Love on the Line (Beaumont Legacy #2)

4. Cooper

Chapter four

Cooper

O pulence was Cooper’s agent’s favorite aesthetic, and it was evident even from the foyer of his office space. Floor-to-ceiling windows peered out over downtown Charleston, and chandeliers that looked entirely misplaced in an office setting hung from the pristine, glass ceiling.

Normally, Cooper didn’t come to see George. Most of their conversations happened over the phone, text, or email, especially with Cooper’s busy schedule. But now it was the offseason, and that thing that had been nagging at Cooper had grown so large, he hadn’t been able to sleep the last couple of nights.

He was exhausted, figuratively and literally .

Cooper had gotten so used to the media and everyone in his life seeing him as the playboy jock, he’d just accepted all it had come with.

He’d left Oakridge Springs to get away from it—away from people wanting something from him because his father was the mayor or because he was the star tight end or because he looked a certain way. When Cooper started at Alabama, he'd thought things would be different. He'd thought he found someone who cared for him the way he cared for her, but then that had crashed and burned, and by the time he got to Charleston, he’d accepted this was the life for him. He’d enjoyed the nights with women who had wanted him for his body, money, or his fame because at least it had felt like he’d been getting love.

Sure, it had been temporary, but it’d been better than none at all.

But then he’d watched Colton, who had never cared much for relationships, fall in love with someone so right for him, and Cooper had realized the love he thought he’d been getting was nothing at all in comparison.

The want for something more than quickies and late nights had been a simmering current creeping through him to that point. Only now, as he realized what life could be like if things were different, was the need for change becoming unbearable.

Cooper didn’t want to keep finding someone new to sleep with in exchange for fleeting moments of feeling cared for .

And maybe talking to Maya a few days ago had pushed him to do better too. Though he couldn’t explain why, since they hadn’t spoken about him much at all.

George’s office door swung open, and he stepped out in a suit, his brown hair all over the place like he’d been running his hands through it in frustration. The look he sent Cooper, something like exasperated confusion, only confirmed that George was stressed.

But Cooper knew he was George’s biggest client, and he hoped that would be enough to convince him.

“Hey, Cooper. What can I do for you today?”

Cooper stood, shaking George’s hand and walking into his office.

“I was hoping to talk about some of the media work I’ve been doing. Or rather, maybe taking it in another direction.”

George sank into his chair, steepling his hands and setting them on his desk, his face souring.

“‘Taking it in another direction.’”

Cooper nodded. “Yeah.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

“Well…I’m tired of the constant headlines, man. I’m tired of every Charleston news site, and even a ton around the country, acting like the only important thing about me is that I’m a serial dater.”

George’s eyes narrowed. “As opposed to…? ”

“I don’t know. I’m more than that. I’m more than football, even. Maybe I could do extra outreach or something to show I’m not just that one thing.”

“But what’s the point, exactly? Why does it matter what they print about you if it’s making us this much money?”

Cooper frowned. This is what he’d been worried about. He’d known George had always cared most about the money. Until now, Cooper hadn’t really minded that. George was good at his job. Great, even. He took care of many aspects of Cooper’s life, like handling travel for shoots and the like, finding people to deal with his finances, and negotiating the best deals in all of Cooper’s contracts.

Plus, George had been with him since he’d joined the league. Sure, he was a bit of an ass, but they’d never really had issues working together, and he’d truly eased Cooper’s life significantly. They’d been on the same page until now, and with only a few more seasons in the league, Cooper wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with the hassle of finding someone new.

“I’m just tired of it. I want to do something that shows them that’s not all I am,” Cooper repeated.

“Look, I hate to say it, but even if you were to get into a relationship, which I don’t recommend, things probably wouldn’t change. You’d probably be battling this for years, with constant speculation that you’re cheating. I say you just keep enjoying what it gives us.”

Cooper glared down at the thick, oak desk in front of him. That was not what he’d wanted to hear .

“So, what then? Just deal with it until I retire and hope it ends there?”

“Cooper, be rational. Unless you have a real reason to change how things are now, why try to fix something that isn’t broken? Your reputation is part of the reason you’re asked to do so many commercials and other shoots. You should be happy with it. You get all the money and women you could ever want with none of the expectations that you’ll become something more for them. Do you know how many men wish they could be in your shoes?”

Cooper sighed. This was a lost cause with George, and maybe even to the world. He’d dealt with this most of his life. People had been calling him a heartbreaker since he’d been six, while everybody else was praised for their academic achievements. This was not so different.

Whenever there was an opportunity for outreach, whether going to the children’s hospital or coaching young kids or helping local businesses, Cooper was there. He’d never done it for the press, had never shown up to an event with the hopes a camera would find him and show the world he was caring, because that would have taken away from what he’d been doing anyway.

Because he did care.

But it clearly didn’t matter that he could be so many other things, because this was all the world saw him as. And it shoved any hopes of change right back down his throat.

Cooper stood. “You’re right. I don’t know why I thought things could be different.” He shook hands with George, who looked far more pleased than he had a few seconds earlier.

“I’m glad to hear it. And don’t forget about the shoot tomorrow. I’m having Felicity send you information about it tonight.”

Cooper nodded, already headed out of the office, giving George’s secretary, Felicity, a brief nod before he walked into the elevator.

It had been dumb of him to even come.