Page 65 of Bluffed By the Offense

“They don’t just want you, Marcus,” Kate says. “They want you as a couple. Interest in you has gone up overnight. And many of the brands and podcasts want the two of you, together.”

“They …” I practically stutter. “I’m supposed to go on a podcast with Cass … and she’s going to agree to this? And we’re going to talk about what? How we’re falling madly in love? When she actually would like nothing better than to have me splayed out in an old-fashioned public stockade?”

“Basically?” Kate pauses. “Yes.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’ll let Chance fill you in on the details. There’s a lot more on his plate than what I've got going over here. Bottom line, Cass may need to attend some events with you. We’ll get her box seats for the season—a gift from you to her. And we’ll need you to be seen out in public together on occasion. The season is starting up, so all of this will work around games and practices. The two of you need to put on the front that your relationship is official now.”

“Of course,” I say dryly. “Also, respectfully, no. As in, no way. I’m not trying to be difficult here, Kate. But, no.”

What alternate universe have I entered where Cass Carter is the savior of my reputation and now we’re tethered together for the foreseeable future?

When I’m silent for too long, Kate says, “I really wouldn’t ask you to pull this off if the public reaction weren’t so strong. You can’t call this off when the public is eating this up with a spoon.”

I sigh.

Kate assures me, “This won’t be forever. Give us a few more weeks of this.”

“A few weeks.”

“Yes. Maybe through October or so.”

“Kate, you do know it’s August, right?”

“Eight weeks. Nine tops.”

I’m quiet.

She takes my non-answer as acquiescence.

Bottom line? It doesn’t sound like I have a choice.

“Oh, and Marcus?”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s keep this between you, Cass, Chance and me. I know you’ll want to confide in the guys. All it would take is one of them mentioning something to another player outside of your closest circle. Then the next guy hears … Rumors of you fake dating to restore your image and increase your notoriety would be the opposite of what you need right now. You’d land worse off than after the playoffs.”

I don’t love the idea that this is all image management, but in my job, image matters. It helps a team want to keep you on. And what I’ve got with the Thunder goes deep. These guys are my friends. Trey and I get to play together. I really don’t care much what the public thinks of me. It’s always been positive—until it wasn’t. I’m here to do my job, win games, and make a difference on and off the field. Managing my image is an extra hassle, but it comes with the territory. As much as it pains me to go along with this, I know Kate’s not going to give up. And I do trust her instincts, so I concede.

“Thanks for all you’re doing, Kate,” I say. “I’ll do whatever you need me to. Not sure how I’m going to convince Cass to go along with this, but I’ll do it if you think it’s best.”

“Thanks for making my job easy,” she says, and true to form, the line clicks.

She’s on to the next PR fire.

I hit the button on the blender to make my protein drink.

My agent, Chance McAllister, calls almost immediately after the line goes dead.

I turn off the blender and answer. “Were your ears burning?”

Chance’s amused laughter fills my ear. “Why, were you talking about me?”

“I just got off the phone with Kate.”

“Good. Did she tell you I can barely get off my phone? The sun barely rose out here in California and I’m already swamped in calls about you.”