Page 180 of Rebound
“I love the optimism, but it’s already being reported by ESPN,” Ford says. “Lucky for you, if there’s one thing my family knows, it’s a PR crisis. Say the word and I’ll have the best crisis management firms on the line in a minute.”
As long as they believe me, I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I realize now reputation is such a fickle thing. Look at Roman, everyone believes he has a bad reputation, but he doesn’t care. And he’s all the better for it.
“You guys are doing it all wrong,” Reese says. “What you need is a shovel, some nitric acid, and a pick-up truck. We’re not going to react right now. We’re going to wait until the ice has thawed, until everyone has forgotten about this little incident. Then as winter hits and the ponds are going to ice again that’s when you attack. We grab Josh. We get rid of him. Throw his body into a pond, watch it ice over. By the time they find him the following year, all the evidence is gone.”
The silence is so loud you can hear a pin drop. Slowly, I sit up and turn my head around to look at Reese. I’m glad to know thatI’m not the only one with the horrified look on my face. Reese watches us back innocently, sitting there in a floral print shirt that wouldn’t look out of place on a sixty-year-old man’s closet living in Florida.
Holden claps a hand onto his back. “What? You all thought he’s innocent? This guy is a freak, man. He watches true crime documentaries for fun and listens to true crime murder podcasts to relax.”
“Uh, thank you, Reese. That’s a solid plan,” Mom says, raising a hand to play with her earring. “But we’ll keep it as plan B.”
“More like plan Z,” Drew says. “We’re not going to kill anyone.”
“I’d be up for it,” Roman says.
“Me, too,” Jules adds.
Reese rubs his hands together, eyes lighting up with excitement. “Okay, we have three for Plan B. Who else wants to join us?”
“Do you guys believe me?” I want to be sure they do and that they’re not standing up for me because they’re either related to me, or they’re loyal to my brother.
“Baby, what kind of question is that?” Roman asks, incredulous. “Of course, we believe you. We know you.”
They all nod in agreement like questioning their loyalty is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.
“Why is he saying all of this now? Almost a year after the wedding?” Gran asks. She’s as confused as to the rest of us about the timing of it all.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’re going to be playing the Falcons in two nights,” Roman says. “I think some of it might have to do with me as well. He’s always hated me because I didn’t bow down and kiss the ring. He’s always reminded me a lot of my father.”
Dad glances at him, understanding flickering in his eyes. He hasn’t said much about the whole thing.
“He’s definitely King Douchebag of the Douchebag Collective,” Jules agrees.
“Lavinia will need to make a statement,” Ford says. “She’s a public figure and she has a large following that’s growing every day. She can’t disappear and not say anything about this.”
“We should start by contacting one of your crisis management firms,” Dad says. “They will be able to advise us on next steps.”
“I’m going to lose so many contracts and brand deals,” I say.
“Let them go,” Roman says, face hardening with anger on my behalf. “If they can’t see that you’re right and this man’s trying to ruin you, then they don’t deserve you in the first place. You’re Lavinia Callahan, and Josh is a ripple in the pond. He’ll never be able to achieve your level of success and he knows it. That’s why he’s doing this. I was on a team with him for two years and his biggest fear was that he’s not going to make it to the Hall of Fame. You achieved more in your career than he ever could.”
His face softens and he kisses my forehead. “I’m the luckiest man alive because I get to exist in the same timeline as you.”
A warm glow fills me from the inside. People can say what they want, but nothing’s going to change the fact that I’m in love with the most perfect man. He’s never made me feel small, never made me feel inadequate, never made me feel like I wasn’t enough. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have him in my life.
“Now we both have a bad reputation,” I say.
“Ma petite etoile, it doesn’t matter whether it’s good, bad, or ugly. We’re in this together, and you’re never getting rid of me.”
I can’t say that it doesn’t calm the insecurities inside me.
“No regrets?”
He tugs me against his side, holding me close. “You don’t regret the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“Aw, isn’t that cute,” Jules coos. “Some of us are single, you know.”
“By choice,” I remind her. “Not because there’s a drought of single men.”
