Covering the Carolinas (24 page)

“
What y’all doing here?” I
question.

“
Oh ya know, we thought we’d stop by and check
on you before tomorrow’s big adventure,” Carleigh says.

“
We thought you might need a little help with
choosing the perfect dress,” Tinleigh states.

“
Is that all?” I question.

“
Actually, we thought we’d take our favorite
little boy out for supper tonight. This way you can get everything
packed and enjoy some time with GC before your life becomes totally
different.” Tinleigh laughs, but stops abruptly when she sees my
reaction. “Sis, it’s going to be perfect. Different isn’t bad and I
know change can be hard sometimes but just think about when you
found out you were pregnant with Gunner. It was different and it
was a hard change but it was the best thing that ever happen to
you… and us.”

“
You’re right. I’m just so nervous! I have
three dresses picked out, but am scared I’ll choose the wrong one.
I mean, I want to look like I belong. Not only do I have to look
like Gunnison’s wife, but also Gunner’s mom. I want to look
perfect.”

“
Mar, perfect has nothin’ on you. Just
remember that,” Carleigh says as we make our way to decide on a
dress.

“
Dang! Mar! Those are gorgeous,” Tinleigh says
as she picks one up and twirls around with it against her body.
“Has GC seen either of them?”

“
He probably just got a little look when he
came in here a few minutes ago, but he hasn’t seen them
on.”

“
You need to look hot, but classy. I love that
royal blue, but that red dress, I don’t know if there are words. Go
try it on.” Tinleigh tosses it to me and shoos me into the
bathroom.

Sliding the dress on, I feel as if I’m a runway
model. It’s sleek, fits perfectly, and hugs every curve yet it
doesn’t look like I’ve painted it on. I open the door. My sisters
stop mid-conversation when they see me.

“
Mar, I’m gonna tell you right now. You’re
definitely going to need a sitter tomorrow night because GC is
gonna want to show you off for sure,” Carleigh says.

Tinleigh starts to laugh. “Um, I’m pretty sure we
might have a new niece or nephew in nine months with you looking
that hot in that dress.”

I stop.
Shit! I’m not
ready for this.
Think quick!
“Whatever, y’all!” I say with my hand on my hip.

Tinleigh’s eyes get wide. “Oh. My. God! You are now,
aren’t you?” I put my finger over my mouth and tell her to hush.
She squeals with excitement and Carleigh follows right along.
Gunnison yells to see if we are okay, and they try to gather
themselves.

“
I just found out. He doesn’t know, and I
planned on telling him after the draft tomorrow. Y’all better not
say a word,” I say with a pointed finger.

“
We won’t. I’m so happy for your family. To
think that you’ve earned your degree, married the man of your
dreams, and have a perfect little boy. Your future is just
beginning.”

Tinleigh’s right. My future is just beginning.
Hearing Gunnison and Gunner coming our way, I hurry and change.
Glancing in the mirror, I place my hands on my stomach and smile.
I’m brought back to the present by Carleigh calling Gunner. Leave
it to my sisters to take him off our hands for the night. I’m truly
blessed to have them.

Hurrying, I go to tell him bye and once the door is
shut, Gunnison wraps his arms around my body from behind. “Can I
take you to dinner?” he says.

Glancing over my shoulder, I look into his eyes.
“Yes, you may.”

“
How about Sarah J’s?” Just imagining the
smell of seafood makes me nauseous. “What’s wrong? That’s your
favorite place to eat.” Then it’s as if a light bulb goes off.
Smiling, I turn to face him. He takes my chin in his hand and I
forget my plan. Instead, I live for right now. He looks at me for
confirmation and a grin begins to beam from my lips.

“
We’re having a baby,” I say confidently and I
feel as if my life is on repeat but this time, we’re both living
our dream together.

******

Adding the finishing touches to my makeup, I slide
on the red dress and add my accessories. Smiling as I exit, I can’t
wait to see Gunnison’s reaction, but I’m caught off guard when I
witness Gunnison helping Gunner put on his shoes. Everything in my
life feels complete in this moment. I don’t interrupt their time
together. As they finish, Gunnison stands and his eyes slowly find
mine. I can’t help but blush.

“
Mommy, you look so pretty,” Gunner
says.

“
You look very handsome yourself, little man,”
I say as I make my way to him pick him up, and Gunnison locks his
eyes on me.

“
Mrs. Del Valle, you look absolutely
stunning,” he says as I turn to face him. “I know today’s about me,
but every eye in the room is going to be on you.” In that moment,
my face matches my dress. Gunnison closes the distance and moves
toward my ear. “No need to blush, we can save that for
later.”

“
I believe I like that idea, Mr. Del Valle.
Gunner, let’s get your bag to go with Pop and Nana tonight.” I can
see excitement in his eyes as well as Gunnison’s.

Entering the Barclay Center is like nothing I’ve
ever experienced. The sound of music, as well as the crowd, as we
are ushered to our table leaves me speechless. We make our way to
the table with Gunnison’s parents. Gunner takes out his iPod and
listens to music until the NBA commissioner begins to speak.

Gunnison takes his hand and places it on my leg, and
I can feel his nerves running through his body to mine. I lean over
and give him a kiss on this cheek.

Round one begins with the Philadelphia
Seventy-Sixers. Gunnison and I have talked about what will happen
if he is chosen in the draft. We know there’s a possibility of
moving across the country, but we both hope to stay on the East
Coast.

The clock ticks away along with the selections from
Detroit, Utah, and Atlanta. When he’s not selected by the Atlanta
Hawks, I can sense the fear, but he never falters in front of the
camera.

Next on the clock is Charlotte, and deep down I’ve
prayed long and hard that this is where our new home will be. As
the clock dwindles down, my nerves begin to get the best of me as
well. He looks my way, and it’s as if he takes the nerves away. The
announcer steps to the podium and I feel as if I’m going to be
sick. I’m unsure if it’s from the anticipation or the
pregnancy.

Gunnison laces his fingers in mine and Gunner looks
to the screen. As the commissioner begins to speak, we listen
impatiently. “With the fifth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the
Charlotte Hornets select GC Del Valle from Coastal Carolina
University.”

It’s as if the world stops spinning. I have to
replay the words over in my brain once more.
Charlotte. Gunnison. Home.
He stands in his
perfect grey suit, and as Gunner begins to jump up and down with
excitement, it all becomes real. I stand beside him, and he takes
his time as he places his hand on the side of my face. “Mar, we did
it. We met by chance and reunited by fate. I love you.” As I tell
him I love him too, his lips meet mine, and I know that beach
dreams do come true.

Our Song- A Novella

Chapter 1

As I hit the last note of my most current single,
the crowd goes wild, and the stage goes dark. “Thank you,
Charlotte! Now put your hands together for Jake Bryant!”

Exiting the stage, I glance over
my shoulder into the crowd and cannot believe how my life has
changed in the last six months. It wasn’t long ago that I spent my
weekends hitting up every local country bar within a hundred mile
radius of Lattimore trying to make a name for myself. Little did I
know that Cole, the manager of my favorite country bar, Coyote
Joe’s, had made sure that a certain country music
god
caught a glimpse of me at their amateur night.

Walking down the hall backstage, I come face-to-face
with the country music god himself. “Don’t worry, Belle. This never
gets old. You do know that before long you’re gonna be closing a
show down.”

“
Thanks, Jake. But I’m just gonna enjoy this
ride right now. I’ll see ya from the crowd,” I say with a
wink.

Hurrying to my dressing room, I make a quick trip
into the powder room, change into clothes a little less divaish and
hurry back to find a spot in the crowd. I honestly think I could
watch Jake Bryant every single night on that stage, and not just
for the way that his ass looks in those jeans either. He has one of
the best voices in country music today. It’s like sweet honey to my
ears, and I swear, it gets sweeter every time I hear it.

As I grab my water, I hear the
voices of thousands of screaming fans, and with the first downbeat
of his current number one hit, every word is being sung by Jake and
the crowd.
Gah! That’s got to be the best
feeling ever
. I walk double time to make
my way out into the crowd. Security knows exactly what I’m up to.
Since the first day I began touring with Jake, once my set is over,
I enjoy his show just like everyone else, directly in the pit. One
perk is that I always get a good spot thanks to
security.

As Jake slows it down, I laugh when he finds my eyes
in the crowd and then winks. Of course, all the girls around me
think it’s for them, but I know that it’s for me. The truth is,
Jake Bryant has become by best friend since the day he signed me to
his tour. He’s the complete opposite of what I expected a country
mega star to act like; he’s a perfect gentleman. Maybe it’s due to
the close quarters we endure while traveling, but he is an absolute
sweetheart, and I’ll take that fine ass any day!

I sing along with the crowd to every song, sway my
hips back and forth, and lift my drink at the appropriate times.
When the next to the last song in the set begins, I make my way
back out of the crowd and to the stage entrance. I finish watching
the show from the side of the stage.

As Jake finishes his finale, he takes a bow and runs
offstage toward me. He lifts me off the ground and spins me
around.

“
Glad to see me?” I ask.

“
You have no idea what it’s
like to look out into the crowd and find eyes that you
know.
Really
know, Belle.”

“
If I didn’t know better,
Mr. Bryant, I’d think
somebody had a
crush.”

“
If I didn’t know better, I’d think you liked
it.”

“
What can I say? I’m a sucker for a country
boy in tight ass jeans that knows how to work a stage.”

Jake puts me down, and we start to make our way to
sign autographs. This makes for a long night, but at least we have
a few days off before hitting the road again. The big man upstairs
must have been looking out for me because I can go home for a few
days. That means no tour bus, cameras, hotel rooms, or getting
decked out to the nines every night. I get to see my family and
friends, be myself, and enjoy life as a normal twenty-two year
old.

“
So, Jake, what have you got planned for your
days off?”

“
Well, I guess I’m gonna just stay on the bus.
Why?”

“
Well, I was thinkin’.”

“
Oh lord, you’re thinkin’?” he asks as he
stops and crosses his arms.

“
Yeah, well, I was thinkin’ about goin’ home
for a few days. I mean, it’s like thirty minutes from here.
Honestly, I can’t believe more of my family and friends didn’t show
up tonight.”

“
Um, Belle. You might wanna
turn around
.”

As I turn around, I’m met by everyone that is
important to me—my parents, my brother Beau, and my friends Lyndsay
and Chase from Coyote Joe’s.

Lyndsay and I do the same squeal, dance in place,
and then rush to each other. Chase and Beau laugh, and Mama and
Daddy just shake their heads.

“
Oh my gosh, y’all! I didn’t even know y’all
were here! I didn’t see you in the seats I left for
ya’ll.”

“
Well, that’s because Jake found us some a
little closer.” Spinning around, I find Jake and place my hands on
my hips. “You pulled this stunt, Jake Bryant?”

Smiling, he
answers,
“Guilty.”

“
I freakin’ love you!”

“
Whoa now, Belle. Don’t go droppin’ a
four-letter word over some concert tickets.”

“
Aw, hush! So, y’all wanna
head to the bus? We have to sign a
few
autographs real quick.”

“
Sure, honey,” Mama says. As they walk to the
bus, Jake and I make our way to fifty screaming fans.

After we finish signing the last autograph and
security whisks us away, I realize how tired I really am. I can’t
wait to see my family, but honestly, I just want a caramel coffee
from Dunkin Donuts and my bed.

“
I’ll let you have some time with your family.
What was it that you were gonna say earlier?”

“
Oh, I was thinkin’ ‘bout goin’ home for a few
days or so. I just need a little groundin’, ya know? I didn’t know
what you were planning, but thought if you were in need of some
home cookin’ and a real bed you might wanna come, too.”

Jake stops, and I turn to face him.

“
If you can promise me that I won’t have a
million teenage girls after me, we have a deal.”