From Boss to Boo

Cameron

“And the Diamondbacks scored in the final inning, putting the final score as 10 to 8 in their favor. They’ll be facing off against the Dodgers next week.”

The sports announcer keeps going, but I barely register what he’s saying. I’m just scrolling through my phone, killing time until they call me in.

I lean back in the plush seat, relaxing as I put my arm behind my head. This meeting is probably some bullshit about that tabloid, but I’m used to it by now. They’ll chew me out, the press will forget about it in a week, and I’ll be back to square one.

The cute assistant walks into the locker room and makes a beeline for me. “Mr. West? They’re ready for you.”

I sigh and stand up. She’s about two feet shorter than me, and I catch her glancing at me. Part of me wonders if I should risk getting with her or not. She’s pretty cute, and she definitely has a thing for me.

We get out of the elevator, and she shows me into the executive board room. Donald, Stephen, and Jason are all waiting for me. I’m surprised to see Donald here. As the team owner, he usually stays behind the scenes. I’m guessing Stephen asked him to be here.

They all stand up as I enter, and Stephen motions for me to sit down. Jason starts taking notes.

“Good afternoon, Cameron. Thanks for coming in today.” Stephen sounds more morose than usual.

“Yeah, whatever,” I reply. I’m tempted to pull out my phone again, but I know that will piss Stephen and Donald off. Right now, I should probably play nice.

“Do you know why you’re here?” Stephen asks.

“Not really. You want to enlighten me?”

Jason hands Stephen a newspaper, and he tosses it over to me. It’s the tabloid the Morning Star, and the front page is of me wrapping my arms around a woman. I recognize her, though. I just met her a couple of days ago.

“What’s this?” I act stupid. I find that it’s often better to get people to explain everything so I know what they know, but not the other way around.

“That’s what this meeting is all about. You getting caught with a married woman, on camera no less.”

“That’s bullshit. Nothing happened between us. She asked for an autograph and a hug, that’s it.” Or, at least, I’m pretty sure that’s what happened. I meet fans all the time, and usually they all become a blur.

“Well, the photos seem to suggest otherwise,” Stephen remarks. Jason continues taking notes. Donald is his usual quiet self, not adding anything to the conversation unless he has to.

“What difference does it make? Nothing happened, and it’s not like I’m trying to date her or anything. The press will forget about it by next week, trust me.”

“Look, whether you like it or not, you’re a role model to a lot of people out there, especially to young kids who want to be pro athletes when they grow up.” Stephen starts the same old spiel again.

“And if this was a one-off, I would probably say the same thing. We issue a public statement, wait for the press to get bored, and that’s it. But, unfortunately, this isn’t a one-off, is it?”

Stephen looks at me as if waiting for me to say something. I stay quiet.

“Right now, public opinion is pretty low for both you and the team. As the star player, your actions have consequences for everyone else. I’m not just talking about me and Don here, but all your fellow Nighthawks.”

“And what exactly am I supposed to do about that? Do you want me to become a fucking monk and take a vow of celibacy? Would that help the team’s image?” I scoff at the idea. Everyone is so concerned about how I spend my private time. It’s fucking ridiculous.

“Actually, I have a better idea. An opportunity has just presented itself, and I think we should take advantage of it.” Stephen smirks.

“What are you talking about?” I reply.

“Well, it turns out that the girl in that photo has a sister. A sister who works for the PR firm I hired to help restore the Nighthawk’s reputation.” He smiles.

Where is he going with this? What difference does it make that she has a sister? I wasn’t messing around with her, was I?

“Her boss gave me a very good idea yesterday. He suggested that you get engaged to the sister. Her name is Jasmine.”

“What the fuck? Get engaged to some woman I’ve never met? All over some bullshit photos? Are you kidding me right now?” I reply. For whatever reason, this plan has my blood boiling. It’s one thing to stick your nose into my business, but it’s another to start putting your greasy fingers all over my life.

“Now, calm down, son. Hear him out,” Donald says with his distinct Southern drawl. I can’t even remember the last time I heard him speak in person.

“It’s all for show. You act like you’ve been engaged in secret for a while, and this little encounter was just you hanging out with your fiancé’s sister. So, there’s no impropriety or misconduct,” Stephen explains.

“And what exactly is the endgame with this little charade?” I reply.

“Well, it makes you look respectable. Like the wild stallion getting tamed. The press will love the love angle, and it’ll be good for the team. I don’t think you’ll have to actually tie the knot, but we can play along for a while until it’s time to shut the whole thing down.”

“I’m not interested,” I say.

“Now just hold on, Cameron. This is a golden opportunity. You’ve always been able to luck your way out of every scandal, and this is no different. What are the odds that it would turn out this way?” Stephen starts to sound angry.

“I don’t know. But it’s a stupid idea and I don’t like it.” I stand up to leave.

“Sit down!” Stephen smacks his hand on the table. I’m shocked by how angry he is over this. Maybe this scandal is a bigger deal than I thought.

I stand next to my chair, making it clear I’m willing to keep listening to this charade.

“We’re meeting with the PR team and this woman tomorrow. We can hash out the details then and figure out the next move. I’m not asking you to actually be in a relationship with this woman. Just pretend like you are.”

I shrug my shoulders.

“Look, I’m not the one going around town getting trashed, partying hard, and sleeping with everything that moves. You’re the one who’s put your reputation down the toilet, and you’ve been dragging the team down with you. Now is your chance to turn things around!” Stephen continues.

His words linger in my mind. I don’t care if everyone thinks I’m a loser off the ice. My only concern is playing the game and being the best. Why does everyone care how I live my life? Still, it’s a bit harsh to hear what he thinks of me.

“What time tomorrow?” I ask.

“Nine a.m. Do you think you can handle that?” Stephen asks.

“Yeah, anything else?”

“Yes, try to keep a low profile for now. If you’re still out partying and drinking, it’ll be harder to sell this to the press,” Stephen replies.

“I’ll try,” I say as I turn to leave. No one stops me this time.

That night, I’m at the Black Club, an invite-only establishment. I know the owner, and he always lets me in right away.

“Holy shit, that’s Cameron West!” A group of guys offer to buy me drinks, and I don’t decline.

I think about what Stephen said about improving my image. Everywhere I go, I see fans and get asked for autographs. People will stop me in the street to tell me how much they love how I play.

So, who exactly is this PR stunt for? Who is watching from the sidelines, shaking their head and scoffing at my extracurricular activities?

As I gulp down the first round of shots, I imagine what it would be like to get married. I also try to imagine what this woman Jasmine looks like. I can only hope she looks as good as her sister. At least then I can enjoy my time with her.

Also, who knows? Maybe we’ll have some real chemistry and hit it off. After all, we have to make it look like we’re really together, right?

A tall blonde at the bar glances my way. I can tell that she wants me. I’ve been around enough women to tell immediately who’s down to fuck and who isn’t. Her legs are practically already wrapped around my waist.

But not tonight. Stephen has always had my back with the scandals over the years, so the least I can do is play along at least through tomorrow. Once I see how stupid this whole plan is, I can decide whether or not to dump it.

For tonight, I’ll just enjoy myself as the single bachelor Cameron West, hockey superstar. It’s the role I was born to play.

The drinks are flowing, and people are all asking for autographs and photos. The blonde comes over and practically grabs my crotch. She pretends like she was just bumping into me, but I’m onto her.

Since we’re not going to bang tonight, I ask for her number. She’s a bit put off by the idea, but she agrees. I think part of her expected me to sleep with her tonight.

That reaction doesn’t sit well with me.

Yes, I like playing the field, but something about a woman expecting me to sleep with her doesn’t feel right. Like I’m just a conquest for her. To me, she’s just another notch in the belt. But for her, she gets to brag about how she slept with Cameron West.

I start thinking about the fake marriage again. A quiet life with a woman and a couple of kids.

Part of me thinks that sounds nice.