Page 120 of Floored By Love

The room was silent.

“Thanks for your time. Go Team USA,” I said into the microphone and stood up. I practically dragged Alex out of his chair and through the side door.

“You should be happy, not annoyed.”

I turned to look at Alex, my hands on my hips. “I am happy.”

Shane spoke up. “You were scoffing so much in there, I’m surprised you don’t need a lozenge for your throat.”

“Well, we are at the Olympics. That was like a Hollywood press junket.”

“Bro, isn’t Cam calling you Hollywood now? What did you expect?” Ty asked.

“No one is calling me that. That is not a thing.” I gave them all my evil eye.

Alex laughed. “Sure, it isn’t.”

“And I wasn’t annoyed. I just wanted to find Cam. I hate having to do the press things before seeing him. He could’ve surprised me in the locker room.”

“You know security’s tight, bro. London’s no joke.”

That was true. I heard the guards had tackled a custodian who didn’t respond when they yelled at him in one of the locker rooms. He had earbuds in.

“Still,” I said, pushing the doors open, the fresh afternoon breeze filling my nostrils.

“You’re literally moments away. Can you feel his presence yet?” Alex asked, clasping his hands under his chin.

“Go find your family,” I said, shoving him away from me.

With Shane and Ty at my back, I started searching the crowd.

I saw Noah’s tall frame soon enough. Cam and Heather were nearby, and there was another person with them.

A woman.

With long, dark, curly hair.

I made eye contact with Cam as I approached. I couldn’t read his expression, and no one was talking. The awkwardness emanating from the group had my brain clanging alarm bells.

It wasn’t until I was closer that I got a whiff of her perfume.

My mother’s perfume.

“Mom?”

“Hola, mijo.”

Cam came over to stand next to me. His fingers grabbed onto my hand and interlaced with mine. He squeezed.

“What are you doing here?”

“Can we at least go somewhere a little more private?”

I could see everyone standing around, trying to not pay attention, except for Heather. She looked concerned. Not angry, but definitely interested.

“Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Cam.”

She sighed, but Shane, Noah, and Ty had already all moved a little farther away. It was just me, Cam, and Heather now.