CHAPTER 35 Millie Monroe
Viral
“What did he say to you?” Archer asks.
I blow out a breath. Maybe I should just be honest. He wants me to feature you. What do you say?
Somehow I don’t see that conversation going in my favor.
Diedrick mentioned the other baseball players that are coming in to surprise Archer. I wonder when they’re getting here.
I wonder how much more time Archer and I really have.
Is it better to end this now instead of falling in deeper over the next week? It’s going to end either way. Why not save myself even more pain and heartache?
Because I can’t end it early. I’m addicted to him.
I’ll deal with the pain when I get there.
And so I don’t say anything. “He needs long-form content. He needs me to go live more. I’m not putting in enough effort, and he’s going to blackball me in this industry if I don’t pick things up.
But if I do, then there are paid partnership opportunities on the table. So I guess I need to get to work.”
He presses his lips together and nods. It’s almost like he wants to ask if he can help, but he stops himself. “I’ve got some more foundation stuff to tackle anyway.”
We sit together, at least—he works on his things while I work on mine. It’s an easy silence, but I hate that we’re both putting our focus into something aside from each other when our time left together is so short.
I take some video of my room in the main tower a couple days later. It’s a Sunday, and tomorrow is Archer’s birthday. It’s also the twenty-sixth. It means we only have a few days left. We leave Friday.
I checked the Heat’s schedule.
They’re probably coming in sometime today. They had a three-game series in Miami that ended with a game this afternoon, and they play again Tuesday in Vegas. So they came here for their one day off—to see their teammate. To support him while he’s suspended.
The network he has is amazing, even if he doesn’t realize or acknowledge that fact.
And what do I have back home? Chip and Jackie, who are having a baby.
My bartending job.
My parents, who don’t believe in me.
And…that’s about it these days.
I’m on my way back to Archer’s room after taking pictures. The key to his room is in my pocket. He had Clive get me one a few days ago, and it’s been nice having the flexibility of coming and going when I want. I even checked out the nightclub a few days ago.
On my way back, I walk right by the pool. That’s when I see them.
Cooper Noah, Danny Brewer, and AJ Winters are walking toward the cabanas with Archer in tow.
Oh my God.
Danny Brewer is here! And Cooper Noah! You don’t have to be a baseball fan to know those names. They’re honest-to-God celebrities. Household names. And they’re here.
With the guy I’ve been either fucking or fighting with for the last three weeks.
I also see countless cell phones aimed in their direction.
I hold up my phone, and then I lower it for a beat as a thousand thoughts seem to plow into me at once.
I shouldn’t do this. I can’t do this to Archer. I should respect his boundary.
I know I should.
But it’s going to be online anyway. Other people have their phones aimed at the baseball players right now, too. It’s not just me. Maybe one of them is live streaming. Would it really be that big a deal if I did, too? It’ll be online either way.
Diedrick said it himself. He could make or break my entire career. This opportunity here at Paradise Island could make it or break it.
I didn’t come here to leave with a boyfriend.
I came to leave with a paid partnership.
With Diedrick’s threat hanging over my head, I’m backed into a corner.
Before I allow myself to think twice and stop myself, I turn around, pull my phone open, and stare at the button to go live on Instagram.
My fingers tremble as I raise my phone up.
I do a quick smile-relax sequence to get myself camera ready, and then I click the button.
“Millie here with Millie’s Miles coming at you today live from Paradise Island Hotel in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
” My voice is trembling, too. “The weather is gorgeous this afternoon, a balmy seventy-eight degrees with a few clouds. But wear that sunscreen, travelers, because you can still get burned even on cloudy days! I’m standing by the pool of the Beachfront Tower.
This tower features upscale suites and an adults-only pool area, which is right behind me. ”
I walk around a little, making positively sure that the ballplayers are in the background of my video as they settle into their cabana. They leave the curtain open, and I wait until I see someone post a comment asking if that’s Danny Brewer in the background.
I mean, he’s married to Alexis Bodega. She’s arguably the biggest pop star in the universe.
Of course they’ll recognize him.
And they have, so I move along—as if it was pure chance that he made the background of my video. I let the comments do the talking for me, and I watch as viewership ticks up and up. And up. And up.
Guilt knots my stomach, but nobody gets to the top without being ruthless.
Didn’t Archer himself say something along those lines to me once upon a time?
Ruthless in his pursuit of excellence. Well, I’m ruthless in my pursuit of a paid partnership since he’s made it clear we’re over in a few days anyway.
You know…except for the fact that he offered me a job with his foundation.
Still, that wasn’t an offer to be together. In fact, he said he couldn’t be with me when this is over. He has baseball to focus on.
I feel tears brimming in my eyes, and I’m thankful I’m wearing sunglasses as I hide all that emotion inside with my fake voice, fake smile—fake everything—just to get some goddamn views so I can get this goddamn paid partnership.
“Let’s chat about what I’ve been up to the last few days.” I talk and walk, and I point out different features around the resort as I walk. I happen to angle myself so the baseball players are in the background again, and I keep an eye on the number of viewers who are watching this live broadcast.
It’s going viral.
And not just viral, but super viral. The kind of viral that will get Diedrick to offer me that partnership. The kind of viral I’ve been hoping for.
The kind that will skyrocket my brand.
At the expense of the one person who, in no uncertain terms, was incredibly clear in how he felt about appearing in my content.
I feel like shit.
I’m an asshole. I’m invading his privacy. I mean, not legally. He’s in a public place where there’s no reasonable expectation of privacy, and others are filming him, too.
That doesn’t make it right.
But it does make me a crap human being.
He’s going to find out, and I can play it off like I didn’t realize he was back there, or I can be honest.
I need to be honest. I know I do. But I’ll deal with it later.
“That’s all for now, champagne travelers! Catch you with more Millie’s Miles soon.” I take a few selfies—or at least that’s how I try to make it look as I get a few clear shots of the ballplayers behind me, and then I head back to Archer’s room.
He left a note for me on top of my laptop. It’s sitting on the table where we were working together earlier today, and I cry as I read it.
Some friends surprised me. Down at the pool. Come join us so I can introduce you.
I just violated their privacy. All of them.
Why the hell did I do that?
Fuck!
Guilt racks me.
I can’t take it back now.
It’s a live broadcast.
I could delete it, but…
I open Instagram and take a look.
It’s still gaining views. Comments. Likes. Reposts. Shares.
I’ve gained over six thousand new followers just since I posted the video. I’m edging in on the incredibly coveted six figures of followers.
More baseball player content will push me over.
But it’ll also ruin the best thing in my life right now.
The thing that has an end date stamped on it.
My hands are tied here. I pull open the photos I took down at the pool and get started on editing.