It’s Just Business

One thing’s for sure—I have totally fallen for Eden.

You’d think that’d be a good thing, though, right?

Well, maybe not.

I’m on the phone with Jock right now, and he’s telling me it’s not so great, after all.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I grind out, completely and utterly confused. “I thought this is what the team wanted all along. It can’t get any better than this. It’s fucking real, Jock. Fuck any pretend relationship shit.”

“That was what the team wanted,” Jock replies calmly. “But things have changed.”

“How do you mean?”

“The team’s thinking it may be better to orchestrate a breakup sooner rather than later.”

Wait, that can’t be right.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I snap.

“I’m saying the Comets don’t want you and Eden together, real or otherwise.”

“Why?”

He sighs. “It’s the female fans, Graham.”

“How do you mean?”

“A lot of the new ones aren’t big on the idea of you being tied down. It messes with their fantasies.”

“Fantasies? Good God. I knew those fucking beefcake pictures were a bad idea.”

“Not necessarily,” Jock counters. “That’s why I haven’t yet talked to the Comets about stopping them. You can’t deny that your popularity has skyrocketed with both men and women. The guys like you because you play damn good football. And, hell, many of the women do too. But there’s a subset of fans, those not really into sports all that much, who love you because of those photos.”

I murmur a sarcastic, “Great.”

Jock goes on to confirm my worst fears when he says, “The Comets feel it’s better for you to be unattached at this point. That means they want Eden out of the house and out of your life.”

I’m not standing for this.

“No fucking way!” I roar. “Eden is in my life to stay, Jock.”

On this, I will not bend. And that’s the moment when I realize I’ve done far more than fall for Eden Vetterly—I am head over heels in love with her.

Fuck.

Is that good?

Is it bad?

I think it’s good, though the team would disagree now.

Two weeks ago they would’ve loved this.

What a fickle business I’m in.

But I guess it is what it is.

Jock is still talking, going on about how Eden and I can do whatever we want so long as we keep it on the strict down low.

“You didn’t hear that from me, though,” he says. “The team would never approve of it.”

“Okay, okay, we’ll be careful.”

Sighing, he says, “There is one thing I can’t override, Graham.”

“What’s that?”

“Eden has to move out of the house.”

“What if I don’t want her to?” I chuff.

“It’s not your call. Remember that contract you signed?”

“Um, yeah…”

“Well, read it over, Tettersaw. It implicitly states that deciding when to break you and Eden up is solely the team’s decision.”

“That’s bullshit,” I spit out.

“No, Graham. It’s just business.”

After I finish with Jock, I go out to the in-ground pool area in the back, suspecting that might be where Eden is.

It’s been unseasonably warm for October, and she’s been taking advantage of these nice days by getting in quality pool time.

That’s one of the things I love most about her—she knows how to make the most of any situation.

Hopefully, she can do the same with this new fucked-up one.

Speaking of which, there’s that word again—love.

Now that I’ve defined and accepted my feelings for Eden, I can’t wait to tell her.

Maybe I should lead with the bad news, though. She’s not going to be happy that the team wants to “break us up.”

At least it’s only for appearances.

She and I can stay together—albeit secretly.

Ugh, this is already a confusing mess.

Well, if anyone can find a silver lining in this new shitstorm, it’s her.

I don’t make my presence known immediately, choosing instead to just enjoy the hot and sexy sight of Eden lying on a lounger by the pool, wearing only a barely there white bikini.

Closing my eyes, I think about the other night and the things we did. Watching her fall apart was pure perfection. I’ve been looking forward to doing that again, only this time I want to be inside her—loving her, pleasing her.

Maybe it’d be better to wait, though, now.

How is this even going to work?

Will I have to sneak her in the house, or sneak into her place?

What about afterward?

I wouldn’t want to leave her after such an intimate act. I mean, fuck, I love the woman.

And you can’t even tell her.

No, I can’t. I realize that now. This is going to be hard enough as it is. Revealing my heart will only complicate matters and make it all the more bittersweet.

As it is, silver lining or not, Eden is sure to be pissed when she hears about what the team wants. I’m angry myself, but I’m trying to be professional about it. Still, it irritates me that they’re derailing my forward progress.

I’m finally in a relationship, just like I hoped to be back when I wrote down my goals last spring.

Too bad I’m about to take one giant step backward.

Oh hell, time to rip off the Band-Aid.

I purposely bump into a little metal table, the ensuing scraping garnering Eden’s attention like I knew it would.

Lowering her sunglasses and peering over at me, she says saucily, “Mmm, Graham. I was just having the most delicious fantasy about you.”

Why now?

“Is that so?” I reply.

I’m trying to sound jovial, playing along, but Eden sees right through me.

“Why do you look so upset, Graham? What’s wrong?”

Sighing heavily, I walk over and take a seat on the lounge chair next to her.

“Babe, we have a problem.”

Worriedly, she asks, “What kind of problem?”

I rake my fingers through my hair. “Shit, this is hard.”

Looking panicked, she says, “Please, just tell me what’s going on. You’re freaking me out here.”

I place my hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m not trying to freak you out. It’s just that Jock called, and apparently the team wants to take my image in a new direction.”

She swallows hard. “What does that mean?”

“It means they want me to be…unattached.”

“What?” Her brow creases. “Are you saying they’re breaking us up already?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“But it’s only been a couple of months. I thought we’d at least have until the end of the season.”

“I know,” I sigh. “I thought so too.”

Like the full implication of what this means finally dawns on her, she looks around and states forlornly, “They want me to move out of this house, don’t they?”

I nod, a lump forming in my throat.

“I don’t want you to go,” I rasp. “We have a good thing going here. I really care about you.”

“I don’t want to go, trust me,” she says. “I lo—er, I mean, I care a lot about you too.”

Did she almost blurt out that she loves me?

I don’t have a chance to ask, as she crawls over into my lap, crying out, “Graham, this is so, so bad.”

I hold her, assuring her, “I know, sweetheart. But don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. Jock said we could stay together if we keep it hidden.”

“Does that mean the team can’t find out?”

“Yes, it means exactly that.”

My silver lining girl then looks up and says, “Then it’s settled. We’re about to get really good at sneaking around. And we’re going to make this fun. Fuck the team.”

“That’s the spirit,” I say, laughing.

I knew Eden would turn something bad into something good.

That’s why I’ve fallen in love with her.

Too bad I have to keep it to myself for now.