Page 67 of Who's Saving You
She whips her head to me. “What?”
I scrunch my face. “It smells like cigarettes in here.” I look out the window. “Anyway, you don’t represent me, so you don’t get to decide who I talk to.”
“I do when it affects your image,” she snaps, and then softens it. “I’m trying to protect you.”
“You keep saying that,” I mutter.
“I saw the social media pictures of you and the other two Nicks this weekend, flanked by three women. You looked like a cozy family. Are you ready for that, Nik? Afamily? Because that’s what these women want. They want to trap you, and then you’ll be paying her your bonuses. I already know Soba’s girl is pregnant."
I roll my eyes at the mention of the other two. Eva never liked the idea that the three of us were so tight and trying to make it together. She wanted me to soar alone. “Soba’s ‘girl’ is his girlfriend and they’re going to get married.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it. But I can’t believe you brought that reporter with you.”
I turn to her. “She’s doing a story; she came to the game.”
“She didn’t have to go to dinner with you.”
I study her as she actively looks everywhere but at me. “How do you know that’s her anyway? I could have just had a random girl with me.”
She glances at me, then away. “You don’t do random, and I make it a point to know everyone around you. Nik, the media already turned on you once. Remember that.”
I flinch, not at her words, but at how true they feel.
“No, theytriedto turn on me. But they had no story. Justa bunch of rumors.” I look out the window, seeing the buildings pass by. “It’s not my fault Trevor failed out.”
Just then, we arrive at the hotel, and the valet opens the door. She turns and looks at me with a raised brow. “And how do you think that happened?” She secures her phone in her purse and slides out, her smile locked in place for the cameras. My heart races at her words, and my head swims. I move more slowly behind her, the knot in my stomach even tighter than before.
~~
The night passes without incident. People welcome me, tell me we’re having a great season, but there is no mention of anything, as if they’ve been told not to. Eva has been her polished self all night, and only when she slips away from the table for a call do I see her falter for just a moment. I excuse myself and go to her. For whatever reason, her look worried me, and I thought it could be about Mom.
She stands near the edge of the hotel balcony, one hand resting on the railing, the other holding her phone to her ear. Her voice is low and measured. I can’t make out the words, only the tone. I clear my throat, and she turns quickly, seeing me. Her face is unreadable, but she ends the call.
“Everything alright?”
“Yes.” She walks toward me, her phone buzzing in her hand. She looks at it briefly, a flicker of something crossing her eyes. She has the screen turned slightly, but I still catch some words.
Blocked Number: I know how to get to her
She locks the screen.
“Was that Mom?”I ask carefully.
She smiles as she lets out a breath. “Yup, you know her and our scheduled face time calls. Just making sure I check in with her tomorrow.” She brushes past me. “Let’s finish up and get out of here,” and I’m left standing there, wondering why she’s lying to me.
27
Noelle
Our time in Houston was well spent, but it ended quickly. I should have known it was just a caught-in-the-moment type thing, a feeling of being in a town no one knows us. The drinks and quaint hotel room added to the allure of a night that was unforgettable. Touchdown Towers was a place I’ll never forget, a separate world, masked in a football dreamscape, but it quickly throws you back to reality the moment you leave its doors.
I don't want to admit Nik was the best I ever had. He was fun and skilled at what he does. I found myself daydreaming about more, about a life outside of football and news reports. About weekends by the lake, or winters by the fire. I feel I got a look at the real Nik.
But dreaming of a love-filled life was never in my plans after Dylan. That type of betrayal hurt deep and honestlyturned me into someone cold and unrecognizable. But being that person helped me climb the professional ladder. At thirty years old, I’ve achieved more than most. I’m proud of that. My name is on five-star articles. Press releases that drove public questions and scrutiny, for which I’mnotsorry, have my name signed on the bottom. I won't apologize for my work ethic, and I won't apologize for guarding my heart.
But I let that guard fall in Houston.
And when we touched back down in Mistletoe Falls, I knew I had to put that wall back up. I couldn’t let myself get caught up with him. Sure he said and did everything right behind closed doors, but what happens in the outside world? His fame mixed with mytell-allworld can only end badly. So I had to make that night disappear, I had to push it from my mind and the second I did, I felt the loss immediately. I didn’t know how to handle it, so I ignored him and everything that had happened.
