CHAPTER 3: Fake Girlfriend
1401 Words
CHAPTER THREE
There was something about the way Jackson said it that immediately made Liam suspicious.
“What is it?”
Jackson leaned against the desk. “You need a girlfriend.”
Liam stayed mute, blinked and then he laughed once, slowly. “You're joking.”
“I wish I was.” Tim rubbed his forehead.
“I told him you'd react like this.”
“Because it's ridiculous.” Liam countered
Jackson shrugged. “Ridiculous doesn't mean impossible.”
Liam stared at him.“You want me to get a girlfriend?”
“A temporary girlfriend.”
“That somehow makes it worse.”
Jackson sighed. “Listen to me before you start complaining.”
“I've already started.” Liam said
“I noticed.” Jackson replied.
Liam crossed his arms.
Jackson walked over to the table and placed a folder on it.
“Your public image is becoming a serious problem.”
Liam's expression hardened. “My hockey is fine.”
“Your hockey isn't the problem.” Jackson said and opened the folder.
“It's everything around it.”
He pulled out several printed articles.
Liam glanced at them.
HAWKEYES CAPTAIN'S LATEST SCANDAL RAISES CONCERNS
IS LIAM ASHFORD BECOMING A LIABILITY?
SPONSORS QUESTION HAWKEYES' FUTURE
Liam's jaw tightened. “I've seen them.”
“Then you know what we're dealing with.” Jackson insisted.
“They're gossip articles.” Liam replied nonchalantly.
“They're influencing sponsors.” Jackson tapped the papers.
“NorthStar didn't pull out because they suddenly stopped liking hockey. They pulled out because their marketing team doesn't want their brand attached to you right now.”
Liam said nothing.
Jackson continued.“They want stability.”
“Then give them stability?” Liam replied .
“I've been trying.” Jackson groaned.
“Well try harder.” Liam replied sarcastically.
Jackson gave him a blank look. “I hate you sometimes.”
“You'll survive.” Liam replied.
Tim finally spoke.
“Liam, this isn't about your pride.”
Liam looked at him. “I know.”
“Do you?” Tim stood.
“We're losing sponsors. Investors are getting nervous. Ticket sales are falling. The team needs something that makes people believe we're still worth betting on.”
Liam glanced at the papers again.
“So what exactly is your brilliant solution?”
Jackson smiled. Liam immediately regretted asking.
“A relationship.”
Liam stared at him. “No.”
“You haven't even heard the rest.”
“I don't need to.”
Jackson folded his arms. “A fake relationship.”
Liam's expression went completely blank. “No.”
“Liam…”
“No.”
“Just listen.” Jackson egged on.
“No.”
Jackson sighed. “You're impossible.”
“And you're suggesting I pretend to date someone.” Liam said sarcastically and corked an eyebrow.
“Yes.” Jackson replied.
“Why?”
“Because people like stability.”
Liam looked genuinely offended.
“So apparently having a girlfriend makes me a better hockey player?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“It makes you look settled.”
Liam stared at him. “I am settled.”
Jackson raised an eyebrow.
“You punched a reporter three months ago.”
“He shoved a camera in my face.” Liam argued.
“You threatened to walk out of an interview.” Jackson countered.
“He asked me the same question eleven times.” Liam shrugged his shoulders.
“You broke a sponsor's champagne glass.” Jackson tilted his neck.
“That was an accident.” Liam rubbed his forehead.
Tim coughed.
Liam looked at him. “You're not helping.”
Tim raised both hands.“I'm staying out of this.”
Jackson smiled. “You see the problem.”
Liam picked up one of the papers.
“So you want me to find some random woman and pretend we're in love.”
“Exactly.” Jackson smiled.
“That's insane.” Liam scowled
“It could save the team.”
Liam dropped the paper back onto the desk. “No.”
Jackson's expression became serious.
“Then what do you suggest?”
Liam didn't answer so Jackson stepped closer.
“Because if you have another idea, I'm listening.”
Silence yet again. Liam looked toward the window, he hated this, he hated the idea of pretending.
He hated the idea of someone being dragged into his life just to repair his reputation.
And most of all, he hated the fact that Jackson had a point.
The Hawkeyes were running out of options.
“Why does it have to be a woman outside the hockey world?” Liam asked.
“Because anyone connected to the league would look staged.” Jackson
“And that's supposed to look believable?”
“Exactly.”
Jackson picked up the folder. “Someone ordinary.”
Liam gave him a skeptical look. “Ordinary?”
“Someone with no celebrity connections, no media history, no reason to want fame.”
“Someone who doesn't care about hockey?”
“Preferably.”
Liam almost smiled. “Good luck finding her.”
Jackson smiled back. “I already did.”
Liam's smile disappeared. “What?”
Jackson leaned against the desk again. “I said I have one solution.”
“You said a lot of things.”
“And I meant all of them.” Jackson crossed his hands across his chest.
Liam shook his head. “I'm not doing this.”
Jackson looked at Tim and he looked back at him.
Neither said anything.
That silence bothered Liam. “What?”
Jackson smiled. “Nothing.”
“Jackson.” Liam squinted his eyes
“I just think you'll change your mind.” Jackson smirked.
“I won't.” Liam snorted.
“We'll see.” Jackson shrugged.
Liam grabbed his jacket. “I'm leaving.”
Jackson didn't stop him.
As Liam reached the door, Jackson called after him. “Oh, and Liam?”
He stopped. “What?”
“You're going to meet her soon.”
Liam turned around slowly. “I'm not meeting anyone.”
Jackson's smile widened.
“You may already have the perfect candidate.”
---
Across Ashford Heights, a different man was watching the same numbers.
Bill Hawthorne sat behind the massive glass windows of his office, overlooking the city.
A glass of untouched whiskey sat on the table beside him.
In front of him was a tablet displaying the latest financial report on the Hawkeyes.
Another sponsor had withdrawn, their revenue was falling, their investors were nervous and Tim Sullivan was running out of options.
Bill smiled, finally he had been waiting for this.
For months, he had quietly pressured sponsors.
Conversations, warnings here and there, and carefully planted rumors.
Nothing obvious enough to trace back to him.
He didn't need to destroy the Hawkeyes himself.
He simply needed to make everyone else believe they were already falling apart.
His assistant stood near the door.
“Should we continue approaching their sponsors?”
Bill took a sip of his drink. “Yes.”
“And the investors?”
“Keep them nervous.”
The assistant nodded. “What about Liam Ashford?”
Bill's smile faded slightly. “Liam is the biggest obstacle, he's still popular with the fans for now.”
Bill looked back at the screen.
Liam Ashford. Captain, Star player, Golden boy.
The face of the Hawkeyes. If Liam fell, the team would fall with him.
Bill leaned back in his chair. “Let him keep playing the hero.”
His smile returned. “He'll eventually realize he can't save a sinking ship.”
He turned off the tablet. “Everyone has a breaking point.”
---
Back at Hawkeye Arena, Liam walked down the empty hallway toward the parking lot.
He couldn't stop thinking about Jackson's ridiculous idea.
A fake girlfriend, absolutely not.
He had enough problems without adding a woman to the list.
His phone buzzed, a message from Jackson.
Don't make any plans tomorrow.
Liam stopped walking, he stared at the message and then another one appeared.
Trust me.
Liam frowned and typed:
That's exactly what I'm worried about.
Jackson replied almost immediately.
You should be.
Liam stared at the screen, sighed and muttered.
“Why do I get a feeling that my life is about to become a lot more complicated.”
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