Page 90 of Fair Play
“I think I just got recognized…there was a guy with a camera.”
“Oh.” I look back and see someone duck down an alley. Damn. This is an unfortunate twist. “Well, unless it’s for something really big, like People Magazine, Bodi doesn’t pay attention to social media or read magazines. I can’t imagine it’ll get back to him.”
“Either it will or it won’t,” he says quietly. “We can’t stop it now that it’s happened. No use crying over spilled milk.”
“Yeah.”
Ugh. This is going to put a damper on the rest of our evening, and it pisses me off a little. I just talked him off one ledge and now he’s staring down a damn cliff.
“Let’s just eat.” He gives his name to the hostess, and she shows us to a table.
“You’re stressed,” I say softly once the waitress has taken our orders.
“A little.”
“Look, if it blows up, I’ll talk to him. I promise. He’s hard-headed and stubborn, but he loves me. And when I tell him how happy you make me, he’ll get over it.”
“You don’t know that. He’s polite and as far as being roommates goes, he’s fine. But there’s no bond between us, no friendship, not like with some of the other guys on the team. Hell, I’m closer to Connor, who’s almost young enough to be my kid, than I am to Bodi. So he doesn’t like me all that much already. It will be exponentially worse when he finds out I’ve been sleeping with his sister.”
Unfortunately, he’s probably right and I don’t have a clue what to do about it.
Chapter 34
Rome
We get backto L.A. late, after two in the morning, and while Billie goes home, I crash at my mom’s. It’s just easier than trying to explain that we both got home around the same time after both being gone all day. I’m already worried about that photographer and while it could turn out to be nothing, it could also blow up in our faces.
As much as I don’t want to get traded or go into the off-season without a contract, I’m more worried about her than myself. I don’t want to come between the two of them. I’m not overly fond of Bodi, but he stepped up to take care of his teenage sister and that says a lot about the man he is. I don’t have to like him to respect him—and the sacrifices he made to make sure his sister had everything she needed.
He’s overprotective and kind of a dick sometimes, but he looks out for her. I have to give him credit for that. She shouldn’t have to choose between us, and I’m afraid that’s what it’ll boil down to.
When we first started, I held on to the belief that Bodi would come around, but I don’t know anymore. He’s closed off with me, like he subconsciously suspects something, and I can’t tell if he genuinely doesn’t like me or if he’s just focused on his own life.
The other side of that is that Billie is special and I don’t want to lose her. I’d give her up if it was better for her, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.
Our day together in San Diego just reinforced how good it could be—if I let it. If I allow myself to fall for her, to let go of the trauma of my past relationships. The last thing I want is for Billie to become ex-wife number three.
Fuck, I hate the indecision. I asked for a little more time and she gave it to me. She didn’t even hesitate. She just looked into my eyes, decided she liked what she saw, and said yes.
How the fuck did I get so lucky? She’s the whole damn package, breaking down every one of my defenses one word, one kiss, one heartbeat at a time.
“Dude.” Marty sinks down next to me in the dressing room as I start to get undressed.
“What’s up?” The seriousness of his tone gives me pause.
“You need to see something.” He glances around, decides no one is paying attention to us, and then hands me his phone.
Christ.
There are two pictures of Billie and me on the street in San Diego, one where she’s kissing me and the other of us holding hands as we walk. It’s on some obscure sports page with the headline “L.A. Phantoms defenseman Rome Castellano gets romantic with unknown woman before start of next playoff series.”
“Who else has seen it?”
“No one that I know of. Stevie spends a lot of time on social media, and she stumbled across it. But she’s always looking forways to promote herself and her brand, so she does deep dives into everything to do with the team, just to see what’s out there.”
“Fuck.” I sink down next to him and shake my head. “We’re holding out for the end of the season, when there will be minimal chance of it impacting the team.”
“I know, but this might go wrong if he sees it. I mean, it’s hard to tell it’s her if you don’t know who she is, the pictures aren’t great but?—”
