“If it was when it’s convenient, I would have actually been there instead of here.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you. I thought it was for show. Do you usually do that? I mean, help out kids?”
For a moment, I debate lying about it because I know how this conversation goes. It’s always the same when someone finds out what I do with the kids. My gut says it’s stupid to tell the truth, but I do it anyway. “A few times a year, that’s all.” Maybe if I brush it off, she’ll leave it alone.
“Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why’? I have the means to do so and the kids enjoy it. Why wouldn’t I?” Seems pretty simple to me.
“Have you looked in the mirror? You’re Carson Lee. You’re the bad-boy of hockey. Nowhere on your resume does it say, ‘good samaritan’.”
“That’s not who I am to them and there’s a reason it’s not on my resume.” Conversations like this for example. Who I normally am wouldn’t coincide with the guy who visits kids in hospitals anyway, so it’s good that no one knows. It’s no one’s business either. “I do something good, shouldn’t you be happy about that? Just smile and say, ‘That’s nice of you, Carson. I’m surprised, but it’s still nice.’ Or smile and keep your thoughts to yourself. That works too.” I try not to be snappy, in part because I do hope she’ll smile. So my voice is as nice and casual as I can make it. I even smile at her.
“If you’re trying to get me to smile, it’s not working. Although, I am surprised, didn’t think you had it in you. May I ask who Gracie is?”
“No,” I answer curtly.
“Oh, okay.” She drops the topic for a moment. “I’m still surprised that you have a good side.”
I shrug. “Well, I do.”
“And all this time I thought the only thing you did good was have sex with all of Alabama.”
“Good is a huge understatement when referring to sex with me. If good is all the women are saying, then I’m slacking,” I say seriously.
Kinley smiles and cracks up in a laugh but quickly covers her mouth.
“That’s one!” I point at her, grinning. “It should count for two since you laughed.”
She gazes at her drink before looking back at me. “You must have slipped something into my soda, and it’s one, not two.”
“Okay, only one then,” I concede. “I’m halfway to winning and it’s only day one. You’ll be cooking me dinner in no time, Kinley.”
“Ha, I doubt it, and now I’m leaving.” She stands, sets her drink on the table, and walks across the room and out the door before I can say another word.
Chapter Thirteen
Kinley
“Cassie, do you think this will work?” I stare out at the scenery in front of us.
“It could. I mean, the mountains are stunning,” Cassie says while looking through a camera lens.
“Well, I have the fake leaves and autumn trees coming tomorrow. So, it will look more like fall.” The original area I had planned fell through because of so many weddings that are booked. This is the last resort.
“Kinley, it’ll be fine. Stop stressing.” Cassie takes her face away from the lens and pats my shoulder.
“I need to make sure this is perfect.” I push my hand through my hair.
“Come on, let’s grab a drink and relax.”
“I can’t. I need to double check everything before the first shoot tomorrow night. Did you get the schedule?”
“Kinley, everyone has it. You emailed it to all of us, twice, and then made all us confirm that we had it. Twice.”
“Well, I’m making sure that you all have it.”
Cassie laughs. “You were this way when you were the sorority president too.”