Page 33 of Home Run Fiancé
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“I hope you’ll be able to support me or at least understand why I’m chasing my dreams.”
Asher sits at his big desk, completely expressionless as he takes in my news. I told him everything: I dropped out of school, I have a successful YouTube channel, and plan to have a full-time income by the summer. He never interrupted me, never even blinked.
What’s with the men in my life giving me the silent treatment? I’d much rather they shout or curse or give me any kind of negative feedback than leave me hanging by my own rope.
I’m fresh out of steam, having dealt with Jake right before this conversation, so I sink down into one of the leather club chairs and lean back, exhausted. Asher stares at me, knowing me all too well, and waiting for me to break. If this is a game of chicken, I’ll play till the very end. Whoever speaks first loses? Deal. Game on.
The clock on his wall ticks off the seconds and then the minutes. Neither of us speaks, just staring at each other, trying to navigate this new territory where I don’t follow his wishes.
Asher’s phone pings from his desk, and he finally leans forward to check it, breaking whatever game we had going.
He lets out a long-suffering sigh and I brace myself for the backlash. “I just—I don’t even know what to say, Rhys.” Asher runs his hands through his hair, making him look frazzled sitting there in his stylish button-up shirt and tie. “Why would you throw away your future for something so flimsy like a YouTube channel?
“It’s not flimsy, Asher. I’m making good mo—”
His hand slashes through the air, his voice rising in volume. “Yeah, good money now. But what about a year from now when they decide to change your payout? Or ten years from now when YouTube’s not even around, or you’re some thirty-year-old has-been that gets lost in a sea of beautiful twentysomethings?”
I rear my head back. “Wow, that’s hurtful.”
He shakes his head, truly done with me. “Seriously, Rhys. Think it through.” He checks his watch. “I have another meeting in a few minutes. Can we talk about this later tonight?”
I hop up, all too ready to get out of there, tears burning behind my eyes. “Sure. Call me later.”
I walk out, my head held high, but my legs shake underneath me and the tears are about to fall.
Who’s “my person” now?
14
Jake
I hit two home runs in yesterday’s game, which should have made me one happy camper, but instead I’m snapping at everyone and feeling like I got played for a fool yet again. The reporters last night were giving Rhys all the credit for my homers, which was a true statement, but not for the reasons they were thinking.
I’m angry.
Angry she hammed it up for the cameras. Angry she might not be who I think she is. Angry I can never understand her and trust where I stand with her.
The conversation in my car before breakfast was more perfect than I could have asked for. She’d confessed she had feelings for me and we turned to a new chapter in our relationship, one where everything was real. But then the cameras had come out and she’d turned into someone I didn’t recognize, hanging on my arm like a groupie and handing out her business cards like I was just a means to an end. I’ve been there, done that, and I thought I made it clear I wasn’t going there again.
So I did what I always do and channeled all that frustration into my game and got us the win. Unfortunately, in the cold light of the next day, I feel anything but winning.
I need to call Asher and find out where I’m at with talks with the Sliders. I need to talk to Rhys and figure out what that was all about yesterday. For all I know, she was just nervous and didn’t know what to say to the paparazzi. Maybe I overreacted and need to hear her side of the story. Right about now I’d believe anything just to have things go back to the way they were when she was my loudmouth Rhys, teasing me and hugging the stuffed penguin I won her at the pier.
Finally slipping out of bed, I pull on my sweatpants and make my way into the kitchen where my phone charges. Before I can even reach it, the screen is lighting up, showing me a whole list of notifications. I scroll through, absolutely none of them making sense. Then another text comes in.
Asher:CALL ME ASAP
Well, crap. That can’t be good.
A lead weight settles in my stomach. There’s so much riding on this thing with Rhys I can’t get my arms around it all. There’s our fake engagement, there’s the trade I’m hoping for to get me back home to Mama, and then there’s my fledgling feelings for Rhys that have nothing to do with the rest.
I find Asher’s name and hit send. He answers before the first ring completes.
“We need damage control. Stat.” I hear the news on behind him on full blast. His words, along with the panic I can hear behind them has my heart rate picking up speed.
I raise my voice to be heard over the racket. “Dude. What’s going on? I just woke up.”
