CHAPTER 11 BENNETT #2
She uncrosses her legs and leans forward on the table. “Bennett, it would benefit you tremendously if you don’t piss me off. So who the hell do you like? And if you tell me no one, I will be sure to extend your PR time with the zoo into the next year.”
Christ, I don’t want that.
“Fine, it’s my sister’s best friend.”
She leans back in her seat. “Interesting.”
“She’s currently on a date right now with Cougar Vajeen,” I blurt, hating myself for it.
“Cougar Vajeen? As in the running back for the Foghorns?”
“Is there really another person with the name Cougar Vajeen?”
Her eyes narrow. “Don’t get lippy with me. I’m trying to help you.”
“How is drilling me about my love life helping me?”
“I’m helping your image.”
“My image is fine.” I slouch in my chair. “It’s my personal life that’s fucked up.” I tug on the brim of my hat. “I was the one who set her up with Cougar.”
“You set up the girl you like with Cougar Vajeen?”
“That would be correct.”
“Why the hell would you do that? Do you not know his reputation?”
“I do now.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“Bad advice.”
“From whom?” she asks.
“Nolan Hart on my team. He said that if I wanted to win her over, I should set her up with a douchebag and then when she realizes what a douche he is, that I could swoop in and show her how great I am. So I asked Graydon to help—”
“Graydon’s in on this?” Gretchen’s eyes nearly pop out of their sockets, and I don’t blame her; I’d think the same thing.
“He was reluctant but then asked Hutton and they got me Cougar’s number, which I gave to Bower. That’s her name.”
She rubs her temples as if this is information that will hurt any plans she’s worked on over the last few weeks.
“Who knows about this?”
“Why does it matter?”
“Because I need to know everything so I’m fully prepared. What if Cougar decides to do something stupid with this girl, then she comes to the media about how Cougar Vajeen mistreated her and then names all the people involved in setting her up with him? I need to be prepared for such an event.”
“She wouldn’t do that,” I say. “She’s a good friend.”
“Good friends always turn on the famous. Textbook. So who is involved?”
“She won’t turn on me,” I say with conviction. That makes Gretchen pause for a moment.
“Fine, in the unlikely event that she does turn on you, who was involved in this setup?”
“Just the people I mentioned. Me, Graydon, Hutton, Nolan, and Cougar.”
She types something in her phone and says, “That’s way too many men to be involved in a woman’s future.”
“She asked to be set up,” I say out of pure defense. “I want that to be clear. It was initially her idea.”
“Well, that’s a relief at least.” She lets out a sigh and glances toward the window. “So, there’s no chance you’re going to be dating this girl?”
“From what I heard about Cougar Vajeen, it’s probably a no,” I say, my gut churning at the thought of them being together, getting married, having kids…
“But you want something to happen with her?”
“I don’t see how this is relevant to the PR bullshit that I’m trying to get out of.”
“It’s relevant.”
“How so?” I ask. “I told you I’m not doing a dating show.”
“No, I wasn’t thinking about that.” She folds her arms, staring off in the distance, a thoughtful expression tugging on her face.
“What if…” She pauses and her teeth pull on the corner of her lip.
“What if we did something with you in the PR space that would possibly, I don’t know… assist in your endeavors to date her?”
“I don’t want to expose her to the public and use her to help the Bombers’ image.”
“No, that’s not what I’m thinking. Graydon is already doing that with Maple. We don’t want to double down on the same PR strategy.”
“Okay, so then what do you mean?”
“What if we had you participate in something that she likes and that could win her over, while also uplifting the image of the team?”
“And why the hell would we do that? As if you care about my love life.”
“You’re right, I really don’t.” Her eyes scan over me. “But I care about your image because that’s my job, and the way you’re presenting yourself at the moment is one step up from angry troll under a bridge throwing sticks as people pass by.”
“I’m not a troll.”
“Your shirt is inside out.”
“No, it’s not,” I say as I glance down at my shirt, and sure as shit it is.
“And don’t tell me it’s the new way of wearing it.”
“Fine,” I capitulate. “I might have had a bad night, but that’s because it’s Bower’s first time going out with Cougar and I’m struggling with the thought of it, so yeah, I’m struggling—”
The door to the coffee shop opens and as if saying her name enough beckons her, Bower walks in.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, wanting to duck under a table, praying to the fucking gods above that Cougar doesn’t walk in behind her.
“What?” Gretchen asks, looking over to the side.
“That’s her. Bower is here.”
An evil smirk spreads over Gretchen’s lips just before she lifts her hand and calls out, “Bower.”
“What the fuck—” I start to whisper as Bower turns toward us, a crease in her brow before she recognizes me.
“Bennett.” Her face lights up. “What are you doing here?”
“Uh…”
“Late-night planning session,” Gretchen says with a smile and then lends out her hand. “Hi, I’m Gretchen. I’m in charge of Bennett’s PR right now.”
“Oh, the whole zoo thing. It’s nice to meet you.” She glances at me and smiles. “Well, I’ll let you get back to what you’re talking about. It’s late and I don’t want to hold you up.”
“No, please join us,” Gretchen says, making my cheeks burn, because what the hell is she doing? “We could use some help, actually, and since you know Bennett so well, you could be of use.”
“Are you sure?” Bower looks between the two of us.
“Positive,” Gretchen says.
“Okay, sure. I’m just going to grab a drink really quick.”
“I can get it for you,” I say, going to stand, but she places her hand on my chest and stops me.
“I got it. Thank you, though.” With a wink, she heads over to the counter and my eyes trail after her, watching the way her hips sway against the fabric of her dress, how it clings to her torso and flares out at her waist.
Did he touch her?
Kiss her?
Slip his hand under the hem of her dress?
Did he tell her he’d call her later? Set up another date?
If she’s alone right now, does that mean they didn’t get along?
Fuck, I don’t want to get my hopes up.
“If you stare at her any longer, she might disappear into thin air,” Gretchen says, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I turn back toward her and whisper, “What the fuck is your plan, Gretchen?”
“Well, now that I’ve seen the transparent longing in your eyes, I’m going to attempt to end the agony and just tell her how you feel.”
“What?” I say, my fucking balls shriveling at the suggestion. “No, you can’t. Gretchen, it would…it would ruin everything. She’s…she’s my sister’s—”
“I’m kidding, Bennett. I wouldn’t do that.”
My breath catches in my lungs from the panic she just put me through. “How do I know that’s the truth?”
“Because it seems like the thought of her finding out about your feelings might actually give you a heart attack, and although it would tickle me to see a love connection unfold in front of my eyes, the job comes first, and giving one of my clients a heart attack doesn’t necessarily scream ‘good press.’”
I let out a short sigh. “Good, because she can’t know.”
“Ever?” Gretchen asks with a lift of her brow.
“No, not never, just…not yet. She…she still sees me as the little brother and I need to show her I’m not that man.”
“Fair. So then my plan will work.”
“What plan?” I ask as I hear Bower thank the barista for her drink.
“Just go with it?”
“Gretchen, I fucking swear,” I say through clenched teeth just as Bower joins us, taking a seat right next to me, her shoulder brushing up against mine.
Is it dumb to think that I missed her? That all of the agonizing I’ve done tonight has made me feel like a lovesick puppy, looking for any kind of connection with her?
And she smells so good, just like her. I want to lean into her, run my nose along her neck, see if she smells like anyone else but her, but I refrain as she crosses one leg over the other and leans into me.
I take that opportunity to drape my arm over the back of her chair, something that Gretchen tracks with calculating eyes.
“So, why are you guys meeting so late?” Bower asks, a smirk on her lips. “Anything you’re not telling me, Bennett?” She wiggles her brows and I hate that she’d ever suggest that Gretchen and I would be together.
“We’re not together,” I say, maybe too quickly and too high-pitched.
“That doesn’t sound innocent at all.” Bower laughs and then takes a sip of her drink. It smells a lot like a chai.
“We’re not,” Gretchen says. “Bennett is not my type.”
Ouch.
Not that I really care.
But still, I’m sitting right here.
“Not your type?” Bower asks, shocked. “Is handsome not your type? Muscular? Good at baseball? Abs for days?”
“Abs?” Gretchen asks, her brow lifting. “Sounds to me like you might be the one who should date him.”
Gretchen…
Bower laughs and shakes her head. “No, Bennett and I have known each other for so long, and I’m practically his grandma. He wants nothing to do with an old lady like me.”
“You’re not my grandma. You’re eight years older. That’s nothing.”
“It’s something, but either way, we’re good friends, right, Bennett?”
So fucking painful…
“Yup, great friends.”
Gretchen looks between the two of us and then folds her arms over her chest. “Friends I can work with.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I’m just thinking you don’t want to do the zoo anymore, but we have to figure out something that will replace the zoo but still bring in good publicity.
And if you two are friends and clearly have good chemistry since you’re so close, it might benefit you to see you two do something together to help the Bombers. ”
“I don’t want to drag Bower into this,” I say just as Bower places her hand on my arm.
“Speak for yourself,” she says. “I want to hear what Gretchen has to say. If it means you stop bitching about the zoo, then I say we hear her out.”