Page 8 of Meet Your Match
Except the very next weekend after his brother’s wedding, he broke up with me — and his parents made sure I understood why.
It had been two years, and still, my chest stung with the reminder of that heartbreak, of how I’d held fast to every memory of our relationship, and sobbed for a week straight before I finally shoved it all into a box.
I still had that box, though.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to let go of it, ofhim, entirely.
I was vaguely aware that it wasn’t fair to judge an entire class or system by the action of one jerk and his family, but since no one had yet to prove me wrong, I was steadfast in my beliefs.
And Vince Tanev was of the James Baldridge variety —thatI was sure of.
I scrolled all the way to the top of his profile again, tapping on the little arrow that would take me back to my feed.
Except my nail hit the edge of my phone case, and my thumb dropped down on his profile picture instead — therefore, pulling up his latest story.
“Shit,” I cursed, clicking out of it before I even saw what it was. Panic zipped through me with mortification right on its heels.
And then I laughed out loud at myself, because the likelihood thatVince Coolever looked at who viewed his stories was nonexistent.
But what if hedid?
“Good morning, gorgeous.”
I jumped a little at the knock that came on my doorframe with those words, locking my phone screen and tossing it on my desk. Reya didn’t seem to notice as she slid inside the office with Camilla on her heels.
Reya and Camilla were the founders of Tampa Bae Babes. Both Cuban-American and born and raised in the area, it had started as nothing more than two best friends posting about the places they loved around the Bay. Reya had long brown hair, wide brown eyes, an athletic, petite body, and the kind of calm and inviting smile that could make you confess all your secrets. Camilla, on the other hand, was tall and slender like a model, with short hair angled at her chin, sharp facial features, and gray eyes that sparked with her goofy grin. Where Reya was calm and serene, Camilla was loud and enigmatic, the two of them together making the perfect storm.
Somewhere along the way, they’d become the number one source for locals and tourists, alike.
They went from only running an Instagram, to having real estate on every social channel imaginable, including TikToks that went viral without them trying, a YouTube channel with more views than any other Tampa-based outlet, and the podcast, which had crested half-a-million listeners at the end of last year.
Everyone knew the Babes. They weren’t just gorgeous, but funny and smart, too. They were like celebrities when they ventured out on the town, and one visit from them could catapult a local business overnight.
One area they were lacking in, however, was community wellness, which was a big reason why they’d pulled me on to work for them. Of course, they were also lacking in the sports arena, and according to their business strategy, that ranked higher.
“We have the opportunity of a lifetime for you,” Camilla said, clapping her hands like she was going to burst at the seams while she waited for Reya to tell me what thisopportunitywas.
“Your coverage of the Gibson Gala is our highest performing content of the week. The owners ofall three teamshave reached out to tell us how much they appreciated us being there,” Reya said. “They’ve had numerous sponsorship offers roll in, and they’re tickled pink.”
“That’s great,” I mused.
“And,” Camilla added with one finger pointed into the air. “The general manager of the Ospreys loved the attention we brought to their philanthropic efforts, particularly that delicious photograph of Vince Tanev and his handmade vase that raised ten-thousand dollars.”
I’d never fought so hard not to roll my eyes in my life.
“He loved itsomuch,” Reya continued. “That he asked if we had any ideas to drum up excitement now that the season is underway. We have four back-to-back home games in early November, and he wants to pack the stands.”
“We pitched an idea off the cuff,” Camilla said, and my head whipped between the two trying to keep up.
“Thinking nowaywould he go for it,” Reya added.
“But hedid!”
Camilla and Reya bounced excitedly, and I just blinked before a little laugh puffed out of me. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my desk. “Go on, spit it out.”
“We have a Tampa Bae Babes exclusive, something never done before.” Camilla spread her hands over the space between us as if she was painting a picture. “One Month with Tampa’s Hotshot Rookie — Vince Cool.”
I hoped I kept my features schooled when those words tumbled out of my boss’s mouth, that I didn’t blink too much and she couldn’t hear how tight my throat was with my next smile.
