Maverick
We should have come earlier. That’s all I can think when I finally make it past the fucking vultures outside the hospital. I didn’t expect them to be this aggressive, that they’d hunt her down at work. Hell, how did they even figure out who she is? Then again, Colin managed to do so with a quick internet search; maybe it’s not that hard. We’ll have to up her privacy settings and security if I can get her to agree to this madness.
I get shown to Sadie’s office andfuck. I wasn’t prepared for my reaction to seeing her again. Even dressed like a goddamn librarian, there’s no denying she’s a beautiful woman, with endless curves and that fiery red hair I still want to see wrapped around my fist. But the panic she’s just barely managing to hide makes me want to turn around and storm back outside to rage at those fuckers trying to get their goddamn sound bites even more. Thank fuck Colin basically shoved me inside and is handling them for me.
“Let’s go, Specs,” I say gruffly, ignoring the wide-eyed stare of the old guy standing across from Sadie. “We gotta talk.”
She stands up, not meeting my eyes.
“Gus, I’ll touch base from home tomorrow,” she says coolly to the older man. He gives her a nod and me an inscrutable look before walking out. She follows him to the door, closing it behind him before turning to look at me. Exhaustion is etched across her face, and it hits me like a punch to the gut.
“I guess you’ve seen the news.”
She lets out a choked laugh and starts to pace the small space between me and the door. “The news. Is that what we’re calling it? How about salacious gossip? Slander? Misrepresentation?” Her hands are flailing in the air as she talks, strands of red hair flying loose from her bun.
“Would you stop?” I rasp, putting out my good arm to bring her movements to a halt. “We can figure this out. We just gotta get out of here.”
Another harsh laugh escapes her, the hard sound jarring to my ears.
“Easier said than done, buddy. Apparently, your reporter friends are waiting outside.”
“I know,” I answer calmly, as if I’m facing down a wild animal instead of a short redhead in another fucking sweater set. “My agent is outside getting rid of them so we can leave.”
“What’s he saying to them?” she asks me sharply, her vibrant green eyes narrowing behind those glasses. “Clearing up this misunderstanding, I hope?”
“That’s what we need to discuss,” I say mildly, intentionally keeping it vague. If I can’t get her on board with Colin’s insanity, this is gonna get ugly.
My phone vibrates, and it can only be one person since everyone else is blocked right now. Mindful of the daggers she’sshooting my way, I pull it from my pocket and glance down quickly.
COLIN: Coast is clear. Is she in?
My gaze darts back up to Sadie standing in front of me with her hands on her hips, her small chest heaving with every breath. I thumb out a short response.
MAV: Not yet.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?” I ask again, stuffing my phone back in my pocket. Her gaze travels to my left arm that’s back in the fucking sling, courtesy of Colin, then back to my face before she gives me a brusque shake of her head.Well, shit.I mentally try to scramble together a way to convince her to at least talk to me when she beats me to the punch.
“We can talk right here. I’m not leaving this office until this mess is dealt with. I don’t evenknowyou and the press thinks we’re together. Good grief, before this morning I didn’t even know your name!”
“Okay…” I take a deep breath, walk over to one of the chairs, and sit down before gesturing to the other. “Can we at least sit?” I pull off my ball cap and smooth my hand over my hair before setting it back on, backward now.
She waits several seconds before marching over and sitting down across from me. Her feet are folded at the ankle and swear to fucking Christ, she’s living up to herSpecsnickname right now with how prim and proper she looks.
“Listen. You’re right, we don’t know each other. And this situation is fucked-up. I realize that.” I suck in a breath. I fucking hate talking. “But it could also be good. In a way.”
Her eyebrows lift as she stares at me in disbelief. “Good?”
I nod slowly. “Your ex, the asshole last night. I’m guessing he’s already tried to get in touch today?” I phrase it as a question, even though instinctively, I know the answer. Guys like that want what they can’t have. And me staking my claim last night was like a red flag to a bull. Sure enough, after a second, she nods, her shoulders sagging slightly.
“And unless I misunderstood you last night, you have no interest in him anymore.”
Another nod.
This isn’t exactly how Colin suggested I approach things, but his idea of offering her money was an instant no. I don’t know this chick, but I do know she’s not the type to be bought like that. Which is why I’m leaning on his other idea and tapping into the ex angle.
“Then we let the public believe the lie for a little while. Get him to realize you’ve moved on to someone else and he’ll leave you alone. He knew who I was last night, so I’m guessing he’s a baseball fan. Trust me, nothing will piss him off more than seeing you date a player from his favourite team.”
Her arms cross over her chest as she studies me for a several minutes. I try not to let it show how much I fucking hate being under scrutiny.
