“You’re fabulous. I’ll be waiting for your post and continue to monitor.”
Aria says goodbye, hangs up, and navigates over to socials.
She opens her account, the one with several million followers, and looks up this Griffin Hayes. She taps on his post, the one she just read out loud with Bailey.
“What’s going on?” Bailey asks from over at the piano.
“Oh, just the silly game that is being a public figure. PR stunts left and right.” She sighs, but she’s smiling at the same time.
Aria hits Share and types her caption.
“Hey @GriffinHayes, love the enthusiasm! We can always use that kind of energy on show nights. Care to be my guest of honor tomorrow? Have your people call my people.”
Aria taps to post. Immediately the likes start pouring in, and she walks the phone over to her sister. Bailey waits, mouth slightly agape, and takes the phone. She reads and squeals.
“Oh em gee, we get to meet him!” Bailey wiggles like the excitement is bursting from her of its own accord.
Aria pulls her sister under her arm. “What can I say? Your wish is my command.”
“Like with so many things.”
“Not that I had ‘Wardens tight end concert drop-in’ on my bingo card. Nothing seems to be out-of-bounds—pun intended—for your world anymore. What’s next, a circus collab?”
Bailey laughs as she squeezes Aria around the middle, and Aria can’t help but consider the truth in her statement. A professional football player in her orbit? There really don’t seem to be any limits to the scope of the Aria Wilder universe these days.
Chapter 3
Griffin
The day after the concert, Griffin and Elliott are the last ones in the locker room after practice. Oftentimes they stay late to get in some more reps or additional recovery activities. Today Griffin wanted to hit the ice bath, and Elliott decided to stay too. Afterward in the locker room, they change clothes and pack their bags.
“Oh, shoot.” Elliott pats around his pockets, then his bag. “I think I left my phone in the weight room. Be right back.”
Griffin nods as he drops onto the bench seat and pulls out his own phone that he’s left unchecked since before practice. It’s one of many small rituals he’s built into his life to protect his dedication to football. When the phone is stowed away, his focus is entirely on his work.
When the screen lights up, Griffin is surprised at the thousands of social media notifications that’ve come in—far more than usual.
“Ah,” Griffin whispers to himself as it dawns on him.
The Aria Wilder concert.
Of course he played along with the viral meme moment. It was all done in good fun, and almost all the comments were good-natured. As a professional athlete, he gets a significant amount of attention online already—or at least what hethoughtwas a significant amount—but these responses to the concert clip are on another level. An Aria Wilder level.
He opens his email, and there is a message from his agent.
Griff—
Hey, man. All this stuff with Aria Wilder is fire for your PR spin. You see the response from Aria about making an appearance at the next show? We really think you should go. This is a new angle for you outside of the usual sports stuff. You know the athletes who do best in the long run diversify. Football can’t be forever.
Call me when you get this.
Mike
Griffin darkens the screen and turns it face down in his lap. He bites his lip. Even if Mike thinks this is a good idea, Griffin isn’t quite convinced. He’s comfortable with postgame interviews, the special events the team volunteers the players for, signing for fans after the game. But a concert with a hugely talented singer? That’s miles out of his comfort zone. He can’t wrap his head around what good it would actually do for his career either. Hanging out with Aria Wilder, as adorable as she is, won’t lead the Wardens to the Super Bowl, and he’s not anywhere close to aging out of the league yet.
Elliott walks in, his phone held out in front of him. “Dude! You’re mega-viral! And Aria Wilder—”
“Wants me to come to the concert tomorrow,” Griffin says with a glum look.
