who was arguing with me out of here.”
“You got it,” he says, and he spins and heads outside without another word.
I’m not sure what I just unleashed, but I am sure that Ryan Rivera deserves whatever is coming to him.
My hair is being curled and my make-up is done in a conference room when there’s a knock at the door.
Sam runs over to open it, and her jaw drops when she sees Jack Dalton standing there.
“I will never get used to the fact that Jack Dalton is your almost-husband’s boss.”
I giggle as Jack laughs.
“Pleasure to meet you,” he says. “Sam, right? Thanks for your part in protecting our coach and his soon-to-be wife.”
She looks like she’s about to faint that he knows who she is, and I grin.
“Thanks for helping us out today, Jack,” I say.
“My pleasure. Between the good things you’ve done for me and wanting to help out my friend Lincoln however I can, I’m happy to be here,” he says. “And you look beautiful. Lincoln is a lucky man.”
I raise a brow as I press my lips together. “That he is.”
He offers a laugh. “I just wanted to let you know that apparently our security goaded Rivera into hitting him, which was obviously caught on camera by the other paparazzi present. Rivera was arrested for stalking, harassment, obstructing, and assault. We’re hopeful he’ll be put away for a while, but if nothing else, at least he should leave the two of you alone while he’s on probation, and he definitely won’t be around for the rest of today.”
I’ll take it as a win. “Thanks, Jack,” I say, and I let out the breath I’d been holding since he caught me off guard as I walked into this place today.
“Are you ready to walk down the aisle in a half hour?” he asks.
I nod. “I think I’ve been ready since I was fifteen. Just a few roadblocks in our way, but this is it.”
“This is it,” he echoes. “Oh! And Lincoln wanted me to give you this.” He hands me a box with a note taped to the top, and I promised myself I would not cry and ruin my fresh make-up, so I’m hesitant to open it.
“Sam?” I say, and my eyes move toward the box I have for him, too.
She nods and grabs the box to hand to Jack, and I can see how she’s trembling even from here. “This is for you.”
I clear my throat and offer Jack a sly smile and a slight roll of my eyes.
“I mean Lincoln! It’s for Lincoln,” she says.
Jack laughs. “I’ll make sure he gets it.”
“Thanks, Jack. Again. For everything,” I say.
He presses his lips together and walks over to squeeze my hand. “Congratulations, Bailey. We’ve known each other a while now, and I couldn’t be happier for you.”
He leaves, and Sam lets out a breath. “God, that man is freaking gorgeous. How do you hold it together in front of him?” She walks over and grabs the hand he just squeezed, and she runs it along her cheek. “It’s like he’s touching me.”
I laugh even as I pull my hand from her grasp. “He’s just a normal guy.” I lift a shoulder.
