Page 20 of Butterfly Effect

“You two,” Jules waves a finger between us, “are dating.”

I guffaw, tossing my head back and whisking my brain into scrambled egg consistency.

Ouch.

“We are doing nothing of the sort.”

“The fuck we are,” Wade says over me.

“You’reexclusivelydating each other,” Mel adds, to the delight of Jordan, who claps and gasps.

“No,” I protest with a vigorous shaking of my head. The rattling worsens the ache.

“It doesn’t have to lastforever,” Jordan intones. “A few months,max.”

“A fewmonths?” I scoff. “No one would believe it! Me? Dating this…thispubescent?”

“You’d be so lucky,” Wade finally pipes up. “And I think you know I’m fully grown.” His pecs bounce as he flexes his arms and chest.

Jules runs a hand down his face and groans again. Mel and Jordan widen their eyes at my grimace.

“Yuck. Not in your wildest dreams, Boehner. Come on, guys.” I turn to the schemers and plead to their sense of reality. “He’s way too…young for me.”

Jordan beams with a sinister smile. “Age is just a number when you’re inlove.”

“Love? Please stop.” Elbows resting on the table, my fingers massage circles into each temple. “This can’t happen.”

“Oh, it’s happening. We gotta get this out properly, and everyone wins. The Regents fan base and ticket sales will see some growth, and we get a boost of views when you cover the games. So here’s the story.” Mel twines her fingers together. “You’ve worked together for the past four seasons and have kept a friendly rapport.”

“Friendly?” I sob out a series of laughs, remembering how unprofessional he was at my first press conference with the league.

“Gabe, you’ve been single since your breakup with Kurt Vaughn, but Wade’s…youthful enthusiasm has been a breath of fresh air.”

“More like I need a breath of fresh air.” I curl against the table. “I’m gonna be sick.”

Wade’s shadow hovers over me but retreats when I snarl.

“And getting to know you better has changed Boehner’s bed-hopping ways,” Jordan finishes.

Wade slow-claps and lazily chuckles. “Ha. Ha. Ha.This is hilarious.”

“It’s not funny, Boehner!” My head pops up. “You may not have a reputation, but?—”

“Hey, I have a reputation!” On his feet now, Wade towers over my seated position. “I don’t date. Dating someone means I can’t?—”

He doesn’t scare me. I’m not scared of a manbaby.

I get up, too, bracing myself on the edge of the table. “You can’t…what, huh? Sleep with whoever you like, whenever you like?Please, don’t let me stop you.”

“Alright!” Jules barks. “That’s enough.” He sighs and comes to stand between us. “All you have to do is pretend to date through the end of the year. Go places, do things together whenever you’re in the same city. Take pictures to feed the vultures. Make it believable, and they’ll get bored and go away. Once the spotlight is off you, you can go back to your old lives.”

Wade exhales, defeated. “How long?”

Jules looks to Mel, who confirms with a silent nod.

“‘Til New Year.”

My mouth gapes. I don’t even want to be near this clown. And I’m supposed to fake-date him for the next four months?

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