Hearts at Play(42)

Kat pushed to her feet. “Okay, so go back to your twelve-year plan, but I don’t see how twelve years will change anything. Some guy will fall in love with you twelve years from now, and you’ll worry that he’ll leave you in a year or six. You’ll just be older with saggy boobs and bigger hips. Layla will be off to college, and…Oh, you know what? Maybe we should just fill your house with cats now instead of later.”

Brianna rose to her feet. “You’re being a jerk.”

“No. I’m a realist, which is what you have always been, but somehow you morphed into a wishy-washy wimp, which I totally don’t get.” Kat crossed her arms, and Brianna did the same.

“Oh my God. It’s like you’re both twelve years old.” Jean looked between the two of them. “Brianna, you need to talk to Hugh. If you really think the what-ifs are too big, then follow your heart and walk away. If you think you can overcome them, then stop hemming and hawing and give this relationship a fair shot—or don’t, but you gotta let him know one way or another. He’s not a college kid, Bree. He’s a man, and a man who seems to be head over heels in love with you and Layla.”

“Tell me how.” The severity of her own voice surprised her. “All I need is to know how to turn off the worries. You’ve seen him. He’s drop-dead gorgeous. If I go to the race and see women all over him, I’ll want to rip their heads off or run away, and which do you think I’ll do?”

“Run away,” her mother and Kat said in unison.

“Exactly.”

“I could come with you and I could rip them off of him. You know I’ll do it.” Kat smiled and fisted her hands.

“Then the real question is, what would make that feeling go away?” her mother said softly. “Because unless you're dating a dog of a man, you’re gonna deal with that anyway.”

“Why are you always the voice of reason, Mom? Can’t you just say, I’m totally with you here, Bree. I get it. It’s fucked up, but I see why you’re afraid to face it. That would make me feel better.”

“I did say that, honey. You just didn’t hear me.”

There was a knock at the bathroom door.

They all froze.

“Bree?”

Hugh. “Yeah?”

“Layla’s really tired. Are you almost ready to go?”

Her heart squeezed so tight she thought she might cry again. “Yeah. One sec, please.” Brianna blew out a breath. “I’m going to go home and think about it, and I’ll decide tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Kat raised her eyebrows again.

“Yeah. I can’t think right now.”

Her mother ran her hands up Brianna’s arms. “Honey, he isn’t asking you to marry him. He’s asking you to go watch him race.”

I’m gonna make you a bride one day. Brianna nodded. “I know. But everything I do, every step I take, impacts Layla, too. It’s like having a super coupon for dating. I have the power to screw up two lives instead of one. What if I go to the race and realize I can’t watch him be pawed at?”

“You’re so weird,” Kat said. “He’s racing, not pole dancing.”

“I gotta tell you, honey. I don’t get it either. When are you worried about him being pawed at? I was so caught up in your hysteria that I didn’t even think about it.” Her mother looked at her expectantly.

“Ugh! I don’t know. I went online and there are all these pictures of him with gorgeous women. He’s near race cars and tracks in some and in others he’s signing autographs.” She watched the two of them exchange an eye roll. “What?”

“Signing autographs?” Kat shook her head. “So you’re worried about what exactly? You’re not worried about him cheating on you? You’re literally worried about him being pawed at?”

“I guess. Yeah. Why are you guys staring at me?”

“Because, Bree, if you trust him, why do you care if women paw at him when he signs autographs? And pictures on the Internet? He’s a big-time racer. Of course he’s going to be photographed with women. Was he cheating on a wife or a girlfriend? Did you read anything about him doing dastardly things?” Kat asked.

“Well, no.” She sighed.

“Bree, you’re pawed at all the time at the tavern. Should he not trust you?” Kat asked.

“See. It is me. I told you.” Shit. I’m an idiot. “I’m overthinking again.”

“You’re protecting yourself and Layla,” her mother said. “I understand. Go home, think about it, and the right answer will come to you.”

She found Hugh carrying a heavy-lidded Layla on his shoulder.

“Hi, Mom,” Layla said with a yawn.

She put her hand on Layla’s back and kissed her cheek. “Sorry I took so long, princess. I’m sorry, Hugh.”

“That’s okay.” His voice no longer carried the upbeat bravado that it had before Brianna had reached into his chest and pulled his heart out. She cringed at the thought of how she’d hurt him.

The tension in his voice tugged at her heart.

“Let’s wait for your mom and Kat to get their jackets. I don’t want them to walk out alone.”

His compassion tugged her heart in a different direction.

Jean and Kat’s faces were solemn.

“That was a really sweet thing to do,” Jean said to Hugh.

“I think Layla enjoyed it. Thanks again for helping. And, Kat, you were awesome. Thanks.”

Hugh pushed the glass door open and held it for the women to pass through. The second he walked out the door, flashbulbs blasted his eyes. Women called his name. He held a hand up. “What the—”

“Oh my goodness,” Jean said. She grabbed hold of Brianna’s and Kat’s arm.

Hugh pushed through the crowd, one hand shielding Layla, the other protecting Brianna, Kat, and Jean. “Stay with me,” he said to them.

“Hugh! Can I get your autograph?” a heavyset woman yelled.

“How long are you in town?” a man with a television camera hollered.

Hugh didn’t answer. He continued moving toward the car and pulled Brianna closer, situating himself in front of her mother and Kat.

A beautiful blond woman with enormous breasts and a tighter-than-tight short dress pushed in front of Hugh and Brianna and shoved a pen at Hugh.

“Hugh, you can sign my cleavage?” She somehow managed to sound seductive even with the chaos.

“I don’t think so,” Kat yelled and yanked her away from them. “Told you,” she said to Brianna with a smile.

Hugh unlocked the car and settled Layla into her booster seat. He opened the passenger door while watching Kat and Jean hurry to their cars. The cameramen and fans stuck by Hugh, making an arc around him, shoving papers and taking pictures.

Brianna started to climb in.

“Wait.” He put his arm around her and whispered, “Please do this with me.”

Her mind wasn’t functioning. She wanted to run. Running seemed like a great idea. Only it didn’t. Running away from Hugh seemed like a really stupid idea. Her head nodded, though she didn’t tell it to, and then he faced the cameras with Brianna pressed against his side. She clung to him with one hand on his abs—in her favorite spot, and damn he felt so good—and the other hand clinging to the back his slacks. The bright flashbulbs left her seeing spots.

Hugh held up one hand, and Brianna’s eyes adjusted, allowing her to see the group more clearly. There were a handful of women and men, all with hopeful eyes and their arms stretched out toward Hugh. Two men with cameras were either filming or taking pictures; she couldn’t tell which, as the lights were now trained on them. A black van with television station call letters emblazoned across the side was parked at the curb.

Brianna sucked in a breath. Filming? She stood up straighter, feeling totally out of sync with her body, and she looked over Hugh’s shoulder, relieved to see that Hugh had placed himself in front of Layla’s window.

“I’ll answer three questions, and I’ll sign autographs if you don’t approach the car.”

“How long are you in town?” a short man yelled.

“Two more days,” he answered.

“Why did you rent out the theater?” the buxom blonde asked.

Hugh tightened his grip on Brianna, and she watched his dimples appear as he gazed lovingly into her eyes. “To do something special for my girlfriend and her daughter.”

The women in the crowd awwed.

My girlfriend. He’d claimed her. In front of the television camera and strangers, and he’d done it while looking at her in a way that no one could misinterpret—not even Brianna.

“Will you marry me?” a woman yelled from the back of the crowd.

“That’s number three, and I’m already spoken for,” Hugh answered.

The crowd moved forward, and Hugh held up a hand. He opened the door for Brianna. “Thank you,” he whispered, and pressed a kiss to her lips. She climbed into the car and watched him work—and control—the crowd like he’d been doing it his whole life.

Pride swelled in her chest, and the twisting ache that had pierced her gut began to ease. He’d taken care of Layla and he’d watched out for her, Jean, and Kat, and he’d done it all on instinct, it seemed.