I let out an incredulous laugh. “Why would I ever want to do that again?”
She didn’t miss a beat. “Because everyone else does. The league saw it. The sponsors saw it. And the fans? They’re losing their minds. Twitter thinks you two are either going to murder each other or make out in the locker room.”
I groaned. “That’s disgusting.”
“It’s engagement, babe,” she said, way too chipper now. “They think you two have chemistry. That it’s electric.”
“More like toxic.”
“Tomato, tomahto. You’re trending. And not for being a disaster, for being compelling. Sharp. Real. And let’s be honest—Walker hasn’t been this interesting since the last time he got a red card and shoved a ref.”
I dropped my head back against the couch and sighed. “This feels like punishment.”
“This is TV. You want to play in the big leagues, Sommers, you take the hits. Besides… you’re the only one he doesn’t stonewall completely. That means something.”
I didn’t answer.
Because part of me hated that she was right.
Kieren hadn’t walked out.
He hadn’t shut down completely.
He’d challenged me.
Met me blow for blow.
And maybe—just maybe—he’d seen me, not just the camera.
I was the one who left.
Like a coward.
“Let me know by Monday,” my producer added. “The league wants to promote it as a weekly segment.”
She hung up.
I dropped the phone on the coffee table, leaned forward, and let out a strangled noise that fell somewhere between a growl and a whimper.
Then I flopped back onto the couch, grabbed the nearest throw pillow, and hurled it over my face.
“I hate this job,” I mumbled into the fabric. “I hate this man. And I definitely hate how fast my heart was racing the whole time.”
The pillow muffled my groan as I stared at the ceiling.
This was going to be a very long season.
Chapter 4
Kieren
I was tying my cleats when the shouting started—again.
The locker room was already loud with post-practice energy and sweat, but now it was chaotic. And I didn’t even have to ask why. I knew exactly what clip they were screaming about. Again.
I kept my head down, pretending not to hear, fingers lacing through loops with practiced ease.
“Bro,” Adam said, loud as hell and twice as obnoxious. “She torched you. Like—scorched earth. Did you sleep with her and forget or something?”
