Hard Tackle: A Bad Boy Sports Romance by Jessica Ashe Read Free Book Online Page A

as it got.
    “You certainly did a good job crafting those responses for him,” Leona admitted. “Perhaps a little too good. I can’t imagine many people believed he said those things.”
    “He did come up with a couple,” I replied. “Are you annoyed that the responses were too fake?”
    “No, that’s not it. Look, this isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I never properly explained the situation to you.”
    “What situation?”
    “The situation with Barton Fenner, and the work we are supposed to do for him.”
    “I know I’m inexperienced, but so far things have gone smoothly. Anything has to be better than those pictures that did the rounds after his last party.”
    Leona shook her head. “You really don’t get it.”
    “Perhaps if you explained it to me….”
    I knew I was stepping over the line, but it was damn irritating to be told I was doing it wrong when I’d made it perfectly clear that I shouldn’t have been given the responsibility in the first place. What did she expect from an intern?
    “Do you know why we were hired for this job?” Leona asked.
    “To make Barton look good. Or at least to stop him looking like an ass. His football team is strict on that kind of thing.”
    “His team didn’t hire us.”
    “Barton is paying us directly?” I’d always assumed that the team would end up paying the bill, but I suppose they could make Barton pay. They held all the power in the end. Well, that wasn’t quite right. The team needed Barton almost as much as he needed them, especially with the other quarterback out injured.
    “Barton isn’t paying us,” Leona replied. “His agent is.”
    “Okay, so what difference does that make?”
    “Barton and his agent earn a fortune from sponsors, and they’ll earn even more in the next few years. It will dwarf the salary he gets from the team. In other words, sponsors come first, and the team comes second.”
    I struggled to imagine Barton agreeing with that. I’d replied to a few of Barton’s sponsor emails yesterday, and he’d barely shown any interest. So far, his priorities seemed to be football, then women, then fans, then money. Or maybe women , then football, then fans, then money. Either way, he didn’t seem to bothered by the money.
    “Does it matter?” I asked. “The sponsors and the team want the same thing anyway.”
    “That’s where you’re wrong,” Leona replied. “Sponsors might occasionally bang on about ethics, and wanting players to appear reputable, but for the most part it’s complete BS. Barton acting like a dick brings in plenty of media attention. That gets the sponsors plenty of airtime. You remember that photo of him with his hand… where it shouldn’t have been?”
    I nodded. I could barely forget it.
    “He was wearing a watch from his sponsor that has now been seen by millions of people. You can’t buy that kind of publicity.”
    “What do you want me to do?” I asked.
    “Nothing.”
    “Nothing?”
    “Well, look busy, and make an effort, but don’t be too successful at it. The team insisted that Barton work with you, but that doesn’t mean it has to go well. Ultimately, he’ll earn more money by carrying on the way he was, and he’ll have a lot more fun in the process.”
    That’s why she put me on this job. Leona and the firm didn’t want me to succeed. The worse I do at my job, the better for everyone. Everyone except Barton.
    “He doesn’t know, does he?” I asked. “Barton has no clue.”
    “His agent’s job is to do what’s best for his client. I believe he determined that it would be best Barton not know. Listen, if you’re not capable of doing this, then I know plenty of people who are.”
    Jessie wouldn’t hesitate. She wouldn’t have to do any work and could screw Barton all summer. She’d be in heaven.
    Leona was giving me an out. I could walk away and never see Barton again. Except then I’d never get a job after college, and Barton would be screwed, and not in the way he liked.