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"They might not." He might be done, but I wasn't. It was about time I stood up for her. "What I did, missing that gala, was in no way her fault. She didn't deserve to be fired because of it. It's not fair."
"Life isn't," Carson said.
"It can be," I said. "What if I threatened to stop playing unless you hire her back again?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I'd tell you that you know where the door is," he replied. After a moment, he exhaled loudly. "I'd also suggest you don't need her help. Your initiative in taking on the Christmas in July party speaks volumes. When it's a huge success, you may have built your reputation back up better than attending one gala could have."
Before I could say anything, or even puff out my chest, he added, "It would have saved a lot of stress if you'd gone to that too though."
"Yeah." Stress for Grace in particular. "So we both get brownie points for pulling this off?"
Carson gave me a level look. "For you. I may give Grace a recommendation."
"I'm sure she'd appreciate that," I said. "A girl has to eat."
Carson looked confused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose so."
I had the sneaking suspicion he forgot the average person didn't have a spare billion in the bank to keep them afloat if they lost their job. Many didn't have a spare twenty.
I couldn't see what Grace had in her bank account, but I'd personally make sure she was okay, even if I had to sneak money to her somehow. Even if I didn't care about her, I felt responsible for her losing her job, and now this.
I didn't need to think too hard to figure out Harvey Danbury, or someone like him, was behind this. If I was going to punch anyone in a bar, it would be that guy. He seemed to have made it his mission in life to point his finger and his camera at the Rapids every chance he got.
Personally, I think there were more interesting people to talk about, but only because I wished he'd leave us the hell alone. Just because we were hot—okay, most of us were—talented and famous, didn't mean we deserved to be stalked. If he wanted some dirt, I could point him to some shady people. Of course, I knew nothing about that. In no way did they help my mother get back on her feet back in the day. I also totally went to school with anyone suspicious. You wouldn't hear anything like that from me.
"It wouldn't hurt if you exercised some discretion in your…relationships," Carson said. "You're lucky there are only photos of her outside your place. Intimate photos or videos would be a much bigger problem."
"I would never video myself with anyone," I argued. "Even with their consent. Phones go missing all the time. Clouds get hacked." Or however that went. I was no tech guy. I left that shit to my cousins.
"Good," Carson said. "But the wrong person, wrong place and wrong time, and you could get filmed without your consent." He looked back at his tablet for a moment. "Can you be sure Grace didn't tell the press where she'd be?"
I didn't know what was worse, him making that suggestion, or the fact I was only ninety-nine percent sure she wouldn't do that. One percent was all I needed to rattle the hell out of me.
"I'm pretty sure she wouldn't even think of it," I said uncertainly.
"It could be revenge for your part in her getting fired," Carson suggested.
Revenge sex sounded like something that would turn up in the kind of books my sister read. Okay, I might have read a couple too, when I had time. That shit didn't happen in real life. Did it? Okay, yeah it was possible.
"Grace isn't like that," I argued. I knew women who were. Hell, I'd dated a few. Grace was classier than that.
"You know her that well?" Carson asked.
I gaped for a moment. I really didn't. I couldn't even pretend I did.
"I'm a good judge of character," I said finally. I spotted that Erik guy, and knew he was trouble before Chantel and I ever set foot in that bar. Although, I was friends with Chase, and he was as dubious as shit. Only, he wasn't really. He was a good guy, like most of the team. A couple of them were jerks, but they were pretty harmless off the field.
Carson raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. Dude was on his third or fourth divorce. He was in no position to throw stones, even if he could pay to have his glass house fixed in a heartbeat.
"Anyway, I can talk to her and get her side of this," I said. Before he could respond, I added, "In public. No sneakin' around." Unless she changed her mind and decided sneaking around was a good idea. Then I'd find a way to do it without the press getting a sniff of it. I didn't know how. I'd find a way.
"Just keep it from getting out of hand," Carson said wearily. "I'd hate to have to ban you from being anywhere near her."
I flinched. "That's not necessary." He could do it too, by threatening to kick my ass off the team. When I thought Grace and I had a chance, it was a no brainer. I would give it all up for her.
Now, I had to hold onto my job, if only to keep my mind off her.
Yeah, that wasn't going so well, so far. After the party, then I could move on.
