“Yeah. I guess.”
“Circling back,” Tess says, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why does Blair need to be careful?”
“Because of this.” Bryson pulls out his phone and starts tapping and swiping. Soon, he’s holding up a screen with photos of me and Logan. There are hundreds of comments on some of them. Thousands on a few. It’s overwhelming and intrusive.
It seems like every time Logan and I go out in public, someone snaps a photo, and it gets uploaded to the Rogues’ fan sites.
I hate being the object of social media speculation. What I hate even more is that, occasionally, Reed has gotten draggedinto it. He’s shown up in a few of the photos that get posted, and the speculation has been ridiculous. From people wondering if he’s mine and Logan’s love child from a teenage relationship, to people wondering if he’s in some kind of Big Brother program and Logan is his mentor.
Reed thinks all of it is hilarious, of course. Why wouldn’t he? It grosses him out to see people claim he must be my kid, but he loves telling me it means I must look really old, and I should look up Korean skin-care routines to help with my early signs of aging.
Little shit.
Mostly, it’s a nuisance, and I hate the way it has me looking over my shoulder any time we’re out. Every phone pointed in our general direction could belong to one of the weirdos discussing our relationship online.
Why do people even care?
Actually, I know the answer to that. People—well, mostly women—care about Logan’s relationship because he’s never had one before. His one-night-only rule has been well documented since his very first season in the NHL as a baby-faced nineteen-year-old. That he’s been seen out and about on multiple occasions with not only the same woman, but a teenage boy who is clearly connected to said woman?
That’s front-page news on the online gossip rags.
“Ah, yes. The internet can be a scary place.” Tess takes the phone from Bryson and scrolls through a handful of posts. “I hope you stay away from sites like these, Blair. It’s not worth your mental health.”
“I do,” I reassure her. “My friend, Lexi, keeps an eye on things for me.”
“Good. We’re lucky to have you on the team, Blair. And as long as you don’t leak a sex tape or something, your job is safe.”
I choke on my own saliva at that.
“You don’t have to worry, Tess. I have no interest in making a sex tape.”
forty-four
BLAIR
“Areyou almost done with that proposal?” Tess leans against the doorway to my little office, a smile on her face. Her toe taps the ground, but I’ve spent long enough around my boss to know it’s not a sign of impatience. She just has too much energy, and her body has to get rid of it somehow. Which means she’s always moving.
“Just about. I’m waiting on one final email response, then I’ll wrap it up and send it your way.”
“Perfect,” she chirps, beaming at me. “You’re doing a great job.” With that, she flashes me another bright smile, turns on her heel, and flits back out of my office and back to hers.
My stomach growling, I open my email inbox, hoping to find what I need so I can go to lunch. The email I’m waiting for isn’t there, but I do have a new message with a blank subject line.
Opening it, my body goes still as I read the first line.
Blair,
Did you really think you could take everything from me and get away with it?
It wasn’t enough to steal my life, you had to steal the man I love too? I don’t know how you manipulated your way into Logan’s bed, but I do know your days with him are numbered. You’re nothing special. I see through you, and soon he will too. Everyone will see exactly who and what you are.
When I’m done with you, not only will Logan leave you in his dust, but you’ll be out of a job and shunned by every single player and employee of the Rogues.
You should cut your losses and move back to LA. It’s safer for you there. Not to mention your little brother.
I’d hate to see his life go up in smoke all over again.
Do the right thing. End things with Logan.
