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“Well,” she starts. “For the most part…the internet kind of loves this.”
“But it’s not true,” I counter, handing her phone back to her.
“Right, and I know that, but…” She bites at her lower lip, shrugging one shoulder. “I mean…they’re finally not talking about you and your ex.”
“But it’s not true,” I repeat more firmly.
“I know that. I know.” She reaches to rub the space between her eyes, sighing. “Listen, I was speaking to Delilah’s team, and we think we have an opportunity here.”
I narrow my eyes. “What kind of an opportunity?”
“I just mean…if the internet continues to think that something might be going on between the two of you, it’s a chance to kind of reshape your public opinion, given how popular the idea of it seems to be with the general public.”
I feel my mouth part in surprise as I process what she’s saying. “You want me to…lie?”
“Not lie,” she says quickly. “We don’t want you to make any official statements. Nothing like that.”
I can tell by the look on her face there’s more to it. “But…?”
“But…we might think it’s a good idea to…encourage the rumors.”
“Encourage the rumors,” I echo dumbly.
“Yes! You know…You’re friends, right? Just be friends. Exactly like you would otherwise. But just…be friends out in public. Be seen together. Keep people talking about something other than your past.”
I can feel myself actively gaping. Is she serious right now?
“That’s not much different than lying,” I counter weakly.
“It’s distinct enough to make sure we can’t be held liable for anything.” She cocks her hip, looking down at me where I’m sitting from the high vantage point her sharp heels give her. “You have to admit, it’s a simple but effective idea.”
I weigh her words in my head, letting them simmer as I try to see things from her point of view. On the one hand, the fact that the internet is talking about anything else but my history with Mei is fantastic, but on the other…
To exploit Lila like that? It feels…wrong.
“This isn’t fair to Lila,” I say finally.
Leilani shakes her head. “On the contrary, her team thinks it’s a great idea. Good for ratings and viewer boosts. This could be great for her show. The episode you did has only been out since last night, and it’s already the highest-viewed episode they’ve had since her first six months on air.”
Damn. I haven’t watched the episode yet; I haven’t been able to get myself to while still feeling awkward about that spoon incident, worried that if I saw it played back I might reexperience all the strange feelings I felt in the actual moment. I can’t pretend the idea of helping Lila doesn’t make my chest swell though.
“And Lila? What does she say about all this?”
“They’re calling her in to discuss it now, but they’re confident she’ll agree. Her show really needs the boost. There’s been talk of cuts.”
My pulse thuds angrily. “They want to cut her show?”
“It’s just talk,” Leilani corrects. “For now.”
I consider that, staring into my lap. “And you think this could help?”
“We think this could be great for both of you,” she stresses. “And you’re friends, right? It’s a no-brainer.”
Friends. It feels like a complicated word, even though it should be simple. Friends don’t think about each other the way I haven’t been able to make myself stop thinking about Lila since I saw her again. I can only imagine that any level of encouraging rumors about there being something between us can only make those feelings worse.
“For how long?”
“At least until training camp is over,” Coach cuts in, leaning onto his elbows, which are braced against his desk. “Once everyone starts to see you playing for us again, once they remember what you can do for Boston, they won’t give a shit about your love life.”
