“Why? Do you doubt that I can control myself for one night?”
“I’ve just seen the talk online.”
As unfair as it is, there’s still some truth to the gossip being spread. Beck’s not a bad guy, but he’s not as innocent as his fans make him out to be, either. There’s a reason he’s beenphotographed in so many bad positions, and there are only so many excuses you can give to avoid consequences.
That doesn’t mean he’s bound to ruin his life, though. Similar to most of the guys on this team, he’s young and making millions upon millions of dollars a year playing baseball. There are mistakes we’re all bound to make; his are just more obvious than others due to his name and the fact that he wears the Havoc logo on his chest.
Beck’s jaw tightens as he stares at the back of the seat ahead of him. “There’s always talk.”
“Do you want me to be your sober companion tonight?”
“God no,” he blurts out.
I purse my lips, nose crinkling. “Okay, rude. Don’t act like my company would have been such a hassle for you.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He blows out a dramatic breath, like I’m exhausting him. “You and I both know that that would be a disaster.”
“I’m offended, Beck. I thought we were soul siblings.”
“Because we’re both walking disasters?” he asks, cocking a brow at me.
“No, douche. Because we both think too little about how others perceive us. That bites you in the ass a lot, doesn’t it?”
He blinks, absorbing that before tipping his head to the side. “I guess I’ve never thought about it that much.”
“Yeah, me either. Not until recently, at least.”
“Any particular reason for the sudden enlightenment?”
“None that I want to share.” I flash an overly sweet smile while crossing my cramped legs. “Besides, it’s not possible to change who you are at your core. You’ve just gotta learn how to live with yourself the way you are while making sure you don’t burn so many bridges that you wind up stranded alone. Spending my life miserable isn’t exactly my goal.”
“I don’t think the media’s perception of me counts for much, Elle. The people who know me ignore all that bullshit.”
“For how long? If you want people to see you as more than a careless fuckstar, you need to give them a reason to. You’re far more than the guy you let people see, but you aren’t doing yourself any favours with all the late nights and women.”
“I haven’t been with a woman in weeks. The photos they used in that post were old.”
“Does that have anything to do with Quinn?” I purr, watching his features closely.
His jaw twitches, giving him away. “What do you know about her?”
“Me? Not much more than the obvious. She owns Blank Page and, if I had to guess from your lack of knowledge regarding her, is also not interested in the playboy act.”
Although maybe I should make it my mission to get to know her a bit. A little help would do Beck wonders. It’s been months, and he hasn’t made any headway with the café owner as far as I can tell.
I hear Beck swallow before he’s twisting the iPad toward me on the small table and backing out of the movie he was watching. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Elle.”
“Is my cuteness what’s earning me the honour of choosing the movie?” I ask, my lips quirked.
He bumps my shoulder with his. “I knew giving you a compliment was a mistake.”
“Just admit you want to avoid talking about Quinn because you’re totally crushing on her, and I’ll let it go.”
“Alright. I’ll do that when you admit to wanting to jump Coach’s bones,” he counters smugly.
I glare. “Shut up and watch the movie.”
“You haven’t chosen one yet.”
