CHAPTER 4 BEN
I order in lunch because fuck if I have the energy to whip something up right now, and we each go through the messages from seemingly everyone we’ve ever met checking in on us.
Our incident has hit the media, and the coincidental timing of it happening last night shortly after the interview aired is doing really magical things to our social media numbers—Kaylee’s in particular, though mine aren’t exactly suffering.
And it’s as I’m taking a bite of a sub sandwich and scrolling through my messages that a new one comes through.
From my boss.
Calvin: Are you available to meet this afternoon in my office?
Fuck.
“Calvin wants to see me.” My voice is flat as I break the news to Kaylee. I blow out a heavy breath. I’m not looking forward to whatever is in store for me this time…just when it seemed like things were starting to turn around.
“Do you need me to come with?” Kaylee asks.
I shrug then text him back.
Me: I’ll be there at 3:00.
“I’m going to have you come with me regardless of whether he wants to see you because I’m not abandoning you when you have a concussion.”
Kaylee rolled her eyes. “I’m fine.”
“I know you are. But I also know your brother, and I know he’d never forgive me if he knew I left you alone on a day when you left work early because you weren’t feeling well.”
“Fair enough. But I’m supposed to be resting, not galivanting around town with you.” She looks at me with the kind of eyes that make me wonder if she really wants rest or if she’s interested in something else.
But then I think maybe I’m reading into things. She hasn’t exactly been her usual warm self since everything went down last night, and I’m still trying to figure out how to navigate that change.
We pull into the parking lot at the practice facility where Calvin keeps his office.
We link hands as we walk into the building and it’s an interesting show of solidarity between us.
I’m not sure if it’s genuine given our true feelings for each other or if it’s for show, and I don’t like the feeling of constantly confusing the two.
I stop outside Calvin’s office in front of his secretary, Lily, and she greets the two of us. “Mr. Olson,” she says. Her eyes move over to Kaylee. “And I assume you’re Miss Dalton?”
Kaylee nods and offers a smile. “That’s me.”
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Lily says. “Take a seat and Calvin will be with you shortly.”
We do, and we don’t wait long as Calvin’s door opens a few minutes later. He looks warily between the two of us and shakes his head a little. “Come on in,” he says. “Both of you.”
Kaylee stands up along with me and we head into his office. We take seats across from his imposing desk and wait expectantly for his next words.
“First, are the two of you okay?” He looks genuinely concerned about both of us, much to my surprise.
“Kaylee suffered a concussion, and I have a bruised rib which will be fine by the start of camp,” I say.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Calvin says as he addresses Kaylee. He glances at me. “I realize accidents happen, and I’m truly glad it wasn’t worse. But do you ever think of staying home?”
A soft chuckle escapes me. “No, sir. That particular thought never occurred to me.”
Calvin chuckles, too. “Figured as much. Look, kid. I know it’s your brand and you’re the party guy and you need to be seen at all the hottest places.
But every time you step outside of your house, you’re taking a risk.
I’m not asking you to sit at home. I’m more of a realist than that, obviously.
But your actions don’t affect only your brand.
They also affect my brand, and I need you playing for us this season.
It seems like you’re working hard to turn your image around.
I, along with many others, am skeptical about the true nature of this relationship given how quickly it seemed to form.
But I’m going with it because it seems like you have turned over a new leaf, and it’s the kind of leaf I’m proud to endorse as part of this squad.
With all that said, anything you can do to convince the media, the general public at large, and your fans that this is real… do that.”
His meaning is loud and clear.
I’ll have to remember to write Ellie a thank you note since her plan actually seems to be working.
“I understand.” I keep my answer simple because I do have a plan for this weekend, but I want to surprise Kaylee with it. If I admit it now to Calvin in front of her, it’ll blow up everything I’m planning.
“Can you both level with me a second?” Calvin asks.
We both look at him expectantly as we await his question.
“Just between us, of course…is this a show?”
Kaylee and I glance at each other, and in that moment, I decide the best way to earn his trust is full transparency.
“It’s complicated. My publicist, Luke Dalton’s wife, suggested a fake relationship for the media. But the two of us were already secretly something of an item. We both have reasons for keeping that particular information from the Dalton family.”
Calvin looks between the two of us. He blows out of breath. “So you’re telling me you’re faking it for the media but you’re really not faking it but you’re pretending you’re faking it for the benefit of her family?” he asks, nodding at Kaylee at the end of his summary.
I nod. “That pretty much sums it up.”
“Knowing Jack the way I do, I think it’s smart what you’re doing. Make sure you both know what direction you want this to go before you reveal your truth to the people who care about the two of you.”
“That’s our plan,” I admit. “We are in early stages right now and we’re just having some fun.”
Kaylee shifts uncomfortably. “Once we figure out what it is, maybe then we’ll be ready to tell other people.
Or maybe it’ll go the other way.” She glances at me before she continues talking but I find I can’t meet her eyes when she is talking about the potential end of this. “Time will tell, I guess.”
“Thank you both for coming in today,” Calvin says.
“I needed to see for myself that you’re okay, and I feel as though you’ve shown me a lot more than that today.
I can see something starting between the two of you, and regardless of whether it’s genuine or pretend and who you’re doing that for, my best advice is to remain true to what you both want out of this and out of your futures.
I appreciate the commitment that you, Ben, have made toward improving your image.
I’ve heard about the charity effort you’ve been making together, and that is the kind of thing that will keep your image clean and will keep your boss off your back. ”
I laugh. Who knew that Calvin Bennett dude was such a fucking comedian?
“I appreciate that, sir.” I do my best to keep the sarcasm out of my voice, but in all honesty, I do appreciate that maybe this will help get him off my back a little bit.
“We are done here, then. Thanks again for coming in today and rest up because training camp is just two short months away. Stay out of headlines unless it’s that charity work we mentioned.” Calvin taps some keys on his computer, effectively dismissing the two of us.
We stand and say our goodbyes as we make our way out of his office. We walk back toward my truck hand-in-hand on the way. But even though we’re holding hands, I can’t help but feel a little bit of distance between us, and I feel like it has a lot to do with Calvin’s words.
Because if we’re both staying true to what we really want, then what’s blossoming between us will never be able to go any further than where we find ourselves now.
One of us will have to compromise the things we’ve always valued, and I’m sure she feels the same way I do.
It’s not going to be me.
But what does that mean for us?