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CHAPTER SEVEN

DECKER

“No.”

“Decker, it’s just drinks.” Jason’s voice crackles across the line.

I run a hand through my wet hair. “Nothing is just something. If someone sees?—”

“You act like I’m setting you up with some ogre. It’s Lena Lux. Half the world would kill to drink the sweat from her tour costumes.”

I grimace as I run a towel over my damp hair before swiping it across the foggy bathroom mirror. “She’s not really my type.”

He laughs. “Keep telling yourself that. I already set it up, so it’s a done deal, unless you want to back out.”

“I wanna back out.”

“Honestly, I thought this would be an easier sell.”

“Have you met her?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Decker.

We’ve got to get you back out there if we’re going to grow your career opportunities.

It’s not always going to be about football.

” He sighs. “And since Vital Reign Athletics backed out after the whole Ada Lane breakup, it wouldn’t hurt to give everyone a distraction. ”

The mention of Vital Reign rejecting me stings.

It’s not like we’d signed a contract—it never got that far—but according to Jason, they’d been very interested in working with me.

Vital Reign is the most popular female athletic wear brand in the United States.

Not only that, but it’s women-owned and operated, too.

It started from the ground up right here in Vista City.

They recently announced they’d be branching out into men’s wear.

Of course they don’t want some perceived “womanizer” as their first male spokesperson.

When their correspondence stopped coming, I knew my personal life was to blame, though they never explicitly said that.

I can’t blame them, but I wish everyone would stop listening to the lies.

I wish they’d stop making me out to be something I’m not.

“Not everyone cares who I date,” I try.

“Have you read what they’ve been saying about you since Ada?—”

“I think anyone who has internet access has read the rumors.”

“Then you know how delicate your social standing is. Just be glad you aren’t some spotlight showboat. If you actually had an online presence, you would’ve been immediately canceled after that whole relationship.”

“We went on like five dates. Wouldn’t call it a relationship. It wasn’t serious.” I squeeze a glob of paste onto my toothbrush and scrub until my gums burn.

“Does she know that?” The words settle heavily between us before he continues. “You can’t ghost Hollywood’s girl of the moment, then be photographed in public cuddling up with a bottle service waitress without a few people getting their panties in a wad.”

“It wasn’t like that. I?—”

“I don’t make the rules, Decker. People will see what they want to see.”

I sigh. Although I hate to admit it, I know he’s right. Vital Reign sure saw whatever they wanted to and ruined my fallback plan—and all plans dependent on it—because of it.

I can see why people are infatuated with Ada Lane.

I was too on our first two dates, but then the newness wore off.

Even though she was just as attractive on date three, I was less mesmerized by her talent, her sweetness.

Dates four and five were more for her than for me.

When you’re in the spotlight, you have to be careful of how you handle things.

The problem is, I’ve never been very careful.

“I just want to focus on my career,” I finally say.

“And this is part of it. Consider it a stepping stone.” Jason sighs. “What if you snap your femur? Bust your head open?”

“That’s why we have padding.”

“Padding did nothing for you last year. How’s that knee?

” His words have bite. “All I’m saying is, we both know you can’t do this forever.

I’m doing what you asked me to do. I’m helping set up a future you can look forward to.

One with investment opportunities and a roster of connections for networking.

We scratched Ada off that list, and we’re replacing her with Lena.

Everything that girl touches turns to gold.

You can only hope a speck of that rubs off on you. ”

I check the clock. It’s almost one a.m. Tired of arguing, I give up. “Where am I supposed to meet this golden girl ?”