Page 22 of The Run Option

Jason Kingsley

She said yes. I can’t believe she said yes. When I walked out of the conference room, I thought she’d hand me the ring before the game tomorrow and I’d be left to pick up the pieces of my reputation alone.

I rake a hand through my hair and walk out into the facility’s parking lot. Her text came through during my physical therapy appointment, and it took all that was in me not to sprint up to her office and…well, I guess I wouldn’t have done anything. It’s not like this isreal. If it were, I wouldn’t have proposed to her in a conference room. I’d have taken her to some place she loved or a place she’s always wanted to visit. She’d probably guess I was going to propose because I’d be as nervous as I was in the conference room earlier.

But it’s not real. Or, at least, not between us. To everyone else, and to the government, it will be as authentic as the diamond on her ring finger. I wonder if she’s wearing it already. Will she wear it to dinner tonight? The thought makes my stomach flip. Willow has always done something to me, but seeing her witha ring I gave her is going to be world-altering. I suppose that’s what marriage ought to be.

I find Brock’s contact on my phone and press call. I wanted to make sure no one overheard me, so even though I should be in the facility going over a few plays, I’m out in my car.

“Hey, I’ve been putting out fires all morning. What’s going on?” Brock asks as soon as he picks up.

I swallow. “I’m sorry. I needed to talk to Willow some before I could get back to you. Thanks for helping me get her there.”

“Of course. Now, tell me what I’m telling everyone. Are we going with the hurt ankle story?”

I draw in a deep breath. Brock isn’t just an agent, he’s one of my closest friends. Telling him I’m engaged should be an exciting moment, but he’s going to know very quickly that something is up here. Here goes nothing. “We are, except there’s something else.”

“What?” he groans. “There can’t be anything else. Your sponsors have a foot out the door. Actually, they’re starting to close the door. Whatever it is, deny it.”

I swipe a hand over my face. I hate that this is the reputation I’ve built for myself. Brock knows I’m not the same guy I was a few years ago, but he also knows that the media doesn’t care about that. They like having someone to condemn. So even if I just crossed the street as the indicator turned red, they’d find a way to call me reckless and wild.

“This is going to help us. Willow and I are engaged. We’re getting married–soon.”

The usual typing that fills the background of Brock’s calls stops. The line goes silent. I don’t think he’s even breathing.

“You’re engaged?” he asks, skepticism coating his voice.

“Yep. We have been for some time. We just wanted to keep the news private until we were ready to share. Now that this has come out, Willow wanted to go public so that no one got thewrong idea about either of us. We’re going to elope soon, once we have a bye week on the schedule.” The lie flows easily out of me, not that Brock will believe it. Just this morning I asked him to call Willow because I knew she wouldn’t come if I asked her.

“Marriage is big, Jason.”

“I know that.”

“You’ve been talking about getting married and settling down for a few months now…but something about this seems off.”

“Sounds exactly like the kind of topic a guy who’s engaged would talk about,” I say.

He sighs. “I don’t want you to do this just for your career. There are things bigger than sports, than this job.”

“I know,” I say. “Do you? When’s the last time you went on a date?”

Brock always says he’s too busy to date, which, based on what I know, is true. He’s always working, and rarely takes time off for anything. His twin sister Sutton makes jabs every now and again at him about it, but he always brushes them off.

“Don’t turn things around on me because I’m trying to make sure you don’t make a huge mistake. As your agent, this makes my life a lot easier. But as your friend, I’m worried about you.”

I run a hand over my face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. You just have to trust me, though. There’s more to it than my reputation. This is the right thing to do.”

“Will you even be able to look like a couple? I thought you said she hated you.”

The night at the party floats into my memory like smoke, encircling me and taking me back to that moment with her snuggled up in my arms. She’d said I was making it hard for her to hate me. I didn’t understand much after that, but that’s something.

“I don’t think she hates me. We can do this.”

I hope I’m right. There’s chemistry between us, that much I’m certain of. I’ve caught Willow staring at me. I’ve made her blush and even stolen a smile or two. That means something, even if she’d never admit it.

“Okay, then I can get a plan rolling. The first thing we need to do is announce this. The best thing would be to have a photo of you two. Something with the ring in it, like that one Miles sent us after he and Ellie got engaged.”

“Okay, we’re going out to dinner tonight to discuss things. I can get you one then.”

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