Play Maker(32)

“Most of these kids get moved around at a moments notice,” Gloria explained. “They often don’t have much that they take with them and they usually don’t have anything to put it in. A lot of them are forced to put their belongings in trash bags to take it from place to place. It can be a humiliating experience. So one of our major initiatives is to provide kids in foster care with their own suitcases.”

I was stunned. I glanced over at Ethan, who was picking at his cheesecake.

“We also do our best to help foster kids with college applications and scholarships,” Gloria continued. “We are committed in their future and a lot of our staff joins us after graduating college. Part of the reason we are so successful is that our money goes to programs that have been proven to work.”

“Sounds great.” I leaned back in my chair, processing the information I had been given. I had a feeling when Ethan gave me the information about the charity that this was the one I wanted to partner with. All the research I had done, combined with everything that Gloria was saying, just reinforced that. This was what I wanted to do. This is where I could do the most good. Make a difference.

“There are a lot of kids in this country that go unnoticed,” Gloria said. “It’s our job to help as many of them as we can. It’s a job we take very seriously. And we expect everyone associated with the charity to take it just as seriously.”

“Of course.” I nodded eagerly.

“If you want to work with us, you’ll need to be properly vetted.” She pointed a fork in my direction. “And I won’t lie. Some people are very uncomfortable with your reputation in the press.”

My stomach dropped.

Ethan immediately jumped in to defend me. “Those papers love to exaggerate the truth. Twist the facts.”

“Fair enough,” Gloria conceded. “But if you want to be a part of this charity – a substantial one – we need to make sure that you’re more trustworthy than you appear in the tabloids.”

Bugger.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the table, but Gloria’s gaze never wavered. She was passionate about this program and I admired that. I respected that. But I wasn’t going to let her leave this dinner thinking I was the guy that she had read about in the papers. Especially since it hadn’t actually been me in most of those articles. And definitely none of the ones since we had arrived in Los Angeles. I had managed to keep my extracurricular activities out of the press my entire visit by laying low and there was no way in hell I was going to put Nicole through that kind of publicity.

“I understand your reservations,” I told her. “But I also want you to know that I care passionately about the things your charity stands for. Programs like yours are the reason my best friend is in my life. And he’s one of the best people I know. The kind of person who tells me I’m being a wanker every time my face ends up in the tabloids.” I glanced over at Ethan, who gave me a small grin. “Because he’s right. And that’s not the kind of person I’m interested in being. I want to be someone who is going to do right by your charity. Who is going to fully commit to helping you raise money to get kids backpacks and get them into college and help them with getting jobs after they graduate, or raising money to help emancipated youths get a car to start their life.” I tried to remember all the things they had listed on their website. From the way that Gloria’s eyebrows went up, I could tell that she was surprised I had done research.

“I want to help,” I told her and everyone else at the table. “And I hope you’ll let me.”



Neither Ethan nor I said anything on the cab ride back to the hotel. When we were dropped off at the lobby, I thought of heading to the bar to see Nicole, but it was late. She had probably gone home by now. And I was exhausted by the possibility of being rejected by For Foster Kids. Not that they had rejected me outright. They just needed me to prove myself. To stay out of the papers. To show that I was more than my Play Maker moniker. I could only hope that the damage that had been done hadn’t been irreversible. When we left, Gloria had shaken my hand and told me that they would get back to me. That they would think about what I said. I knew I couldn’t charm my way into this charity, but I hoped that I had at least shown them that I cared. That I would be willing to do whatever they wanted to help.

More and more I was starting to hate the position that Rick had put me in. Not that I could blame him completely. Yeah, a lot of the pictures had been of him and his girlfriends, but I was no innocent victim. At least half of the tabloid photos had been of me with the various women I had been seeing.

Ethan clasped me on the shoulder.

“We’ll prove them wrong, mate,” he said confidently.

“Thanks,” I gave him a smile, even though I was no longer sure I’d be able to escape a reputation I had done little to deserve.





20





James





I got into the elevator feeling like shite. Even the knowledge that I had a full bar and hot shower waiting for me upstairs didn’t make me feel any better about the situation. I was starting to see how shortsighted I had been to let my image get co-opted by someone like Rick. I had been stupid and young, thinking only with my cock. Not like I was such an upstanding citizen now. Ethan’s comment about my complete lack of commitment stung more than it should.