Page 52 of Totally Fanatic

“And the two involved?” he asks into the mic, trying to keep his voice low. “Very well. Thank you.”

My heart is pounding.

“Is it Lion?” I ask the second his stare returns to me.

“Yes, they have him and are escorting him up here.”

“Is he okay? Were the Banana-Ramas…?”

“He’s fine. Security has it in hand.” He jots down a note in the binder, then looks back toward me with a carefree expression, like he didn’t just allude to some kind of incident with my boyfriend.

“You asked about two people being involved in something, was that about him?”

He exhales slowly, his gaze momentarily flitting to Bart but returning to me just as fast.

“There were two patrons who were escorted out before anything could escalate. No one was hurt, they were making a scene and disturbing others in their section. Lion is fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, now if we can please get back to the matter at hand?”

My heart is still racing, but I believe him when he says Lion is fine. I’m not sure why exactly. Maybe it’s the way he talks. It’s always so calm, so cool.

“Okay, go for it, what are we looking at?” I ask.

“Option one. The PR team can release a statement, covering all the Banana-Ramas’ claims. We’ll need you two to provide some context, but the statement would come from the league, in our support of you.”

“Maybe. Is there another option?”

“Yes, but it is riskier.”

“What is it?”

“You hold a press conference and address the allegations of the Banana-Ramas yourself.”

Bart leans forward at his desk. “The press would have their questions screened, but it wouldn’t be the first time they decide to throw out an unapproved one just to rattle you. It’s how you react to that question that is a higher risk.”

I love being in the spotlight out on the field, but the press meetings after games are pretty nerve-wracking, no one wants to say the wrong thing, and this would be just me. What if I say something and make it ten times worse?

“Can we ask Lion what he thinks?”

“Sure. While we wait, how about you fill me in on exactly what your story with Lion actually is?” Enzo asks, leaning back with his pen in hand.

“I mean, I don’t even know where to start.”

“How did you meet?”

“At a game, I mean technically. He asked for an autograph, though, I didn’t remember meeting him then, or at Stevie’s wedding, he was a waiter there. It was in line at Riverside Barbeque that I think of as our official first meeting. It was when we were properly introduced, I guess, and it was when I first really noticed him.”

“Okay, then what happened?”

I go through everything, well, not everything because what we do in the bedroom is no one’s business, but I tell them we kissed, and when I say, “then we slept together,” I look up and Lion had just walked in the room. Fuck, for a massive guy, he knows how to be stealthy quiet.

“Hey, are you okay?” I ask, rushing to hug him. My arms have to stretch up to reach around his neck, and he pulls me tight against his chest, wrapping me in his warmth and for the first time all day, I feel okay.

“Areyoualright?“ he asks.

“I’m fine,” I reply, releasing him. His hand slides down my arm until his fingers lace with mine. “The Banana-Ramas, did they try to…”

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