Page 54 of Win Big

“Anyone else coming?” Dave asks, looking around, preparing to close the door to the meeting room.

“This is it,” Murray says. “Okay, we need to discuss that blog article and photo of you that’s online, Wyatt.”

I nod. Not surprised.

“Can you explain to us what that was about?” he asks.

I almost laugh. I’m used to a coach asking me “What the fuck did you do?” and this is so polite. I open my mouth to answer, but Everly jumps in.

“I was with him,” she says. “We were out for dinner and we were walking down Melrose and decided to look in the shop.”

Bob makes a noise that I think might mean he’s having a stroke. I shoot him a worried look. Then I glance at Everly. She doesn’t seem so well either.

“We were just goofing around,” she says, clearly striving to keep her emotions in check. “I told Wyatt he’d look good in that... um, outfit, making a joke. I didn’t think he’d do it, but he tried it on.”

I catch her eye. So far this is accurate.

“We had no idea there was someone there taking a picture. That was all it was. But I know how bad it looks.”

“It doesn’t look bad.” I finally speak up. “It looks like we were, uh, goofing around, just like you said.”

“You’re the ambassador for Hockey for All,” Murray says. “Part of the initiative is to include the LGBTQ community.”

“Yeah.” I nod. “I know.”

“But you’re not gay,” Murray adds.

“No.” I shrug. “But if we want to let people think I am, that’s okay.”

Everly jumps in again. “We can’t let people think you’re gay. Because you’re not. We can’t pretend for this campaign. It would be an even worse PR mess ifthatcame out.”

“I don’t get it.” I’m confused as fuck and I don’t even care about this.

“If we let people think you’re gay and don’t correct it, the LGBTQ community would be offended when the truth comes out. Which it will... sinceyou’re not gay.”

I nod slowly.

“I know what to do,” Everly continues. “We’ll make a statement, just what I told you, and I’ll take responsibility for it.”

Murray nods. “I like that.”

Bob’s face is tomato red. “I don’t like it.”

Everly turns to her dad. “It’s okay, Dad. I got this. It has to be done.”

“What would be better is if you two were actually in a relationship,” Murray says thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “Then there’d be no question about his sexual orientation.”

I can only shoot him a what-the-fuck look about my sexual orientation.

“We’re not in a relationship,” Everly quickly puts in.

“But you could be.” Murray is still rubbing his chin. It’s starting to annoy me. “Make a few appearances together. That way there’d be no question when you tell the story of what happened that it’s true. It’ll add credibility.”

“Itistrue,” I snarl. At Everly’s wide-eyed warning look, I shut my mouth.

“Of course it is.” Murray smiles broadly. Fakely. “But we all know how rumors start and social media can be a nightmare.”

I do know this. Not from experience. But I know other guys who’ve gotten themselves in trouble on social media. Best advice I ever got was from my agent, Steve Walsh. He told me years ago to stay off social media, that it’s a tool to brand myself but nothing else. His number one rule: do not read your mentions. I don’t know what people say about me and I don’t care.

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