Chapter 6 The Press Is Waiting
1199 Words
Naomi stared at Jaxon’s phone as the team owner’s angry voice continued pouring through the speaker.
“You’ve built your image on discipline and transparency. Now every sports channel in the country is calling this the biggest celebrity secret wedding of the year. Get to the stadium. We need answers.”
Jaxon remained calm.
“I’ll be there within the hour.”
“You’d better have your wife with you.”
The call ended.
Silence settled over the room.
Naomi slowly turned toward him.
“Did he just say… wife?”
Jaxon slipped the phone into his pocket.
“Yes.”
“I can’t do a press conference.”
“You have to.”
She stared at him as though he had lost his mind.
“I’ve never even spoken into a microphone before.”
“You won’t be alone.”
“I don’t belong in front of hundreds of cameras.”
“You belong beside me.”
She let out a nervous laugh.
“Easy for you to say. You’re America’s favorite football star.”
“And you’re my wife.”
The words struck her harder than she expected.
Even though it was fake.
Even though they had signed a contract.
Hearing him say it still made her heartbeat quicken.
Arthur cleared his throat.
“The security team has prepared the cars.”
Jaxon nodded.
“Good.”
Naomi folded her arms.
“I’m not going.”
He looked at her.
“If you don’t, the media will hunt you down.”
“I can hide.”
“For how long?”
She had no answer.
“You’ve already been photographed.”
He showed her his phone.
Every entertainment website carried the same headline.
WHO IS JAXON HAYES’ SECRET WIFE?
Another article had already published pictures of her leaving the diner earlier that afternoon.
Another identified the apartment building where she lived.
Her blood ran cold.
“They found my apartment.”
“They’ll stay there until they get answers.”
“My landlord…”
“My neighbors…”
“My family…”
“They’ll all know.”
Jaxon nodded.
“Exactly.”
Naomi slowly sat down.
Her entire life had changed within a few hours.
She wasn’t anonymous anymore.
Arthur’s phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen before looking at Jaxon.
“Sir.”
“The security team at Miss Brooks’ apartment reports several reporters have already arrived.”
Naomi covered her mouth.
“So I really can’t go home.”
“I’m afraid not.”
She looked helplessly at Jaxon.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“You’ll stay here.”
She blinked.
“Here?”
“This mansion has full time security.”
“I can’t live here.”
“You signed the agreement.”
“I thought we’d pretend only when necessary.”
“We are.”
“This is necessary.”
She wanted to argue.
Instead she sighed.
“Fine.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“Thank you.”
She pointed a finger at him.
“Don’t smile.”
“It makes me feel like you’re winning.”
“I’m not.”
“You definitely are.”
Arthur struggled to hide his amusement.
“Sir.”
“The stylist has arrived.”
Naomi frowned.
“Stylist?”
Jaxon nodded.
“The media can’t see you looking like you’ve been crying.”
“I haven’t been crying.”
“You’ve been close.”
She opened her mouth to protest.
Then closed it.
He wasn’t wrong.
Twenty minutes later Naomi stood inside an enormous dressing room.
Three women surrounded her.
One worked on her hair.
Another applied natural makeup.
The third carefully laid elegant dresses across a velvet sofa.
Naomi looked around in disbelief.
“This is ridiculous.”
The oldest stylist smiled.
“No.”
“It’s Tuesday.”
Naomi laughed despite herself.
“You people really do this every day?”
“When you’re Mr. Hayes, yes.”
The stylist held up a stunning ivory dress.
“What do you think?”
Naomi shook her head.
“It’s too expensive.”
“You don’t have to pay for it.”
“I’ll still be afraid to breathe.”
The women laughed.
By the time they finished, Naomi barely recognized herself.
The woman staring back from the mirror looked graceful.
Confident.
Elegant.
Nothing like the exhausted waitress who had walked into the diner that morning.
She touched the diamond bracelet on her wrist.
Everything felt unreal.
A knock sounded.
“Come in.”
Jaxon stepped inside.
He stopped walking.
For several seconds he simply stared.
Naomi suddenly became self conscious.
“What?”
“You look…”
He paused.
“Beautiful.”
Heat rushed into her cheeks.
The stylists exchanged knowing smiles before quietly leaving the room.
The door closed behind them.
Naomi looked away.
“You don’t have to flatter me.”
“I’m not.”
His voice was softer than usual.
“You really are beautiful.”
She swallowed.
No man had ever looked at her that way.
Not with admiration.
Not with sincerity.
She quickly changed the subject.
“So…”
“What exactly are we telling the press?”
“The truth.”
Her eyebrows shot up.
“What?”
“The version of the truth.”
He smiled slightly.
“We fell in love privately.”
“We wanted a quiet wedding.”
“My grandfather already knew.”
“We wanted to protect our happiness.”
She folded her arms.
“You’ve rehearsed this.”
“For hours.”
She sighed.
“I hate lying.”
“I know.”
“Promise me something.”
“What?”
“If this contract ends…”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“Don’t ask me to lie again.”
His expression became unreadable.
“I promise.”
Arthur appeared outside the door.
“The cars are ready.”
Jaxon offered Naomi his hand.
She looked at it.
Then slowly placed her fingers into his.
He gently intertwined them.
“They’ll be watching everything.”
“I know.”
“So don’t pull away.”
“I won’t.”
Together they walked through the grand entrance of the mansion.
The massive front doors opened.
Instantly hundreds of camera flashes exploded around them.
Reporters shouted over one another.
“Jaxon!”
“When did you get married?”
“Who is your wife?”
“Did you hide the marriage from your fans?”
“Is she pregnant?”
“Did your grandfather force this marriage?”
Questions flew from every direction.
Security guards struggled to hold the crowd back.
Naomi instinctively moved closer to Jaxon.
He tightened his grip on her hand.
“It’s okay.”
“I’m right here.”
His calm voice steadied her racing heart.
Then one reporter shouted a question that froze everyone.
“Miss Brooks!”
“Did you marry Jaxon Hayes for his five billion dollar fortune?”
The crowd fell silent.
Every camera turned toward Naomi.
Every microphone pointed at her.
Jaxon looked at her with concern.
He was about to answer for her.
Instead…
Naomi took a slow breath.
Stepped forward.
And opened her mouth to speak.
- Writer
