Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Colby winced. “I, uh, I’m not here.” He darted around me, going into the locker area.
Stone started laughing.
“What’s that about?”
“Uh…” Stone grimaced, still trying not to laugh. “He got himself in a situation. The PR heads weren’t happy. He’s still smarting from it, I think.”
I remembered Kim mentioning something about a Colby-sized hole.
“But hey…” Now he officially looked uncomfortable, even a bit green. “Listen, I promised Dust I’d bring this up to you. Since we had dinner last year with the Kades, she’s been on a mission to find you a wife. She doesn’t approve of the friends of the other players’ girlfriends, and she’s been looking for someone to set you up with. That’s why I’m here.”
“Ah…” It was obvious to everyone with eyes that Stone would’ve rather run a marathon than have this conversation with me, but I knew his wife. Dusty Reeves had a good heart. She was happy and wanted everyone else to be happy. I’d gone over to their place for dinner a couple times, but nothing beyond that. Dusty had a mission to bring me into their group of friends, and she meant well, but I operated better on my own. Always had.
She also had a mission in life to rescue every sea creature there was in the world, and I wondered if she thought of me as a broken sea turtle in some way.
“She found someone, and she wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow night.” Stone scrubbed a hand over his face. “Please tell me you’ve met someone, because that’s the only excuse she’ll take for you not coming to dinner. Colby and Jake are coming, so you won’t be alone. Dusty’s set them all up too.”
There had to be some good stories there. “Actually, I have met someone.”
The relief on our star wide receiver’s face was comical. “Thank God,” he muttered.
“Let your wife know I appreciate the thought, but I’ll be passing on dinner tomorrow night.”
He gave me a nod, starting for the locker area. “Have a good one. I’ll pass the message along.”
I continued down the hall to the elevator, and when I stepped off on the PR floor, the secretary waved me on. “She’s been waiting for you.”
Kim came to the hallway, her eyes set on me, and she wasn’t happy. “Get in here.” She stepped back, closing the door as I sat in the chair in front of her desk. She settled behind her desk and leaned back. “I wanted to update you.”
Right.
“We hired a guy—”
“What?”
She frowned at me and continued, speaking a little slower. “Like I said, we hired a guy, and he found out that Billie’s in contact with a couple, Howard and Vicky Mitchell.” She watched me like a hawk. “We reached out to Howard. He referred us to his wife, and according to them, Willow Harm has officially cleared you of any wrongdoing in the video where it looks as if you’re being aggressive with her.”
I waited. Knowing Kim, she had another shoe to drop.
“Our lawyers sent something over to them. They expect Willow will sign it at her earliest convenience. You’re in the clear. I wanted to let you know.”
“That’s good. Thanks.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s all you have to say?”
I leaned back in my seat. “The clip was bullshit.”
“Right.” She paused a moment. “I also wanted to let you know that our guy got ahold of the clip in its entirety, and you were right. It shows you protecting Miss Harm, but you were aggressive to those guys.”
Fuck th—
“I’m sure you’re currently thinking, fuck that, but it’s still a bad look. As soon as we receive Miss Harm’s signature, our legal department will be hitting those kids with the threat of a defamation suit if they continue in their pursuits. You shouldn’t have to worry about this anymore.”
I frowned.
“And I’m sure you never were worried, so I’m doing all of this for no reason, aren’t I?” She sighed, leaning back in her chair.
She’d read me right. “I appreciate it.”
She nodded. “Okay. You can head out.” She waited until I was at the door before adding, “Be smart in your future endeavors with Miss Harm, Brett.”
She knew. I stopped and turned back around.
Yep. She knew. “My personal business is my personal business.”
She pursed her lips, and her eyes got almost mean. “The NFL does not do scandals. Willow Harm is a scandal in herself.”
I opened my mouth.
“I have sympathy for her. Everyone has sympathy for her, but she is the only survivor of the Midwest Butcher, and everyone goes fucking insane about serial killers. Miss Harm keeps a low profile intentionally, and possibly for very sad reasons, so you might want to think about what being linked to a professional football player would do to her. When you get that answer, then think about what it’ll do to her when it comes out that she’s fucking you.”