Ryan: Couldn’t agree more.
Jace: So you think I’m good-looking then?
It takes me a moment to catch on but then I laugh. Jace might be the most focused out of our group, but he’s a fun guy to be around. Not as outrageously flirty and amped up as Hunter is but a close second.
Ryan: Fuck off, you’re too pretty for me.
Jace: Aww, I love you too, old man.
Ryan: Go annoy Noah. Maybe he needs some cheering up.
Jace: Already did that. He was grumpier than usual. Maybe he needs to get laid.
Noah is in need of more than just a good lay, but it’s not my place to talk about it with Jace.
Ryan: Maybe.
Jace: I’m off to bed. See you in the morning.
Jace: And remember to keep an eye out for Natasha. We don’t need her to stir up shit.
Ryan: Agreed. Thanks again.
Jace sends a thumbs-up emoji, and I stare at it for a moment before I exhale loudly. Fucking Natasha. What am I going to do now? I wanted to invite Harper out for dinner tomorrow night, or maybe to see a movie. That will be incredibly risky with that crazy blogger out and about.
I can’t drag Harper into this part of my life, especially not with how fragile our relationship is. Normally, we don’t have to deal with a ton of reporters or paparazzi in our line of sport, thankfully, but it happens every once in a while. Which is fine as long as it stays civil. Unfortunately, Natasha Leopolt doesn’t know what that means. She’s worse than the other reporters and paparazzi combined.
All the anger and frustration from my last relationship comes back. The drama. I remember it like it was yesterday.
“Sit down, son. We need to have a chat.” And, of course, I sit, because this isMr. Lewis, the owner of the luxury watchmaker I signed a huge sponsorship with last year. I’d also thought he might be my father-in-law at some point. It’s because of him I put down my first payment on the house. “As of today, your contract with The Lewis Group has been terminated.”
“Terminated? Why? What do you mean?” I ask, because what the fuck? I’m swimming with strength, working hard for the Olympics in two years. Everything’s on track. This can’t be happening. “I don’t understand, Mr. Lewis. What’s—”
“Did you honestly believe you could dump my daughter and there would be no consequences?”
What? This is about Melody?
“With all due respect, sir—”
“Don’t with all due respect me, Ryan. Someone who treats women with such disregard will not keep a sponsorship with our creditable brand. I won’t stand for it.”
I want to tell him that my personal relationship has nothing to do with my job, but I can tell he won’t hear it. And treating his daughter with disregard, my ass. This is all sorts of fucked. “My sponsorships are part of my job. Surely, they’re not determined by who I date, or in this case, not date,” I plead, hating that this is happening. Hating to beg. But this is about my life. About my future.
Melody called it quits with me, saying she didn’t want to be tied to a swimmer for the rest of her life. This can’t be right.
“That’s where you’re wrong. This sponsorship has been terminated due to the total disregard for my daughter’s well-being, and that’s final.” He places his hands on his desk in front of him and levels me with a stare so ruthless, I wonder why I’ve never seen this side of him before. “You may leave my office, Monroe.”
Somehow, Natasha knew someone who’d worked for Mr. Lewis and decided to deliver a very shocking and theatrical retelling of that conversation for the whole internet to see. The engagement of her post went through the roof because who doesn’t like some dirt on athletes or other public figures?
Thankfully, it blew over fairly quickly, but I definitely learned my lesson.
No mixing business with pleasure on any level. It’s not worth the possible fallout.
Now I just need to warn Harper somehow about the possibility of being watched if we go out somewhere. Because that’s not a total mood killer.
I push myself out of the office chair and turn off all of the lights downstairs. After checking the doors again, I go upstairs to my bedroom, heading straight for the bathroom to get ready.
One question keeps circling around in my head: What’s the best way to approach this topic with Harper?