Carter moves around to Brad’s trunk and unloads my bags. It’s not a lot, but God forbid that I might carry something heavier than my purse. Carter’s the pack mule, and Miguel flanks me on my right side. I’m quickly whisked into the hotel’s service elevator and taken to the third floor.
I’m not sure if they’re attempting to keep me hidden, or if they’re actually concerned for my safety. I’ve really quit caring. As Colin would say, “I’ve added it to my list of stuff that I don’t give a fuck about.” Apparently, security is now a part of my life. At least, I’m comfortable with these guys.
We quickly walk down the beige-striped hotel hallway with green-fern-print carpet. I’ve always wondered if there’s a hotel-decorating store, maybe Hotels ‘R Us, where they sell crazy hotel hallway carpet. I’ve never been into a carpet store and seen the wild prints on a display sample. Now, I’m super curious. I make a mental note to Google hotel carpet when I have a free moment.
Miguel stops in front of a door that’s about midway down the hall. He knocks twice and then slides his key-card into the lock. When the green light shines he opens the door, allowing me to enter first.
There they are: my girls! I squeal with excitement. Janis is the first to greet me. She throws her arms around my neck, and gives me a big kiss on my cheek. “You look gorgeous, Caroline. You’re simply glowing.”
Giggling because I do feel beautiful, and now that we’re here I also feel more relaxed. “Thanks. You’re too kind. Where’s Clay and company?”
“They’re two rooms over. You know Colin rented out the whole floor,” she says with an exaggerated headshake. Janis South is an exotic beauty. How the woman has had four kids and looks this good is beyond me. She has her coal-black hair pulled back in a simple bun with two gold chopsticks crisscrossed through the center. I’m not even sure that she wears makeup. She doesn’t need to. Janis has got to be in her late thirties or early forties, but she still looks like she could rock a high-fashion runway. On top of her beauty, she’s one of the nicest people I know. Her friendship became precious to me as she helped mentor me through the perils of living with one of the most famous athletes on the planet. I’ve learned that there aren’t too many of us in this elite club. Janis could write a best-selling tell-all on what it’s like to live with one of the world’s most famous men. Her marriage to Clay is a great example of making it work.
“Hey, Miss Marley,” I say. She runs to me and throws her arms around my thighs. That child may wind up better looking than her mother. With her large brown eyes and killer smile, Colin and Clay are going to have to scare some sense into the boys who want to date her.
“Auntie Charlie, my daddy says that I have to go easy on Uncle Colin because he’s gettin’ old.” Kids kill me. Just when you think you know what’s going to come out of their mouths, you get something like that.
Janis flashes Marley a look, and Marley gets the picture. She gives me another squeeze and then skips off to rejoin her tea party on one of the full-sized beds with her Just Like Me American Girl Doll. That really does look just like her. Marley could care less about today’s festivities.
Carter steps past me and places my bags on the other full-sized bed in the room. Jenny darts over to his side and begins unpacking their contents. We’ve developed a comfortable truce. We both agree that we adore Colin and will protect him above all else, but our relationship has not always been that simple. Colin’s fortyish, multi-colored-haired assistant can be a bit to take in. No one will argue that Jenny’s a master at her job. The woman knows when to drip honey and when to spew vinegar to achieve her goals. She doesn’t mince words, and missed the whole southern etiquette class.
Soon after I moved in with Colin, it became apparent that Jenny needed an office somewhere other than our home. She was used to being in charge of all aspects of Colin’s life. I was willing to let her run his professional life and keep his work calendar, but our private life was ours. That meant that if Colin and I wanted to sleep in until ten o’clock, I didn’t want Jenny sitting at my kitchen table when I strolled in to fix a cup of coffee. It also irritated me that Jenny knew my house and my man’s life better than I did.
After some heartfelt tears and reasoning with Colin, he got the message. Colin rented office space about half a mile from our home. It’s in a professional building. He has his own office and private bathroom. There’s a conference room for meetings and, most importantly, there’s enough wall space to hang Colin’s football memorabilia, as well as a super-deep storage closet. We’re both much happier.