Page 67 of Love on the Line

Chapter 23

Devon tooka seat at the conference room table and added a reminder in his calendar to call Paul. Devon had another shipment to process and a wired payment coming.

He glanced up when Anne tapped on the open door and entered. “Plain Jane Doe” fit her attire. Khaki pants and a loose-fitting sweater. She tried to cover up, but she had curves worth exploring. Couldn’t be soon enough in his book. The bet stipulated no other women until the wager ended, and he was used to getting some on a regular basis.

He noted the dark circles under Anne’s eyes and the tense way she held her head. Sure signs of the strain she’d been under the last couple of days. An extra shot of confidence spiraled through his chest. Today, he’d make his move on her.

Someone had done him a big favor, shaming her on social media. He’d listened to her over the bugs at her place. Her phone hadn’t stopped ringing. She’d talked to Emily about her embarrassment and how much she hated the publicity. And apparently, the Ravens wanted to talk to Pearson about playing again. Anne hadn’t been happy about that at all. Another strike against Pearson.

The conversations he’d overheard between the jock and Anne the last couple of days had been stilted. For all his smooth moves on the field, the guy face-planted when it came to relationship talks.

Anne pulled out a notebook. “I brought a list of questions.”

Devon chose his words carefully, seeing if he could get her to bring up the social media debacle so he could use it to his advantage. “Before we get started, I want to apologize for the situation you were put in.”

Her face flushed. “It certainly wasn’t your fault.”

“Well I didn’t plan it, but I still feel responsible.”

“Why would you feel responsible?” Her eyes widened, and she scooted the chair back. “Oh my God. Did you take the picture?”

Perfect. Almost laughable. His pulse picked up pace. He gave her his best confused expression, followed by one of distress, jerking his head back. “No. You misunderstood. I meant the situation at Toni’s.”

Her face turned redder, and she pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Toni’s?” She grunted. “Believe me, that’s not even on my radar anymore.”

He reached across the table and placed a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. I saw that horrible post. And whoever wrote that caption is blind.”

She let out a weary breath and met his eyes. “It’s so humiliating. So many people have come out of the woodwork, pretending to be sympathetic, but all they really want is to gossip, you know?”

His stomach jumped. Making progress. She was opening up to him. He gave her arm a squeeze. “Yes. Everyone loves drama, and at times like these you find out who your real friends are.”

“Right? It’s so nice to talk to someone who understands.”

Ah. The weak link. Being famous, Pearson was probably used to sloughing off bad press. It went with the territory. News of a possible offer for him to return to the Ravens had boosted the already viral post. Telling Anne to ignore it did nothing to get her out of the unwanted spotlight, and he seemed clueless about how to assuage her feelings.

Devon keyed in or what he hoped would hit home. “I understand. The worst part is the damage it can do to your hard-earned reputation. Something you have to always protect.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. “I know. And I’m a candidate for a vice principal’s job. I’m worried this will affect the decision.”

He arched a brow. Of course he knew about the position, but this presented another opportunity for him. “It’s a valid concern. Where did you apply?”

“Kirby’s Mill.” She squinted and rubbed her chin. “Do you think they’ll factor this into their choice?”

Well, well. As complete and together he’d thought her to be, self-doubts loomed under the surface. Ones he could capitalize on. A sliver of anticipation slinked up his spine.

“I really don’t know.” He drew his hand back and tapped his chin. “I’m friends with the superintendent in that district, though. I’d be more than happy to put in a good word for you.”

She quickly shook her head. “No. I need to do this on my own, but thank you.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind, let me know. Damage control can be difficult, and I’m more than happy to help.” Might as well hype the fear. He didn’t miss the grateful look in her eyes. Mission achieved. “You’re sure there isn’t anything I can do?”

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get into all of that. Not your problem, and I shouldn’t have brought it up.” She opened her notebook. “Let’s get to this list of questions.”

He took his time addressing all of the issues, trying to put her at ease. The confident, reliable source that she could count on. When they finished, Anne packed up. “I think this is all coming together.”

“Thanks to your hard work.” He stood. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Thanks, but that’s not necessary.”

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