Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
NATALIE
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I said to my boss, feeling all eyes on me as I rushed through the coffee shop. A sweat broke out at the nape of my neck from running across the parking lot in heels. If it was this warm at the end of February, I could only imagine how hot Atlanta would be in the summer.
“No worries.” Tracy waved me off as I settled into the booth. “You mentioned something about your Uber driver being pulled over?”
I mustered up a smile and draped my purse strap along the back of the chair. “Yeah, I had scheduled a ride, but he called and said he got pulled over for speeding. It took me a few minutes to schedule a new one.”
She didn’t seem annoyed or on the verge of firing me, which helped me relax. “I didn’t realize you didn’t have a car,” she said.
“That’s next on my list. I’m actually going to look for something later today with a friend.”
“Any idea what you will get?” she asked, taking a sip of her iced coffee .
This was only our second meeting, and I liked Tracy. She was the type of boss that you could go to for anything. I could see us becoming friends, but I reminded myself to be careful about how much I shared with her this early in our relationship. In this case, less was more.
“Probably an SUV, like a Jeep Cherokee or a Nissan Rogue,” I said, allowing my gaze to slide over the menu. “I’m short and like sitting up higher so I can see better in traffic.”
The waitress came over, and I ordered a regular coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. After living abroad for two years, I learned to appreciate the simplicity of ordering a plain cup of black coffee.
“I love my Audi,” she said, picking up a knife to butter her toast.
“My dream car. I drove a Nissan in college, and I loved it. I need to do some more research.”
I had to be smart about money. My Uncle Beau wanted to buy me a car, but I said no. I told him I was good with my job. I also knew I had to find my own place to live, because crashing at my uncle's couldn't last forever.
“Speaking of research. How much do you know about football?”
I rubbed my hands along my knees. “I’m learning more every day.”
“Trust me, the rules are always changing, so it’s hard to keep up sometimes, especially with those guys. They are a fun group to work with, but they all have different passions. I emailed you a spreadsheet with a list of players and their individual charities. It will give you a better idea of their interests for when you assign them to events.”
I wiped my mouth with my napkin. “I’m really excited about this opportunity.”
“Speaking of which.” She reached over and grabbed a folder from her bag. “I have your first assignment. One of our players has an annual event coming up. It’s a shelter for single mothers called Born to Love. Your job will be to handle the PR campaign and manage the social media presence.”
I blinked, wishing I had a minute to process this. As I read through the details, I forced myself to keep a neutral expression.
“Sounds easy enough.” I smiled and sipped my water, hoping I didn’t look as guilty as I felt.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “I figured I would start you off on a simpler project and let you get your feet wet. The player you will be working with is Rhett Daniels. He’s a great guy, and the fans love him.”
“I can’t wait.” I swallowed hard, trying not to lose my shit, as she handed me the folder.
She laughed. “I can tell you’re nervous. You’ll have plenty of time to review the materials and prepare.”
I nodded and clutched the folder in a tight grip. I was forcing myself to stay calm. I couldn’t afford to have a panic attack.
She handed me another folder. “Unlike some of these guys, Rhett loves attention and knows how to handle the press, but you will learn quickly that some of these boys would rather sell a kidney than commit to an interview. The reality is, we need the positive coverage to help fill the stadium and sell our merchandise, so you must really stay on top of them at all times.”
“I understand,” I assured her and took the plate from the busy waitress as she was about to set it down.
Tracy took a bite of her eggs and leaned back in her chair. “Another important point to keep in mind is there will be controversies, and when situations happen, you won’t be alone. We have crisis teams, lawyers, and consulting firms to help find solutions.” As if she could read the fear on my face, she took her glasses off and gave me a reassuring smile. “I know this sounds daunting, but we have teams ready to spring into action whenever we need. Remember, your role is to ensure a healthy public image. It’s always best to get ahead of the curve regarding scandals.”
I smiled, trying to hide the fact that instead of preventing a scandal, I might end up being the cause of one of the biggest PR nightmares this team has ever experienced.
Tracy left for another appointment. As I was writing a recap of my notes, a text popped up.
Rhett
Is your meeting over?
Me
Yes, do you know anything about me being assigned to the Born to Love benefit?
Rhett
Wow! What a coincidence.
His response came too quickly.
Me
You knew, didn’t you?
Rhett
I requested you.
I shook my head and groaned.
Me
I’m going to kill you.
Rhett
Relax, you’ve got this.
Me
No, I don’t. I wasn’t prepared for this.
Rhett
You’ll be great. We’ll talk about it later. I’m five minutes away.
Me
I’m still mad at you, but I appreciate you taking me today.
When I mentioned that I was going to look for a car, he insisted on going with me.
Rhett
I was planning on telling you.
Me
No more surprises.
I closed out the chat, paid my bill, and walked outside to meet him.
“I can’t believe you orchestrated this,” I grumbled while sliding into the passenger seat of Rhett’s truck. He was wearing a pair of jeans and another bright-colored hoodie. He looked hot, and when he flipped his baseball hat backward, I would have thrown myself at him if I wasn’t so pissed.
“Natalie, we can’t avoid each other completely. That will be way too obvious.”
“I know.” I sighed. “But you don’t think requesting me is going to raise any red flags?”
“I wouldn’t put you in that position.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Why didn’t you tell me before my meeting today?”
He shifted in his seat and started tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “I talked to Tracy last night. I told her I would need someone for PR and social media. She asked if I wanted anyone specific. I requested the ‘new girl.’ I thought it would be a good way for you to get some experience.”
He looked sincere, so I decided to go easy on him. “I appreciate that, but we must be careful from now on, okay?”
“I promise.” His gaze slid down my legs with a frown. “Is that how you always dress for work?”
I glanced at my outfit. “Do you have something against skirts and heels?”
“Yeah, they are going to get me arrested.”
I rolled my eyes and buckled my seat belt. “You are being dramatic.”
His hand tightened around the steering wheel. “My teammates are a bunch of horny men filled with so much testosterone, they could bottle it up and put Viagra out of business if they wanted to.”
“I can’t help it if they stare. You’ll just have to learn to check your temper at the door.”
The veins in his neck bulged. “I’m not trying to sound like a controlling asshole, but some of these guys won’t give a shit if you’re Beau’s niece or not. If they think you’re available, they will do more than stare.”
He glanced at my bare ring finger, and his jaw worked back and forth. Shivers raced down my spine in a way they shouldn’t have. He wasn’t wearing his ring either, so he had no reason to be mad at me.
“Will you knock it off and give me a little credit,” I said, sagging into my seat. “I know how to dress, and I know how to handle myself. I promise, the only horny asshole who will ever know what’s under my skirt is you.”
He cracked a smile. “Is that an invitation for another peek?”
I turned in my seat and crossed my legs. “No.”
“You realize I might never get married again, right? You are denying me a once-in-a-lifetime experience of unlimited marital sex.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Didn’t you just imply the other day that most married couples don’t have sex very often?”
His grin turned into a full-blown smile. “That would not be the case for us. I’m a big guy with a big appetite, and I’m not just talking about food, sweetheart.”
Okay, then. I picked up my water bottle and tried to hide my blush.
The ride to the car dealership took about half an hour. Rhett spent the entire time asking me questions that made me want to pull my hair out.
What cylinder do you prefer? Four or six?
All-wheel or four-wheel drive?
Electric, hybrid, or gas?
A car! I screeched.
I just wanted four wheels to get me from point A to point B. I didn’t need anything fancy or top-of-the-line. I didn’t need a champagne chiller in my back seat or biometric secure stowage. What the hell was that, anyway?
When we finally pulled up to the front of the building, I sighed with relief. Rhett jumped out of the truck and came around to help me down. I laughed at the scowl on his face when the breeze lifted my skirt up. He was kind of cute when he was all grumpy.
I looped my arm through his. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll hold on to you extra tight to keep all the predators away.”
He stopped and tilted my chin up to meet his eyes. “You should be more worried about me than them.”
“You don’t scare me, big guy.” I patted him on the cheek, hoping to get him to lighten up a bit. He’d been Mr. Serious since he picked me up, and I was starting to miss his usual juvenile nonsense.
We walked side by side, moving from row to row, looking at the price stickers on all the windows.
“I can’t believe you talked me out of the Audi. It even had pink interior lights. How cute was that?”
I showed him a picture of an ad I found online, and he immediately shot it down.
Rhett shook his head. “They are too expensive to fix.”
“And what exactly was wrong with the Volvo?”
“Too unreliable.”
“And the Ford?”
“I only like the trucks. I don’t trust their SUVs.”
That’s how we ended up at the Toyota dealership. Rhett drove a Camry when he was a teenager and loved it. He said I should stick with a Nissan or Toyota if I were looking for something practical and reliable.
We stopped at an SUV that was bigger than I’d ever need. “You expect me to drive this thing?” I looked inside the window. It had beige leather interior, and the dashboard was filled with fancy tech gadgets.
“Have you ever driven one before?” he asked, opening the door and peeking inside .
“Why would I need something this big when it’s only me?”
“Because they are safer than a car?”
“Says, who?”
“Says, me.”
A short, stocky salesman came across the parking lot, looking slightly out of breath by the time he reached us. I snuck a peek at the sticker price and cringed when I realized it was out of my price range. It wouldn’t be long until I was collecting a steady paycheck. Until then, I’d have to be careful with my cash.
“Hello, folks, my name is Don. Can I help you guys with anything?” He stopped and sputtered when he noticed who was at my side. “No fucking way! You’re Rhett Daniels.”
Rhett flipped his hat around, pulling the brim down above his eyes. “Nice to meet you.”
“Congratulations on the win, man.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” He gave him a nod and looked at me. “This is Natalie. She’s looking for a car today.”
“I can help you find whatever you need,” he replied happily. When he stepped forward, I had to itch my nose and turn my head. Somebody needed to tell the poor guy that he didn’t need to use an entire bottle of cologne.
“I think she likes this one right here.” Rhett pointed to the white Toyota Highlander.
“Great choice. It’s all wheel drive, heated seats, a nice touch screen to connect your phone to, and enough horsepower to pull a boat or small camper.”
I laughed. “That’s good to know if I ever decide to buy a boat or a camper.”
“And because I’m a huge Atlanta Arrows fan, I can cut you a great deal.” He smiled up at Rhett. “I’ll even give you an extended warranty for half the regular price.”
Rhett cleared his throat. “That’s great, but she’s the one buying a car, not me. Maybe you should try sucking up to her.”
“Of course.” He laughed nervously at being called out. “You want to take this for a test drive, sweetie pie?”
Sweetie pie?
“Sure.”
Rhett winked and held the door open for me. “Get in and see if you like it.”
“I’ll go grab the keys.” Don started walking away, but Rhett put his hand out.
“I’m just going to put this out there, and I’m not trying to be a dick, so I hope you understand. I’m here helping a friend. I don’t want any attention. If you want an autograph or a picture, I’ll give you one when we are done. If you post anything online, then the deal is off.”
Don gulped loudly. “I got it.” He gave him a shaky thumbs-up. “You can count on me.”
He hurried away, and I studied my new husband. This was a version of him I’d never seen before, and I was surprised at how much I liked it.
Our salesman came back less than a minute later and handed me the key fob. “Just give me a minute to screw on the license plate.”
I hopped into the Highlander and ran my hand along the leather, thoroughly looking over the rest of the interior. “I wish this was black instead of beige.”
Rhett buckled his seat belt and stretched his long legs out in front of him. “Black gets too hot during the summer.”
“I didn’t know you were such a car expert.” I side-eyed him with a smirk while adjusting the mirrors and seat .
“I know enough.” He winked and reached into the glove box to pull out the instruction manual.
Don tapped on the window and motioned for me to roll it down. He then spent the next few minutes reviewing all the safety features and showing me how to operate everything.
“You kids take your time. I’ll be waiting for you inside.”
Rhett tapped my leg and motioned for me to start moving. “You lived in London for too long. I want to make sure you remember which side of the road you’re supposed to drive on.”
I pushed the start button and listened for the engine to fire up. I shifted into reverse and backed out of the parking spot. “Would you look at that?” I smiled as I inched slowly out onto the road. “I remembered how to drive.”
“You know you can go over ten miles an hour, right?”
I held the steering wheel with a death grip. “I’m nervous. What if I get into an accident?”
His hand came out and squeezed my knee. “You won’t crash the car. They have insurance, and even if they didn’t, I would pay for it.”
It took me a couple of minutes to get used to it. The vehicle still felt big, so I was surprised at how smoothly it rolled down the boulevard. I started to relax and ran a hand over the steering wheel.
Rhett stared out the window. “You’re doing good.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve had my license since I was sixteen. You act like I’ve never driven a car before.”
“Then why are you so nervous?”
I squirmed in my seat. “Because I feel like you’re judging and critiquing my driving skills.”
He busted out laughing. “I’m not a driving instructor. I just want you to find something you’ll feel comfortable with. ”
I eased my foot on the brake when we approached the stoplight. “I think I’m going to buy it,” I told him. I had enough in my savings for a decent deposit, so the monthly payments should be doable. “Now I just need to find a place to live. I can’t stay with Beau forever, and I already feel like I’m mooching off of him.”
He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes. “You know, you could always stay with your husband.”
“I don’t know about that.” I turned to him, wishing I didn’t like that idea so much. “We are going to be getting a divorce soon. You don’t want me cramping your style when you start bringing random women home again.”
The thought itself sent a sharp pain through my heart. I didn’t want to think about Rhett with other women. It was nice being the center of his attention, but it wouldn’t last. That’s why I needed to keep my walls up before he got any closer.
When I glanced at him, I noticed his jaw was clenched. “Like you said, it wouldn’t be forever, right.”
This conversation distracted me, so I focused on the road when the light turned green. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t do that.”
“Why not? I have the room, and you need a place to stay. Beau is going to be out of the country for the next month. You said yourself you don’t feel right staying there.”
“I don’t know if I feel right staying with you, either.”
The reasons for that were completely different than staying with my uncle. We were already putting ourselves in situations that weren’t good for us. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to survive being around him day in and day out without wanting more.
“Why not? We’re friends after all. ”
I glanced at him quickly, trying my hardest not to smile. “Is that what we are?”
He knew the effect he had on me. Just like I knew, these feelings would be my downfall.
“I’d like to add the benefits part to our arrangement, but you’re against that idea, so I guess we are just friends who are planning a divorce.”
I laughed. “Why can’t we be like normal people? Why did we have to get married before we got to know each other?”
“I think it adds a bit more mystery and intrigue to the whole situation.”
“I think it makes us sound even more crazy.” I shook my head and swerved around a tire in the middle of the road.
Rhett’s hand flew to the dashboard. “Jesus! You don’t need to jerk the wheel so hard.”
“Would you rather have me hit the tire instead?”
“Just be a little gentler next time.” He eased back in his seat. “Now, back to your living arrangements,” he said, studying the road in front of us like he was afraid and wanted to prepare himself. “Do you really want to stay in that big, cold, lonely old mansion by yourself?”
“Not really,” I said, easing up to the stop sign.
He rested his elbow against the window. “If it makes you feel any better, the mattress in the guest bedroom is really comfortable.”
“Really?” My cheeks split into a smile.
“Yep. It’s a top-of-the-line memory foam.”
“What else does the apartment come with?”
“It comes with a chef, a housekeeper, and a great fucking view.”
Was I seriously warming up to the idea? Living with Rhett was probably reckless. But it would be nice to have company around so I didn’t feel so alone. After all, it would only be temporary. I wouldn’t have to rush into a new lease. I could take my time until I found the right area. If Beau asked, I could tell him I was staying with a friend. He was barely around anyway. He basically lived in California during the offseason.
All those reasons sounded great in my head, but if I were being honest with myself, that type of arrangement would only complicate an already messy situation.
“Moving in together would only make things worse.” I admitted something we both already knew.
“I disagree. Also, my birthday is coming up, so instead of getting me a present, you can agree to be my roommate. It would make my entire year if you did.”
My gaze slid to his. “You are so full of shit. Your birthday was last November.”
His lips quirked up on the one side, causing his dimples to poke out. “Ah, you googled me, huh?”
“Obviously. I had to make sure I didn’t marry a crazy person.”
He laughed while glancing in the side mirror as I changed lanes. “I’m not full of shit. My birthday is coming up.” He paused and leaned forward. “At the end of the year. So, what else did you find?”
“That you’re annoying.”
God, why did he have to be so playful when I was trying to remind him of all the reasons why this wouldn’t work?
When we pulled into the front of the dealership, I couldn’t wait to get out of this car.
I killed the engine, grabbed my purse, and reached for the handle. Rhett climbed out of his seat and jogged to my side.
“Thank you.” I smiled as he helped me out .
“Thanks for saying yes.” He smiled and shut the door.
“I didn’t say yes,” I yelled out as he started walking away.
“You will.” He winked over his shoulder.
“What makes you so sure?” I asked, finally catching up to him.
He ran his hand across his stubbled jaw. “I guess I’m feeling pretty confident that if I could convince you to marry me, then I should have no trouble convincing you to move in with me.”
I groaned because I was pretty sure he could convince me to buy a beach house in Arizona without even trying.
I was in big trouble.