22. Shelby #2
“The timeline also makes sense. You two made a lot of unusual headlines this week and the media is going to stretch it out however they can. But it’s the next bit of data that we think we can capitalize on.”
“Capitalize?” I ask. “I don’t want to capitalize on anything. I want a divorce.”
“I’d maybe pump those brakes,” Kat says.
I've never hyperventilated before, but I think I'm about to. Playing golf with Beau was one thing. I didn't like it, but I knew I had to do it. Being married to him, though? Absolutely the fuck not.
“In those folders is a printout of every headline we could find over the last six hours. I want you both to look over them and tell us what you think.”
We do as asked, and honestly, I’m a bit shocked. I was waiting for headlines to the effect of “The Bitch of Women’s Golf now Mrs. Back Nine” or something like that. But they’re all, for the most part…positive?
“Wait. Do people actually like that we got married?”
Kat can’t hide her smile. “That’s what we wanted to show you.”
Grayson changes the screen on the monitor to a bar graph and a lot of search terms.
Beau Devereaux and Shelby LeBlanc golf
Beau Devereaux and Shelby LeBlanc wedding
Beau Devereaux and Shelby LeBlanc Las Vegas
How do you get married in Vegas?
Did Shelby LeBlanc beat up her husband?
“Ha!” I laugh as I read the last one. “Please tell me that’s not a joke and people have been looking it up.”
“Oh they have,” Kat says. “Which is why the next group of headlines is the reason you two need to stay married.”
How golf just found its new power couple
Opposites attract: Why one relationship guru says Shelby LeBlanc and Beau Devereaux will last
What does the marriage between Shelby LeBlanc and Beau Devereaux do for pro golf?
‘I thought she hated him’: Source says Devereaux and LeBlanc wedding might be a big joke
The last one takes me by surprise. “Who wrote that last one?”
Grayson looks through his papers quickly. “Stevens. The same guy who wrote the first article.”
“Of fucking course,” I groan. “He’s his own source.”
“Excuse me?” This time it’s Ethan chiming in. “What do you mean he’s his own source?”
I let out an uncomfortable sigh. “I…we…used to date. I have a feeling breaking this story is his form of payback to me, even though he’s the one who dumped me when he admitted he was married.”
“Shelby,” Ethan groans. “You didn’t…”
“Whatever his motivations are, we need to save that for another day,” Kat says. “What we know now is that if you two can stay married, not only do we think you’ll both become the faces of your golf tours, but that you could gain a whole new avenue and level of endorsement deals.”
“While also repairing your images that have both been tainted from this week, and, for Beau, stemming back to last year.”
I feel bad that Grayson has to emphasize that, but judging by the look on Beau’s face, he knows he’s right.
“The searches for both of you have tripled this week,” Grayson explains as he changes screens to a bar graph. “This low number is where you were last week. Then there was a small spike after the fight. But today? These are today’s numbers.”
My eyes go wide. “You’re telling me all of that came from just today? Do people care about us that much?”
“What they care about is the story,” Kat explains. “Shelby, the world is a shit show right now. Anytime there’s a story where people can escape into some drama, they’re all about it. Then you add the layer that they were actually married and they’re actually in love? It’s a PR dream come true.”
“We’re not in love.” We say the four words in unison.
“I’ll let you both believe that,” Kat says, shaking her head.
“Whether you are or not, people think you are. And those people want the story. They want to feel good. They want the fairy tale where the childhood friends who become enemies end up as husband and wife. They want the power couple dominating their respective fields. They want the guy who they thought couldn’t be tied down to find true love.
Or the woman who always comes off as cold to the outside world to find the one person who can soften her. ”
Both Beau and I start to speak, but before we can get either of our protests out, Kat cuts us back off.
“No matter the angle we take this, if you two stay happily married—notice I said happily—your images will be repaired in months. And with that, Ethan can name his price on endorsements with companies that never would’ve wanted either of you.
I’ve done this a few times before, and I know it when I see it, but the best thing for the two of you is to stay married. ”
Everything she says makes sense, but my fight or flight instincts are now at full attention. And flight is about to win.
“No. No, no, no, no, no, no,” I say, standing up and starting to frantically pace around Ethan's office. “This is too much. This was a mistake. I can’t. I won’t. I mean…we barely like each other, and you want us to stay married? There has to be another way.”
The snicker that comes from Beau's mouth stops me on a dime.
“You're laughing at this? Pray tell, husband, what’s so fucking funny?”
I don’t know why he’s smiling at me like that—and looking at me like he did in our Vegas hotel rooms—but now’s not the time to think about sex, which he clearly is.
“All I’m saying is that you don’t hate me as much as you say you do.”
My eyes narrow as Beau stands from his seat. Is he really going to try to slyly allude to what happened between us in Vegas? Not the time, Beau…not the time…
“Vegas needs to stay in Vegas,” I contend. “That’s in the past. We need to focus on the now. And that we’re married and everyone here except the two of us wants us to stay married! Which is fucking batshit!”
“You’re wrong.”
“How am I wrong, Beau? Because this isn’t the time for us to get into a who was right pissing match.”
“It’s not that.” Beau takes a step closer to me, taking each of my wrists in his hands in what I think is an attempt to calm me down. It’s not working. “You said everyone except the two of us wants us to stay married. And you’re wrong.”
I think about his words for a second. “Are you saying…”
He nods, and I realize he’s holding my wrists so I don’t punch him.
“I think we should stay married…wife.”