Page 78 of Off Limits
‘I didn’t.’
‘That sucks, man. You shouldn’t have to put up with that.’
I wince, because it feels like he might be referring to Lemon, rather than Sam Conway. I’m sure he can take a guess at the latter’s behavior. But Lemon’s got a good nature, despite me having zero attraction toward her.
I rub my eyes. ‘I can handle myself. With the guys. There’s no need to say anything. I’m more pissed at the photographer.’
‘Okay, so long as you’re sure. See you at practice.’
I bid Dalton goodbye, hang up and go online.
NFL RUNNING BACK JAKE WALSH SPARKS ROMANCE RUMOURS WITH MUTINEERS’ OWNER HANK CONWAY’S GRANDDAUGHTER
I sigh when I see the photo, because of course it looks like I’m completely smitten with Lemon. Her head is thrown back, laughing at something I’ve just said. To the outside world, it looks like we’re into one another.
I rest my elbows on my knees, bury my face in my palms. What with losing Monday night’s game, getting knocked back by Serenity and having my picture taken with Lemon for the local gossip pages, it’s not been the best week of my life.
I call Lemon.
‘I’m so happy I wore a pretty dress!’ is her reaction when I tell her.
‘I’m serious, Lemon, people are gonna ask you if we’re together. I need to know what you plan on telling them. This whole dating thing… it was never meant to be public knowledge.’
Plus, Lemon doesn’t know about Serenity.
‘Nobody’s asked me anything,’ Lemon says.
I can’t help but roll my eyes. She’s a sweet enough girl but not always the sharpest tool in the shed. She seems to have no inclination that her mother might have had a photographer waiting near the venue of our date on purpose, so she could hold me hostage, knowing it would be harder for me to wriggle out of taking her daughter out again if people were talking about us like we’re a couple in real life. I bite my lip, infuriated. ‘But they will, Lemon. We need to get our story straight.’
The ‘date’ itself was fine, I guess. I was honest with her, stopping short of speaking about Serenity. I told her that I was interested in someone else. And while I used to think Lemon had a crush on me, something about her behavior around me no longer fits that theory. While at her brother’s wedding, she was making it obvious that she was staring at me, yet I can’t help but wonder whether those initial flirtatious glances were the result of her mother pressuring her into showing an interest. But since we’ve had a few dates, Lemon seems uninterested in me as a potential partner. I’ll be the first to admit it’s confusing.
It all boils down to this being part of her mother’s masterplan. The woman who right now already has mycajónesin a vice. My golden boy reputation doesn’t exactly help. So, while I can’t deny anything, I don’t want to confirm anything either.
‘I’ll call the Mutineers’ publicity team,’ I tell her. ‘If any journalist asks for a statement, we can just say we’re friends and we’re having fun and exploring whether there might be more there. How does that sound?’
Lemon giggles. ‘That sounds fine to me.’
‘Uhhh, Lemon?’
‘Yes?’ she says.
‘Just so we’re clear. We’re not interested in one another, are we? We’re doing this for your mother’s sake, yes? So she gets off your back about finding a serious relationship and I get to keep my spot on the Mutineers. Smoke and mirrors.’
We talked about this. On our so-called date. I don’t know why, but – a little like Serenity – I always get the feeling there’s something Lemon ain’t telling me. ‘Yes, yes, of course,’ she says. ‘Smoke and mirrors.’
‘I’ll call the publicity team now, right?’
‘Right. Right.’
‘Stick to that line, okay?’
‘I sure will.’
When I hang up, I toss my phone and place two hands behind the back of my head.
I’m beginning to really dislike Samantha Conway. There’s no way in any possible universe she didn’t set this up.
It makes me wonder what else is going on that I don’t know about.
