16. Chapter 13

It's Tuesday morning and Finn, Josh's agent, has arranged for him to talk at today's "Meet The Professional" presentation. Tea Time has been on double duty with news of #Briosh for the last week and a half. Surprisingly, I've gotten used to the stares and people turning to talk behind their hands as I go places.

I walk into Thanks-A-Latte for my usual order and get in line.

"How does it feel to be the literal talk of the town?" Susie whispers behind me, and I smile at the sound of her voice in my ear.

"Strange." I grin at her. "You know I've spent my entire life trying to blend in. The way everyone is acting you'd think that I won a billion dollars in the lottery."

"People have been talking about you and Josh as a couple since high school ." I turn to her with eyes wide. "You can't tell me that you've never heard it?"

My mouth forms an O at the shock in her voice. "Apparently people did a much better job of whispering then."

"I think you just were completely oblivious to the talk. She laughs. "Both you and Josh apparently were."

"Hey, Brie. Your usual today?" Rachel asks.

"Morning, Rachel. Yes, please." I pull out my wallet and pay, then move over to the side and wait as Susie places her order.

"It really blows my mind that you didn't have any clue. I would've filled you in much sooner had I known that," Susie continues as soon as she's finished paying.

"Thank you," I say as Rachel slides my coffee in front of me. I grab my cup, take a sip and let out a low moan. This is one of the best parts of my day. I look at Susie as I turn. "Gotta run, I'll talk to you later."

"I look forward to reading all about the school event in Tea Time later," she sings as I walk toward the exit.

"That's right. I keep forgetting. Guess I won't have any reason to call you later." I throw her a look over my shoulder and smirk.

"Hey!" She yells. "I'm your best friend. You have to call me with the details. I can't be like everyone else and get them from Chamie."

I wave and walk out the door. My stomach is starting to feel a bit queasy at the thought of seeing Josh and his teammates at school today. This is the first time that Josh and I are presenting ourselves as a couple and I have to admit my nerves are fried.

It would be hard if we were just in front of my co-workers and students, but for some reason knowing Josh's teammates will be there too is adding a little fuel to the fire.

"Just be prepared for lots of ribbing," Josh prepped me last night when we were on the phone. "The guys are going to act like big children."

"Great. So I don't just have to worry about the elementary students acting childish?"

"Ha." His laugh rippled through my entire body leaving me with flutters in my stomach. "Not even close. You'll see. I just wanted to give you a heads up."

There is a part of me that's thankful for the heads up, but in the same breath it's all I've been thinking about. I pull into the teachers parking lot, grab my coffee and bag, and head into school.

When I walk into the teachers' lounge everyone is talking excitedly about players from the Maverick's coming to school. It's not the first time it's happened, but it is the first time when one of the teachers and players were "dating". I put my stuff in my assigned box, take a deep breath to settle my nerves and then slowly let it out.

"Hey, Brie," Principal Monroe greets me. "What time are Josh and the others getting here?"

"The presentation starts at eleven, right?" He nods with an overly bright smile. "Then he'll probably be here around ten forty-five or as we are walking into the auditorium. At least I think that will be the case."

He rubs his hands together like one of my third graders and I bite my lip to keep the smile that wants to escape in check. "Do you think they'll be okay with signing my jersey?"

I let my smile break free. "I'm sure that every one of them will be more than happy to sign your jersey. Josh had mentioned that they would be bringing some things to give to the kids. Like signed pictures and balls."

"That's great." I notice his shoulders bob and I'm pretty sure he just hopped in excitement.

"Yeah, they're pretty great guys," I respond. "I'm gonna head to my classroom to set up for class. I'll see you at ten forty-five." I wave and head toward my room when I hear my name being called. I turn to look and see Marcy, the second grade teacher running to catch up with me in the hallway.

"Isn't this exciting?" She squeals. "My son is going to die when he finds out that some of the players from the Mavericks were here today. He's their biggest fan."

Marcy's son graduated from Pleasant Hollow High School last year and went to college in South Carolina. Like most people in town he's a die hard Mavs fan, and a die hard Josh Owens fan.

"I'm going to see if I can get the players to sign this hat for him." She holds out a Mavericks cap with a tag on it. "Do you think they will?"

"Pretty sure," I say knowing Josh said he expected the school staff to ask them to sign things. Apparently that happens all the time. "Josh mentioned last night that it wouldn't be a problem."

"OMG," she squeals and claps her hands together like a teenager. "I can't believe that you are dating Josh Owens. It's like working with a celebrity."

"You know I'm still just the same old boring Brie, right?" I roll my eyes at her as I stop in front of my classroom door.

"My dear, you were never boring. But now you're famous which makes work that much more exciting. I don't remember the last time I've been waiting for daily updates about something."

My eyes widen as I look at her, I can't believe she just said that to me and yet that's exactly why I adore Marcy. She never holds back what she's thinking.

"Enjoy it while you can." She smiles as she starts to walk away. "Once it becomes old, it loses just a little bit of its luster and you can never reclaim the newness of it all."

I wave to her and I walk through my door. I put my coffee on my desk and think about the sageness in what Marcy just said.

She's right. This may not be a real relationship, but my experience of it is. I'm going to relax and enjoy the ride. Besides it's Josh, I've known him my entire life and there isn't anything he doesn't know about me.

Heck, he's seen me in so many beauty masks over the years that I've stopped feeling embarrassed. He's probably the safest person for me to be doing this with. I smile at the thought of how well Josh and I know each other. This is going to be a piece of cake.

The bell rings and I head over to the door to collect all my students and walk them to class. The kids are full of chatter as they all talk about the presentation today. All I see are teeth.

Only hours before I get to see Josh and the guys. Everyone is right, this is exciting. I don't bother trying to hide the smile that splits my face too.

Everyone is in the auditorium and the kids' voices are muffled with the different conversations and anticipation. The door opens and I hear everyone as they turn around to look at the door. Then a huge cheer and clapping of hands erupts as four players from the Mavericks appear through the door.

The smiles on all of the players' faces make them look like gigantic teddy bears. The only thing that combats that is the broad shoulders and muscles that are rippling from their team t-shirts. They are anything but cuddly. Everyone, that is, except the kicker—Tim Johnson looks like he doesn't belong with this group of big burly men.

I know exactly when Josh finds me in the crowd because I feel the heat from his gaze hit me. It's like someone shone a heat lamp on my body. I meet his gaze across the room and my heart starts to beat faster. A smile that stretches from ear to ear takes hold of my face, and I feel my feet start to move toward him.

I can hear the muffled whispers of both students and teachers talking but don't seem to care that Josh and I are putting on a show for them. I don't think I could stop myself from moving toward him if I wanted to. There is an invisible pull making my feet work on their own.

Josh's smile sends heat through my belly and I feel my entire body flush. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Tim, Adam, and Derek take a small step back, giving us the appearance of privacy.

"You look great," Josh says as he gives me a kiss on the cheek. I rest my hand on his chest and smile up at him. The kids' ooohhs and ahhhs are so loud it covers the drum of my heart beat and I can't help but giggle at them.

"Thanks," I say a bit breathlessly. "So do you." His laugh makes my already big smile bigger. How are my cheeks not collapsing from all this work?

"Brie, this is Tim, Derek, and you know Adam. Guys, this is the first half of Briosh." I can feel his eyes return to my face as I say hello to all of them.

"We've heard a lot about you," Derek says with a mischievous smile.

"That we have. Thanks for wearing my jersey," Tim chimes in. "Us kickers rarely get the love we deserve." The guys all laugh and Adam goes to slap him on the back of the head but Tim ducks at the last minute.

I feel Josh's arm snake around my waist and pull me into him. The possessiveness of the action has my stomach swooping making my knees weak. The look in his eyes as his gaze meets mine is pure male ownership.

"She won't be doing that anymore. Will you, Brie?" He narrows his eyes at me as if in silent warning, but the smirk on his face takes away the serious nature.

"Sorry, Tim. Josh made it very clear that wearing anyone but his jersey at home games was a no go." Then I put my hand to the side of my mouth away from Josh and pretend to whisper. "He did not, however, say anything about away games." The guys hoot and holler as Josh laughs at my sassiness.

"I guess I need to make sure I'm more clear in the future," he teases. His eyes are full of mirth.

His gaze slides toward my lips and everyone in the room fades, we are no longer in a room full of one hundred students, his team, or my co-workers. It's just him and I, and I desperately want Josh Owens to kiss me.

The squeal from the microphone and Principal Monroe's voice snaps me out of the moment and I pat Josh on the chest as I head back to my seat.

"Looks like it's show time." I smile and wave at all of them. "Talk to you later."

I can feel the heat of Josh's gaze on my back as I walk away. I feel myself burning from the inside out as an entire body blush creeps all the way from my toes to my face. When I reach my seat I look back over my shoulder and find that he is indeed watching me. The lopsided grin on his face and warm admiration in his eyes has me falling into my seat. My legs shake a bit and my heart beats double time.

I look forward as Principal Monroe calls the guys up to the front of the room. From the kids, and teachers, roars erupt as Tim, Adam, Derek, and Josh walk up to the front of the auditorium.

I am lost in a haze of emotions and I barely hear one word that is said the entire time.

The only thing I can focus on is Josh, and I realize that I am in danger of falling for him…for real.