Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Hemi and Hammer clap.
Dallas grins.
After a moment, Hemi clears her throat. “Dallas makes a good point. If you run with the truth, they will back off, which is what we want. A ruined dress is a whole lot more appealing than a ruined reputation. Plus, it paints you as the boyfriend who literally gave his girlfriend the shirt off his back to save her from the humiliation the media is happy to shower her with.”
“This could work,” I muse. “Whatever I can do to make it easier for Tally. How soon can you get me an interview?”
Hemi reaches for her phone. “I can have someone here in half an hour.”
“Make the call. That will give us enough time to prep.”
Hemi secures the exclusive interview.
“Anything I need to know about the journalist?” I ask once she’s off the phone.
“She went to Tilton and her brother plays pro hockey in Chicago. She’s been following your story and is on our side, so it’ll be a fair interview.”
Connor appears in the doorway, hand poised to knock. He rests it on the jamb instead. “I’m glad to see you’re still alive.” His gaze falls on me. “My wife would be exceptionally sad if Vander Zee unalived you to death for having sex with his daughter in a public bathroom.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“I’m aware. My wife filled me in. So why haven’t you released a public statement?”
“We’re working on that now,” I grumble.
“You should work faster. Your girlfriend getting her period is far less scandalous.” Connor inspects his nails. “They should have had supplies in the bathroom for her.”
“It was too late for that.”
“Oh my gosh! I have the best idea!” Hammer slaps the table.
Everyone startles.
“Sorry.” She wiggles around in her chair. “But hear me out.” She holds up both hands. “What if we have a tampon toss?”
Hemi wrinkles her nose. “The visual on that is not appealing.”
“Like the teddy bear toss, but we do it with period supplies. Let’s spin this around on the media and do something good with it. There are all kinds of women’s shelters looking for feminine hygiene products.”
“And the group homes,” Connor adds. “We had a similar incident with Everly.”
“Poor thing.”
“I’ve learned a lot about tampons in the past couple of years.”
“I love this idea, and we will run with it.” Hemi points at me. “And you will be the one to promote it during this interview.”
“I’ll get started on graphics and T-shirts!” Hammer says.
“I’ll go on a coffee run,” Dallas offers.
“I’ll have Meems threaten to pull advertising funding from the networks who are incessantly posting those pictures of you and Tally,” Connor says.
“Because you don’t want your wife to be sad if I end up traded?” I ask.
He blinks steadily at me. “I never want my wife to be sad, but I also don’t enjoy watching the media create unnecessary drama.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Good luck with the interview.” Connor leaves us to it.
Hemi, Hammer, and I spend the next twenty minutes talking things through.
“I want to make sure the focus stays on the present, on me and Tally.” I’ve seen a couple photos of me and Fiona floating around out there, and I really don’t want that to come up now.
“I think we all want the same thing.” Hemi taps her pen on her desk. “Is there anything else we need to know?”
“No.” I lean back in my chair. “We’re good.”
The journalist from the Tribune arrives. She’s a tiny thing with dark curls, thick glasses, dressed all in black. The only pop of color is her patterned flats.
“Marietta! Thank you so much for coming.” Hemi rounds her desk, and they shake hands before she introduces her to Hammer, Dallas, and then finally me.
“Flip Madden, your reputation precedes you.”
“Hard to get out from under.”
Hemi coughs. “Maybe keep that off the record.”
Marietta arches a brow but motions to the table. “Shall we start putting things on the record?”
“Right to the point. Sure.”
“I’d like to get this article in the evening edition if possible.” She pulls out her device. “I’ll record this and send it to Hemi as soon as we’re done.”
“Sounds good.” I take the seat across from her.
Hemi sets a bottle of water in front of me. I take a long swig. “Can we keep the focus on my current relationship?”
“I’ll do my best.” She hits record. “Your relationship with Tallulah Vander Zee has gotten a lot of attention recently.”
“To be fair, I always get a lot of attention. But yeah, there’s been a heavy focus on us this season, despite the Terror being in a strong position going into the playoffs.”
“This has been true for the past several years, so hockey watchers might have come to expect it. You, however, haven’t publicly dated anyone in that time. It’s doubly interesting when you’re dating the coach’s daughter.”
I cross my arms. “You’re not wrong.”