Scoring Wilder

  "To both. Now let me sleep, you fool, before I change my mind."

  He laughed and I snuggled closer to him until I felt warm and cozy enough to drift back to sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I woke up the next morning to the smell and sounds of crackling bacon. I rolled off the couch, wrapped myself up in the soft blanket, and then peered over to find Becca still asleep with no sign of either Liam or Penn. They must have been the source of the bacon smell.

  "Wake up, Sleepyhead," I said, yanking off her blanket. She groaned and started spouting out some very colorful names, one of which was something like: Wheat-Thinned Slut Monkey. I’m sorry, but what does that even mean?

  "Is that any way to talk to your bestie?" I laughed as she tried to pull the blanket from around me.

  "This is mine! Get your own!"

  "Kinsley! Becca! C'mon, breakfast is ready!" Penn called out. We sprang into action and raced to the kitchen, slipping and sliding in our blankets and socks. I almost wiped out when we rounded the corner to the kitchen and Becca couldn't stop laughing for five solid minutes.

  Liam quirked his eyebrow at us. "I thought I got you Becca-proofing supplies."

  I held up my leg and arm, which were both sporting bruises courtesy of my best friend aka spawn of Satan. "I keep forgetting to wear them. Maybe we should just wrap Becca up in bubble wrap. She packs a lot of punch for a small package."

  The boys laughed. "I veto the bubble wrap," Penn joked.

  I waggled my eyebrows as I stepped up to inspect the meal they'd cooked. "You’ll rethink your decision after she karate chops you in the stomach."

  Becca bonked me on the arm as a warning.

  "I hope you guys like bacon and waffles."

  My eyes lit up. "Waffle for me please!" I grinned and took a seat at the table. Becca followed suit.

  "What, we cooked it and we have to serve you?" Liam teased, already preparing a waffle on a plate. I shot him my best puppy dog eyes.

  "Oh, please. Turn those off. They don't affect me." Yeah right, in two seconds flat I had a waffle, orange juice, coffee, and maple syrup placed in front of me.

  I winked up at him. "We'll do the dishes."

  We spent most of Sunday lazing around on the beach. Liam rubbed sun block into my skin, taking extra time to get every surface he could find. I smiled over my shoulder at him and he bent forward to kiss me.

  "Do you remember our conversation last night?" he asked.

  "The one about the relationship status?" I asked, biting my lip and looking back out toward the ocean.

  "Mhm. Just wanted to make sure you were conscious of what you were agreeing to."

  I laughed and admitted I'd worried about the same thing. "So you're my boyfriend? Liam Wilder is my boyfriend?"

  He chuckled. "Well I don't refer to myself in the third person, but yes, Liam Wilder is your boyfriend and... he's a lucky guy." He ran his hand beneath the strings of my bikini and I feared he would untie them as quickly as he had the night before. I slapped his hand away playfully.

  After that conversation was over, I felt much less stressed about the situation. Being around him was easy and fun. Sure, when he pulled out a soccer ball and the four of us were playing around I could hardly concentrate from the way he looked in his swim trunks, but maybe I'd get used to that eventually. A few times I caught him watching me in the same manner and I had to stifle a laugh.

  All four of us tried to prolong the day as long as we could. I was loading my plate in the dishwasher after dinner when Liam wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled my ear. "You don't have to go home. You can stay and I'll take you to practice tomorrow."

  God, that was tempting. The feel of his arms around me blocked out most of my functioning brain cells, but I still had enough sense to shake my head. Liam was a force of nature in my life. If I let him, he'd breeze in and turn everything upside down until all that was left standing were my feelings for him. I had to put some healthy distance between us, just for a night.

  I spun around in his arms and wrapped my hands around his neck. When I popped up onto my tiptoes, I was almost level with his face. "I should go home and call my parents… check my email, you know, wrap my head around what normal life is like again."

  He chuckled, "This could be normal life."

  I shivered at his insinuation. "Don't try and convince me. My desire to leave is already dwindling."

  “Sounds like I should keep trying to convince you then." He dipped his head and kissed my neck. My eyes fluttered closed and I let out a small sigh.

  Then I snapped back to reality. "Nope. No. No. Liam!" I pushed away from him and he held up his hands, trying to contain his laughter.

  "You play dirty! Becca, let's go!"

  She felt the exact same way I did, which is why we all but sprinted from the house, waving goodbye to the boys and not letting them get near us. We hopped into my car and I locked the doors behind us just for good measure. The second we were inside and safe from our hormones, we started cracking up.

  "Those boys are dangerous," I accused as I started my car and backed up out of the driveway.

  "Good thing you were there for moral support or I wouldn't have left. Penn probably would have had to kick me out three weeks from now when I’d barricaded myself in his room."

  I laughed. "I just can't believe how fast everything is happening. Liam asked me to be his girlfriend last night."

  Becca spun to face me in her seat. "What?! When?"

  I bit my lip and tried to focus on the road ahead of me. "Well, sort of in the middle of the night, but then he confirmed it again this morning on the beach."

  I could see her gaping from the corner of my eye. "What did you say?"

  "Yes! Of course. Do you think I’m insane?"

  "Yes, a little bit. But, that’s unrelated to this situation. Wow, he’s such a catch.” She nodded as if imagining him for a moment.

  "What about you and Penn?" I asked.

  Becca narrowed her eyes and stared out the front window. "I'm not sure yet. He just got out of that relationship and he's told me he wants to take things really slow. I don't think he wants to disrespect his ex by jumping into a new relationship so soon."

  "I guess that makes sense. How long ago did they break up?"

  "A little over a month."

  "Hmm..." Honestly, I wasn't sure what the rule was on the appropriate amount of time between relationships. I guess it depends on how long they were together and the way they broke up.

  "I think it's obvious that he has serious feelings about you, you guys were practically attached at the hip today. Just hang in there and I'll try to get info from Liam if you need it."

  Becca smiled. "Yeah, I'm trying to just go with the flow, but I'm not very good at it. I think my body’s too stiff.”

  …

  Monday morning, Coach Davis sat everyone down and explained that Tara was no longer a member of the ULA team. We voted for the new captains right away, opting to bump Sofie up and then replace her spot with a junior that everyone loved. I expected more commotion about Tara's leaving, but as soon as Coach Davis said the announcement, it was almost as if you could hear an audible sigh pass through the group.

  After practice I was heading into the locker room when Sofie caught up to me.

  "Hey, could we talk for a second?" she asked. Her eyes were fleeting from me, to the ground, then back again, and she was fidgeting with her hands.

  "Sure. Of course," I said, preparing myself for the worst. At certain moments during the past few weeks, Sofie was just as bad as Tara, but now that her leader was gone, it was as if Sofie almost seemed shy.

  "I just wanted to apologize for everything. Tara and I were really out of line, and while we both should have probably been kicked off the squad, I realize now that I was given a second chance and I won't blow it. I should have never treated you like I did and there's really no excuse..."

  I put my hand on her arm.

  "No worries. Let's forget
the past few weeks ever happened and we'll just move on. Sound good?"

  Relief flashed across her face. "Thanks, Kinsley." To my surprise she reached forward and gave me a tight hug. It was awkward. So very awkward. I patted her back and then kind of squirmed out of her hold eventually.

  Throughout the rest of the week I tried to stay in the moment. At soccer, I focused on soccer. Coach Davis pushed us hard and it felt good to keep my mind occupied on something other than Liam.

  We had a scrimmage scheduled against another area college the following week, so we were gearing up for that. I was nervous just thinking about it, but Coach Davis assured me I would be starting in the game. Unfortunately, that only made me more nervous. It would technically be my first college game and I wanted to impress everyone that was expecting me to excel. No, I wanted to exceed everyone’s expectations of me. I wanted them to say, “I thought she’d be good, but that girl is on fire.” They’d have no choice but to compare me to Katniss.

  On Thursday, we were huddled up and Coach Davis was filling us in on last minute things before practice ended.

  "Don't forget that this Saturday we'll be going as a team to watch the LA Stars play. This will be a good learning experience for all of you that are coming off of high school teams. The level at which these professional athletes compete will give you a taste of what we need to aim for during our practices and games. I won't make everyone ride together, just meet outside the stadium at 5:45 P.M. Wear your black ULA shirts and jeans."

  With everything else going on, I’d forgotten about going to watch Liam play.

  "You're going to get to see your boyfriend play in a professional soccer game," Emily teased as we drove home. We'd filled Emily in on most everything that had happened over the weekend when we got back Sunday night. She had her mouth hanging open for most of the explanation, but by now I think it was starting to sink in.

  "Penn will be there, too," I pointed out. Even though they hadn't made it official, Penn and Becca talked every day, just like Liam and I did, so they were technically together. Labels be damned.

  "Doesn't count!" Becca clarified from the backseat.

  "Um, yes, it definitely counts," I corrected.

  “So Kinsley and I will go to that industry event with the guys on Friday, and then I can drive the three of us to the game on Saturday," Becca offered.

  "Sounds bueno," I quipped.

  "Mmm, that reminds me... let’s go get tacos for dinner!" Becca exclaimed. Emily and I agreed on principle alone. You don't turn down tacos in LA.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Liam and I had schedules that didn't sync very well during the week. I practiced in the mornings, he practiced until late afternoon, and then it seemed like he usually had some meeting or interview to attend after practice. We'd met for dinner on Wednesday and chatted every night, but by the time Friday rolled around, I couldn't contain my excitement about seeing him.

  Becca and I had spent our afternoon primping and shopping for the perfect dresses to wear to the industry event. It was being held at a ritzy hotel downtown and Liam warned me that there would be all sorts of agents, media, LA socialites, and celebrities in attendance. Basically people that I had about zero in common with, so if all else failed, Becca and I could hang out with the coat check crowd.

  We'd searched the mall until we found dresses that fit our body types perfectly. My silk mini dress was slinky and loose and looked like a modern take on a flapper dress. It hit just below my collar bone in the front, but it had a plunging back, see-through long sleeves, and gold sequins sewn in beautiful designs over the entire thing. The hem cut off at an almost indecent length, but because the dress was loose, it allowed me to show off my long tanned legs without making everyone wonder if I moonlighted as a lady of the night.

  I'd spun my hair into a loose, silky twist at the base of my neck so that my toned back was completely exposed.

  "I’m starting to get really nervous," Becca proclaimed as she finished touching up her makeup. I was buckling the thin ankle straps on my nude high heels when I glanced up. She had on a sparkly white dress that fit her body like a glove. It was tight, with cap sleeves and a short hemline. She'd paired it with some fuchsia heels that were perfect for summer. Her short hair was straight as always, but she'd pumped up her eye make-up.

  "Nope. No. If you start to be nervous then I'll be nervous. You look awesome." I stood up and saw my reflection in the mirror behind her. She'd helped me with my makeup so that my blue eyes popped against my tanned skin and dark hair. I felt good.

  She dropped her makeup brush and started scrutinizing her appearance, winking one eye and then the other and then smiling from different angles. All right, she wasn’t even getting ready anymore, so I waltz into the bathroom, spritzed us with perfume, and pushed her out the door.

  "Stop winking at yourself, psycho. It will be fun. We'll meet the guys there. They'll hand us drinks, we'll mingle with celebrities, and then be on our way," I tried to assure her as we headed to the hotel.

  I didn't admit it, but I was glad that Becca was taking the role of Nervous Nelly because it forced me to be the confident, cool one for the both of us.

  “Oh my god, if Amy is there I’m going to talk to her.”

  “Amy?” I asked as we headed toward the hotel.

  “Poehler aka my best friend. Keep up, Kinsley.”

  My cell phone started ringing and I had Becca answer it so I could keep driving.

  "Kinsley’s secretary speaking, she's driving... we're on our way... probably twenty minutes in this traffic... okay I'll tell her... oh my god, no. Gross. I'm not telling her that... (laughter)... okay we'll call you when we get there."

  Becca ended the call and dropped my phone back into my little clutch.

  "That was your boyfriend. He can't wait to see you and he wants us to call him when we get there. He'll come out with Penn and get us."

  I nodded. "What else did he say?"

  "You'll have to ask him. You guys are gross."

  I laughed and started to feel my shoulders relax. I think Becca was feeling better, too. We turned the music up and sang along the rest of the way to the hotel.

  When we arrived, I pulled up in front so the valet could take my car. We both gaped as we pulled up into the driveway. I'd been to the Hotel San Louise once or twice for brunch with my parents, but seeing it lit up at night was breathtaking. The hotel was fashioned after the roaring 1920s. The facade was white with beautiful lights leading us toward the valet. Becca had texted the boys when we were about to pull up, so when I handed my keys to the valet and rounded the car I wasn’t surprised to find Liam and Penn waiting for us outside of the hotel doors.

  Boy did they look good against the backdrop of the hotel. I felt like I was stepping into a scene from The Great Gatsby.

  I paused to take Liam in from head to toe, admiring the way the black Armani suit was tailored for his body. He'd skipped a tie and wore his crisp white shirt with the top two buttons undone. His usually unruly hair was styled back, reigning in his rugged good looks, but he'd left his five o'clock shadow to balance out his features. I wanted to take the lapels of his jacket between my fingers and tug him toward me for a kiss, but we were still a few feet away from each other.

  As Liam and Penn stepped forward to greet us, I held back a smile. Their tongues were practically hanging from their mouths. It felt good to know that I, Kinsley Bryant, nineteen-year-old soccer dweeb, could bring Liam Wilder to his knees... almost.

  He reached forward for my hand and spun me around slowly. He whistled low and sexy when he saw the back of my dress.

  "Kinsley, I think you forgot your jacket in the car," he teased as I finished the spin.

  I shrugged innocently and inhaled his cologne. He wore his signature scent and I let it wash over me as he bent to steal a chaste kiss from my lips. Before he pulled completely away, he whispered, "You look so beautiful."

  I smiled up at him, trying to take in the magical moment before gett
ing swallowed by a giant crowd of people.

  “Thank you,” I said, patting my palms against his suit jacket and feeling his hard chest beneath the layer of fine cloth.

  "I should have warned you, but there's a Step and Repeat in the hotel lobby before the entrance into the event."

  "A what?"

  Liam smiled. "A red carpet. They'll want to snap a few pictures of us before we head in."

  A wave of nerves instantly crashed over me. Woah, wait. Was I ready for this? Coach Davis and Liam’s sponsors knew a little bit about our relationship, but what would happen when the story broke to the media?

  "So what are we going to do?" I asked, peering up to try and decipher what he was thinking. His features were sharp, but relaxed.

  “I'd prefer to have you on my arm, but it’s probably safest if I walk in with Penn and you and Becca walk in together after us."

  I reached up to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.” I knew he was trying his best to protect me from the media.

  We explained the plan to Penn and Becca, and then made our way to the front door of the hotel. I could see the photographers through the frosted glass and my nerves were building upon themselves until I could feel my hand shaking inside Liam's.

  He gave me a reassuring smile before letting go and heading inside with Penn. I tried to listen to the paparazzi, but it was impossible to hear them through the door. A few moments later, when Penn and Liam had exited the carpet, the front door swept open so that we could enter next. I reached back for Becca and took a deep breath as the staff held the door for us.

  The moment we passed through the threshold, flash after flash started illuminating the ritzy hotel lobby. They'd set it up so that the event's guests were funneled down a long red carpet. Photographers were on one side of a red rope and there was a giant banner running along the back of the carpet with various brands’ logos repeating all the way down.

  I smiled and tried to look normal, but my features felt tight and fake. Was I smiling or just opening my mouth really wide? Becca squeezed my hand and I squeezed back as we walked toward the center of the red carpet. Once we hit a certain mark, a publicist insisted that the two of us turn and pose for a photo. The flashes multiplied as we angled toward one another.