She smiled, her cheeks darkening with color as she said, “Thank you.”
“So proud,” he whispered, emotion choking him as he wrapped her back up in a tight hug. He missed his sister and mom so much, but he was thankful to still have Claire within reach. They would always have each other. “I love you so much.”
He felt her freeze in his arms, and then she whispered, “I love you too.”
He closed his eyes tight, hugging her the way she needed to be hugged as he took in a deep breath. His heart was exploding with love, and he didn’t know how to handle his emotion. In one hand, he wanted to cry like a little baby but, since he knew that it might get back to the guys, he went with the other hand, which was to just hold her and bask in this moment. He had been waiting since the first moment she came back into his life for her to accept his love, and he couldn’t believe that this was finally happening.
Could life get any better?
Claire parted from him, and he smiled as she moved out of his arms. “It was great, huh?”
He nodded. “Yeah, it was beautiful and even though you don’t have a shirt on, you did good, guy,” he said, directing it to Brian.
Brian smiled as he cocked his head towards Claire. “It’s all her. She’s spectacular.”
Claire beamed up at him as Phillip glared, but still he said, “Yes, she is.”
“Are you sure we did good?” Claire said, a worried expression on her face as she looked past him.
“Ugh yeah, mind blowing, why?” He laughed as Brian looked towards the direction Claire was.
“Then why does Reese look so mad?”
He looked behind him to see Reese marching towards them, her face red and her lips set in a straight line. Behind her was a tall, blond guy, trying to catch up to her while calling her name.
“I don’t know,” Phillip said as Reese came up to them, hugging Claire tightly and then Brian.
“You guys, that was perfect. Way better than y’all have ever done in practice. I’m so proud of you.”
Brian nodded as Claire exclaimed, “Thanks! We feel good about it.”
“You should, we got this,” she said quickly, sending a glare towards the blond dude.
Phillip wanted to come close to her and ask what was wrong, but that was something he would do if it were known he was in love with her and since that wasn’t known, he stayed where he was. He needed to tell Claire as soon as possible because he wanted to kiss Reese with such an urgency that it scared him. He was convinced that everyone in the room knew he wanted her. She was pissed but, even in that state, she was breathtaking. Despite the straight line her glossed-up lips sat in, she looked classic, wearing a pair of black tights and a pair of red shorts with a long, black sweater that came off her shoulder, showing off some of her back tattoo. Her hair was up in a bun, and her makeup dramatic. She was obviously dressed to impress and boy, did she.
“Everything okay?” Claire asked.
It wasn’t, Phillip knew it wasn’t, but Reese said, “Sure.”
“Reese, can we talk?”
Everyone eyes darted to the guy except Reese, she rolled her eyes. “Why don’t y’all go change and get ready for awards? Good job again.”
They didn’t want to leave her, and hesitantly headed towards the backstage. Phillip didn’t know where to go, so he decided to stay right where he was. He didn’t trust the blond guy, and he also wanted to know what was wrong with Reese.
“There isn’t anything to talk about, Kevin.”
Kevin? Kevin, Kevin? Like the guy that ruined her for the male race?
“I think we can find something. It’s obvious you are angry with me still,” he said in a slow way, like he was drunk or high.
Reese laughed out loud as she shook her head. He knew she wanted to scream, he could read it all over her face, but in the calmest voice, she said, “Are you fucking kidding me? Of course I am! You broke my heart.”
Yup, it was him and instantly, Phillip wanted to kick his ass.