Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Maeve 

I stood there staring at  her after she finished that sweet little line about me being brave for showing up at the gala and something in my chest just snapped. 

I was still pissed from the whole manager screaming session and now this tall perfect girl was looking at me like I was some charity case who had wandered into the wrong room. 

Rowan was right next to me and I did not even think about it. I reached over and took his hand, lacing my fingers through his like I had every right to do it, and I looked straight at her.

“Actually he is my boyfriend,” I said, voice louder than I meant it to be. 

Rowan’s hand tightened just a little and when I glanced at him he had this tiny smirk at the corner of his mouth like he was surprised and a little impressed at the same time. 

I felt my face heat up because I had not planned on claiming him out loud like that, but I also was not about to stand there and let her talk down to me in front of him. I did not even like him like that, not really, not after everything with Zayne, I wanted nothing to do with an Ashcroft right now, but I was not going to let some model type walk in and act like she owned the space. I threw his hand back a second later because the whole thing already felt too much, but the point was made.

Sienna’s smile did not drop. She just tilted her head and looked between us.

“Well that is cute,” she said. “Since you and Rowan are friends now I guess we should all be friends. Add me on I*******m. We can keep up.”

I did not answer her. I just nodded once like I might do it later and then I walked out of the conference room before anyone could say another word. Rowan called my name but I kept going. I needed air and I needed to get away from both of them.

The rest of the morning was a mess of people pretending nothing was weird. I stayed in the treatment rooms as much as I could, working on whatever players came through, but I could hear the whispers every time I stepped into the hallway. 

A couple of the other interns were talking near the supply closet and I caught pieces of it. One of them said the gala claim had to be a publicity stunt because there was no way the captain was actually with the new plump nurse. 

Another one laughed and said it would last until London and then the real companion would take over. I kept my face blank and walked past them like I had not heard a thing. 

Players still joked with me the same way they always did, staff still nodded, but the mean girl energy from the interns and a few of the front desk girls was starting to show in the little looks and the way conversations stopped when I got close. I smiled through all of it because what else was I supposed to do. I was on internship. I needed this job. I could not afford to look like I was falling apart over a man I had only known for a few days.

By midday there was a joint media appearance scheduled in the main press room. I did not want to go but the manager made it clear that since Rowan had claimed me so publicly I had to stand there and look like the relationship was real. 

Sienna was already inside the room when Rowan and I walked in. She was standing so close to him that it looked like she belonged beside him instead of me. 

She smiled at everyone with confidence, and for a second, I wondered if anyone else noticed how comfortable she looked standing there. Rowan gently touched my back as we walked to our seats, but the uneasy feeling in my chest refused to go away.

The reporters started asking questions as soon as we sat down. Most of them were about the team and the next game. Rowan answered each one calmly while I sat beside him and listened. I thought we would get through the interview without any problems, but then one reporter suddenly turned to look at me with a curious smile.

"So, Maeve," the reporter said, "now that you're dating the team captain, do you think you'll change your appearance a little? Maybe lose some weight so you match the team's image better?" 

My stomach dropped the second I heard the question. I stared at him, completely shocked, and my mind went blank because I had no idea how to answer something so cruel.