Page 14 of Down & Dirty

“You only have one real option here.”

“I’m all ears.”

“Problems that start with a woman, are typically best solved by a woman.”

I shook my head. “You can’t be serious. I already get enough shit for swapping girls every few months. Bailing on Nicki now would make me look like even more of a sleaze.”

“Maybe, maybe not. You can stand by your gal if you think you’ll win points for loyalty. But I think you need to reinforce how new you two were, how little you knew about her. Clearly.”

“Clearly. Are you saying you have someone in mind?” The idea of propping up another fake relationship felt wrong to me, but Cass was a strategy master. I should at least consider what she had to say.

“No. I don’t think it can be one of my girls.”

I balked. “You want me to find a woman on my own?Now? In the middle of all this bullshit?”

“You’re a charming, handsome, successful motocross champion, Cory. I remember what those dimples could do to a woman. Don’t cry to me about not being able to use your looks here to land yourself a few real dates.”

“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered, pulling into the parking lot for my building. “You really think this is the best way to handle this?”

“Yes. Take a break from the models and actresses for a while. Go for a fresh angle. You can still be a high-class man, but now you have a heart of gold and good morals to go with it.”

I’d always hated it when she called me a “high-class man.” It sounded stupid, and about as far from who I really was as you could get. I was a backwoods Maine dirt slinger. That I’d beenable to build up a façade that convinced the world otherwise had been a miracle.

“You’re sure I shouldn’t just pair up with another of your clients? Give the tabloids more photos of me sans Nicki?”

“If you do that, then the press will take it as you not really caring about Nicki or the sex tapes. It’ll make you seem like the shallow, ladies’ man they’ve wanted to call you for years. And that cheapens you. But if you date someone less noteworthy, someone more wholesome, you can get space from the Nicki angle and give the haters pause.”

Wholesome. What the hell did that mean? Not famous, is all I heard Cass saying. And even though I still hated the idea of risking the reputation I’d built over the years, the prospect of having something to talk about with a woman beyond the latest fashion trends and who was sleeping with who in Hollywood held a sliver of appeal.

“So, do I have to get on those apps or something?” How the hell did people date these days? “How long does this have to go on for?”

Cass’s laugh sounded too lighthearted for the situation we were in. “I can hear your panic from here, Cor. Take a breath. You don’t need to actually commit to someone. Just date. Give it a few months of doing normal shit. Movies. Dinners. And not at the Ivy. Get fucking In-and-Out burgers and watch the planes at LAX. That kind of thing.” She paused, and I waited her out. “Just don’t let her fall in love with you, okay? We don’t need a tell-all about how you made promises and then broke them when you walked away.”

And we both knew I’d walk away. I had no interest in any relationship that wasn’t a three-way between me, my bike, and my mechanic. Especially if this was going to be my last year riding.

I closed my eyes, trying to imagine this working. “Okay. Charm them, but not too much. Should be easy.”

She laughed again. “Exactly. I know you can do it. And if you do it right, Bruce should be able to keep you from the black list.”

I yanked the key from the ignition and settled heavily back into my seat. “Thanks Cass.”

“You’ll be all right, Cory. You’re not out of the game yet.”

I thanked her again and ended the call, staring out at the parking lot and the rusty brown hills beyond. I hoped she was right. Everything I’d worked for my whole life depended on it.

CHAPTER 8

SKYLAR

Dad: And you’re sure OTM won’t bring it up?

Sky: I don’t think so. Ronnie said Cory interrupted them before Jerry had the chance to say anything concrete. And no one else was around.

Dad: How many times have we told him to shut those guys down?

Sky: Too many. He keeps thinking he can skirt the line and not get burned.

Dad: I never thought I’d be in the position to say that I’m happy Cory Ellis was around.

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