Page 85 of The Purest Fake

“Yeah, I am. But, of course, I wanted him to tell me I could return to practice tomorrow.”

Her smile turns sympathetic. “I’m sure you did, but this progress is still good. You’ll be back on the field in no time.”

I nod, trying to stay positive. “You’re right. I just need to focus on my recovery and not get too impatient.”

“Exactly. Now, are you ready to be a podcast star?” She wiggles her eyebrows, gesturing toward the area where I’ll be seated.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I laugh. “Just go easy on me, okay?”

“No promises,” she teases, leading the way farther into the studio. “This is Tommy. He handles all the technical aspects for me,” she says, introducing me to the guy behind a row of computers, who gives me a brief wave.

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

“And this is Doug. He films the podcast and makes me look good.”

He looks up from his camera to give me a quick nod.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say.

There are three club chairs set in a semi circle around her desk. “You can sit here.” She points to the middle one.

I sink into the seat and watch Scarlett move about the studio. Lost in her element, she adjusts the equipment while explaining the process. “Okay, so we’ll start with some casual conversation to warm up and then I’ll ask you some football questions.”

“Sounds good.”

I hear the studio door open behind me.

“Hey!” Scarlett hurries over in that direction, and when I cast a glance over my shoulder, she’s hugging both of the people who just came in. I don’t get a good look at their faces.

“How are you doing, sweetie?” the guy with the long blond hair asks, his voice sounding familiar.

“I’m great, thanks. Guys, this is Cooper Grind, a tight end for the Virginia Silverbacks.”

I rise and am walking between the chairs when she says, “Cooper, this is Jesse Gunn and Wyatt Douglas.”

“Holy shit,” I say, hurrying over to them. “I had no idea you guys would be here.”

Scarlett giggles. “Surprise!”

I shake their hands while at the same time trying not to embarrass myself by acting like an overly eager fanboy… even though I am. “I’m a huge fan of you both,” I say.

Jesse smiles. “Thanks, man. It’s always great to meet fans, especially badass football players.”

“Yeah, we’ve been following your season too,” Wyatt adds. “You’ve been making some impressive plays.”

I smile so wide my cheeks tense. “Wow, thank you. Coming from you, that means so much.”

“All right,” Scarlett cuts in. “Let’s save some of your mutual fanboying for the actual podcast.”

“Fair enough,” Jesse says, chuckling.

We take our seats while Scarlett situates herself behind the desk. She places earphones on and does a final sound check with Tommy. She looks to Doug for his thumbs up, giving her the cue to start.

“Hey, everyone. Welcome to another episode ofWanna Tussle?I’m your host, Scarlett St. James, and I have a special episode for you. Joining me are three incredibly talented athletes. Cooper Grind, tight end for the Virginia Silverbacks, and wrestling superstars Jesse Gunn and Wyatt Douglas. Thank you all for being here.”

I let Jesse and Wyatt respond before I do. I feel energized by their presence and can’t believe this is happening. “Thank you for having me.”

“So, Cooper, let’s start with you. How are you enjoying your rookie season with the Silverbacks?” she asks, sounding friendly yet professional.

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