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I can’t see any universe in which he’s going to want to talk to me again. If he’s been forced into this, then it’s going to bereallydifficult. But I guess I don’t have any option but to try my best and to see if I can actually make something of this, just in case it is the career boost that I so desperately need.
I grab my cell phone out of my handbag, ready to text my best friend, Sara, about this, to at least feel some of her excitement about this in an attempt to overcome my nerves, but I don’t get a chance to type out one word…
“What have you done?” Jace snaps, tapping me on the shoulder obnoxiously as if I need the physical reminder that he’s demanding my attention. “How the fuck have you managed to get this Alex story?”
“Who did you screw?” Rich calls across the office, already laughing at his own joke like he’s hilarious. “Or did you use your connections with your dad? Is his name finally working out in your favor, huh?”
How dare they!
My God, the one time I get chosen for something, that I actually sort of achieve something, they have to diminish it like this. Assholes! I really do hate them. The hatred for these men burns through me, boiling my blood and flooding me with tension.
“Sometimes, it’s just a case of the best person being chosen for the job,” I respond with my chin jutting out confidently. I won’t let these men upset me again. They’ve had way too many of my tears in the past—not that I’ve ever let them see me cry—but I’m not going to let them take this away from me. I’ve already mentally taken this moment away from myself a bit; I won’t let them do it, too.
“Youare the fluff writer,” Jace sneers. “There’s no way you would be given such a huge job if there wasn’t something else going on. Is it Chad?”
“Is what Chad?” Ireallywant this conversation to end now. Every ounce of my body is flooded with discomfort. I don’t know why or how Jace isn’t picking up on that.
“The person you’re fooling around with.” Jace rolls his eyes, snorting at me like I’m dumb. “Because I can see that Chad isfalling for your charm and allowing you to use him. He’s a bit of a fool, isn’t he? The sort of man I can imagine being manipulated.”
I rise to my feet, slamming my fists down on my desk. “Who areyousleeping with to always get the good jobs, huh? Why does no one ever ask that? Do youreallythink I have to have sex with someone to be chosen for a job just because I’m a woman? That’s disgusting.”
“Don’t play the sexism card, Riley. It just doesn’t make any sense. You have to see where I’m coming from here. None of this makes any sense. It wouldn’t justhappen. Youhaveto be doing something different.”
Since Rich is making this a million times worse by sniggering in the background, I’m done with this conversation. I’m not arguing with these idiots when I have something so much more important to do. Ineedto get myself ready for this interview to make it the best piece that’s ever been written for our newspaper.
Alex might not be the easiest person to interview, but I’m going to make sure we talk because I have so many people I need to prove wrong. I’m neverreallygoing to emulate my father’s career if I don’t achieve something like this to kick-start my career and make a name for myself. So I have to make the best of it, no matter what.
Chapter 3—Alex
Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me at the moment?
I can’t seem to keep my head in the game, no matter what I do, and I honestly have no idea why. It’s like I have writer’s block or something; that’s the only way I can explain this to myself.
Everyone’s noticed as well. I can tell by the way they won’t meet my eyes, but how could they not have picked up on what just happened? Inevermishandle our routine passes, so I’m deeply frustrated with my lapse in concentration.
Whateverthisis, I just want to shake it off.
“Hey, Alex.” My heart sinks as Coach Jones calls out to me. He doesn’t sound happy, which doesn’t bode well for me. I hate having my ass handed to me when I’m already torturing myself, but of course, that’s exactly what’s going to happen here. “My office. Now.”
I nod, trying to smile so I don’t betray how I’m really feeling because no one else needs to know about my heart hammering against my rib cage. I grit my teeth together and follow Coach into his office, slumping into the chair, refusing to look at all the awards and newspaper clippings showing our team’s wins and successes because I don’t need the pressure. Have other team captains had this moment, a time when they felt like their brains were malfunctioning for no good reason? It’ssoannoying; I can’t stand it.
“So, Alex.” Coach claps his hands together as he grins at me. Immediately, my hackles rise. If this isn’t about my mistake,then what is it about? “I think it’s time to talk to you about your media presence…”
“Media presence?” My eyebrows furrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”
If anyone knows about my aversion to speaking with the press, it’s him. Ihatethat side of things; it’s the main downside to the business.
“I know, I know.” He holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “I get it. You hate talking to the press, but that’s what makes you more fascinating to them. You know that, right?”
There are so many things that I could say here, but I don’t. Instead, I offer a one-shouldered shrug, letting him know how little I care about that. They can be fascinated with me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give them anything.
“Well, since weallhave to do our part,” Coach continues. “I think it’s time that youdospend some time with the press. But not like some big press conference thing. One-on-one time with a journalist, and one you know as well…”
“One I know?” I snap. “I don’t know anyone in the media.”
Coach grins ear to ear. “Well, now that isn’t exactly true, is it, Alex? From what I’ve heard, you spent some time with a journalist this morning. In an elevator.”
My heart sinks even further. Holy shit, I forgot all about that. Or more, I pushed it to the back of my mind because my time getting trapped in that freaking elevator wasn’t fun. Riley Anderson, who went to Columbia University, was kind of a nightmare. She pushed mewaytoo far with her questions, and she wasn’t even interviewing me…
