30. Marissa

Neither one of us says much on the flight to San Antonio. I’m too busy trying to calm my sweating palms and racing heart, and Charlie stares out the window most of the time.

After the flight lands, we barely have time to rush out of the airport and hail a cab. As I slide into the back seat next to Charlie, the air between us feels electric.

His cologne surrounds me, making my heart race even faster. I try to focus on the scenery passing by outside the window, but I can’t ignore how close he is, his thigh brushing against mine. I want nothing more than to throw myself into his arms, but I hold back. Today is about proving ourselves professionally and securing the future we’ve been fighting for. There’s no room for distraction now.

We pull up to the building next to the stadium, our nerves on edge. Evan waits for us at the entrance, his usually carefree demeanor replaced by a serious expression. He knows what’s at stake here, too.

“Hey there, you two,” Evan says, clapping his hands together as we approach. “Good to see you.”

“You, too.” I shake his hand. “Thank you again for this.”

“If things go well in there, I’ll be thanking you soon. You’ve got this. Just be yourselves, like you have been with me. They’ll see the passion and dedication you both have.”

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. Charlie’s hand brushes against mine, sending shivers down my spine, and I step away from him.

This is it. We’ve come this far.

And yet I can’t shake the knowledge that one misstep could unravel everything we’ve worked so hard for.

We follow Evan into the building and up several floors, past a secretary and down a short hallway.

“Here we are.” He pushes open a boardroom door, which creaks ominously.

Inside, we’re faced with the rest of the reps, as well as the team’s owners. I swallow hard, following Evan and Charlie inside.

There are introductions and handshakes made all around before the three of us take our seats, and the whole time I feel like I’m in a dream. I’ve studied the owners, of course, and I know who everyone is — and it’s a good thing because right now my brain feels like soup.

“Good to meet you both,” Orson Rhodes, one of the owners says. “We’ve heard… interesting things about your relationship.”

Charlie nods, taking a deep breath. “Yes, we wanted to address that straight away. Our relationship began as a publicity stunt. But during our time together, we’ve both grown and learned so much. I’m committed to honesty now, in all aspects of my life.” He glances at me, a flash of raw emotion crossing his face for a moment before he focuses back on the owners.

Evan chimes in. “I can vouch for that. Charlie came clean to me during our phone call, admitting everything without hesitation.”

There’s a palpable tension in the room, like a rubber band stretched taut. The owners exchange indecipherable looks, clearly weighing our words. I grip the edge of my chair, desperate for some indication of their decision.

I clear my throat. “I do want it to be known that the fake relationship wasn’t Charlie’s idea. It was all mine.”

I see more than a couple pairs of raised eyebrows, and one of the reps frowns at me.

“It was both of ours,” Charlie inserts.

I shake my head. “You don’t need to take the heat for me, Charlie.”

“I’m not. I?—”

I put my hand on his arm, silently asking him to be quiet. As his agent, what happened was my responsibility. We shouldn’t both have to go down because of it, and perhaps I can at least save Charlie’s career. Even if I never work as an agent again, he could still have a shot at returning to football as the star he is.

He stares into my eyes, and I know he understands all of this. I can also see that he doesn’t like it.

“Marissa…” He trails off.

I smile slightly, wanting him to know it’s okay. I know what I’m doing, and it’s the right choice.

After that, we have a good discussion with the owners and reps. Their expressions are stoic, however, and I can’t tell how we are doing.

“All right,” one of the team’s owners finally says, breaking the silence. “Give us a few minutes to discuss what comes next.”

They lead us out and into another room, this one boasting an impressive view of the football stadium. It’s empty down there, not a soul to be seen. It’s oddly peaceful, but the nerves knotting my stomach won’t ease.

“You shouldn’t have done that back there,” Charlie says. “Lie about the fake relationship being all your idea.”

I turn to face him. “I wasn’t lying. I was telling the truth.”

His jaw tightens. “The truth is more complicated in that.”

He holds my gaze, and heat flares in my chest. Yes, that’s accurate… And which part of the full, true story is he thinking about now? The part where we spend long, passionate nights together?

Or the part where I blamed one hiccup on him and kicked him out of my life?

I look away, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

The minutes tick by, each one feeling longer than the last. I watch my own reflection pace back and forth in the window, the stadium behind me a testament to the dreams we’re chasing. Charlie sits on the windowsill, his long legs stretched before him, seemingly unaffected by the tension in the room.

“How can you be so calm?” I finally ask him. “Our careers are on the line.”

He looks at me, his eyes steady and warm. “We’ve given it our all. That’s all we can do. If they offer me a new deal, it’s just the cherry on top.”

His words wash over me like a soothing wave, and I feel my chest loosen as I exhale. I glance at him, admiring his strength and resilience. It hits me with startling clarity: I’m in love with him.

“Charlie, I…” I trail off, unsure of how to proceed.

Should I tell him? Just blurt it out and see what happens, even if I end up looking like a fool?

Before I can muster the courage to speak, the door swings open, and Evan enters, grinning from ear to ear. “Good news! The owners have decided to offer Charlie a two-year contract. They’re drawing up the papers right now for you to review.”

“Really?” I squeal.

A thrill of victory surges through me, and Charlie and I rush toward each other. Our embrace is heated, electrifying — our bodies pressed close, the scent of his cologne intoxicating. But we pull away just as quickly, both aware of the line between professional and personal.

“Good job,” I tell him, my voice steady despite the desire.

“You too,” he replies, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment that feels both like an eternity and a millisecond.

My heart races, but I shove down the overwhelming urge to confess my love. It’s not the time or place. Our professional relationship takes precedence, and jeopardizing our newfound success would be foolish.

“Let’s go over those contract details.” I force a smile, pulling myself together.

“Right,” Charlie agrees, and we head back to the table, immersing ourselves in the legal jargon.

As we discuss the terms, I can’t help but hope that this triumph will distract me from my feelings for Charlie. But deep down, I have my doubts. A part of me knows that I will always be in love with him, even if I can never have him again. And that’s something I will have to learn to live with.

“We did it,” Charlie whispers to me as we gather to take pictures with the owners.

“Yeah,” I whisper back. “Good job.”

“You, too.”

“Smile,” the photographer calls.

We face forward and smile. Charlie is right. We’ve reached the top of the mountain. Hardly anyone believed in us, but we did it anyway.

Now that we’re here, the success certainly does taste sweet. For me, though, there’s also a bitter edge. Charlie and I will continue to work closely together, but I’ll never really have him.

But that’s just life, isn’t it?