Chapter 8
Clarke
After we landed in Philly, Will pulled me aside.
He led me to the hangar’s far end, giving us room to speak privately.
We hadn’t said a word during the flight.
I passed out after twenty minutes in the air while Will busied himself on his iPad, forcing himself to endure thousands of shitty comments online.
Will brushed his fingers down my arm, his blue eyes on me. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
His words sounded like a question as if he feared I would run away before Ethan and Mia married. Not a chance in hell. I would never abandon Mia on her special day.
I smiled as our eyes met. “I’ll be at the church. Bright and early.”
He moved his hand to my face and cupped my cheek. “You sure about this?”
“Are we talking about us or the wedding?”
“Us.”
“Then, no. I’m not sure about this.”
“I know you’re freaking out, but I’m scared, too.”
“Why are you telling me this? What’s changed since before we left Vegas.”
He lowered his hand to his side and sighed. “Because I don’t know what’s going to happen. The Flyers GM is pissed. He thinks the marriage is a sham and just another one of my stunts.” He released a deep breath. “We have a meeting scheduled for Monday morning.”
“Do you need me to go with you?”
“No,” he breathed. “But it might help sell the story if we take turns living at each other’s apartments. People need to see us together. I know you hate media attention because of your dad… and I hate to ask this. But I worked my ass off to get to the NHL. I’ve never been this scared in my life.”
“You want to do a press release?”
“My publicist suggested we make it official.”
“Have you heard of The Gossip Queen?”
Callie Bloom worked at Market House Press, a women’s magazine headquartered in downtown Philadelphia.
Her column was so popular she garnered over forty million views per month on her articles about celebrity dirt.
She was not only the best source for controversial news but also reliable.
Unlike other gossip mags, Callie confirmed her sources before hitting publish.
Will nodded. “Who hasn’t heard of her? She has the biggest mouth in the country.”
“Callie is a friend. I met her when I worked at The Inquirer. I can arrange a meeting. Maybe get her to shine a positive light on our relationship. No one will doubt it’s real if they hear it from The Gossip Queen.”
Will’s frown turned up into a genuine smile. “You would that for me?”
“That’s part of the deal. I promised to sell our love, real or fake.”
He hugged me so hard that the air drained from my chest.
I patted him on the back. “Ease up, Hulk. I can’t breathe.”
Will laughed, and his lips brushed my earlobe. “Thank you, Clarke. You’re saving my ass. Anything you want, it’s yours. Just ask.”
I slipped from his grasp and fixed the strap of my bag over my shoulder. “Stay off social media. Reading the comments won’t help. And try to stay out of the spotlight until I can talk to Callie. Okay?”
He tipped his head. “You got it, boss lady.”
“Nicknames, Will.”
He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
I wanted to kiss him, but we had a bet, one I did not want to lose.
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Liam West said from behind us.
We both laughed.
“I think that’s your cue, playboy.”
“Oh, look who’s got nicknames now.” Will winked, then kissed me on the cheek. “See you tomorrow, wifey.”
As I watched him walk away, Mia rolled her suitcase toward me. “You guys make a cute couple.”
“We’re not a real couple.”
“Deny it all you want.” She smiled. “But you like my brother, and he’s always liked you. He never talked to me about women until I met you.”
“Probably to complain.”
She shook her head. “Will likes you. Trust me. I know my brother.”
“You know my past. I don’t have good luck with men.”
“Give him a chance. He’s not like the others. When Will wants something, he goes all-in.”
“I’m not sure what I want,” I confessed. “My career has come first for so many years I don’t know how to make room for anything else.”
“Will agreed to move to DC. It’s not just about saving face for him. He wouldn’t do this for anyone.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. “You think so?”
“I know so. My brother is loud and annoying and an ass. He always has to be the center of attention, but he’s a good guy. He means well.”
“We have three months to figure this out.”