Page 24 of Honkers Under the Holly

I reached for the phone, trying not to disturb her. The notifications made me freeze.

Tommy Frayzer #HolidayProposal trending

Illustrated Sports drops behind-the-scenes footage of NFL star’s surprise proposal

L.A. Bandits’ running back engaged to plus-size model in viral Christmas shoot

“That’s... not good,” I muttered.

“Mmm?” Sara Jayne lifted her head, sleep-tousled and gorgeous. “What’s not good?”

I showed her the screen just as an email notification popped up. This one was from a major athletic wear brand I’d been trying to get interested in doing a sponsorship with Tommy for months. They were one of the top reasons I was trying to get Tommy a better image.

I guess sexy Santa settling down with a naughty but nice girl was the image they wanted.

“Oh, no.” She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest. “The proposal shot. But it wasn’t real.”

“Try telling that to the internet.” I scrolled through the comments on Illustrated Sports InstaSnap post. “Everyone loves Tommy, the bad boy with a heart of gold, proposing to the curvy model who helped reform his image.”

“But we’re the ones who are...” she trailed off, biting her lip.

“Actually in love?” I pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Yeah, funny how that worked out.”

Sara Janye’s smile lit up the universe. “You’re... you... did you?”

“Say I was in love with you?” I sure as shit did. And I meant it. “Because I am. I love you Sara Jayne.”

She yanked me down for a soul deep kiss. “Ich liebe Dich.”

I didn’t need an interpreter for that one.

Her phone started ringing, and Magda’s name flashed on the screen. Damn. We were in for... something. Magda thought Sara Jayne and I were engaged. She was going to either flip her lid or fire us from this house sitting job or, well, I had no idea. But we’djust gone from being the boring couple to something decidedly un-boring in the last twenty-four hours.

“Don’t answer it,” I said, but she was already reaching for it. I wanted to live in our little love bubble for just a smidgen longer.

“Magda, hi. I can explain—” She winced at whatever the woman who held her career in her hands was saying. “No, no, I’m not cheating on Mac, and I’m not engaged to Tommy. It was just part of the shoot. I’ll get it cleared up...”

She glanced over at me with wide, worried eyes and shook her head. This wasn’t going well. Shit. I had to do something to fix it. But what the hell that was, I had no idea.

Where was Sir Honksalot to the rescue with his particular brand of shattering any tension when you needed him?

“Yes, I know it’s all over... What? How many booking inquiries?”

I watched her eyes go from worried to wide with surprise at whatever number Magda was saying. She grabbed my arm and squeezed. Something big was happening, and it didn’t seem like it was anything bad.

Meanwhile, my own phone was blowing up with more inquiries of everything from a diamond ring company to pet food people suddenly very interested in Tommy’s wholesome new image. I turned my phone for Sara Jayne to see and I didn’t think her expressions could get anymore excited or surprised.

Sara Jayne hung up and we both just sat there stunned for a minute. “It’s like the entire world wants me and Tommy. Just because we got fake engaged? I don’t get it.”

“Babe, it’s not about the engagement... I don’t think. It’s the discoverability factor in being on the cover of Illustrated Sports. And...” this was going to kill me, but there was no way I was holding her back from a once in a lifetime opportunity to make her career, “I think you and Tommy shouldn’t correct the media. Just go with it, and ride the wave of popularity while you can.”

“What? No. I’m in love with you, remember?”

“Sweetheart. We both know that. I’m not going anywhere and my love isn’t some fragile thing that a few rumors or misunderstandings can break by people out there in the world that don’t matter. But this could be so good for your career, and honestly, Tommy’s too. This could give us both the boost we need in our careers.”

“Or it could blow up in our faces when everyone finds out it’s not real.”

She turned to face me, and even with this chaos brewing, all I could think about was how beautiful she looked wearing nothing but sunlight and my sheets. “That will not happen. You’ve already told Magda, and obviously Tommy knows. Those are the only people who could blow the secret. This will work.”

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