Romance: Teen Romance: Game On (A Nerd and a Bad Boy Romance) (New Adult High School Sports Romance) by Stella White Page B

given me, it had to be him.''
    ''Why did you split?'' Ted asked, then felt sorry he had done.
    Ted was a good guy; he knew how to keep a secret, so she told him. ''Jealousy. I was very jealous. I couldn't handle it. He ran away from a jealous woman, and I don't blame him.''
    ''Shit.''
    ''I've been to therapy since. I think I've got it sorted now.''
    Ted wondered if he should ask her on a date. There again maybe it wasn't such a good idea. They were colleagues. ''Well, I'm sure you'll find someone else one day.'' He picked up a pencil and twirled it around between his fingers. ''For what it's worth, I think you're fantastic.''
    ''Ted,'' she exclaimed. ''Thank you. Oh, that's so nice of you. I like you too, just not you know.......''
    ''Yes I know. Best friends is good, though.''
    ''Yes it is.''
    Josie came into the office and glared at Cara. ''Are you still here? The Shifty interview, remember?''
     
    *****
    And who are you?'' the young press officer asked.
    ''Cara Miller.''
    ''And which company?'' she said impatiently
    ''Revolver Rock Magazine.''
    ''Well I hope you don't print a load of lies like you did last time,'' the press officer said.
    ''Sorry?'' Cara was lost .
    ''Some woman called Josie something or other. Interviewed Shifty and wrote a heap of lies about him. Rotten things concerning illicit affairs and such like.''
    ''Well I won't do that,'' Cara replied.
    ''I hope not. There are a couple of other journalists in front of you. The waiting room's over there. We'll call you when we're ready.''
    ''Thank you.''
    Cara's heart was pounding. She'd purposely avoided anything to do with Shifty. When she'd got the job at Revolver, she'd just hoped she wouldn't have to cover his music. After all, there were many more musicians to choose from . She wondered how he would react when he saw her. Maybe he'd throw her out. The only thing she'd heard was that Shifty had become a bit of a bad boy. There had been stories of wrecked hotel rooms and smashed guitars, but she knew he wasn't like that. It was show . Some manager would be telling him to do that sort of thing.
    ''Hi. Mike Smithson from Time,'' the man next to her said. ''It's dreadful all this waiting, but I suppose he's the hot thing.''
    ''Yes. He's hot.'' She wanted to laugh at her comment, but he wouldn't have understood.
    ''He's a bit of a rogue isn't he?''
    ''A rogue?''
    ''Bad boy. Drugs, some talk of underage girls at his parties. Orgies. You know, rock star stuff. You know what I mean.''
    ''No I don't. Are you accusing him of having sex with young girls?''
    ''No, not exactly.''
    ''Well it's a hell of a thing to accuse somebody of . If I were you, I'd tone it down. I know Shifty, and there isn't a more honest man in the world.''
    ''How do you know him?'' he asked looking for a story.
    ''None of your business.''
    The press officer came into the room. ''Mr. Smithson, Shifty will see you know.''
    ''That's faster than I thought,'' he said.
    When he'd gone, Cara began to think how awful the world was. People always trying to dish the dirt. Make up sensational stories just to sell a few copies of a newspaper or magazine. 
    Somewhere in the back of the hotel suite, she heard shouting. She listened more intently. It was Shifty, shouting at the top of his voice, telling the man from Time what an ass-hole he was, and how dare he suggest he invited underage kids to his parties?
    ''Well that didn't last long, did it?'' the press officer said. ''Now he wants to see you.''
    ''Does he know who I am?''
    ''Oh yes. He's been looking forward to seeing you all day.''
    Cara wasn't at all sure she wanted to see him now. All the hurt she'd caused both of them. He should have been the one. The one she married, the one whose kids she bore, and the one she grew old with . Instead, she was alone without him, unable to celebrate his success with him. All she could do was watch from afar, and even that was too painful. Fuck Josie, why had she made her do it?
    ''Are you alright?'' the press officer