Page 21 of Pick Six
This is the way it is when things get desperate in the nonprofit world. There was no delineation between your personal life and your work life. Anything and everything had to be leveraged to save the cause. Most of the time I fell in line on that front, but the idea of leveraging Alex’s celebrity for this when we are already in an awkward situation makes me bristle. The last thing I want to do is make our dynamic any more complicated and asking for those kinds of favors is bound to make it more convoluted than it already is.
“As I said, it’s kind of new. I don’t like to ask him for those sorts of things.”
“But you know each other pretty well, right? For a while? You pointed him out to me. Wasn’t your ex-husband involved with him somehow?” My boss offers up.
She means well. Where Ashley is all strategy and cutthroat take-the-bull-by-the-horns attitude, my boss has a sweeter disposition. One where she’s a little aloof and clueless, and therefore offers up details like this that no one needs.
“My ex is his agent, yes,” I say quietly.
Anderson whistles under his breath. I want to kick him under the table. I feel the creep of embarrassment up my spine and I want to die that I’m having this conversation at a work meeting.
“Good for you.” Ashley gives me a sly grin, assessing me as she sees me through new eyes.
“Don’t we have more important things to talk about?” I point to the meeting notes in front of me.
“Sure, but please reconsider talking to him. It really could move the needle.” She shoots me a pointed look.
“I’ll think about it,” I say tersely, annoyed she won’t stop pushing.
* * *
Later that afternoonI’m sitting in my office, holding my phone and trying to think of a way to even approach Alex on this. The last thing I want to do is ask for a favor, but I’m kind of doing him a favor, aren’t I? Being the loyal girlfriend he doesn’t actually have. It’s really just an exchange of favors if I ask for his help. I could do this.
If I needed a favor from you… would you be willing?
ALEX
Depends on the favor, Saint
Well… Since you or Sam decided to let the public in on our budding relationship, someone at my work knows now and I’m being asked if my boyfriend could maybe show some public support for the levy or matching funds. I don’t want to ask, but also, I’m in this situation because we’re together so…
I was going to ask you and Violet what I could do anyway, so no problem. Just let me know what you need.
Really? That easy?
I mean, I’m sure I’ll find a way for you to pay me back.
He sends a little devil emoji after, and I give my phone the side-eye. Not that I would necessarily mind paying him back.Ugh. I knew this was a terrible idea. I’m already having little fantasies about him and his stupid smile and his stupid abs. I need none of it. He is a massive distraction. A thing that could never happen in real life even if we wanted it to because he is who he is, and I am who I am. Plus the laundry list of entanglements he has with Drew whom I want nothing to do with. And that’s all assuming he would betray his friend in the first place.
While I definitely could tell Alex was unhappy with Drew for what he’d done, they’d still been friends for three or four times as long as I’d known either of them. They went way back and given they both viewed women as entertainment more than partners, I doubt he’d risk shattering his friendship over me. The only reason this is working at all is that Drew is in on our little ruse and gave reluctant approval. That right there was enough to irritate me all over again—that I’m doing something with his approval and oversight, still, even after the divorce.
I just hope this stupid game we’re playing is over soon.
ELEVEN
Alex
That nightI meet Drew for drinks at one of his favorite places. I’m really not in the fucking mood for any conversation he wants to have given that I’d guess they all revolve around her, and we’re never going to see eye to eye. But I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt this once, mostly because I want the opportunity to tell him to go fuck himself if he does anything but tell me what a piece of shit he is for treating her the way he did.
“Thanks for meeting me. I know you have a lot going on,” he says when he reaches the table, late as usual.
I shrug half-heartedly and take a sip of the drink I’d ordered while I waited.
“Sounds like you have less these days.”
“I don’t know what she told you about how things went down or why we got divorced but I’m well aware I fucked up where she’s concerned.”
“I told you before you got married to her that you needed to get your shit in order. That she wasn’t going to put up with any of it.”
