Page 42 of Game Plan

He has to be the one to give in. If he caves first, there will be no way for him to pretend we’re not simply friends with benefits. He’ll have to put the benefits back on the table.

Then, hopefully, he puts my back on the table.

“I need to talk to you,” he says, swallowing.

I study him as an uneasiness descends upon me. “I thought you said you had a business decision to discuss. Because that sounds a whole lot different from you need to talk to me.”

“Can you sit? On a chair?” he asks before I can make a lewd suggestion.

“Fine,” I say, taking the seat farthest from him. “This isn’t how I saw this going.”

“Well, if you stay calm and hear me out, this conversation could put you right back in the driver’s seat.”

My ears perk up at this bit of information. “Oh, really? Do tell.”

“I had an interview last week with Exposé.”

My lips press together in disgust. Ever since Exposé made Layla’s life hell when she and Branch started dating, I’ve hated that organization with every fiber of my being. Finn knows that. He knows I’m not following them on Social or buying their shitty magazine.

“You can imagine that it had very little to do with football,” he says.

“Shocking.”

He frowns. “Kylie said something about me being a bachelor or whatever—I don’t even really know how we got there, just that it’s not surprising that we did. And she made a comment that when I settle down, interest in my personal life will stop. So, I said that maybe she was right and I should just tell people I’m engaged so they’ll leave me alone.”

His gaze finds mine and holds it tight. And the longer we watch each other across the room, the more unnerved I become.

Why is he telling me this? Why do I care what he said to a reporter?

“If this is going where I think it’s going,” I say, “my advice is to never talk to Exposé again. But I’ve suggested this before, and you clearly ignored me.”

“You’ll be happy to know that I informed the Legends today that I will not interview with them again, regardless of whatever fine they impose. I’m done.”

My brows pull together. “Good.” But why did he do this now?

“Here’s where I need your advice,” he says, the vein in his temple pulsing. “The headline going around is that I’m engaged.”

What? We’ve seen some crazy stories printed about him since we’ve known each other, but there’s never been one like this.

“Okay,” I say, lifting a brow.

“And I have two options on how to handle it, and I’m not sure which one to take.”

“Probably the one where you say you aren’t and they should fuck off.” I shrug. “That’s my suggestion.”

“So, my options look like this. I can issue a statement sometime this week, because I told my agent that I’d sit on this for a few days, and say that Exposé got it wrong,” he says. “Or I can roll with it and say it’s true.”

He runs a hand along his jaw like he does when he’s nervous. That makes me nervous because Finn rarely gets nervous about anything. Slowly, my heartbeat picks up its pace.

I don’t know what he’s getting at or why he’s entertaining the idea of pretending to get married. The concept alone is harmless enough. But I’m disturbed by the idea that there might be conversations happening about Finn and another woman—even if she’s not real. Or is she real? Was he caught in the act with someone else?

My stomach smashes against the floor.

That’s not a world I want to live in, and the whole thing makes my skin crawl.

“The advantage of saying I’m not getting married is that it’s true,” he says. Thank God. “It’s clean and simple. But the disadvantage is that no guarantee’ll stop the gossip, and that kind of crap isn’t something I need following me into the locker room this season. Kepner is already pissed that this is what people are talking about this close to the preseason.”

“Point out to Kepner that this wouldn’t have happened if they wouldn’t let Exposé have access to you.”