She hums in response, walking toward the open-plan living area. The motion sensors kick the lights on, revealing soft leather couches, dark wood, and a view of the pool through floor-to-ceiling glass.
“Kitchen’s through there,” I say, gesturing toward the back. “Coffee machine’s state-of-the-art. You can actually talk to it.”
She snorts. “So, you can’t keep out of trouble but your espresso maker’s got an AI assistant. Makes sense.”
I chuckle under my breath, rubbing the back of my neck. “You take sarcasm with sugar or straight up?”
“Straight up.”
The smell of fresh coffee fills the silence that settles between us. Olivia perches on one of the stools at the island, elbows resting on the counter, watching me like she’s trying to read more than what I’m saying.
“You don’t seem like the type to end up in handcuffs,” she says finally.
“Guess tonight was full of surprises.” I hand her the mug, our fingers brushing.
Olivia takes a sip, eyes on mine. “You’ve got a lot riding on your image, Storm. If you slip, the sponsors will start circling like sharks and drop you.”
“Yeah,” I murmur, leaning back against the counter. “But sometimes it feels like no matter how perfect you play, on or off the field, someone’s always waiting for you to fall.”
Olivia studies me for a moment longer, then says quietly, “Then don’t give them the satisfaction.”
Her words hit harder than I expect. And for the first time tonight, I’m not sure if she’s here to fix my reputation or to remind me I still have something worth saving.
Her words hang in the air, heavier than they should be.Don’t give them the satisfaction.Easy to say when it’s not your name trending for all the wrong reasons. Still, there’s something in the way she says it, like she actually means it and that gets under my skin.
“I don’t even know why I care so much,” I admit before I can stop myself. “Half the time I hate the spotlight. The other half, I can’t breathe without it. I’m thirty-seven at the end of this season my contract is up and I’m not sure they’re going to keep me or put me out to pasture.”
Olivia’s expression softens, just a fraction. “It’s not the spotlight you hate. It’s what happens when it comes a little to close to you. As for your contract, that’s not in my wheelhouse.”
“Yeah.” I stare into my mug, watching the coffee ripple. “You ever feel like everyone’s waiting for you to screw up, just so they can say they were right about you all along?”
She nods, slow and understanding. “All the time.”
That catches me off guard. “Really? You? You’re bulletproof, Rivers.”
Her smile is small, almost sad. “Trust me, I’ve had to learn to fake it. Comes with the job. Most think I’m arm candy for Mark Davidson. I’m twenty-seven and at the end of my modeling career, a photographer told me I was too old for the shoot. I was twenty-five.” Olivia smiles down at her coffee. “It was then I decided I needed to find another way to earn money and feel fulfilled.”
I study her across the counter. For the first time tonight, she’s not the PR machine or the woman sent to mop up my mess. She’s just Olivia, tired, honest, and a little too real for four in the morning.
“You’re good at it,” I say quietly. “Faking it.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Compliment or insult?”
“Little of both.”
The corner of her mouth twitches, and damn if that doesn’t make something in my chest tighten. She looks down again, fiddling with her mug. I want to say something else, but words feel clumsy.
“Anyway,” she murmurs, “I should probably go. You’ve had a long night.”
“Stay,” I say before thinking, the word rougher than I intend. Her head snaps up, eyes wide, surprise flickering there before she hides it behind that professional mask.
“Carter—”
“I didn’t mean—” I drag a hand through my hair. “I just meant, it’s late. Roads are quiet, and you’ve been running damage control for hours. You could crash in one of the guest rooms.”
Her gaze searches mine, as if trying to figure out whether I’m being genuine or just another guy making a move. I hold it, let her see I’m not either of those things right now.
After a beat, she exhales. “I could use a few hours sleep.”
