Page 100 of The Player's Club

I couldn’t keep my eyes off her when she sat down across from me. I drank her in like a man parched.

Andrea, along with my publicist, Olivia, had been the ones to suggest that I do an interview. At first, I’d balked at the idea. My private information was already out there—why make shit worse?

“Wouldn’t you rather get to set the record straight?” Olivia had asked me.

Andrea had nodded along. “You should get to tell your side of the story. Otherwise, the speculation will continue.”

“So should I call the guy I caught in my fucking bushes?” I shot back.

“I think we can do better than the guy who wrote the first story,” Andrea said dryly.

I had started pacing my dining room. Although I’d wanted to tell these two women to go to hell, I knew that deep down, they were right. I needed to set the record straight. I needed to stop running away from my problems.

“I’ll do it,” I’d said finally. “But only if Elodie interviews me.”

Olivia’s eyes bugged out. Andrea let out a surprised guffaw.

“Oh shit,” said Andrea, “you’re serious.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “It’s either her or nobody.”

“Mac, you can’t have your ex interview you,” said Olivia.

“Why not? Is there some law against it?” I asked. “It’s not like she isn’t an actual reporter.”

Andrea rolled her eyes. “No, but it seems sus all the same. And it could also backfire spectacularly. Will Elodie even talk to you now that you’ve ended things?”

“She’s the one who warned me that her paper was onto me,” I pointed out. “I’m certain she’ll take the assignment.”

Olivia sighed. Andrea sighed. I had just waited impatiently.

“Do you think he knows?” Olivia asked Andrea.

Andrea glanced at me. “Maybe?”

Now, I was seriously annoyed. “What do I not know?”

“I mean, you’ve never acted like this about a woman before,” Olivia said. “The few times I suggested that you take your relationship public, you’ve acted like I’d asked you to set yourself on fire.”

“And now you want this woman to interview you?” Andrea said. She raised her eyebrows. “That’s a big step. People might think you’ve got actual feelings for Elodie.”

I scowled. I wasn’t about to spill my guts to these two women, but I wouldn’t disagree with them either. I missed Elodie. I wanted Elodie. I loved Elodie.

I’d realized it after she’d come to warn me about Darren. No—I’d probably loved her long before that. It just took me way too long to get my head out of my ass. Even worse, Olivia called me after setting up the interview with Elodie to tell me that Elodie had apparently put in her notice at her job.

“So she’s not doing the interview?” I’d asked.

“She’s doing it as her last assignment. Her boss told me all about how she agreed to interview you, but she didn’t want money for it. She’s just doing it as a favor? I don’t know. Her boss sounded pissed.”

I had stared out my living room window, at a loss for words. I knew how much Elodie needed her job. How was she going to make do without it?

“Why would she agree to interview me for free?” I asked aloud.

Olivia had snorted. “You know what? You think long and hard about that one, my dear. But I’m pretty sure it has something to do with her having feelings for you.”

Now here I was, sitting across from the woman I loved, and I had to restrain myself from yanking her into my arms and kissing her. Showing her how much I loved her and wanted her and neededher.

“Can you tell me about growing up with your dad, the pastor?” That was her first question.

---