Harper lays a warm hand on my forearm. “He only brought it up to Marcus because he’s worried about you.”
“I don’t think I realized how cutting people can be. The number of times I’ve been called a bitch and a home-wrecker this week? It’s exhausting.”
“I wish I could tell you it gets easier, but you learn to block out the noise.”
“Really? Because it seems like the noise is going to crush me. I never thought it would affect my job. I mean all these canceled appointments? Do they really care that much about my personal life?”
“You’ve really had that many?” Harper asks.
I nod. “Almost all of my appointments have been canceled. At the rate I’m going, I’ll be fired within a week.”
“That’s strange.” She gives me a studious look. “I get Bode is in the limelight, but that’s weird.”
“I thought so too, but I don’t know if I can keep dealing with this.”
The number of messages I’ve gotten over the last week has increased tenfold. When Bode said things would get worse before they get better, I didn’t think they’d get this bad. I never knew women could be so bitchy. Bitch and home-wrecker are the nicer of the comments. I haven’t told Bode about the bad ones.
What’s the point of getting him worked up? I don’t want him to spout off in anger and make things worse for himself.
“Look, Stevie. Bode is going to be in the limelight for a long time. He’s still in the prime of his career. Can you handle it? I know some wives who get messages from strangers saying they wish they could have a night with their husband and offer ungodly sums of money.”
My jaw hits the ground. “Are you serious?”
She nods, sipping her wine. “You don’t have to worry about most people. They’re respectful and, if they see you out and about, might ask for a selfie and autograph. But there are some that don’t have boundaries and have zero shame telling you what they think.”
I sip my own wine, letting the warmth of it try to calm my anxious cells. How do I figure out how to deal with Bode’s job?
The worst of the attacks have been the ones asking me how Bode could go for anyone like me and wondering how I could tread on another woman’s life and steal her man.
Ugly.
Hideous.
A slut.
Only with Bode because of his money and good looks.
It hurts. All I want to do is help make others feel beautiful in their skin. To have these words thrown at me is rocks at glass. I’ve worked hard to insulate myself from letting harsh words and actions affect me. But when they’re coming at me from all directions every minute of the day? I can only do so much to let it roll off my back.
And even worse, I hate burdening Bode with these emotions.
“Listen, I don’t want to cause you any more worry, but if you ever need to unload about it, I’m here for you,” Harper tells me, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I give her a half-smile. “I appreciate it. Sometimes it feels like I’m out here on an island all by myself.”
“Not by yourself. You have me and Bode. And the rest of the guys. Your grandma. We’ll help you figure this whole dating a hockey star out.”
“Stevie! Look, look!” One of the girls calls out and I’m flying out of my seat, almost knocking my wine over.
“Is everything okay?” I rush into the living room, my heart in my throat.
“Look!”
They point to Caleb. He’s standing on his feet in the middle of the living room and takes two hesitant steps before falling.
“Oh my God. Holy shit! Bode. Get in here!”
“What?” He rushes into the kitchen with a spatula in hand, the rest of the guys falling in behind him. “What’s wrong? Is it Caleb?”
