Escorting the Player (The Escort Collection 3)

So. Fucking. Inconvenient.

I nodded at her. "Chase Layne."

And then I promptly left the room.

* * *

"Get out there and talk to her," Eric ordered.

I sat on my bed, playing Madden. "I'm busy."

"You're really being a dick," Eric said. "She's a nice girl. I have her all moved into the guest suite and unpacked. She's probably wondering what the fuck your problem is."

"Tell her she's my problem. And you, too," I snapped, trying to watch the screen.

Eric sighed. "The press already got pictures of her coming in and the driver carrying her suitcases. Look—" he shoved his phone in front of my face. "It's already online."

Mystery Woman Moves into Layne's Wellesley Home, the headline read on the Gazette's website.

"Don't they have some real news to report?" I snapped.

"Apparently not. They know about her. So that means she's in." Eric shoved my Xbox controller down and watched my face. "Which means it's game time. Get up."

I glared at my friend. "I don't have the energy for this. It was a mistake." All I wanted to do was get back to my couch, eat Chinese, and count the days until I could go back to practice. I wanted to sit around in a rage and lick my wounds. Alone. In my sweatpants.

"I don't want to babysit a hooker. I'm out."

"You can't be out," Eric said, exasperated. "Get up. As long as I'm your agent, and I'm involved in your career, I expect you to be successful. You want that, right? That's what all this boo-hooing's about, isn't it?"

I kept glaring at him.

"If you want to get back on top, you have to take that first step. You can't climb sitting down. So stick to the plan. And go take a shower, for Christ's sake."

After he left, my phone buzzed.

Jessica: who the f was that

Chase: I can't understand you when you don't speak English.

Jessica: the mystery woman at your house

I swallowed hard, picturing Jess and Pax tripping over themselves to get to the computer every time a Google Alert went off for my name.

Chase: My new girlfriend. She's pretty, huh?

Jessica: she looks boring but that's perf for you haha

Chase: And Pax is a douchebag so he's 'perf' for you HA HA HA!

Jessica: soooo glad i'm not near you right now

Chase: That makes two of us.

I sent her a smiling emoji and she didn't respond. Thank God.

Ten minutes later, I came out, showered and dressed in cargo shorts and a Warriors T-shirt. Avery was sitting on the couch next to Eric, watching what appeared to be one of my highlight reels, and listening carefully as my agent explained the different plays.

I stood in the doorway and watched them for a minute. She looked lovely and unassuming, not dull at all.