Into Thin Air Page 19

  Diana cracks up. “You never fail to entertain when it comes to your relationships.”

  “At first, she showed me around Seattle. Then we clicked. I really like her. She means more to me than any woman I’ve ever been with, and I’m not even dating her yet. We’re simply friends at the moment, but yes, I want more.”

  “If you like her as much as you say, you should’ve told us by now. Like you, she probably has no idea these pictures are out there. You say there’s nothing going on, but that one picture says something completely different. The press will have fun making up bullshit stories.”

  “I don’t want Stella to see them or for them to know who she is. She’s a very private person and doesn’t want to be in the spotlight.”

  “Well, you should’ve thought about that when you were walking around Seattle with her. Of course someone was going to take pictures. You know that. We have to know about stuff like this before the press does,” she says firmly. “This isn’t something new.”

  “I know. I wasn’t thinking. I was just trying to be a normal guy for once.”

  “Well, forget it. You’re not a normal guy.” She stacks the photos and puts them back in the envelope.

  “I want those pictures to disappear. What do we have to do?” I glance at Diana, then at Jackson.

  “It’s too late,” Diana warns. “The one at the restaurant is already on the internet. I haven’t been able to find the other one anywhere else, so hopefully, it’s gone. I’ll do the best I can.”

  I start pacing again. “Fuck! What do I do?” Usually, I don’t care because they take care of this shit for me, but this could destroy Ellie. Me too, but I don’t care about that. The photos aren’t terrible; this isn’t really anything major. But to her, it will be.

  Diana stabs Jackson’s desk with her finger. “You’re going to go to the conference. Now, I can guarantee the reporters will be asking you about it. Your answer should be, I’m moving to Seattle alone. That should get the point across about the breakup. A written press release will go out after, and it will state you’re no longer with Jenny. If we make any comment about Stella, it will be that she’s a lawyer.”

  I prop my hands on my hips. “And the picture from in front of her apartment? How do we explain that one?”

  “As I said, I’ve only found it on that one website. That doesn’t mean it’s not anywhere else, but let’s not worry about that till it happens. The one from the restaurant can totally pass as a friendly dinner. If you want, we can mention you met her because of the airport incident. It could make a good story. Strangers meet at the airport and fall in love after the explosion.” Just like Ellie said.

  I shake my head. “No. Don’t mention that. Let’s just keep her as a lawyer. Plain and simple. But let’s try to avoid other personal information from surfacing, like where she works. It’ll cause another nightmare for her. Anyway, the main goal is to keep the attention away from her. I want the focus to be on my retirement and that I’m moving to Seattle alone.”

  “Okay. I’ll do my best.” She pulls a pack of gum out of her purse. “I already have my team working on it. I’m sorry this is happening right at the end.” She unwraps two pieces of gum and pops them in her mouth. “Want a piece?” She offers the pack to us. We both shake our heads.

  “I just hoped it’d be quiet this time.” I sigh. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. For once, I thought I could live a normal life and go after the girl without the press getting involved.”

  “That’ll take a long time. And as soon as you announce your new job, you’ll get attention there also. Good and bad. Some of your fans are going to think you’re selling out. Or they might think you couldn’t find another team or that you’re desperate for any position.

  “You’ll need to find a new agent and publicist as of September. They have to be on your side and be briefed on what’s going on. Once you do that, Jackson and I will follow up with them for you. We can work together for a while. We may not be your future team, but I’m willing to help you out. I’ve never heard you talk about a girl like this. You just might be maturing.” She smirks and then glances at Jackson. “Are you in, Jackson?”

  “You bet. You’re like a brother to me, Sam. I don’t want to see you get screwed like you have in the past, and I don’t want to mess things up for you with this girl, Stella.” His alarm goes off on his phone. He stands up and turns it off. “I’m sure SU is well aware of what might come along with Samuel Moore. You’ve always been in the press. It’ll be the same for a while when you get there. They’ll probably love the publicity. To an extent anyway.”

  “Thanks, guys. It means a lot.”

  “We gotta go.” Jackson ushers us to the door.

  Diana chimes in as we walk down the hallway, “Remember, you won’t be able to hide once people know you’re moving there. This is where you don’t have experience. You’ve been with LA Galaxy for a long time, and your popularity began here. This is new territory for you. The best thing you can do is stay away from Jenny at all costs and maybe Stella too.”

  “That’s out of the question. I’m not walking away from Stella. I need to call and warn her.”

  “It’s up to you. Maybe it will blow over once you say you and Jenny have broken up. But you don’t have time to call her now. It’s showtime.”

  ∞

  Cameras flash from every direction. I used to love this attention, but my mind is only on Ellie. The press conference is slowly coming to an end. I see Jackson and Diana watching from the side, motioning with their hands that it’s almost done. I’m ready to run from the podium.

  “Samuel, do you think this new position is a step down in your career?” a reporter shouts.

  “No. This is a chance for me to try something new and share my experience with others. I’ve had the time of my life as a soccer player, but it’s time for a change.”

  “Will Jenny Parton be moving with you to Seattle? There are rumors of another woman.”

  “No. Jenny won’t be going with me. That was never on the table. I’ll be moving to Seattle alone.”

  “Is it because of another woman?” I’ve never seen this reporter before. I usually know all of them.

  I stand up and leave the podium without answering the questions still flying in the air. Within seconds I’m between Jackson and Diana.

  “Good job and perfect answer regarding Jenny. Not exactly what I told you to say, but you got the point across.”

  I hold out my hand. “I need my phone. Do either of you have it?” Diana shoves it in my hand. “I need some privacy. Jackson, can I use your office?”

  “No problem. I’ll stand outside the door, so you’re not disturbed. Good luck.” He pats me on the back.

  I’m going to need it.

  A few minutes later, I open Jackson’s office door. He leans against the wall while talking on the phone. He sees me and hangs up quickly.

  “How did it go?”

  “She won’t answer her private phone. I don’t know what that means. Should I call her office?”

  Diana walks in our direction. “Press releases are out from both parties. Then I also released what we said about Jenny and Stella. Unfortunately, we did find the picture of you two in front of her apartment, and her name and law firm are mentioned.”

  “She’s going to kill me,” I blurt out as we walk back into Jackson’s office.

  “Is it really that bad?” Diana questions. “It’ll blow over.”

  “She made it clear that she doesn’t like to have her privacy invaded.”

  Jackson lays his phone on his desk. “You picked the wrong girl then,” he comments casually as he opens his laptop.

  “No, I didn’t, and don’t ever say that again. She’s the best woman I know, and I’ll do anything to protect her. If she won’t answer her phone, I need to go to her.”

  Diana props her hands on her hips. “Give me a break. Is that really necessary?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, it is.” I turn to l
eave.

  “Hold it, Sam. Don’t go.” Diana puts her hand on my arm. “Talk to her first. I could understand if they’d said worse about her, but this was nothing. If you want to be with Stella, you’re going to need to have a very long conversation with her. You have too much going on to jump on a plane whenever you want. You’ll be in Seattle soon enough. At this point, if you want things to quiet down, keep a low profile and don’t be seen with Stella.”

  Chapter 35

  Ellie

  Sam’s press conference starts soon. I’ve been thinking about him all morning. I can’t watch it here in my office. It’s tempting, though. I’ll watch it when I get home tonight.

  My private phone rings in my bag. I take it out and see it’s Gale. Do I want to deal with him right now? I send him to voicemail. My phone rings again.

  “Hey, Gale, what’s up? You know I can’t talk when I’m at the office.” I drum my fingers on my desk.

  “Did you see the pictures flying around the internet?”

  I squeeze my eyes shut. “What are you talking about? I haven’t had time. You know I don’t surf the web all day.”

  Stephanie barges into my office with a giant smile on her face.

  “I gotta go.” I hang up on him before he can say anything else.

  “Hi, Stephanie. Aren’t you in a good mood?” Was there a good sale on Listerine at the wholesale store?

  “I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on me!” She claps her hands like a little girl.

  I scratch under my chin. “What are you talking about? I’m really busy. Can this wait until later?” Please leave my office.

  “Are you trying to lure Samuel Moore to be a client at the law firm?”

  My body immediately stiffens. Oh shit. How did she find out that I’ve been talking to him? Play stupid.

  I relax in my chair and put on my best poker face. “Where did you hear that?”

  “I saw the picture of you having dinner with him. It looked like a business dinner because of the way you’re dressed and that tight bun of yours.”

  I want to puke. “What picture?”

  She runs around my desk. “Let me show you.” She giggles while she brings it up on the screen. “Here it is. It’s a little fuzzy, but it’s definitely you. It’s awesome that you’re connected to him because of the airport. This law firm would never get a chance with him otherwise. Well, maybe through Jenny Parton…”

  OMG! I can’t stand her.

  My phone rings again. This has got to be another fucking dream. I’m getting hit from every side. Gale saw the picture and wanted to warn me.

  “So, when can you bring him in for a consult? We’ll show him what we can do for him and what kind of experience we have. Stan Brigstone would be ecstatic. He’d probably give us big bonuses.” Us?

  “I don’t want a bonus, Stephanie. Samuel Moore is a friend. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I had no plan to bring him in here. He never mentioned it either.”

  “But now that he’s moving here, he’ll need a new legal team.”

  “And he’ll probably get that from the university. I’m sorry, but I’m not asking him.”

  The smile disappears from Stephanie’s face and her ugliness returns. “I suggest you try,” she warns, staring at me with beady eyes.

  I push up my sleeves and lean one elbow on the desk. “Excuse me?” I sneer. “Is that a threat coming from a lawyer to another lawyer? You should know better than that.”

  We stare each other down and then she flies out of the office on her broomstick. My body deflates.

  Who knows if I’ll ever speak to him again after this? I’m so naïve. Why wouldn’t I expect pictures to surface? He warned me that it could happen. My obsession with him has fogged my brain, and I haven’t thought this through very well. But is it such a big deal if the press thinks it was a business meeting? It does matter, because you don’t want to be on the internet or be the center of attention.

  I need a major massage. My damn phone rings again. I ignore Gale and turn it off so I can read what the post says about the picture. So far, this one doesn’t say anything bad, and it doesn’t mention anything about where I work or my name. All it says is I’m a lawyer. That’s okay.

  I continue to scan the other search results. One jumps out.

  “Is she his new love interest? Is she the real reason he’s moving to Seattle? Her name is Stella Crimson (31), and she lives in Seattle.”

  It’s a picture of us in front of my apartment. Yep. I’m going to puke. Where’s a bucket when I need one?

  My hands shake and sweat beads on my forehead. Ellie, you are so stupid. The media doesn’t care he’s moving here. They only care about the next gossip they can spread. I search some more, but I don’t find that picture anywhere else.

  When there’s a tap on my door, I close my laptop quickly. I roll my neck, push the loose curls away from my face, and adjust my posture. “Yes. Come in.”

  Christy peeks her head in the door. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

  “Sure.” I wave her in. “Only a few. I have a meeting in fifteen. Please close the door behind you.”

  She shuts the door and stands halfway between it and my desk. “Gale called and told me what happened.”

  I point to a chair. She sits down with sympathetic eyes. “How are you? Gale’s worried about you and wants you to call him back.”

  I shake my head. “Not so good.” How much has he told her? “I don’t know what to think or do. I thought it was okay when my name wasn’t mentioned, but I just found one where it was. At least it didn’t list where I work. But what if reporters find out and show up here? And then, Stephanie threatened me if I don’t bring him in as a client.”

  She slaps her hand on the desk and knocks over my pen holder. “She did what?” she squeals.

  I raise my hand. “Shh. Keep your voice down.”

  She covers her mouth as she picks up the pens that fell on the floor. “Sorry. How the hell does she think she can get away with that?”

  “How does she get away with most of her shit? She has connections to Brigstone.” I check my watch. Sam’s conference should be over, and I have a few more minutes before my meeting.

  “Are you going to listen to her?”

  I pull my head back. “Hell no. If I lose my job, so be it. I could sue her ass, but why bother? All I want to do right now is live under a rock like I always have.”

  “Have you spoken to Samuel? Has he tried to call you?”

  “I don’t know. I turned my phone off. Even if he did, I wouldn’t know what to say. He’ll apologize like hell and then what? It won’t just be this one website. Others will catch on, and they’ll be all over that shit.”

  She frowns. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Yes. Please don’t say a word to anyone. If anyone asks you questions, here or anywhere, please just say you don’t know anything. I don’t care how close you are to people.”

  She crosses her heart. “I promise. If Gale trusts me, you can too.”

  “Listen, I need to get back to work. I’ll talk to you later. Can you close my door on the way out?” She nods. “Thanks for everything.” She shoves her body through the narrow opening so no one can see into my office. I wish I had a lock.

  Out of nerves, I open and close my desk drawers repeatedly, staring blankly at nothing. I don’t know what to do at this point. It’ll be hard for me to concentrate on work, but I have to. Should I call Sam, or should I wait? Maybe he’s already tried to call me. I’m afraid to check my voicemail. But what if I’m worrying about nothing? I slam the top drawer.

  “Yeah. That’s it. I’m worrying about nothing,” I say out loud to nobody. “Time for my next appointment.”

  ∞

  The afternoon ran smoother and faster than I expected. Most of my colleagues left me alone in my office. A couple of them tried to ask questions when I was in the coffee room, but I told them I didn’t want to talk about it. Stephanie has been quiet as a mo
use. That doesn’t sit well with me.

  I need to get out of here and work from home. Mental exhaustion is kicking in. Mom! I forgot to call her. That has never happened. I should check my voicemail to see if she left me a message but I have no desire. Gale’s probably told her what’s happened.

  Most people wouldn’t care about this situation and would probably enjoy it, but I do. Is it wrong to want to keep my privacy? Yes, he’s Samuel Moore, and no, I don’t care what he does for a living. I want to be with him, but at this cost?

  I open my door quietly, then stick my head out. No one’s in the hallway. Cool. But as I reach the front lobby, Dora skitters toward me with wide eyes.

  “I don’t think you want to go outside!”

  I stop short. “Why not?”

  She steps to the side. “Check it out yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Her voice trails behind me as I walk cautiously toward the window.

  I look outside and don’t see anything. I open the entrance door, and that’s when they come out of the cracks like spiders. You’d think I’m royalty. Cameras flash, blinding me. Reporters shove microphones in my face and fire questions at me. My head begins to spin, and I can’t find my bearings.

  A hand grabs my elbow and drags me back inside. “I told you not to go out there.” Dora leads me to a chair. “Sit down. I’ll bring you some water.”

  “What do I do?” Call Sam!

  I’m surprised Stephanie isn’t making a fuss. “Is Stephanie still here?”

  “No, she’s been gone most of the afternoon.”

  Shocker. I pull my phone out of my handbag and turn it on. Twenty missed calls. Fifteen voicemails. Mostly from Sam. I press Gale’s number.

  “Ellie, why haven’t you called me back?” he yells into the phone.

  “Can you please come to my office? The paparazzi are stationed outside the door. I have no idea how long they’ve been out there. I’m afraid to walk outside. I don’t know how I can get home since I walked here this morning. Maybe I should call a taxi. This is fucking crazy.” I pace back and forth.