Chapter 8
“I’ve been back from my honeymoon for two weeks and I’ve hardly seen you.” Zoe takes a sip of the mimosa the waiter dropped off just as I arrived. I was running late for our brunch thanks to Hendrix and his call after last night’s game. I don’t know how long we talked before I fell asleep listening to him tell me about their road trip.
“I’ve been busy with the studio,” I tell her. Which isn’t really a lie since I’ve been spending a lot of time down at the studio. I’ve stayed late getting things ready for the grand opening while trying not to get too used to the time Hendrix spends with me there when he isn’t busy.
“How’s it coming along? You almost ready to open?”
“I think so. I’m just waiting on the sound system to be installed, so nothing I can’t work around if there’s a delay.”
“You know who could help with that so you don’t have to wait?”
“Let me guess. Hendrix?” I don’t know why I ask because Zoe is not one to give up once she gets an idea, and the idea of Hendrix and me together is her current challenge.
“I was going to say Jake, but now that you mention it, Hendrix would be better.” The smile on her face tells me that she wasn’t going to suggest Jake at all.
“Nice try, but he doesn’t have time,” I lie. I didn’t ask him because time with Hendrix is becoming a little too common for me, and getting attached to him is not going to happen.
“Really? How do you know?”
“I don’t. I’m just saying I know how busy my dad is right now, so I can only imagine how busy Hendrix, or any of the other guys, is right now.”
“Just ask him. He’ll make time.”
“That’s the problem, Zoe. I don’t want him to make time.” Zoe’s eyes pinch together, and I can’t blame her for being confused. I’m confused. I want to spend time with Hendrix, and someone making time for me is something I’m not used to. Ian never went out of his way to spend time with me, which should have been the first clue that something was going on. I could get used to being someone important enough to be a priority.
“I just don’t get it. You’re both single, and the attraction is clearly there, unless you both snuck away from my rehearsal dinner and wedding reception at the same time with different people. Why not see where it goes?”
“Because I’ve dated high-profile before, remember? I don’t want to be another headline, and Hendrix can’t risk that right now either.” Being in a relationship with Hendrix would put me right back in the media spotlight, and that is not something I’m willing to risk again. I knew dating a sports agent ran its own risks, but it wasn’t until the news of how I tried to ruin a man’s family that I realized exactly how vicious reporters could be.
“Does he know that’s how you feel?”
“He knows I don’t want to date someone who is in the media all the time, not to mention dating one of my dad’s players is quite possibly the worst idea ever. Could you imagine family dinners? It would either be super awkward or full of baseball talk, and I can only handle so much.”
“Okay, so dating is off the table right now. Why not try being friends for a while? Build the trust and get to know each other, then you can see if you even want to try more than that or if it was just hot sex a few times.”
“Even as friends, if we go out anywhere, there will be pictures of us, there will be rumors and gossip, and I just can’t handle that again.” More time with Hendrix is tempting, especially if that time is spent without clothes.
“Harlow, you do realize that anyone could take pictures of us right now and start rumors and gossip, right?”
“What are they going to say, that I’m trying to steal you from your husband? It’s not the same and you know it.” I roll my eyes.
“You’re right, but if you don’t care what they say about us, why should you care what they say about you and Hendrix? What if it were you and Alex, or you and Jake? They would say the same thing, but are you telling me you just wouldn’t care as much?”
“No, because I know that there is no truth to whatever they would spin. I didn’t have sex with either of them, and they aren’t at risk of being traded for bringing too much drama and negative attention to the team.” The point is, I don’t want to be painted as someone who goes from one relationship surrounded in drama to another one with the same chance of drama. I don’t need anything in the media to impact my business or discourage people from coming to my studio.
“I won’t say anything else about it but just promise me that you’ll think about it. I think it’s unfair to both of you to miss out on whatever there is between you because you’re both scared.”
“I’ll ask him if he has time to do the sound system, but that’s all I can promise.”
“Fair enough. Now, tell me about your new place and when you get to move out of your dad’s house.”
Happy with the change of topic, I tell Zoe about the apartment the studio landlord found for me. It’s down the street from the studio and above one of the boutiques downtown. It’s small, but it’s perfect because it will be mine, and I won’t have to live with my dad anymore. I just have to wait three more weeks for that freedom.