Chapter 3 #2
The more I researched for this article, the more each image chipped away at the illusion I had.
I rubbed my temples because the last thing I needed was to romanticize him.
Joe might have assumed that everyone only cared about how many passes he could complete, but he was wrong. This was the kind of stuff that mattered, and people remembered. The fans connected better when players were friendly and relatable. Nobody wanted to root for an arrogant jock.
“Well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes?”
I looked up to see my friend Ember plopping into the chair across from me. She slid her bag off her shoulder and set it on the floor.
“Hey.” I pulled my earbuds out. “This is a surprise.”
She pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and set her coffee down. “I have an appointment in Copley Square and wanted to grab a coffee before I hopped on the train.”
“It’s a nice day out. Why don’t you take the ferry?”
“It takes too long, and there are too many tourists this time of year.”
She had a point. I didn’t go into downtown Boston unless I absolutely had to. Summer was peak travel season, so the crowds got a little out of control. Thankfully, everything I needed was here in Harbor Bay.
“Who is your meeting with? Anyone important?”
Ember worked for a well-known PR firm in Boston. She spent her days handling difficult clients and cleaning up messes from people with way too much money.
“Unfortunately, no. Just some boring legal stuff.” She leaned forward to peek at my screen. “What are you working on?”
I tried my best to angle it away from her, but she still saw the photos.
“Research,” I said, sliding my laptop a little further down the table.
“Trying to hide what’s on your screen, huh? That means it’s something juicy.”
“It’s not what you think.” My face grew warm as I looked away from her. “Daphene wants me to write an article on Nate Sandler that is less about the game and more about his personal life.”
Her eyes lit up in surprise. “Every woman’s dream job.”
I curled my fingers tightly around my coffee cup. “I don’t even want to know what you’re implying. This is an assignment. Nothing more.”
“Of course it is.” She smiled like a proud mom. “Is that why your cheeks are so red?”
“I’m hot.”
She smirked. “So is he.”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” I said, brushing off her comment because there was no point in engaging with her.
“Whatever you say.” She stirred her iced coffee with a straw. “Besides, doesn’t research typically mean talking to people?”
I shrugged it off, even though she had a point. “I need to read up on things first.”
She leaned back in her chair, bringing her drink with her. “Looks more like drooling than reading to me.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m just trying to understand him before I get the interview.”
She nodded toward the screen. “Becca, this is huge.”
I exhaled slowly while staring up at the ceiling. “I know.”
It also had the potential to be a disaster, but I kept that thought to myself.
“Why do you not look excited about this?”
“It’s not exactly what I thought I’d be doing,” I said. “But I know Daphene believes in me, so I’m trying to make the most of it.”
“I know this seems like a step sideways, but I think she’s trying to help you.”
I nodded. “I’m trying to treat this as an opportunity and go along with it.”
She set her coffee on the table. “Just be careful. I’ve seen this play out a thousand times. Girl thinks she is immune to his charms. Athlete smiles. Next thing you know, someone catches feelings and things get messy.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You think I’m that easily swayed?”
“I’ve been working in PR long enough to smell trouble before it even starts.”
She wasn’t wrong; she could write a book on crisis control. We often joked that it was my job to spin the narrative and hers to cover it up.
“Ember, there isn’t a chance of that happening.”
She pointed to my laptop. “How are you not supposed to catch feelings for a man who looks like that and brings presents to sick children?”
Heat flooded my cheeks. I knew where she was going with this, but I was too stubborn to admit it.
“By staying professional.”
She grinned. “You’re going to be spending a lot of time with him.”
I leaned back and folded my arms. “I’m a journalist, not a member of his fan club.”
She smiled as if she didn’t believe me. “Famous last words.” She checked her watch and stood up.
“I need to run, but remember what I said about things getting messy. You are too good at what you do and have worked hard to get to where you are. Don’t let some athlete who is easy on the eyes destroy your reputation. ”
“Have a good day, Ember,” I said, ignoring her warning.
“You too.” She smiled and gathered her things. “One more thing. You might want to open a few more tabs. Those photos are starting to look more like your screensaver than research.”
I watched her walk out the door, still grinning like she knew something I didn’t.
Once she left, I started organizing my notes with Nate’s face on the screen staring back at me. I tried to shake off her words, but they continued to echo in my head.
Maybe there was more to him than meets the eye. Because this was the first time, I started to wonder if I was wrong about him. And despite my better judgment, I wanted to be the one to find out.