Page 131 of Divorced from Number Thirty-Eight
So many it seems like the only thing the internet is talking about right now is me.
And Gray.
Twisting what we have.
Making me sound?—
I clamp down on the sickening thought.
This has affected Gray far more than it’s affected me. He’s endured this before, barely allowed himself to believe we could be different…
And now my career is affecting his.
Because the Grizzlies have been distant, slow to return his calls, and the only statement they released…
They’re “monitoring” the situation.
Is this the straw that breaks the camel’s back?
Am I going to be his downfall? Not Courtney?
Stomach churning, world having been tipped so violently on its axis, I try to think my way through this.
But I don’t have any good answers as Marie and my agent, Nalini, keep talking, as my gaze drifts toward Gray where he’s sitting at the dining room table, out of camera view, but still here for me. No. He’s here…but he’s also not. His mind has taken him someplace else. His heart fighting him. The shame and embarrassment slicing his insides to ribbons.
Because of me.
Nalini draws me back into the conversation. “The optics aren’t good, Faye. Especially after the controversy a few seasons ago—sexualizing athletes, the line between fantasies and TikToks and the real-lives of the players getting blurred.” She shakes her head. “Now we’re adding in your career and Gray’s notoriety and the fact that your books are already being review bombed…”
I close my eyes.
“Not to mention, the trolls on your social media posts and your ads, and um…the unfollows.”
My throat goes tight.
“The Grizzlies publicity team has reached out and we’re coordinating with them along with your publisher’s team, trying to turn this into a positive,” Marie chimes in.
“They have?” I blurt, relief a cool wash through me.
Gray’s eyes come to mine and the hope in them has my mind clearing, my focus returning.
We can get through this.
We can.
“They have, and we’re going to combine efforts. But babe,” she says carefully, “we’re way behind the posts, and honestly…I’m not sure how we can possibly spin this into something good at this point.”
That hope fades from Gray’s eyes, and that cool wash of relief becomes a burning worry singeing my nerves.
Because there’s something worse coming.
I can feel it.
“And there’s also one other thing,” Nalini says and it’s not gentle…it’s so beyond gentle I feel my throat close up, my pulse begin speeding through my veins, hammering behind my ears so loudly that I can barely hear her as she continues speaking. “The publisher’s pausing your upcoming release.”
“What?” I gasp.
“Just until things calm down and we can get ahead of the press,” she hurries to add. “Then we’ll?—”
