Tate

Tate Henderson was developing quite the reputation these days, which wasn’t a surprise really. He’d gone from regular guy to superhero after winning the biggest match of the season, and soon everyone knew his name.

“You’re like the Justin Bieber of sports.” One of his friends had said to him. Which he, of course, had taken as a compliment and used as yet another reason to become as wild as possible. It didn’t harm that he had the looks as well as the talent. He was twenty-nine years old, with dark brown hair that swept over his face, bright blue eyes, the physique of an athlete and the whole world at his feet. The moment he had scored that final goal his social media had gone crazy, with girls practically throwing themselves at him. And really, who was he to deny their advances.

At the start, he’d taken it in his stride, but when one party got particularly out of hand, he found that he could not say no any longer. He said yes to every party and every girl that came his way. “I’m having the time of my life,” he told Bobby, his oldest friend, “and I never want it to stop.”

That day was just a day like any other; he’d spent the night at a party, gotten horribly drunk and spent the morning nursing a hangover with countless cups of coffee. He had a meeting with his PR manager and by the time he was due to meet her he was still feeling rough. Nevertheless, he put on his sunglasses and sauntered inside, not daring to take them off. He looked around for Sally and found her sitting in the corner of the coffee shop, her hands folded. She looked upset. Sally Ann Truder had been his manager from the start. She’d been the one that had seen potential in him, and she’d been the one that had taken a chance on him when nobody else would. From the very beginning, she had promised him great things, and it was her guidance that had given him the confidence to play bigger and better each time. She’d been so proud of him the day he had scored that winning goal, and the two of them had popped open a bottle of champagne the moment he was off the field. He knew that he needed her as much as she needed him. He liked Sally. She was demure in stature, and yet overbearing in nature. She reminded him a lot like one of those small yappy dogs who were convinced they were really an Alsatian. There was something about her sternness and her ability to say things as they were that made her a force to be reckoned with. He liked her no-nonsense style right from the start and so far they’d maintained a good relationship throughout his career. It was customary for them to meet once a week at a coffee shop to talk business and to keep his focus on the game. More and more he had noticed her become frustrated at him because each time he’d arrive with stories of parties rather than ideas for his game. Today was no different.

“Take off your glasses,” she said without saying hello or standing up to greet him. Tate sighed and did as he was told, well aware that his eyes were the same red color as his shirt. He looked at her and smiled, hoping to gain back her confidence with a bit of flirtation.

“I’m sorry I’m late Sally. But you look gorgeous today. New hairstyle?”

“Seriously Tate? You’re going to flirt with me? Me? Firstly, you’re not my type. Secondly, why the hell are your eyes so red? Wait, don’t answer that. I actually really don’t want to hear another one of your stories. But listen, I have something serious to ask you. Can you explain this?” And with that, she held out a newspaper.

Tate had no idea why she was handing him the newspaper, but he knew it couldn’t be good news. He glanced at the page and immediately saw the words, “WOMAN CLAIMS THAT TATE ‘THE GREAT’ HENDERSON BROKE UP WITH HER OVER A TEXT MESSAGE. PERHAPS HE’S NOT SO GREAT AFTER ALL.”

Tate could barely look at Sally’s face, but he noticed that her hands were shaking as she held out the paper to him. ‘Tate the Great’ had been something that she had spread through the media and was pleased when it had spread like wildfire. Now, it was being thrown back in her face, and he knew that it was because of him that it had happened. “Uh… well… I can explain. This chick was crazy Sally. Seriously. If I had to break up with her in person, I probably would’ve been left with bruises. It really was the only way to go about it. Also, it really was not a serious relationship. It could barely be called a relationship at all.”

“Well if you’re not careful you’re going to be getting bruises from me anyway. Tate, you can’t keep doing this. I know you think you’re big stuff and all that, but can’t you see that you’re acting like an idiot. Do you really enjoy this type of lifestyle anyway? You’re turning thirty next week and most of the people you hang out with look like they’ve just finished high school. Do you really want to be seen as the pathetic old guy?”

Straight talking Sally has appeared. Tate sat back in his chair and waited while Sally ordered for the two of them. The waitress had come over just as Sally had finished her speech and Tate was grateful for the intrusion and the brief moment to catch his breath. He wanted to be upset with Sally, he wanted to tell her that her life must be boring and that she had no idea what he was going through. But the truth was that he understood why she was upset. And he knew that he was turning into the type of guy that he had always hated. Just the night before, at yet another party that had turned into an all-nighter, he had looked around and noticed how out of place he really was. If it wasn’t for his career, there were no ways that people like this would be hanging out with him. They were all young and gorgeous, and it was suddenly obvious to him why they hung out with him. It had nothing to do with his personality and everything to do with his money and his fame. Of course, he liked being richer than he ever thought possible – he’d be lying if he said he didn’t – but the thought that he was almost buying his friends didn’t sit well with him. When the waitress left, he looked Sally in the eye.

“I’m sorry.”

Sally sighed, a small smile playing on her lips. “I know you are. And look, Tate, I don’t blame you. Well, I do, a little. But what I mean is that I know how easy it is for fame to get to someone’s head. But you’re going to be out of this game in no time if you carry on like this. Not only is this lifestyle affecting your game, but you’re also starting to be hated by the public. And you’re a good guy. Well, at least I know you’re a good guy, even if you pretend to be otherwise.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Tate said and then laughed. “But what am I going to do Sally? I mean, I’ve done this to myself, and now I have to get myself out of it. But even if I stop going to parties and stop messing around with girls, well how long will it take for them to believe me? A bad reputation is way harder to get rid of than a good one.”

“Well…” Sally wouldn’t look at Tate in the eye.

“What’s on your mind? You look like you have a plan.”

“Well, yes, I do have a plan. But I’m not quite sure how you’re going to feel about it.”

“Oh go on, try me. I’m up for anything at the moment. You’re right; I need to start focusing on my career.”

“Okay then, but hear me out okay! There’s one way that you can put your reputation back to where it should be. You need to move from bad boy to good guy, and you need to do it quickly. The right type of woman would do that perfectly.”

“What do you –

“Stop interrupting. Just hear me out. The right type of woman. Someone with a good reputation. Someone that people can’t help but love. We need a girl that even the girls can’t be upset about because they like her as much as they like you. You’ll be the couple that everyone wants to be.”

“Okay, but –

“Tate. Just listen. So I know that you can’t just find a girl like that all of a sudden. So what I propose is this. We pay someone to be your wife. Wait! Don’t say anything. And stop giving me that look. It’s not unheard of. People meet their life partners online all the time. So what we do is we look for a personal assistant. And then when they come in for the job we choose the one that we like the most and propose the ‘wife’ situation. Okay, so they don’t have to become your wife. But you guys can pretend you’ve known each other for longer, or we can pretend it was love at first sight, and then you propose. Just until your reputation gets better again. And then, once it has, she can break up with you and you’ll suddenly be the guy that everyone wants to see happy again.”

“Whoa! Sally, that’s kind of a big deal. You’re asking me to pay someone to be my fiancé. To pretend to fall in love. I don’t know, hey. And how do we know that this girl is even going to agree?”

Sally smiled, “The fact that you’re asking me that question means that you’re actually considering it, which is great news. It means you KNOW that I’m right. But come on Tate, you know I’m always right.” Sally started laughing, seemingly delighted at herself and her plan.

“Oh what the hell. I’m probably going to regret this tomorrow. Right now I’m still half asleep. But only if I agree on the woman. Deal?”

“Deal!” What have I just gotten myself into?

Alexis

“Well don’t you look smart? And where are you off to looking like that?”

“I have a job interview.”

“A JOB INTERVIEW! Well, why didn’t you say anything? Tell me more!”

“Ah mom, I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. And I didn’t want anyone to know because I’m sure the chances of me actually getting it are very slim.”

“Don’t be silly now, just tell me. And of course, you’ll get it.”

Alexis sighed, “It’s to be Tate Henderson’s personal assistant. You know, the football player.”

Her mother screamed and then quickly put her hand over her mouth, “Sorry, sorry. Yes, of COURSE, I know who Tate is. Everyone knows who he is. Tate the Great. Wow, Alexis, that’s amazing. I just know you’re going to get it. He’s quite the ladies’ man after all, and you’re so pretty!”

“Ah mom, stop it. I’m probably not going to get it. I bet you there are thousands going for the same job. Okay, I better go before I’m late.”

Alexis rushed off and groaned. She had recently lost her job and had moved back in with her parents. Her dad had recently fallen ill, and she knew that her mother was battling to pay the bills alone. She’d planned to move in and help out where possible. The last thing she had expected was to lose her job so suddenly. She wasn’t used to living so close to her parents again, and while she loved them dearly, she couldn’t help but feel suffocated by them. Especially her mother who was adamant on becoming her ‘bestie’ all of a sudden. Alexis had planned on sneaking out for the interview, but it came as no surprise that her mother had caught her. Nevertheless, the brief encounter had stopped her from thinking about her nerves for a little while. She wondered if the interview would be with Tate himself but hoped that it wouldn’t be. She knew that the job would be to work for him, but she wasn’t sure if she’d get through the interview well if he was staring at her with those eyes. In a way, she hoped that he wouldn’t be quite so good looking in person. Just in case though she’d made sure that she looked her best and had spent the last two hours getting ready. In the end, she chose a simple tailored outfit that covered her up nicely while still accentuating the parts that mattered. And also hides the parts that I don’t want to show, she thought. Her suit was black, but she had chosen a crisp white shirt underneath which she knew looked good on her dark skin. She hoped that the color of her skin wouldn’t prevent her from getting the job, after all, she’d only seen white women hanging on to his arm. But then again she wasn’t there to be his girlfriend so it shouldn’t really matter at all. Her hair, unfortunately, was something she couldn’t seem to tame. She’d thought of straightening it, but she could never quite do it right, so, in the end, she left it as it was – a mop of curls that framed her face wildly.

When Alexis walked into the office, she was greeted by a short and stern woman who introduced herself as Sally. Alexis immediately knew that this was Tate’s PR Manager, simply because she spent the last few days gathering as much information on him as possible. The more she found out about him, though, the more she disliked him. Before his fame, he actually seemed like a very nice man, but lately, the only photos she could find of him were of him at a party after party. But she needed the money, and she knew that a job like this would pay well.

“Hello, you must be Alexis. I’m Sally, come on in.”

Alexis walked into the office and sat down as Sally closed the door behind her.

“Well aren’t you pretty.” She said, and Alexis looked up in surprise - that was not something that someone normally said in an interview. But Sally seemed nonplussed, and Alexis quickly mumbled a thank you.

“You are the tenth person to walk through these doors. It seems the prospect of working for Mr. Henderson is very appealing. Tell me, why are you here.”

“Well firstly thank you for having me. I’m going to be completely honest with you here. I recently lost my job, not by anything that I had done, but simply because the company closed down, and it left me in a bit of a predicament. My father is very ill, and I’m helping my mother out by paying some of their bills. I’ve recently moved back in with them, and I know they appreciate all the extra help they can get. I’m not saying I want this job purely for the money, but I certainly do need some job security to help my family. That being said, I am a hard worker, I have no qualms at telling a celebrity what to do and what not to do, and I know that I can get the job done.”

Alexis hadn’t planned on being so forthright in the interview, but the words had just flown out of her without her control. She hoped she hadn’t overstepped the mark but Sally was looking at her with interest and what seemed to be the start of a smile was forming on her lips.

“I like you, Alexis.”

After that, the two of them sat for over an hour just talking. Sally was quite intrusive about her personal life, but Alexis supposed that she needed to know as much about her as possible. Things were certainly looking positive, and Alexis wondered if the other nine candidates before her had sat in the interview for so long. Finally, Sally sat back and looked at her.

“Alexis. You were very honest with me, so I need to be honest with you.” And just like that Sally went on to explain to Alexis what the interview was really all about and what type of plan she had for Tate. Alexis was too shocked to speak – every time she opened her mouth the words would not come. Sally was looking at her kindly.

“I know this is a surprise. But I can assure you that you are the only woman that I have told about this. You really are the tenth person to come through this door for the interview, but the others I let go without telling them the truth. Quite frankly, you’re the best person I’ve interviewed. To be honest, I don’t even want to see anyone else. As far as I am concerned, you are the perfect person for the job.”

“But it’s not really a job. You’re asking me to marry him.” She said, finally finding her voice.

“Not marry. I’m asking you to be his girlfriend. To eventually be his fiancé. I mean, what’s the big deal really. You don’t have to do anything with him. You don’t have to actually marry him. It’s all pretend. You can go out with him as his friend. Nobody needs to know that it’s nothing more than that.”

“I guess you’re right. But it’s weird. I don’t know. I’m not sure I can.”

“Look Alexis, I understand why you are concerned. I really do. But it’s not like I’m asking you to sleep with him. Or to marry him. I’m asking you to just pretend to be his girlfriend. I’m asking you to be his friend. And Alexis, it’s good money. Really good money. If you don’t want to do this for yourself, then maybe you should do it for your father. He needs you right now. And yes, I’m trying to manipulate you into doing it. I have no problem admitting that. I’m a straight talker as you can see, but so are you. Just think of it as a very well-paying job that won’t last forever.”

Alexis sighed. “Can I at least meet him first?”

Sally smiled, a wide grin taking over her face, “Yes, of course, you can. You can meet him right now in fact.” They both knew that the deal was already made.

Sally led Alexis to another room not far from the one they had just been in. Inside, Tate Henderson sat facing her, his eyes as soulful as they were on TV. She cringed thinking that Tate had been sitting there the whole time while she was interviewed. She felt herself immediately regretting the decision. Sally had explained that Tate knew what the plan was and assured her that he had been skeptical about the plan too. So when she walked into the room and faced him, she knew that he was assessing her in the same way that Sally had been. Only this was so much worse. She was grateful when he smiled and invited her to sit down.

“Well this is awkward,” she said and was thankful when Tate burst out laughing.

“Tell me about it! It’s like we’re on a blind date or something.”

“I just had a sudden thought,” she said, her eyes wide, “Am I on a reality show now? Like am I being pranked? Did I just agree to the weirdest thing on earth in front of the whole world?” The thought had just occurred to her, and she looked around frantically for any signs of hidden cameras. But this only made Tate laugh even more.

“No! I promise you. It’s not. This is real.”

She visibly relaxed, and the two of them sat talking for the next twenty minutes with ease. Tate was far easier to talk to than she had imagined but certainly just as charming. It was easy to see why the women were all swooning over him. She tried to take the image of those women out of her mind and tried to see him for the man he was portraying to her at present. Which was actually quite pleasant.

“You know, you’re quite different to how I had imagined you to be,” she said.

“Oh really? And what exactly did you think I’d be like?” he grinned at her.

She wished she hadn’t said that, how was she going to explain herself. “Well, uh… you know, I mean you seem nice. I mean, not that I didn’t think you’d be nice before. You’re just… well, you’re just different to how I thought. I’m saying it all wrong, but I really meant it as a compliment.”

He was laughing, “That’s okay. Let’s be honest, I come across as a complete idiot. Don’t worry, I know that already. Sally has told me on numerous occasions.”

It was her turn to laugh. “I like Sally.”

“So do I. She’s a tough cookie but she’s one of the only people who tells me everything as it is, and I like that. You always know where you stand with her. Hey, do you want to grab a cup of coffee? I think we have quite a bit to talk about.”

The two of them walked to a café down the road, aware that Sally was watching them walk out together but neither of them mentioning it. They spent the next hour sitting over coffee and chatting about themselves, both of them asking questions about one another hour. By the end, Alexis couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Hey, what’s so funny?”

“This. I mean, I came in for a job interview. And I might be leaving with a fiancé.”

“Might?”

“Ah Tate, I just don’t know about all of this. It’s so weird. I cannot quite wrap my head around what’s happening. And what do I tell people? My mom knows I came for this interview.”

“Tell her that you got the job. I mean, that’s what it is in a way.”

“Tate. Uh… I know this might come across the wrong way. But I’m really only thinking about doing this because I really need the money to help my dad out. I don’t want to lie to you.”

“That’s a good thing. If you told me, you were doing it because you were madly in love with me than I’d really start to worry. Well look, we both have our reasons. And how about this – we can both pull out of this deal anytime we want. We’ll set up a meeting with Sally, and we’ll find a way to end it nicely. That way, nobody gets hurt.”

Alexis found that she was nodding, “Okay. Ah, what the heck. Let’s do it. One day we can write a book about it!”

“Yeah, when my football career is over. I’ll become a co-author with you. I like this plan!”

And just like that, Alexis had a new boyfriend. I did NOT see that one coming, she laughed as she walked back to her car. Then, when she arrived back home, she ran straight up to her mother.

“Guess what mom?! I got the job!”

Tate

“I have a girlfriend. I have a girlfriend. I have a girlfriend.” Tate practiced the words over and over again. He couldn’t quite believe it himself. The two of them had sealed the deal over dinner with Sally the night before, and the whole thing was quite surreal. The dinner had taken place at Sally’s house because they didn’t want anyone to know about it just yet, but the next day the media was abuzz with news of the mysterious woman seen with him. He had no idea how they knew, but he wasn’t surprised at all. The media were always around. Always watching.

“You need to be careful Tate,” Sally told him over the phone that morning, “Always be aware that people might be listening and watching at all times. So act like it’s real.”

Tate had to admit, having a girlfriend like Alexis wasn’t exactly hard work. The moment he had seen her walk into his office, he knew that he was going to agree to the deal, and he had said a silent thank you to Sally for knowing him so well. Alexis was gorgeous. She had been born in Zimbabwe but had moved to America with her family only five years ago, so while she was now a fully-fledged American with a passport and accent to boot, she still had a sense of uniqueness about her. “It’s my African blood,” she liked to tell him.

The two of them had hit it off immediately and yet they still had not had a proper date together. Tate had invited her out for dinner that evening. They were well aware that they had to be careful not to talk about the deal in case anyone might be listening, but they were both interested in a night of simply getting to know one another. Tate had specifically chosen a restaurant where he knew the booths were each secluded from one another, just in case one of them did slip up. It was a cozy little Italian restaurant down the road, and he was just about to meet her there. How bizarre, he thought, I’m about to go on a date to get to know my girlfriend. Of course, he knew that the ‘relationship’ would eventually end, and the two of them would part ways, but he tried to think of it as a relationship, for now, just to get himself in the right mind frame.

When he arrived at the restaurant, he saw that she was already there and when he walked in she got up to greet him. She wrapped an arm gently around his waist and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. “Wow, you’re good at this,” he whispered, and he saw her giggle with delight. The two of them ordered some champagne and toasted to their new relationship. Tate looked around and smiled, he had been right about the restaurant, the place was abuzz, but he could barely hear the conversations of those around him. If they kept their voices, low there would be no ways anyone would hear them.

“So, how about a game of Getting to know your partner?” he asked her.

“Oh, I like this game. Me first. Favorite movie? But think wisely. It might seem like an easy question, but I will be placing great judgment on the answer.”

Tate laughed, he couldn’t believe how easy he felt around her. Alexis was a far cry from some of the girls he had been hanging around with lately, and he cringed at the thought of some of his previous girlfriends. If he could even call them such.

“Oh really. A movie snob, are we? That’s okay. This is an easy one. I’ve watched it over and over again and it really never gets old. The Shining.”

“The shining?! Ooh, good answer. Good answer. The proof that even a good man can descent into darkness. Also, you can’t go wrong with Stanley Kubrick. Very good. I was worried you were going to say something like The Fast and the Furious or something.”

“I may not look the brightest, but thou should not judge so easily. Not all men are just into car chases and women you know. Now, your movie choice my lady.”

“I sincerely apologize.” She batted her eyelids, and he laughed. “I’ll be honest, my favorite movie changes often. But my current one is definitely The Shawshank Redemption. Not that it’s current, but I did see it recently and fell in love with it all over again.”

“Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’ - that’s goddamn right.”

Alexis looked impressed, “Okay, marry me now!”

“Oh really? All it took was my fantastic ability to quote good movies? What about my looks? My charm? My money?”

“Nope. Another quote and you’re all mine.”

“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room.”

Alexis giggled in pure delight, “Dr. Strangelove! Okay Tate, that’s it. I’m going to start taking this marriage business seriously if you carry on like this. I think your new title should be Tate Henderson: Movie Guru and part time Football player.”

They ordered dinner and spoke easily for the next few hours. Tate laughed more than he had in a long time and was sad when the evening came to an end. Then he remembered that she was his girlfriend now, and he asked her out for the following night.

“Already?” she asked.

“Too soon? Had enough of me already? How about a movie? At my place?”

“A movie? Oh Tate, you know me so well already. It’s a date.”

They walked out together, holding hands, and they were laughing at some joke that Alexis had made when out of nowhere he felt a hand slap across his face, and he stumbled back.

“What the –

He turned and saw Belinda, his ex-girlfriend, standing in front of him. She had her arms over her hips and was glaring at him and Alexis.

“Belinda! What are you doing here? And what was that for?”

“Who is SHE?” Belinda asked and glared at Alexis. It took everything that Tate had not to laugh out loud. The contrast between the two girls was striking and in that instant Tate knew that he had made the right decision.

“Belinda, this is Alexis. She’s my girlfriend. We broke up Belinda. And we haven’t seen each other in ages. Belinda, you and I were not good together. You know that. You even said it yourself once.”

“Well, good luck to you Alexis. He’s not worth it. And anyway Tate, the not-so-great, I was ONLY in it for the money.” And she stormed off. Unfortunately, that was when Tate noticed some flashes going off – a sure sign that the media had been following them. He groaned when he thought about what the papers were going to say the next day. So much for gaining a new reputation quickly. He looked at Alexis, who was standing bewildered next to him and reached over to kiss her on the cheek.

Alexis, I’m sorry about that.”

It took her a few seconds to recover. Then, as if suddenly remembering the deal, she smiled and kissed him back. “That’s okay!”

The next day, just as Tate predicted, the slap made it into the papers and was all over social media. However, the response was very different to what Tate had expected. ‘We haven’t seen Tate ‘The Great’ Henderson look this happy and relaxed in a long time. Well done to him and his new girlfriend for staying so calm. Personally, I would’ve hit that girl back.’

Tate had laughed at that. Afterward, the story went on to talk about the ‘mystery’ woman that he was with – stating her to be a striking, dark-haired beauty. That she is, he agreed. In the next article, there was more, ‘It seems Tate Henderson has found true love at work, by falling for his new assistant. And we don’t blame him. Alexis Washington is a beautiful, hard-working woman who has moved back to live with her parents after the devastating news that her father has fallen ill with cancer.’ Tate cringed at that, he hoped Alexis didn’t mind her personal life being sprayed out in the paper like that. He was used to it after all these years, but he knew how strange it was at first.

But Alexis was fine. In fact, she said, she was quite surprised at how good the reaction had been from everyone. And her parents loved the attention. Also, some people had taken it upon themselves to send money towards his chemotherapy, and they were overwhelmed by the kindness from everyone.

Tate and Alexis had started spending almost every day together. They hadn’t planned to see each other so often, but they simply couldn’t help it. They just felt easy together, and thankfully no more crazy ex-girlfriends had come forward again.

“But are you dying to go out and party?” Alexis had asked him that night, while the two of them were curled in front of the television watching a movie.

“Are you crazy? And miss this? Watching your reaction to my movies is like a party for me anyway. It’s way more entertaining. You, gorgeous Alexis, are far more interesting than any party I’ve ever been to.” Then, he had turned to kiss her, taking her face into his hands and moving in closer to her. It had taken them three days to finally kiss each other, which is far longer than with any other girl he had been with before. But he knew that she was still skeptical about the whole thing. After all, they weren’t really boyfriend and girlfriend. It was all just a bit of acting. But since that first kiss, they had not been able to stop, and tonight he was not sure if he’d be able to stop at just that. The way he felt around her was unlike the way he had ever felt before. Her lips were soft, and her kiss was gentle. But tonight, she moved closer and allowed the kiss to deepen. He loved the way she looked next to him. Her dark skin a beautiful contrast against the lightness of his. She was always so calm, gentle and composed, and yet when he placed his hand over her heart he could hear that she was excited. Her heart beat as wild as her curls. Soon, he had lifted her shirt off, and she had done the same with him. Then, he took her hand and led her to the bedroom, where the two of them fell into bed together for the first time.

Afterward, the two of them lay together, and he played with her hair – straightening a piece and then watching with amusement as it simply bounced back into a curl. He loved it.

“I did NOT expect that to happen,” he said, watching her next to him.

“Oh sure, sure, whatever Mr. Casanova.”

“What do you mean? Honestly, I had no idea.”

“Oh, you are good at this.”

“Alexis. I promise. I didn’t plan that.” He was now confused. Perhaps she still saw him as the man he had always portrayed himself to be.

“Yeah, yeah. You know I have a penchant for thrillers. You buttered me up with a good movie. Allowed me to get excited by the plot. And then you kissed me just at the part when the movie got good, and you turned my excitement to you. I know your plan, Batman.”

Tate laughed, relieved. “You’re right. It really was part of my ultimate masterminded plan. Get the movie. Get the girl.”

“It’s MY movie choice next, Superman.”

“Oh really? I have no problem with that, Wonder Woman.”

Alexis

The next two months went by quickly. Alexis was working part time as Tate’s personal assistant and full time as his girlfriend. The assistant part was more of a cover up but to make it real she had started doing work in the office with him anyway. She preferred this because it made it feel as if she were actually working for her money. Every time she saw money get deposited into her account, she would cringe – a stark reality that she was being paid to be with Tate. Thankfully, the office work made that a little easier, and she enjoyed working alongside Sally who seemed to enjoy her company back. Sally was so happy with her plan of getting Tate a new girlfriend and so far the plan had worked well. Tate’s reputation was starting to improve although there were still many skeptics wondering when his next fling would be. ‘When will he get bored of the dark haired beauty?’ the latest comment had been. The problem was that Alexis was worried about that too, but she didn’t want to say anything to either Sally or Tate. Telling them that she was worried meant that she was openly admitting that she was starting to see Tate as more than just a pretend boyfriend. Also, she was well aware that Sally was going to ask Tate to start the engagement process soon so that the world would see them as something more permanent. Then, a few months after the engagement Alexis would be allowed to break up with him. Breaking his heart in pieces for all the world to pick up and repair, and Alexis would be left as the bad one. This didn’t bother her though. What bothered her most was that every time she saw Tate, she felt herself falling for him more and more. And she knew she couldn’t complain. After all the money that she had been getting had far surpassed the money that she would’ve gotten anywhere else, and she’d been able to help her parents out more than she thought she could. Her dad was now in the best care ever, and all their bills were paid for.

Alexis just simply wasn’t sure that she could do it anymore. She hadn’t realized quite how much she would end up liking Tate and how easy it would be to have a ‘relationship’ with him – no matter how fake it might have been. Also, she couldn’t help but worry that he really was getting bored with her. After all, Tate had been known to be a ladies’ man as well as a big party person before she had met him. Alexis hadn’t seen that side of him at all, and she hoped that she was not stopping him from a life he would prefer to be leading. Mostly, though, she was falling for him, and she knew that the only way to save herself was to end it. And to end it now.

That day when she got to work, she handed in her resignation with Sally, who looked up startled by the news.

“Oh no, but Alexis why?”

“Sally, you’ve been amazing to me. But I need to do this. I cannot explain. I’m going to go speak to Tate now. I just can’t do this anymore.”

“Oh Alexis, I’m so sorry to hear that. You know I actually love having you here at work. None of that was fake. This job is still yours if you want it. Even if you don’t want to be with Tate any longer. The job is still yours. Please at least think about it.”

“Thank you, Sally.”

She walked out with tears streaming down her face. She loved Sally, and the job had been so easy and interesting each day. But she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to stay there. It would only make her decision with Tate harder.

She got to his house and knocked on his door. Despite going there almost every day, she still marveled at the sheer size of the place. She often forgets what a big deal he was. She remembered the way she used to look at him on the TV, the way she looked up at him with reverence. But now he was just Tate. Her Tate. When he opened and saw her face, he quickly ran forward to embrace her, and she immediately started crying.

“Alexis, what’s wrong? Come in. What’s wrong?” He led her to the living room, and the two of them sat on the couch together, holding hands.

“I’m sorry Tate.”

“You’re sorry? Why?”

“I just can’t do this anymore.”

“What do you mean? Why?”

“I just can’t Tate. We both said that we could end this at any time that we wanted to. Well, I’m ending it now. Thank you for an amazing few months. And, I really hope your reputation keeps on getting better. You never deserved that bad reputation, to begin with. I’m going to think twice about simply listening to the media now.” Then before he could say anything, she leaned forward and kissed him. Then, she got up and left. She heard him cry out her name, but she ran off before he could stop her.

The next few days she ignored his calls and spent most of the time in bed. She’d been feeling nauseous anyway and lying in bed seemed to be the only way of feeling better. That night, when her mom came in the room to see her, she had just had another bout of nausea. Her mom sat at the edge of the bed and placed her hand on top of hers. “Alexis, my girl, I think I know what’s wrong.”

“I’m fine mom.” She was expecting her mom to launch into a story about love and loss and about how maybe she should’ve given Tate another chance. Her mom still had no idea about the whole contract between them and simply thought that the two of them had just broken up.

“Alexis, I think you might be pregnant.”

At that, Alexis threw up again.

Tate

It had been a few days since Alexis left and she was not returning any of Tate’s calls. So far, thankfully, none of the media had picked up on the breakup, and he’d been quite busy with an upcoming game. The focus in the last few days was all about the game and whether Tate could pull off yet another flawless win for the team. The distraction had been good, but he still could not get Alexis out of his mind. He had always known that the two of them would eventually ‘break up’ – that had been the deal from the beginning. But as far as he was concerned things had been going so well for them. Perhaps she just simply didn’t feel as strongly as he did.

He was scrolling through his Twitter feed when he saw a blurry picture of a woman walking into a doctor’s office. The tweet read, “Alexis Washington visiting the doctor. Is this perhaps why she’s been so quiet lately?”

The doctor? He tried to find out more but couldn’t find anything else on the matter. It was perhaps just a routine visit, he kept telling himself. But he couldn’t shake off the uneasiness that was building up inside of him. Eventually, after a few hours of walking circles of his living room, he walked out and went straight to her house. He had only been there to drop her off before and hadn’t yet been inside or met her family. Alexis had not wanted her family to get too involved with something that was simply going to end. Now, he knocked on the door and took a deep breath. He hoped he was doing the right thing.

An older lady opened the door. There was no doubt that this was Alexis’s mother. The same hair, although somewhat more tamed and with a bit more gray, the same eyes, and the same look of defiance.

“Tate Henderson – what, may I ask, are you doing here?” Her hands were on her hips, and she did not seem at all impressed to see a famous football player at her door. Alexis had told him that her mother was a huge fan and squealed every time she saw him on the TV, and yet here she was barely giving him the time a day. Either Alexis had been lying or else she felt him responsible for her daughter being upset. But was she upset? I thought she just didn’t like me. He felt a sense of hope fill him.

“Mrs. Washington. I’m so sorry to barge in like this, and it’s a pleasure to meet you. But Alexis, is she here?” He tried to peer inside, but she stopped him.

“Alexis is not in a position to see anyone right now.”

“Not in a position? What do you mean? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. But I think it’s better if you leave.”

“Mom, it’s okay, let him in.” The voice that came from inside was soft, but there was no denying that it came from Alexis herself. Her mom sighed and opened the door. Alexis looked just as beautiful as ever, only sadder.

“Alexis. Are you okay?” He asked, moving closer to her.

“Tate. We need to talk.”

Alexis led Tate up the stairs and while they walked he was aware of her mother glaring at him. He didn’t dare look back. When they got inside his room, he smiled.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“I’ve just never been inside your room. Also, your mom did not seem happy to see me. I feel like a teenager sneaking into the room of a girl that I like.” This, at least, made her giggle.

“Tate, stop it. You’re not supposed to be making me laugh.”

Alexis then went on to tell him the reason why she left. The whole time she kept her head down, staring at her hands intently, and not daring to look him in the eye.

“Alexis. Oh no. I wish you had come to me first. Alexis, you have no idea how hard it has been without you. I… I love you. I know that this is not what we had intended to happen. But it did. Seems Sally knows me better than I know myself. She probably knew this would happen the moment she met you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.” But now, tears were streaming down her face, and she finally looked up.

“Tate, there’s something else. I only just found out.”

“What? What’s wrong? Does it have something to do with you going to do the doctor? I saw something on Twitter about it.”

“Yeah. Uh… Tate, I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant!”

“I think we took this job far too seriously. This should never have happened. We weren’t supposed to get this close Tate. I cannot believe I let it go that far.”

Tate knew he should be upset. He knew he should be anxious. But the fact remained, Alexis was just as in love with him as he was with her, and that was the only thing that he could think of. It was the only thing that mattered. He took her hand.

“Alexis. Will you marry me?”

“What?” Her head shot up.

“Will you marry me, Alexis? I mean, that was the whole agreement from the start wasn’t it?” She started laughing.

“Well yes, but you didn’t really have to go through with it.”

“Forget the agreement anyway. I’m asking you for real now. Alexis, I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.”

“That’s Dirty Dancing!” She burst out laughing, “I see your movie repertoire goes beyond just thrillers and horrors.”

“I can be romantic when I need to be.”

“I need to get to know my movies better, though. One day you’ll be quoting something from a movie, and I’ll think it’s something you can come up with yourself.”

“I maybe quoting the movie, but the sentiment is all mine.”

“Well nobody puts Alexis in a corner.”

“Is that a weird movie way of saying yes?”

“Yes, Tate ‘The Great’ Henderson – I will be your wife! But only if you give me one more quote.” She leaned forward and laughed.

“You’re a tough one, you know. ‘Sometimes, the only way to catch an uncatchable woman is to offer her a wedding ring.’”

“I have no idea where that is from. But I must agree. I love you, Tate.”

“And I love you, Alexis. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. You saved me from me.”

“Oooh, good one. Where’s that one from?”

“From me.”

Tate and Alexis surprised the world by having an intimate and personal wedding. Alexis looked beautiful in a simple gown that offset beautifully against her dark skin. The top was detailed in intricate white lace, and the bottom was sheer champagne-colored silk that flowed out all the way to the ground. There was just a hint of a bump showing which Alexis was proud to show off. What was strange was that nobody queried whether they were only getting married because she was pregnant. There must have just been something about the way that they looked at each other that made it obvious that they were in love. For a while, the two of them were in the papers almost weekly, and they were the most talked about couple in town. Everyone wanted to get an inside glimpse into their wedding, to their life as a married couple, and then to their life as parents. People were fascinated by them. Of course, it didn’t harm that Tate was still playing the best game of his life and was now popular both on and off the field. It didn’t take long for ‘Tate the Great’ to get his name back. And what did they name the baby? Well, Sally of course!