AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So maybe not a fan then?” Her confusion deepens and I’m glad I’m not alone.
“Maybe not. Cooper’s never thought it was a fan. He’s always thought it was me.”
“Does he know you’re talking to me?”
“Yes, he’s been telling me to talk to you the whole time. He basically insisted on it, and I finally agreed. I just hope I’m not adding more stress to you, Mads. I know it’s a lot to deal with with everything you have going on.”
“Bea. Please be serious. You’ve been helping with the stuff with Quentin and with my dad, and you’ve been amazing. If I’d known all this was going on—” She gives me a remorseful look. “I feel awful you didn’t think you could come to me.”
“No! I wanted you to be able to lean on me. I’m here for you. Helping you makes me feel better and helps me get my mind off things. We’re a team.”
“If we’re a team, you should have told me.” She gives me the eye.
“I know, I know. I should have. I’m sorry I didn’t. Like I said, it was the best of intentions.”
“All right, well, like we tell clients… no use in crying over the past. We just have to move forward from here. I’ll talk to Cooper. Meanwhile, give me everything you’ve got in writing. The timeline, copies of the photos, any suspicions, or gut feelings you have. Have you talked to the cops yet?”
“No. I briefly asked around about that, and they told me the cops were unlikely to do anything. With no name and no leads, they’d just file it away and move on. I didn’t want to bother. But Cooper has hired a private investigator in addition to the security team. He wants as many people as we can get looking into it.”
“What about your family, do they know? I feel like your dad would have opinions.”
“He does, and he did. He eased up a little after we hired the guy who used to work for him, but he’s still adamant about me moving home. I told him you and I just started planning to start our own PR firm. I’m not about to abandon you just because of this.”
“Well, first of all, I wouldn’t consider it you abandoning me if you had to do something for your safety, Bea. Your dad definitely has more protection and security than the average person does in their orbit, and unlike some fathers, he actually cares about you and Xander, even if he’s got a shitty way of showing it sometimes.”
“I know he cares, but he’s still insistent that he knows best when Xander and I are fully grown adults.”
“I get it.” Mads nods and smiles at me. “But let’s hope we can just get to the bottom of this between the security folks, the investigator, and me… I think we can figure out what’s going on and, hopefully, get the authorities to handle it from there.”
“Thank you. Truly. I’m so glad to have you in my life.” I reach over and squeeze her hand. It feels like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders just telling her.
“Likewise. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Especially in the last couple of months. You sticking with me while this was all falling apart. But I’m so excited about our PR firm and our plans. I think we’re going to break so much ground.”
“Toast?” I raise my water glass, and she laughs.
“Oh my god. You and your toasts lately.” She gives me a look but it crumbles into a smile and she raises her glass in response.
“There’s been a lot to celebrate!” I say defensively as I clink her glass. We down some water and then finish our orders, going back to discussing our PR and client agenda, and talking about all the holiday plans she has now that she’s moved in with Quentin.
37
Cooper
Quentin, Ramsey, and I are headed into a bar to grab a bite to eat after a particularly brutal practice and a round of ice baths.
“I’m getting too old for this shit,” Ramsey grumbles as he sits down. “Shoulda been like Davis and skipped practice.”
“That’s just going to make socials go crazy with rumors he’s quitting the team. But you’re not too old.” I flatten my lips and shake my head at my old friend.
“You’re both younger than me, so I don’t want to fuckin’ hear it. Davis better get his ass to practice tomorrow. I don’t give a fuck what his agent thinks he can press for by holding out. We’re either a team or we’re not.” Quentin raises a brow at his menu. He’s quickly become the leader around here and the mounting wins in our favor despite some rather heinous trials for him personally mean he’s gained a lot of respect.
I’m flipping through the menu and too busy thinking about Trix to even get involved in that argument right now.
“Something off with you?” Quentin asks.
“Madison didn’t share?” I was hoping to let Trix give the newlyweds as much of the news as she felt comfortable. She’d given me permission though, to discuss it with whoever I felt comfortable telling now that her best friend finally knew.
“She mentioned something’s going on with Bea that she’s worried about. A stalker or something? I didn’t get to talk to her much because we were running in opposite directions this morning.”
