“All right.” Nathan waited a bit. “Want to tell me about the girl?”
I frowned. “The girl?”
“Yeah, we’ve been getting calls from reporters, wanting to know if we have any comment on Noah’s new girlfriend. The commissioner’s daughter. We’ve been hearing that the two of you are together, that there’s talk of an engagement. Mom said she met her when she was down with you, and knowing that you’re with her is the only keeping her sane right now, I think.”
“Holy Christ,” I groaned. “Are you serious? It’s really in the news? What the hell?”
“Is it true?” Nathan wanted to know. “Is she practically living with you?”
“Uh . . .” I stalled. “She’s here a lot. She works for the team. She’s helping me with my meals, getting me to PT . . . you know.”
“Sleeping in your bed? Or better yet, in your bed but not sleeping?” he cracked.
“Shut up. It’s nothing serious. It’s casual. And I don’t know how anyone in the media found out about it.” A glimmer of suspicion came alive in my mind. “Listen, Nathan, send me the link to the story you read about us, okay?”
“Sure. I’ll text it the minute we hang up.”
“Thanks.” I rolled my shoulders, trying to lose the tension there. “I’ll talk to you soon, brother.”
“You better. Be well, Noah.”
* * *
“Honey bear! I’m home!”Juliet sang out as she sailed into the kitchen. “What are you up to?”
“Just catching up on my news.” I lifted up my phone screen so that she could see the headline. “Turns out I’m it.”
She leaned over to glance at the phone as she set down a bag of groceries. “Oh, is that the story fromSports Beat? Is it any good?”
I glared at her. “Is it any good? Who cares? I want to know how the hell it got there. How the fuck did anyone find out about—that you—” I sputtered to a stop. “How did they know that you’re here?”
“Oh, who knows? There are always people around who leak stuff. You know that. It’s just the way it works.” She waved her hand, dismissing my ire. “It’s not a big deal, Noah. It’s actually positive press. They’re saying that you’re bravely working to get better . . . with the help of your devoted girlfriend.” She pointed to her chest. “That’s me. The fans love it. They’re eating it up. You should be happy.”
“And yet, I’m not.” I tossed down my phone. “My private life is not an open window for everyone to see, Juliet. That’s never been my way of doing things. My business is just that—mine.”
“Well, since you’re not going to be a football player anymore, you have to come up with another way to live, right? This kind of story helps keep you on everyone’s mind. The networks will come knocking. You can go into broadcasting, or maybe you can get a job in the league. I mentioned something to Daddy at lunch today—”
“No.” I struggled to my feet. “No, Juliet. You’re not going to strong-arm me into some career that you think is glamorous or important. This is my decision, and I’m going to make it on my own. It’s my life. It’s not yours. You’re not my wife or my fiancée. Hell, I’m still trying to figure out why you’re here all the time.”
“Because you need me, you big dolt.” She kissed my forehead. “Because you were wallowing in your own misery here until I came along. Now, stop being so broody. Don’t you want to hear about my day while I fix you dinner?”
I didn’t. I wanted to be alone again—my solitary afternoon had been hijacked by my brother’s call and then my dive down the rabbit hole of social media reports on my so-called love affair.
But then Juliet wound her arms around my neck and curled her arms around my neck, pressing her tits to my chest, and once again, I found I didn’t have the strength to tell her no.
Fuck it.
11
Alison
“Dr. Wakely, I didn’t know you’d be back today! How was your trip?” Gina, my office’s assistant manager, appeared in my doorway holding a steaming cup of coffee and a pile of paperwork.
“It was fine.” I pasted on a smile that I hoped didn’t look as phony as it felt.
“Bet it was nice to be in California,” Gina went on. “I’ve never been further west than Tennessee. Did you see any movie stars?”
I shook my head. “Wrong part of the state. I mean, there might be a couple up in the Bay Area, but none who I saw. Besides, I spent most of the time either in the hotel or at the nursing home where my . . . relative lives.”
