“It’s true. I mean, what do we have in common, Griff?” She smiles at him like it’s part of their act. Itispart of their act.
If they weren’t in public, if they weren’t miked, if maybe it was a moment that could be forgotten as quickly as it happened, he would tell her what he really thinks. That maybe it’s not about counting surface-level things in common. Maybe it’s about how the other person makes you feel. Maybe those differences are things that allow them to stand on their ownfeet inside a friendship. That salty and sweet is perhaps the best flavor combination in history. That soft and strong are both necessary when it comes to the heart. That she doesn’t need to be the female version of him for him to be captivated. In fact, quite the opposite is preferable.
But he bottles all those words up, and instead Griffin gives her a shrug. “We make it work! I’m already a pop music fan—as most of the world has seen footage of by now. We just need to get you on the sports bandwagon.”
The set manager comes over as Aria begins to reply and politely mutes their microphones. The crowd groans, and a few “boos” ring out.
“Sorry, sorry!” the manager calls out, squeezing her hands in front of her. “But we need to save all of this for the show. We can’t leave our TV audience hanging!”
As the crowd goes back to their chatting and the staff mill around the stage, Aria looks over to Griffin. She winks.
He winks back.
Chapter 18
Aria
Mario Villarreal is wearing so much stage makeup that Aria wonders if it’ll melt like hers once did under the Texas sun. Surely he knows what he’s doing; he does four episodes a week. And as he opens the show and eventually introduces her, then Griffin (to the studio audience they’ve already warmed up), her thoughts are pulled away from his makeup.
“So.” Mario slaps his palm on the wooden desk. “This friendship between you two is fairly new.”
“Yes, sir, it is! Griffin came to one of my concerts, and only after my incredible fans caught him on video belting out the lyrics to ‘Glass Heart’ was it brought to my attention that he even knew who I was.”
“Well, I think most of the world knows who you are by now,” Griffin says at the other end of their shared couch.
The one in the greenroom was so rinky-dink that Griffincouldn’t even sit on it, but this one is deep, wide, and sturdy. Fit for guests of any build. Despite the space remaining between them, Aria feels his presence close to her. Griffin is like that, taking up more than just physical space. He has a force to him. When he sat across from her in the coffee shop, he practically eclipsed the rest of the world.
“Did your friends know you were an Aria Wilder fan before the video went viral?” Mario asks.
Griffin nods slowly but deeply. “I’ve yet to live it down for blasting ‘Get Over It’ in the locker room after our playoff loss in Minnesota last year. At least it created a little bit of a distraction for the guys.”
“Griffin, you’re known as a golden-hearted player in the league. What’s your say on that?”
Griffin tugs at his collar, and his Adam’s apple bobs hard. Of all the potential questions that might spark nerves, why this one? Journalists often throw difficult questions his way before high-stakes games. This question is basically a compliment wrapped up as a question.
“Well, I don’t know. I . . .”
Griffin pauses, his eyes briefly flicker to Aria’s, and she cuts in.
“May I, Mario?” She gives him a playful look. “Because I have had a front-row seat over the last couple weeks of Griffin Hayes off the field, I can attest to the fact that the rumors are true: He’s not only the golden boy, but he has the golden heart.”
The crowd erupts into applause, and eventually Aria has to hold up a hand to ask for quiet.
“He is kind and generous. On a whim, he matched donations for homeless animals with me. He helped me out when I found myself stuck without a ride. He’s the most down-to-earth guy I’ve met—and yet, he’s also a professional athlete on television every Sunday.”
“Note for anyone trying to impress Aria Wilder: It’s about character, folks!” Mario announces.
Aria smiles, but she can’t help but wonder about his statement. What elsewouldit be about for her? Is her image that curated around glam and special-effects shows that people assume there isn’t more to her? This is when a personal, deep album drop might come in handy.
“That’s all very complimentary. And I’m lucky to have found such a generous friend in Aria, but that’s enough about me.”
Griffin looks so adorably awkward that Aria can’t help herself. “Y’all want to know a secret? Griffin Hayes blushes if you give him too many compliments.”
Griffin dives into the couch—presumably to cover his blushing cheeks.
“Perhaps a strategy for rival football teams? Aria, you aren’t leaking tactics that’ll hurt our beloved Wardens now, are you?”
Aria sucks in a loud gasp and pulls a hand to her chest. “I would never! All I want for Griff is for him to dodge the hits, catch the ball, and get a touchdown every now and then.”
