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He presses his lips together and nods. “And I also think it would be a good idea for the two of you to have a public falling out. It’ll make this more believable to people like Rivera, who already have some inside intelligence on you.” He motions between himself and Sam with the word this, and he turns toward me at the end.
I know he’s right.
But that doesn’t mean there’s a single part of me that likes it.
“What if we have a public falling out because you two get engaged?” I ask. The words slip out as a ridiculous suggestion. A joke. A way to poke fun at this utterly ludicrous situation.
But to my complete shock, Lincoln turns slowly in my direction. He pins me to my place with his gaze for a beat, and then he says, “Now there is an idea.”
“What?” Sam gasps.
My eyes widen as I just stare at him.
“Do we want this to be believable?” he asks. “I just said I need to escalate things with Sam. That would be escalating them.”
“I was kidding!” I protest.
“I thought escalate meant, like, making more appearances together,” Sam says. “Not getting engaged. I can’t get engaged to you. What would Cade think? I feel guilty for leading him to believe we’re together in the first place.” She shakes her head. “Forget it. It’s a no from me.”
“Okay,” Lincoln says, holding up his hands. “I’ll drop it. But the offer is on the table if you change your mind.”
Maybe he’s right.
Regardless, as for my part, well…I need to have a very public fight with my best friend just to ensure nobody puts two and two together.
And after the event, I’ll go home. I’ll put on a hoodie and take Sam’s car to Lincoln’s place, where I’ll get to spend the night with him. Alone.
That part I’m looking forward to.
The rest? Not so much.
“I need to go,” I say, and I turn to leave.
Lincoln grabs my arm on the way by and somehow spins me so I fall against his chest. “Hey, Jo. We’re doing this so we can be together. Don’t forget that.”
I blink my eyes a few times to try to ward off the tears, and then I nod. He presses a soft kiss to my lips before I head out the door.
And as I make my way toward the hotel on the Strip where the event is located tonight, I can’t help but think this is all wrong.
It’s silly to hide what the two of us have. It’s putting more strain on us when we’re adults who can make these decisions for ourselves.
Maybe I should just come clean to my parents. Maybe it won’t really be so bad.
But as I navigate through the crowded streets toward my destination and walk into the event where some of the coaches, players, guests, and members of the media—including Ryan Rivera—are already starting to gather ahead of tonight’s event, the rest of the reality grips me. It’s not just the fact that our families will feel the harsh sense of betrayal.
It’s my job as a reporter representing women in a field that doesn’t have enough women in it.
It’s Lincoln’s job as a coach who’s new to this city trying to navigate his first season with the press on his side.
I’m reminded for the millionth time why we can’t be together, and I’m left with a sharp sense of despair that only worsens when the man I love walks in with his date…my best friend.
CHAPTER 31: JOLENE
I pay no attention to the couple who just walked in the room, instead forcing myself to focus on the conversation I’m having with Mike Sharp, the offensive coordinator.
But everyone else’s attention seems to have turned that way. They’re Vegas’s newest power couple or something like that. At least that’s what I hear some woman close by murmur under her breath.
My stomach turns over as I think about it.
