AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Kiddos!” his mom yells. We jerk apart as she stands in the bedroom door. “Sorry, I thought something was wrong, so I used my key.”
Dane clears his throat and asks, “And why do you have a key to my room?”
She ignores the question. “You both look lovely,” she says as she kisses Dane on the cheek and then grabs my hands. “And this dress is perfect. Now let’s go. We don’t want to be late.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Great timing. Both of us look like we got caught stealing from the Five & Dime.
Chapter Fourteen
DANE
Following Mom to the elevator, I lead Lettie down with my hand on her back, I touch the fabric of her dress instead of her skin. Because I’m holding myself together by a tiny thread.
Needing a distraction, I switch gears. “Mom, you look pretty. Dad is one lucky man.”
“Thank you. Sometimes people don’t notice what is right under their nose.” My mom glances over her shoulder. There’s a subtle emotion in her voice. Is she referring to Lettie and me or does she feel that Dad doesn’t see her for the beautiful person she is?
The metal door opens to a large foyer full of women in colorful gowns and men in black. Lettie was so anxious, she got on her knees in the seat. She would pop up and straighten her back whenever the action started.
“Excuse me, I see your dad,” my mom says heading straight to my dad and his friends. He’s easily seen, like me towering over the vast majority.
“Do you want a cocktail or chardonnay?”
She lets out a hearty laugh. “What no Beast?”
“No, we get to pretend to be grownups with money tonight. Top shelf wine and liquor for us.”
“Dane, you have more NIL contracts than any player in the history of the university. Save the humble pie for your sponsors and donors. You’re not impressing some rich, country club girl.”
Spinning her to face me, I say, “You’re making it sound like I’m an asshole. One, you know I’m saving all of my sponsorship money. And two, I don’t need to impress you. It doesn’t work anyway.”
“Sorry, I’m getting nervous about the competitions coming up. What if I’m not good enough to make the Olympics?”
I order our drinks, handing her a cranberry vodka with club soda and when our fingers touch, our eyes deadlock. She holds my gaze and I look down to her lips and then to the cutaway of her dress showing her round cleavage.
“Stop all of the self-doubt. You’re one of the premier riders in the states and Diamond Mine is ranked among the top ten horses. You’ll make it.”
I stick out my elbow, and she laces her arm through. We wander around the room and of course I’m stopped every five seconds wanting to talk about the Stallions basketball team.
“Hey, are you winning the National Championship this year?”
“That’s the plan.”
“How’s the new coach?”
“He’s a motivator.”
“Why did you stay instead of entering the NBA draft?” A woman possibly in her mid-thirties asks. She must sense my hesitation and looks at Lettie and smiles. “Sorry, that was a personal question.”
“No ma’am. I just never know how to answer it. Half the people think I’m an idiot for staying, the other half wanted me to stay. Which one are you?”
“I’m definitely glad you stayed. It makes it more exciting when a Kentucky boy is leading the team in three pointers.”
I swear basketball is all the people in this state care about.
Lettie squeezes my arm. “It’s nice to meet you, but my friend needs some food to keep her sugar up.”
