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Gio raises an eyebrow, a dark lock of hair falling toward his face. "Come on, Jake. Let's face it. You do have that dashing, knight-in-shining-armor thing going for you. I mean, if this hockey gig doesn’t pan out, you could always try your luck as a soap opera star, considering how much you like to put on a cape for damsels in distress.”
I snort, shaking my head. "Sure, because that’s exactly what I need—more drama. Besides, I’m probably as good at acting as Manning is at dancing."
Manning catches that and throws a roll of tape at me. "Hey, I’ve got moves! You just can’t appreciate them from the penalty box."
Gio chuckles, leaning against the locker, but the grin on my best friend's face falls soon after. "Seriously, man, you do know how bad this looks, right? Especially with those rumors already floating around about you and the coach's daughter last year."
"Ah yes, the infamous non-affair. But let me remind you, nothing happened with the coach's daughter either. She just needed someone to help her fix her car battery. But if this keeps up, I'm going to need to start charging for all this free drama and entertainment I'm providing."
Gio raises an eyebrow skeptically, but before he can say anything else, our coach walks in.
"All right boys, let's focus up," Coach barks out as he enters the locker room.
We all snap to attention, knowing better than to mess around when Coach is in one of his moods.
"I'm sure you've all heard the rumors circulating about Jake and the owner's daughter," Coach continues, his eyes narrowed at me.
My stomach tightens at the look. But before I can say anything, Coach surprises us with his next words.
"Instead of focusing on that nonsense, let's focus on the next game, all right? We're in the playoffs now, gentlemen. That means we're going up against the top teams in the league and I expect each and every one of you to give it your all."
We all nod. I nod the hardest, grateful for Coach's skill at redirection.
But I'm not dumb enough not to know that Coach's stern look can't be good.
Shit. I glance at Gio, my silent gaze saying it all.
He nods slightly, signaling for me to follow him out of earshot. "You need to find out how bad it is, Jake," Gio whispers. "Call Alexandra. She’ll have the dirt."
Alexandra Stevens. Infamous sports journalist. And perpetual bug up my ass.
She was the one who broke the story about me and the coach's daughter, even though there was no story to begin with.
I know if Giovanni is suggesting Alexandra's help, then it's bad. After she helped publish an article last year entitled, "Gio 'The Icebreaker' De Luca Melts More Hearts Than Ice with His Bad Boy Antics", he dislikes the media twice as much as I do.
But he's right. I need to know what rumors are swirling around now before it becomes a bigger issue.
After a full shower and outfit change into a button-down shirt and jeans, I sneak away to give Alexandra a call. Surprisingly, she answers on the first ring.
"Well, well, if it isn't Captain Screws-A-Lot in the middle of another scandal," Alexandra answers in her trademark sarcastic tone.
"Always a pleasure, Alexandra. Heard you might have some info on this latest tabloid masterpiece starring yours truly?"
"Seriously, Jacob,” Alexandra sighs, the sound heavy over the line. "You need to get a hobby that doesn’t involve causing mass hysteria."
"Oh, come on now, Alex. You know trouble finds me. It’s not like I send it an engraved invitation."
"Well, maybe you should start," she snaps back. "At least then, I'd have something original to write about."
"I'm laughing on the inside," I quip. "But seriously, what's the damage this time? Do I need to start stocking up on canned goods and hiding in my bunker?"
Her tone shifts, becoming more business-like. "All right, Casanova. The gist of it is, those nasty whispers are making the rounds again, and some are pretty colorful."
"Colorful?"
"You know, the usual—true love, secret trysts, and your inability to recognize the boundaries of common decency. Boundaries like…oh, I don't know…not canoodling with the big boss's daughter?"
"For your information, being nice to someone and being romantically involved are two completely different things," I retort.
