CHAPTER 23 BEN
“That asshole,” I murmur.
He set her up.
I watch the segment Ellie just texted me on the little screen on my phone for a second time as I reach into the box of S’mores cereal and cram a handful into my mouth.
“Billy Peters snapping at you with the latest in the Ben Olson mystery woman saga. My sources were right. The mystery woman is in fact Kaylee Dalton, younger sister of delicious football star brothers Jack and Luke Dalton. And when I say younger, I mean an entire decade younger. We knew the Big O liked ‘em young, but she would’ve been twelve the first time they met.” A barf emoji flashes across the screen.
That dumbfuck. She’s not fucking twelve now. We’re not doing anything wrong.
“But I’m getting off track. Have you seen the latest from her Insta?
” Photos flash on the screen of Kaylee with each of her brothers and then one of her with me.
“They look so cozy and cute, don’t they?
” The screen flashes back to Billy as he snaps his fingers.
“So who is this?” New photos flash across the screen.
She’s wearing the same clothes she was wearing last night when she came over out of the blue, but she’s hugging a man that isn’t me.
She’s holding his hand as they walk down a hotel hallway.
She’s ducking into a hotel room as the man looks at the camera.
And that is the one that tells me this she was set up.
Billy continues his narration of events.
“I don’t have a name yet, but my people are on it.
If sister Dalton is so cozy with the Big O, why was she spotted going into another man’s hotel room yesterday?
Stay tuned for the latest in this developing story.
” He snaps his fingers and moves onto the next victim in his stupid little celebrity gossip show.
I decide to double down with a picture on my own Instagram.
She took one of us last night with Buddy when we were all sitting together, and she texted it to me just before she went back home to Jack’s place.
It was supposed to be a private memory for the two of us, but now the world can see how goddamn happy we are together.
I don’t even need to think about my caption before I post it.
Perfect night in last night with my girl.
Fuck Billy Peters and his stupid gossip. She told me what happened, and her ex clearly set her up. He probably called the fucking paparazzi in some stupid attempt to try to come between us.
The devil works hard, but I work harder.
I FaceTime Ellie. She’s sitting at her desk when she picks up. “Hey, Ben,” she answers.
“Her ex set us up.”
“But she did meet him at a hotel, didn’t she?” Ellie asks.
“It was innocent. She came by after to tell me what went down.”
“She did?” Ellie asks.
Of course she did, but I can’t admit the reason why—that we’re really together now and she tells me shit like that because we’re honest with each other.
“Yeah. She just wanted to make sure our deal was protected. She said he put in for a transfer and he’s moving to Vegas and wants to fight for her. ”
Ellie sighs. “Does she want to be with him?”
“Doesn’t sound like it. I asked her that too. Told her I didn’t want this deal between us to get in the way of what she wants for her future.” That much is true…but I conveniently leave out a few other facts.
“Is she okay with continuing on with the charade?” Ellie asks.
I nod.
“Okay, good. She’s at school now so I haven’t sent this to her yet, but I was thinking after school I could meet her at a bridal shop and maybe call in a few…photographers of our own. Is that okay with you?” Ellie asks. She’s staring at me through the little screen.
I blow out a breath as I glance away. I don’t like this, but it is what it is. “I gave her the green light to drop hints. Do what you need to do.”
“But is it okay with you? I mean…I know where you stand on the whole marriage thing, and since this is all just an act, I don’t want to push you outside of your comfort zone.”
I let out a sarcastic guffaw. “I have yet to find my comfort zone with any of this, Ellie.”
She presses her lips together and nods. “I know. But has Calvin called you since your relationship hit the press?”
I shake my head.
“Thought as much,” she says. “Listen, you’re doing great. We’ll set up a photoshoot this weekend. Your place? Something like you two at home.”
“Nah.” I glance around at the place I call home. It’s fine. It’s a rental. It’s not home. “My place isn’t really me, you know? Jack’s place, a hotel, whatever. But not here.”
A lightbulb seems to click on over her head. “Oh, what about when we’re in Montana? We could do some shoots there. Is that more you?”
I nod. “It’s about as me as it gets, but not at my house. That’s private.”
“Got it. On your property?”
I shrug. “That’s fine.” Better than inviting every stranger with a curious mind into my home.
“I’ll schedule something for the month we’re there. But in the meantime, I’ll find a place and a photographer who can work on short notice with you two. Hopefully tomorrow so we can get a jump on posting and get freaking Billy Peters to shut up about the two of you.”
“How are her sponsorships coming along?” I ask.
“Offers are starting to roll in and she doubled her follows since posting that selfie of the two of you last night.”
My brows rise. “Where’s she at now?”
“Close to twenty thousand. Thirty is considered an official Instagram celebrity according to the Advertising Standards Authority, so once she clears that threshold, we have more regulations to adhere to. I’ve got a sponsor drawing up a quick contract but I’m waiting to hit thirty so we can hold out for bigger offers.
And I have a bunch of interest in you, too.
I know you said you wanted a few new ones just for your competition with Kaylee, and I’m working hard to keep you on brand. ”
“You’re good at what you do,” I say. “And I appreciate it.”
She smiles. “Just doing what I love to do. Now stay out of trouble and I’ll be in touch.”
I chuckle. “I’ll try.” I was trying to stay out of trouble last night, which was why I invited my dad over for poker. It’s hard to get into trouble when you’re hanging with your old man.
But after this set up by her ex…I feel the sudden urge to get into a little trouble—only not the kind of trouble I used to get into.
Instead of the party boy image that I’ve cultivated over the years, if I act on the feelings inside of me, I’ll get into trouble for different reasons.
She came to me upset last night because of what her ex said to her. She doesn’t want to be with him. She wants to be with me.
And after she explained what happened and I held her in my arms and we didn’t even get naked, I realized that all this goes a lot deeper than I first thought.
I’m not a violent man, but I’ll do whatever it takes to protect Kaylee.