Chapter 17

Logan

The fans waiting outside the club a week ago were a nuisance, but the memory doesn't stop me from going out for dinner tonight.

It's the Monday evening after our second loss of the season. Saint and the guys are doing their own thing, but I don't want to be alone with my thoughts. Not many people I could call, when the group I'm getting close to is otherwise entertained, and I don't think Evie would say yes.

I end up finding my way into a restaurant Dom mentioned once. It's the kind of place where you need to make a reservation months in advance, but they make an exception for me. Despite the loss, I may have collected enough social credit with the city to grant me access.

I tell them I'm waiting for someone and they give me a table for two. There's no plan in my mind yet, but I'll come up with something. At worst, a few people might question if I was stood up, and that's fine by me. All I do for now is order an Old Fashioned and get on my phone.

My agent's team sent me another update email regarding social media. The body of the message isn't very long. It only says, 'This is going well, but we should keep an eye on things just in case'. A few links to videos are included at the end. Knowing how they communicate, they like what Evie is doing with the profile, but want to monitor it regardless.

It's as good a distraction as any, and I finally give in to the curiosity and check Evie's work.

The first video is of one of my plays the day before. I recognize it within a couple of seconds. On the screen, I throw the ball to Saint. All of my guys are covered by the Hawks' defense, but Saint is the one that has the best chance to catch the ball and run with it.

It doesn't show on the recording, but he gets tackled. The music Evie chose goes into a crescendo. The camera is still pointed at me, showing to the world the way my frown intensifies and the very clear FUCK! I let out. The music sustains a high note, to cover the sound of my swearing and highlight it at the same time.

I snort. The video has thousands of likes and, upon investigation, the edit has hundreds of thousands of views. Most videos do.

A server delivers my drink and brings warm bread, butter, and a dish of what looks like olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Another dish with olives and a few pieces of cheese comes along, too.

"We'll wait for your guest," they say. "Please let us know if you need anything else."

I thank them and go back to the phone. There is a video with over a million views that I want to check out.

It's the one she filmed the last time we lost a game, a few weeks ago. Evie had been trying to lift my spirits, and I ended up letting her film content, just to put a smile on her face. She looked hungry instead, and it put a smile on my face. Metaphorically.

The editing in this video is more careful than the first one. It's not just music on this one, which has a sexy beat to it. Some of the shots are in slow motion, too. Until it quiets down, so viewers can hear our voices.

She asks what I want fans to know. When I answer, she gasps .

I remember the moment. She asked me for a sound bite and I gave her an answer that meant more. My reply came out fueled by the heat that built in my muscles, born from my workout and from being watched by Evie alike. I enjoyed her eyes on me, and the words came out uninspected.

I want you to know me , I said. I want you to remember me .

I want her to break and ask me about me. Let us get close. I want her to tell me she never forgot about me and the night we had.

Fuck. Evidence grows to suggest I want her close.

I tap on the comments to skim through them, but thoughts run in the background. They mix with people's opinions of the video, the team, and me.

He's so hot

At the club, I tried to tease her by taking a deep whiff of her scent. I managed to pass it off as no big deal, but I played myself. It spurred a deep awareness of her. Like her pheromones had the exact right chemistry to wake up something ancient in my brain.

They reminded me of the magic of us together, naked. Alchemy, all right.

I continue skimming, only one in three comments making it to my awareness.

What a loser. The Strike are the worst

That one barely registers.

That first night years ago, Evie didn't let me ask anything to get to know her. We didn't get a chance to see how far we could push what we had together. Just a few nights ago, she didn't let me pay for her drink at the club.

Logan King is bringing back this team!

She put her hand on my chest at the club and my heart skipped a beat.

Whoever runs this account knows exactly what we want

My hand on her back. My arm around her shoulders. It felt natural.

He'll never be as good as his father

Being close to her feels good. I want more.

But seriously. Who's running this account? She's clearly into him

That comment snatches my attention. I frown and open the comment thread .

They must be sleeping together because that gasp was full of sexual tension

Both comments have thousands of likes. Someone else adds, 'did you see the video of him with someone in the club? I bet that's her'.

I bite the inside of my lip. It takes a few tries, but I find the video under the hashtag with my name. It's of Evie and I on the stair landing at the club, talking close. The comments on that video are more of the same.

Is that his girlfriend?

The video of them getting out of the club?? SWOON

BUT WHO IS SHE (we'll find her)

When I see the first vitriolic comment about Evie— about us, I swipe away from it all and lock my phone.

Shit. I'm pissed. Too much show, too much scrutiny about my private life. Now Evie is getting caught in the tornado, and I don't know how she feels about it.

She probably knows this is happening, but she hasn't mentioned it.

I rub my forehead, hard. Many things feel off about all of this and I don't know where to begin.

Fuck it. I need to start somewhere.

Logan: Do you read the comments your videos get on social media? We need to talk.

She doesn't respond right away, but I'm not surprised. I kill time by checking the comments on a few more of the videos she has posted to my profile, and a few more of the ones on the hashtag. It's more of the same. I don't care so much about the ones celebrating or criticizing me. Everyone's a coach online. But the ones poking at our personal life cut. The ones saying mean things about her burn.

They can say whatever they want about me, but I can't stand the way some of them are talking about her.

Evie: I do. Talking might be a good idea. Do you want to meet me in my office tomorrow after training?

Logan: I'm in a restaurant. Alone. Come join me. We can talk now

Evie: You're alone in a restaurant?

Logan: I didn't want to be at home alone after the loss. Don't question it

Evie: … so you're alone at a restaurant instead?

Logan: I thought I asked you not to question it?

Evie: Fine, fine.

Logan: come join me, please

Evie: what exactly are you worried about with the comments?

Logan: Some people are being rude to you because they think we're dating. We should talk.

This time it takes her a minute to respond. The server asks if I would prefer to have a special service exclusively crafted for me, which is a fancy way to ask me if I'm going to dine alone after all.

"Ask me again in a few minutes. I'll know then," I say, before checking her new text.

Evie: If I join you those comments could get worse.

Logan: I'd call you if I could talk freely here, but I haven't had dinner yet. Join me. Please. I'll make sure we get privacy.

Logan: Or invite me over to your place, I know your address from sending the car to pick you up.

I double text her on purpose. It's pushy, but overasking is a negotiation technique. If you start with twice what you want, you may get the middle number which is more than you wanted to start with.

Unless the counterpart decides to give you even more than half, which is a win-win, and I know Evie would let me know in a heartbeat if she really wanted me to stop.

Evie: It can wait

Logan: I don't want to wait. And I don't want to eat alone. Please.

Evie: So you're going to convince me by asking me to take pity? By being polite for once? again?

Logan: we both know I'm shameless. I won't sleep well tonight without the conversation

I go as far as to take a selfie of me frowning and coming as close to pouting as my face will allow. I send it to her.

Evie: YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE

Logan: Thank you. Can I send a car now?

Evie: Fine! You win. Just make sure we have privacy, and the food better be good. I'm still at work and I'm starving. It's the only reason I'm saying yes

Logan: I don't believe that for a second. See you soon.