14. Maggie

The day had come for the team to travel north up the coast toward Los Angeles. It was the Red Cross event, and to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I had stood staring at the dress hanging up in my closet in San Diego for fifteen minutes before I made a move to take it out and pack it with my other things. Part of me debated pretending to forget it at the hotel, but I knew that wouldn't keep me from my fate. Monica would magically have another dress appear in Los Angeles for me. There was nothing in the world that would stop her from making sure Tommy and I showed up at this event to announce our relationship publicly on that red carpet.

The ocean passed by out the window of the bus we were in. This trip had easily become my favorite trip we took each season, simply for the views. With the sun shining high in the sky, a breeze pushing the palm trees, and the ocean crashing onto the shore, it felt like nothing bad could happen in the world. Like such a beautiful place couldn't possibly allow for anything but goodness. But I couldn't afford to be so naive.

"How was your day off?" I asked Olivia.

"Magical. I went shopping before going down to the beach, where I saw some really hot military men running like it was straight out of a Top Gun scene."

I laughed as I imagined Olivia calculating what the best way would be to fake something terrible happening to her so one of them would run over to help.

"That does sound magical."

"How was yours?"

I debated telling her what exactly I had done, but part of me wanted to keep the visit with Tommy's parents to just the two of us. Our relationship was about to be public enough for everyone to see. It didn't feel like much to ask to keep a slice of us, the real us, to myself.

"It was relaxing," I told her. "Tommy and I are going to a Red Cross event tonight." I hesitated telling her about it, but I knew she would kill me if I had known I was going and she found out on social media again.

This entire fake relationship was so difficult for me. It was like I had thrown all of my normal tendencies out the window. If I had started dating some guy, I would have gone screaming to Olivia so the two of us could dissect everything I knew about him so far and spend a ridiculous amount of time searching social media to find out as much about him as we could. But with Tommy, it felt wrong doing any of that, like it was a slap to our relationship.

"You're what?" Olivia turned completely in her seat to face me. The look on her face told me that she was about to grill me for every piece of information she could glean.

"He asked me to go with him." Not technically a lie.

"Let me get this straight . . ." Olivia was still staring at me like I had told her I wanted to quit my job and move to the middle of the desert to sell tumbleweeds. "You are going to a black-tie event with Tommy Mikals? I thought you said it wasn't serious!"

"I never said it wasn't serious." Olivia's mouth dropped open.

"It's serious?"

I shrugged in response, not trusting myself to sell the lie. If I couldn't even lie to my best friend about this, how was I supposed to convince the entire world that I was in a relationship with Tommy?

Olivia leaned in closer to me and dropped her voice so no one around us could hear her. "Are you doing okay?"

I knew she wasn't asking if I'd lost my mind with this whole situation, even though I was seriously questioning it. She was only checking in with me to make sure I was truly happy because this was the first guy since Luke that I had gone on a date with, fake or not.

"I am." That was the truth.

Sure, I could be a nervous wreck at times around Tommy and wasn't sure how to navigate being his girlfriend. But over the past week I'd become more comfortable with him and didn't feel like I wanted to jump ship as quickly as possible. I'd call that progress.

"This all just seems like a lot." Olivia's eyes softened as she looked at me with concern. "Just over a week ago you were telling me that you didn't want to risk your job by dating a player, and now you're going to an event with him as his date?"

I cursed Monica as I tried to figure out how to navigate this conversation with my best friend. It was as if the Cougars' PR team had thrown me and Tommy into the deep end without any life vests. People were going to start looking more closely at the two of us, and I was certain there would be more people questioning the validity of our relationship. Olivia knew I was a terrible liar, so the only thing I could do was give her pieces of the truth.

"The Cougars asked Tommy to do this event, and he asked me to go with him. This is all new, and I realize I'm probably way over my head. I didn't expect the media to explode over all of this like it has and—"

"Maggie." Olivia reached for my hand to silence me. "Who gives a shit about the media? All I care about is if you like him and that you're happy."

I didn't deserve a friend like Olivia Thompson. No matter what I did—go through depressive episodes bad enough that I rarely left my apartment for weeks or threw her for a one-eighty and started dating the most eligible professional baseball player in the league—she continued to stand by my side with my best interests at heart.

"I do like him, Liv." Between the intense way Tommy listened to everything I said to file it away for later, his dry humor that felt refreshing, or the undeniable electric pull that existed between us, I knew that was the truth.

"What has your mom said?" I wasn't surprised that Olivia had asked about my mom. The two of them had bonded over their fierce protection of me, and she'd probably send her a text about me and Tommy after our conversation.

My mom had loved Olivia instantly when I brought her home after our game during our first season together. I hadn't told Olivia about Luke yet, and as soon as she had walked into my parents' home, her eyes had locked onto the photo of me and Luke on my parents' mantel. My mom had given me a panicked look, trying to convey her apology with her eyes for having not thought about that. But in that moment, I realized I wasn't terrified of telling Olivia the truth about what had happened to me. So I sat her down and told her the whole horrible story from start to finish. She held me when I cried, and since that day, she had been my bodyguard when it came to dating.

Dating Tommy had probably taken her by surprise because I hadn't needed her for a pep talk or to tell me that I wasn't selfish for moving on and being happy. The fact that I wasn't expressing any feelings about disgracing Luke by dating someone else was probably exactly why Olivia was concerned about me.

"She told me she was happy I was putting myself back out there again."

"I will second that statement." Olivia reached over and squeezed my arm. "Can I help you get ready?"

My heart melted at how lucky I was to be Olivia's friend. She was the most selfless person I knew, and at times I wondered if I deserved her. I often went radio silent, needing my alone time away from the world. But every time I would reemerge, Olivia was always there and understood why I hadn't responded to her texts or calls. I still worried that eventually she would reach her limit with me.

"I would really appreciate the help." I grabbed her hand in mine and brought it up to my lips for a kiss. "If I had to do my own hair and makeup, I'd surely be on the cover of every news outlet due to my lack of skill."

The two of us got up as the bus pulled to a stop in front of our hotel in Los Angeles. Olivia wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we waited to exit. "Don't worry, I've got you."

"I know you do."

Three hours later I was standing in front of the floor-length mirror in my hotel room, staring at a stranger. Part of me wondered if this was how Julia Roberts's character felt in Pretty Woman.

Olivia must have used some sort of magic on me because she had managed to tame the normal frizz that accompanied my curls. Each curl was defined and shiny, no frizz in sight. She had pulled most of it back away from my face in a simple updo at the nape of my neck, leaving a few strands for framing. My green eyes looked like gems with the gold eyeshadow she used. Olivia had wrangled a pair of fake eyelashes on me after nearly gluing my eyelids shut due to my lack of experience with the process. She finished the look with a simple clear lip gloss, understanding my comfort level with makeup. The finished product made me look like I could actually walk a red carpet and not feel like I was way out of my realm.

As I stared at myself in the mirror, I was beginning to understand what girls meant when they said that they wore their makeup as armor. I felt like a completely new person, someone who had confidence and wasn't terrified of being the center of attention.

The dress that Monica had picked out hugged every curve perfectly. Normally I would have felt extremely uncomfortable with the amount of skin that was showing, but for the first time in my life, I felt beautiful. The tomboy version of myself was gone, replaced by someone that was sexier and more feminine.

"Tommy is going to lose his mind when he sees you," Olivia announced as she looked at me, satisfied with her work.

"I'm sure he won't." I ducked my head at Olivia's comment as I ran my hands down my dress. "He's been with models."

"Maggie Redford." Olivia's voice had turned serious as she pulled on my hand to turn me around. "Tommy will lose his mind. Why? Because you have something those models don't: a fucking ass and a goddamn amazing personality. Now, you're going to march your amazing ass down to the lobby and have a great time on this date."

Olivia's words sang through me, lighting up every inch of my body. That was exactly why I loved her. I grabbed my clutch off the bed and gave myself one more look in the mirror. While I may not have fully believed every word Olivia said about being able to compete with a model, I did know I looked damn good for my usual self.

"I expect a full report in the morning." Olivia pointed a finger at me as she opened my hotel room door. "Full report, you hear me?"

I laughed as I followed her out into the hallway and toward the elevators. Olivia's room was on the opposite end of the hallway, and she walked me to the elevator bay like a chaperone.

"Have fun tonight, Maggie. You deserve that much." I gave Olivia a small smile before I stepped into the elevator and watched her disappear as the doors closed.

The ride down to the lobby was agony. All of the confidence I had been feeling in my hotel room left my body with each passing floor. I tried to remind myself that I didn't care what Tommy thought of me because none of this was real, but the bundle of nerves inside me didn't seem to listen. The doors parted, and I walked out toward the main entrance, thankful Tommy hadn't been waiting for me right by the elevators. I needed the short walk to breathe and clear my head.

As I rounded the corner, I saw Tommy standing near the entrance to the hotel, looking out the glass walls at the city beyond. He looked sharp in a black suit that would match my dress perfectly. I took a moment to admire him before he realized I was there. His suit showed off his broad shoulders and was tailored to his fit waist. His legs looked powerful in his dress pants, which accentuated his muscles. He looked like any girl's wet dream. After realizing that if I stood there any longer, I'd probably start getting weird looks, my heels clicked across the marble floors of the lobby. Tommy turned around at the sound. His eyes started at my feet and slowly traced their way up my body before landing on my face. He shook his head slowly from side to side as he took a few steps closer to me.

"Wow," he whispered softly. "You look stunning."

The way he looked at me made me feel like I was the only person in the lobby. It was like I filled up his entire vision with my radiance. A blush crept across my cheeks, and I ducked my head to try to recover. Tommy offered me his arm, and I gladly slipped mine through his. This simple routine of ours was beginning to feel comforting, the feel of his arm under my hand.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked me. "There's no running from the cameras this time."

"As ready as I'll ever be," I mumbled as Tommy led us out to an SUV that was waiting for us in front of the hotel.

Even though I was a photographer myself, nothing could ever prepare me for the way paparazzi converged on you like a pack of rabid dogs. But I knew that this was a part of the job now. There was no escaping it.

The event was being held at the civic center in downtown Los Angeles, which was only a few blocks from where we were staying. However, LA traffic was bound to make what should be a short drive longer than it needed to be. The car was quiet as the driver weaved in and around other cars while Tommy and I stared out our own windows. Tommy began to rap his fingers against his thigh as we drew closer to the venue. I wasn't sure what had his nerves on edge. He'd been in front of cameras countless times before. But whatever it was that was bothering him was clearly weighing heavily on his mind, and part of me was relieved that I wasn't the only one who was nervous.

A red carpet ascended the stairs toward the front doors out of view from my vantage point inside the vehicle as we pulled up in front of the venue. Even from inside the car, I could feel the shouts of the photographers trying to grab the attention of the guests walking the red carpet. The flashes from the cameras made my chest tighten. I remembered the paparazzi that had been waiting for us at the pizza parlor. There had only been a few then, and I had felt like I was going to pass out before we had even made it inside the restaurant. Tonight, there were hundreds of them lined down the red carpet, greedily calling out people's names like vultures. How was I supposed to make it up all of those stairs without fainting? At least that picture would surely make the front page of all the news outlets. But I wasn't sure that was what Monica had in mind for front-page coverage.

Tommy pulled open my door, taking up my entire field of view and blocking my ability to see any of the paparazzi waiting for us. He bowed slightly at the waist and extended his hand toward me. "My lady."

Just like that, my fear for what lay ahead evaporated. His strong presence provided me with all the reassurance I needed to step out of the car. My newfound confidence lasted for a whole minute before the shouting started. With the first jarring shout, the world began to slip further away from me. With the first flash, I stumbled forward. Tommy's arm wrapped around my waist to keep me upright.

Flash.

My hand shot up to cover my eyes.

Flash.

Someone stepped in front of me, and I thought I could hear them calling my name, but I wasn't sure.

Flash.

"Maggie." The voice came through stronger, and I blinked a few times like I was coming back up to the surface. Tommy stood in front of me, both of his hands on my shoulders.

"You can do this." His voice was fierce as his eyes bored into mine. He was giving me the kind of pep talk that I had given him the previous night before his at bat. The confidence in his voice seeped in to fill my entire body, banishing any trace of the anxiety I had been feeling before. I nodded my head after a few moments to let him know that I believed it too. That I could do this.

Tommy gently placed my hand in his and laced our fingers together. The way our fingers interlocked perfectly felt more intimate to walk down a red carpet than my hand on his arm. No matter what happened, I realized that he and I were in this together. I wouldn't have to face any of this without him by my side.

The voices began to shout Tommy's name as we started up the red carpet. A reporter waited for us at the top of the first set of stairs, a cameraman standing next to her. Tommy and I both knew what we had to do, but I could tell in the way that Tommy's body tensed and the way he hesitated walking toward the woman that he didn't want to do this either.

"Tommy!" the reporter exclaimed, ruining any chances we had of escaping. "How are you tonight?"

Tommy finished the few steps up toward the woman before giving her his megawatt smile. He may have been a professional athlete, but he knew how to turn it on for the public. "I'm doing well and so happy to be here."

It was a perfectly polite response and showed off Tommy's skills with navigating the press. I knew that if I opened my mouth, however, it would be less than polished. It was best for him to lead this conversation.

"And who is your beautiful date tonight?" The woman flashed me a smile, but it felt more like an obligation than something sincere. Tommy hesitated, like he knew the second he said my name there was no turning back for either of us. My name had been leaked from that very first picture, but Tommy had yet to introduce me in a way that would make us official.

"This is Maggie Redford."

"You two have been seen out with each other quite a bit, if I recall..." The woman trailed off, leaving an opening for an exclusive. I could feel that neither of us wanted to give it to her, but both of us knew we had to.

"We have," Tommy replied with one of his normal short responses.

"Are you two seeing each other?" the woman pressed, seeing this as an opportunity and not wanting it to slip away. She wasn't going to let Tommy's lack of elaboration stop her. Again, Tommy hesitated.

"Yes."

There it was, the moment that my name would forever be associated with Tommy's. There really was no going back now. That one word would lock our fate together in more ways than I would realize.