Page 122 of The Romance Line
“I’m Lily,” she says to me, extending a hand. “I used to play hockey myself, and I knew I had to have you in an episode.”
“Glad to do it. Well, if it all works out,” I say, shaking hands.
“I bet it will,” she says with a hopeful grin. “We can start with some B-roll of you at practice.”
“Have at it,” I say.
We chat for a few minutes, then she takes off to set up. Once she’s out of earshot, Garrett is practically bouncing again.
I arch a suspicious brow. “What’s up with you?”
He slugs my shoulder. “Guess who got you a new sponsor?”
I blink. “What? You did?”
“I sure did. Sooner than expected. You’re in, baby. It fucking worked,” he says and he’s…ecstatic. It’s a little infectious. Sure, Icouldmake do on my hockey salary. That’s no hardship. But hell, some extra to set aside for my family, for me, for a future in case I’m injured and can’t play? I wouldn’t mind that at all.
“Who is it?”
“Date Night. The dating app. Or, I should say, the premier dating app.”
I flash back to our first meeting about this makeover. “But you said you didn’t want me fake dating?”
He scoffs. “Not fake dating, man. Real dating.” He waves a hand airily. “Or real…making a profile on it.”
I furrow my brow, trying to process this news out ofleft field. “You want me to just…set up a profile and then what? AndsayI’m using it?”
That sounds like a recipe for disaster but maybe I’m missing some key detail. Well, I probably am.
Garrett’s face lights up. “Yes, my man, yes! It’s so easy. They’re one of the advertisers forThe Ice Men. They’ve been a lead ad partner for every episode so far, and they’re booked for the episode they’re considering you for too. Plus, they sponsor fan engagement promotions during the month of February for the Sea Dogs. It’d be like a beautiful triad—the Sea Dogs,The Ice Men, and you.” He stops, his expression more contemplative. “Or is that a quartet? Since we do need to include Date Night. Huh.” But then he shakes off the philosophical debate even though my mind is still reeling on what this might mean. “Point is it’s a win-win-win-win. It’d be a great partnership. And it’d be an excellent way for you to keep your face out there.” Shoes click from behind me, growing closer, and he pauses, but only for a second. “Plus, your likeability quotient is so high right now that this could be the thing you need to land other sponsors. They’d see you out there even more with your new good guy rep, and then…bam.”
He mimes shooting a basketball. Nothing but net.
“So what do you want me to do for them exactly?” I ask, since something isn’t adding up. “Posting a profile on it feels like a lie that’d be easy to sniff out. And we know the press loves to sniff out a lie. I’m amazed no one has sniffed out Lyra’s lies yet, but she’s the mistress of fables, so there’s that.”
“Then maybe don’t lie,” he says, oh so helpfully. He pats me on the biceps. “You could actually go on a couple dates if you want.”
The fuck I will.But before I can say a word, he adds, “So you’ll think about it. Excellent.”
“Garrett,” I warn him.
“Just think about it,” he adds as the sound of clicking shoes turns even louder, and multiplies. Everly’s here, tilting her head in curiosity. But she’s not alone. She’s flanked by Elias, Jenna, and Zaire.
“Think about what?” Everly asks.
“I hope he’s thinking about it,” Zaire says in a smooth, confident tone.
Garrett beams and looks to Everly. “Thanks to your kickass makeover work on our guy, my agency got him a sweet new deal with Date Night. Think you can convince him to take it?”
The look in Everly’s easy-to-read eyes is crystal clear to me. But can Garrett tell she wants to murder him?
43
CAN I GET A FIST BUMP?
Max
“Dude! That’s sweet!” Elias offers me a fist for knocking.