“Picture this.” Bill flashes jazz hands up in the air, and his eyes light up even more. “Center Axl Erikson is dating celebrity actress . . . who we haven’t named yet—”
“I don’t date.” He’s gone too far. I’ll do just about anything for this team, but dating to get publicity is not one of them. I don’t have time for dating. It’s pointless. I have no use for it. Women are evil. That’s been my mantra since senior year of high school when my first girlfriend, Susie Marie Jenson, ripped my heart out and stomped all over it by cheating on me with some nerd. We’d dated for most of high school, and I was convinced we’d always be together. I just couldn’t fathom how I missed something so huge as her having another boyfriend. I squeeze my fist tightly. Nope. Been there. Not going to date again. I’ll stick to hockey.
“You aren’t actually going to date,” Coach cuts back in. “We’ll find some actress to play the part of your girlfriend, and you’ll pose for some photos. Fans will show up here just to get a glimpse of her, and we’ll leak a few stories to the press, all to get you in a better light—”
“Absolutely not.” I roll my eyes in disgust. “I’ll work harder, and I’ll do your stupid modeling photo shoots for charity, but I’m not going to play some charade.”
“What’s the big deal?” Coach shrugs his shoulders, holding them up in pause, as if daring me. “It’ll only be business. You won’t have to like her or hang out with her. Just a few appearances.”
“I don’t date,” I growl, resisting the flashback to how pathetic I had been after Susie broke up with me. I don’t ever want to be that vulnerable again.
“Well, good.” Coach rises from his chair again, a mischievous smile centering on his face. “Then we won’t have to worry about you cheating on your new fake girlfriend.”
“I won’t cheat on anyone, because there is no one to cheat on.” I stand, glad I’m six inches taller than Coach.
“This wasn’t an ask. I’m sorry if you are confused, but this is the plan if you want to remain on the team. We have to pay the bills somehow.”
“That is dumb.” Before I run my mouth more, doing the exact thing I told him I wouldn’t do, I close my mouth and gather all my saliva to the back of my throat, swallowing hard. Not talking back is hard.
“Your honesty is what got you in this mess. I’d be careful if I were you.” Chuckling, Coach meanders to the door, opening it while standing back to show me my way out. He thinks this meeting is over, but he’s delusional.
“Who am I dating?” I blurt out, but then correct my words. “I mean, who is this woman?”
“We’re making some calls today and hope to have someone hired by Friday.” Bill rises to his feet; his smile is so large you’d think he was practicing for clown college, and he pats me on the back. “This is going to be great.”
I suck back a whole lungful of air and dig my teeth into my bottom lip, resisting the urge to form a rebuttal. They haven’t even found anyone to play along with this dumb idea, and they won’t. Not by Friday. Not ever. They’ll get frustrated and give up. I’ll pretend to go along with their dumb idea until it fails miserably, and then they’ll realize how absurd this is and leave me alone.
four
Sophie
Blowing my rubbed-raw nose, I soak through another tissue and toss it at the white wicker waste basket I conveniently slid next to my childhood bed. In the bustle of my life imploding last night, I ended up confronting Rocco, and some nosy neighbor got it all on video—every tearful moment of him breaking up with me. Within moments the video of me went viral. All my biggest nightmares had come true. I did something reckless and canceled my last two concerts. I hate to disappoint my fans, but there’s no way I can perform right now. I don’t even want to think about the ticket refunds, or the backlash. I’m really hoping my manager can pull that around for me.
I just can’t do life right now.
After committing that potential career suicide, I pleaded for my pilot to fly me to my parent’s house in Mapleton, Vermont. I needed to go home to my mom.
My mom is so special because she’s more than a mom.
She’s always Mama, my best friend, and the only person in the world who will listen and not judge. I don’t have to act for her. Even if I tried, she’d see right through it.
With all the paparazzi trying to cash in on this viral story, I can’t go out in public, and Mapleton is the only place I feel safe. Everyone here saw me in diapers, and they don’t care about my fame. In fact, they are more impressed with that kid from my graduating class who became a meteorologist and now works full-time for The Weather Channel. They talk about him like his ability to predict the weather is a superpower. Yes, his name is Regis, but notthatRegis. In Mapleton, there is only one Regis, and it’s our homegrown weather guy.
I rub my palms into my eyes, wringing out the tears. I can’t keep crying this hard. I’m seriously going to get dehydrated. At what point do the tears end?
How did I miss something like this?
My phone vibrates for the hundredth time. Everyone’s calling, requesting a statement from me about Rocco's cheating. Live-action breakup gone viral—I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Crowds gathered, making a clean getaway impossible, and the rest is documented on every social media platform, and even translated into seven languages.
I’m no stranger to public humiliation, and that’s not what is upsetting me the most.
It’s my heartbreak.
I seriously thought I’d marry Rocco. We had one of those whirlwind romances that started fast, and overnight we bothknewwe were meant for each other. I rub the back of my neck, desperate to release some of the pressure in my head.
Maybe we both didn’t know?
Clearly one of us was confused.
