Page 49 of Ruck Me Harder

“Take a break,” Ross announces, making a note on his clipboard. “We’ll regroup in a few.”

When I catch a glance at Coach’s face, he actually looks amused rather than pissed.

I make my way over to where Vivienne and Cari are waiting. A sudden bout of awkwardness overtakes me. What do I do? Do I hug her? Kiss her? Shake her hand?

She surprises me again when she reaches for me and pulls me into a hug.

“Hi,” Vivienne says, before she gives me a quick peck on the lips. “I wanted to see you.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” I tell her, and I’m surprised to find that it’s one hundred percent true.

Did I expect it? No.

Will there be repercussions for me? Possibly.

Do I want to send her away? Not at all.

Leaning down, I brush my lips against hers again, more firmly this time. She lets out a soft sigh.

“You two are gross,” Cari says. But she’s grinning, happiness bright in her eyes. I don’t think she’s upset in the slightest at this development.

Gently, I shove my sister’s shoulder, and she laughs.

“My agent wants to talk to you,” Vivienne says out of nowhere.

I blink. “What? Why?”

“Do you have an agent?”

“Why would I need one?” I almost laugh. I don’t get major social media endorsements. The few I have, I’ve done the legwork of reaching out to the brands and pitching myself. I don’t do it very often because I have trouble believing they’re interested in working with me. Usually Brody has to peer pressure me into sending the email.

“Well, she wants to sign you,” she says. “A few of my sponsors have reached out. They approve of us.”

My stomach drops. Is that something we have to consider, how other people perceive us?

“If there is an us,” Vivienne adds quickly.

“There is,” I tell her quietly. “I’d like there to be.”

“Well, this is one of the bonuses of dating me. Pump It Up Protein wants to do a collaboration.” Her smile is strained. “You don’t have to. It’s totally fine if you’re not interested.”

“What would it be?” I hold my breath. I almost don’t want to know.

“It would be eight posts over eight weeks, we’d get paid five for each post. We’d record videos of ourselves drinking their protein and talking it up.” She blows out a breath. “It’s a lot. I know. Especially since we—well, it’s a lot of pressure.”

My mind is spinning. “Can I think about it?”

Vivienne nods. “Yeah. I totally get it. I gave my agent your email, she’s sending you some details to look over.”

It’s a lot of pressure to put on a new relationship. What happens if, on week three, she decides she wants nothing to do with me? All for five hundred dollars a post? Sure, I wouldn’t sneeze at an extra four thousand dollars, but not if it means jeopardizing what we have.

“This probably isn’t the time.” I glance back over at Coach Jack, who’s talking to Ross and glancing in our direction.

“Just think it over. Forty thousand dollars could be huge toward paying for vet school.”

“Four—” I blink a few times. “I thought you said it was five hundred a post.”

Vivienne shakes her head. “Five thousand dollars a post. Times eight posts. That means you’d get forty thousand. All you have to do is put up with me for eight weeks.” She gives me an awkward, uncomfortable smile.