Stroke It (A Standalone Sports Romance)

by Ivy Jordan

  “Hello.”

  “Hailey, it’s Jillian.”

  “Oh, Jillian, I was just thinking about you. What’s up? Do you have anything good for me? I have the day off, so really, I can go anywhere.” I had my fingers crossed that she was going to send me to an audition.

  “We need to talk. Do you want to meet for coffee?”

  I looked down at my cup of coffee. “Umm…sure. Just tell me where and when.”

  Jillian told me where I could meet her, and I got up quickly from the couch. I put my cup in the sink and went about getting ready for my meeting. She sounded so serious on the phone, and I was a little worried about it. Maybe they were letting me go. After all, an agent doesn’t make any money if an actor is out of work. Maybe she decided to drop me after all the failures that I’ve had lately.

  It would figure, after all. I hadn’t done much acting in the past few months. Just a small gig here and there but nothing major. I wasn’t sure how long an agent would wait around for me to get the right job. Some were loyal and stayed with clients for years, but I wasn’t sure if I was in the same league as them. My life wasn’t exactly being showcased on an episode of Entourage.

  I was sure that lots of people got dumped by agents if they didn’t produce, but I was stuck there in Georgia for crying out loud. There was only so much that I could do. I had often thought about heading to Hollywood, but it seemed like a huge leap at that stage in my life. Jillian assured me that if it ever became necessary, she would suggest a move, but that for now, I could travel to important auditions. I always thought Hollywood might be the best idea because I could go to more auditions and would be right in the mix of things. But I needed to save up for a move like that, so for now, I was biding my time. One day, I would do it.

  The thought made me sad because Jillian had always believed and me. I hoped that she wasn’t about to give up on me. What would I do without her? I would have to go back to square one and find a new agent. I felt a bit of anxiety as I left my apartment. I would just prepare myself for the worst, and maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as I thought. You could only go up from the bottom, right? I had to have the right mindset when I went in there, and it would all work out.

  I arrived at the coffee shop and found Jillian already sitting down with a coffee. Had she already been there when she made the call? That seemed odd. I hurried to the counter to get a coffee for myself before I went over to Jillian. I sat across from her and smiled.

  “Hi, what’s up?” I said as I took a sip from my coffee. I could virtually live on coffee, it tasted so wonderful.

  Jillian adjusted her glasses before saying, “I’m glad you were able to meet with me.”

  “Yeah, of course. I hope it’s good news I’m about to receive.”

  “I guess that depends on your definition of ‘good.’” She had a quirky smile on her face, and I wondered what I was about to get into.

  I laughed, “Great, I can’t wait to hear about it.”

  Jillian sipped her coffee, all business that morning. “Okay, so here’s the thing. I got an intriguing call last night, and it might be something you would be interested in, but it is unusual. It’s actually the first gig like it that I’ve come across.”

  I nodded, a little nervous. “Well, let me hear it, and we’ll go from there.”

  “Alright.” She pulled out her day planner where she had some notes jotted down. I watched her scan the notes before she looked up at me again. This was a pretty serious gig, and I wondered what it could be all about.

  “Okay, so here’s the deal. There is a pro-golfer in Miami that is, believe it or not, looking for a fake girlfriend for three months.”

  “What? That’s crazy. What does that even mean? I’m not a hooker, for crying out loud.” I started to feel the anxiety build up again. Was this what it was coming down to? Was I was going to have to take gigs as an escort until I got my big break?

  Jillian adjusted her glasses. “Hey, relax. That’s not what I’m talking about here; it’s nothing like that. He’s not looking for sex. It’s an acting job, strictly acting. He basically wants a trophy girlfriend, someone to put on his arm, take pictures with, parade around with. It’s all a façade – he just needs it to appear as if he has a girlfriend. It’s strictly professional.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Are you sure? You are confident that it has nothing to do with sex, that there are no expectations there?”

  “Absolutely not. I made sure of that when I discussed things with him. He is strictly looking for an actress, someone who can play a role properly, and you can certainly do that.”

  “Three months in Miami? I guess that couldn’t be too bad.”

  “Nope, it’s quite toasty there. You will love it. Not to mention, as his girlfriend, he will probably wine and dine you quite lavishly.”

  I nodded, my interest piqued. “How much does it pay?”

  “Fifty thousand dollars for three months.”

  My jaw hit the ground. “Holy shit.”

  “I thought you might like that. Money is no object for this guy, and I know you can use it.”

  “Okay, who is he? I don’t really follow golf.”

  “Caleb Harris.”

  My mouth dropped open, and Jillian noticed my surprise. The guy from the video. What were the chances of that? He had crossed my mind a few times over the week, and I always wondered what had happened to him.

  The entertainment news stations had played the video a few times and made their usual jokes, but eventually, it went away as he became old news. I wondered if he had serious regrets or if my co-workers were right and he had laughed the whole thing off. Had his sponsors ditched him? Because that would have been truly tragic. But again, there had been nothing in the media about sponsors dropping out, and his career seemed to be as strong as ever as he prepared for what they called the majors.

  I didn’t know him, but I’d felt relieved for him. I knew what it liked to feel pressure, and although I wasn’t a big star, yet I planned on that lifestyle and often emphasized with what celebrities went through being in the spotlight.

  “Well, I guess you do know him,” Jillian said with a laugh.

  “I didn’t until last week when my co-workers showed me his latest YouTube video.”

  “Ahhh, yes, not one of his most shining moments. I saw it, as well. But putting that aside, he’s actually a really talented golfer and has a chance to win the championship this year. Rumor has it that Under Armour freaked about the video and threatened to drop him. My guess is that he was told to be on his best behavior for awhile, hence the need for a girlfriend; a fake one anyway.”

  “Wow, I see. I guess that makes sense. I heard he’s a real player.”

  “Well, he won’t be for the next three months.”

  “Can I meet him first before I make a decision?”

  “Absolutely. He’s willing to fly you out for an interview, and if the two of you click, then it’s a done deal. That way you both get to check each other out before any decisions are set. If you agree to things, then he will give you a few days to get your stuff together and relocate for the three months. I will certainly help you with all your arrangements and get you moved if need be.”

  “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Jillian went over some more details while we sat around drinking coffee. The more she talked about it, the more excited I got. It wasn’t a movie or anything, but at least it was a role I was getting paid well for. At least my bills would be covered for awhile. And, I would have a chance to live the high life for three months; that could be a lot of fun.

  I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Mandy all about the interview. She could help me prepare for it and would gossip all night while eating popcorn about how handsome he was. She would eat it right up – he was exactly the kind of guy that Mandy always went for, minus the player part.

  When I left Jillian, I was prepared to get on a flight and go see Caleb for the interview. I wondered about what he would
be like in person when he wasn’t hammered and stripping. He was supposedly a lady’s man, so it would really be interesting.

  He was definitely a handsome man, so it wouldn’t be hard to pretend to like him. Besides, I was a professional, and I would consider it the role of a lifetime. If I couldn’t be convincing as a girlfriend, then I needed to get out of the acting industry immediately. It would be a great way of getting my feet wet for an actual role.

  I wondered if I would be expected to be on the field, or whatever it was called, when they went golfing. That could be interesting; aside from miniature golfing, I had never been on a golf course. The more I thought about the opportunity, the better I felt about my career. It was only for three months and would be a time where I could practice and have some fun. I would come back refreshed and ready for the next opportunity Jillian had for me. She said she would continue looking for things that would start up around the time that my contract ended with Caleb.

  Chapter Eight

  Caleb

  I was pacing around my apartment feeling very antsy. To be honest, I was bored. I had been on my best behavior all week, and I was basically going out of my mind. I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off being a good boy for three whole months. These Under Armour people had to be insane.

  I didn’t know what else to do with myself. I couldn’t possibly stick around my apartment for the next three months. At least the girlfriend situation was being taken care of; that would allow me to go out and at least go to events. The rate I was going now, though, I would absolutely lose my mind if I had to stay in the apartment for another second. Why had I agreed to this? Maybe if I would have fought back just a little, they would have realized that they needed me just as much as I needed them. I was not a slacker; I was a serious player.

  My phone buzzed, and I looked down at it. A flood of relief went through me as I realized it was Matthew. He was asking me to hit the driving range with him. I could certainly hit a few balls into the air. There was no thinking on the driving range. I could just unleash my anger on the balls. Just send them flying across the fairway. The great thing about the driving range was that you could just stand in one spot and hit ball after ball to your heart’s content and you never had to go looking for the balls.

  I agreed to a late-night golf session with Matthew and headed out to meet him. I was looking forward to seeing him since I hadn’t been able to do much all week.

  I walked up to the driving range, and Matthew was already there with drivers and balls. I was itching to send some balls out.

  “Hey, man, how are you? You don’t look no worse for wear being out of the limelight for awhile.”

  “Yeah, right. I feel like I’m going crazy.”

  “Well, I’m sure they don’t expect you to be a hermit now.”

  I groaned, “To be honest, I don’t know what they expect. I’m just laying low for a bit until I figure out my next step. I definitely don’t need to be getting hammered right now. The last thing I need is another incident, and you sure weren’t any help the last time.”

  He laughed, “Yeah, well, I was in pretty bad shape myself, I just don’t have anyone to answer to.”

  “Yeah, lucky you. What a shit show.”

  I got into my stance, a stance that in fact took years to develop, and I hit the ball hard across the fairway. Matthew whooped with laughter. I proceeded to hit five more balls the same way. Had I actually been playing a tournament, I would be a shoe-in for a win.

  “Now why can’t you do that at the majors? Look at those balls fly!”

  I grinned at him. “I can’t tell you, man; I just freeze up. I play like a champ until I get to the majors and then something grabs me by the throat. I don’t know why. How do I stop something when I don’t even know why it happens?”

  “It’s pressure, man. That’s what the big leagues are all about.”

  “I don’t think that’s it. I’m starting to wonder if I’m really cut out for it.”

  “What are you talking about, Caleb? You are amazing at the game; I wouldn’t be working for you if I thought otherwise. You have a stress issue; maybe we can work on that together.”

  “I’m not sure I want to play golf my whole life.”

  Matthew just stared at me – I had officially stunned him into silence. “Are you serious?”

  “Maybe... I’ve been thinking about it for awhile. I’m not my dad; I never was, and I never will be. I was put in this place. I never asked to be here. Fuck, maybe I’m just talking nonsense. I just don’t know what I want right now. I just know I’m not my dad, even though every fucking body expects me to be.”

  “Well, you just blew my mind; I’ll tell you that much. I never would have thought.”

  “It’s just something I’m thinking about, getting out of my father’s shadow, you know. I’m not saying I’m going to do it. I just want to keep my options open.

  “I respect you, man, and I’m here no matter what you decide. You will always have my support.”

  “Glad to hear.”

  We continued to hit the balls for the next thirty minutes before Matthew had the brilliant idea of going to grab a beer, and that was something I could never turn down. I had no intention of getting hammered, but a few beers wouldn’t hurt. We left quickly and headed to the golf station bar where we could sit and watch the other players hit the balls.

  As we settled in with a couple of beers, Matthew picked up the conversation where we had left off. “So what’s your plan here? I know you don’t plan on staying in your apartment for the next three months.”

  I smiled. “No that isn’t the plan, at all.”

  “So, let’s hear it.”

  “I’m going to hire a girlfriend.”

  He burst out laughing, “What are you up to?”

  “Well, I told you how pissed Under Armour was about my sexy video at the club. They suggested as part of my good behavior that I get a girlfriend to keep up appearances.”

  “You with a girlfriend, c’mon!”

  “Exactly, it just wasn’t going to happen. So, Aria suggested I hire one. I talked to my dad, and we agreed to hire an actress for three months and pretend that I have a girlfriend. It’s all, of course, just a way to keep me out of trouble, but whatever.”

  “Oh my God. Are you serious? This is insane.”

  “I know,” I said, laughing. “But it’s totally true.”

  “So have you hired someone? When does she arrive?”

  “Well, I found a girl through an agency. It was kind of weird, actually. I just looked through a lineup of portfolio pictures, and I picked one that I liked. She’s coming here for an interview to see if we make a good fit. But how could a girl resist a guy like me?”

  “No kidding. Does she have any idea what she’s in for?”

  I laughed, “Oh, she will be treated quite nicely, I assure you of that. Best behavior, remember?”

  “Yeah, right. I’ll believe it when I see it. I can’t believe you, man – hiring a girlfriend? Only you would come up with these ideas.”

  “So, they gave me a lineup of girls that might be interested in the position, and, well, she stood out to me. Hopefully, when we meet, she will take the job, and I can at least get back to some form of normalcy in my life. I can take her out and at least go places.”

  “Why didn’t you choose Angelina Jolie? That is one hot chick. We hear all kinds of stories; she’s a hot rod.”

  I laughed, and it took awhile before I could catch my breath. “You idiot. I can’t date a well-known celebrity. It has to be on the down low. This girl is a small-time actress, not well-known. No one is supposed to know she’s an actress. She’s just going to come here and play a role. It’s kind of awesome actually, like a fun little game.”

  “This is insane. Who even thinks this stuff up? It’s crazy.”

  “It’s perfect, especially for the situation. It will work out wonderfully.”

  “So, when is this happening? Do I get to meet her?” he said wit
h a wink.

  “She’s MY girlfriend, Matthew; try to remember that. She should be arriving tomorrow morning from Georgia. I’m taking her to dinner tomorrow night to see how the chemistry is. We have to be able to get along if anyone is going to believe this, unless she’s a really great actress. But, of course, I don’t want to be with someone who I hate, either.”

  “True. You definitely want to make sure that you get along.”

  “Obviously, you will meet her at some point; she’s going to be around for awhile.”

  “Very cool. I agree – this is going to be interesting. I hope you know what you are doing.”

  “Well, I don’t really have a choice, and my father just loved the idea, so there was no turning back.”

  “Yeah, your old man must have loved the idea that you have to be on your best behavior. I wouldn’t be surprised if he called Under Armour himself and told them to threaten you.”

  “No kidding.” I took a long swig of the beer and hoped silently that it hadn’t been the case. Though, I wouldn’t put anything past my father at that point. He always knew how to kill my buzz, no matter what I did.

  “So, what’s this girl like? Did you get details?”

  “No, not really. Nothing about her personality or who she is. Just a picture and some hope. I guess,” I said with a laugh. “In her picture, she looks so innocent looking. It’s kind of cute. But that’s the perfect look for a public image – the public would eat her up like candy. But who knows? She looks innocent, but that could just be a façade.”

  “Yeah, girls have fooled us both before.” He motioned the waitress to bring a couple more beers.

  “I hope she’s as innocent as she looks because I don’t want any nightmares, or worse, some girl who is really uptight. That would really make for a long three months, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah, I get it. But she could be perfect, you never know.”

  “I hope so. I don’t want to do it to begin with, never mind get stuck with someone I don’t like.”

  “Just keep things professional, and you’ll be okay. Don’t judge her by her looks; like I said, she could be perfect. Don’t assume she’s a nightmare. You guys are having dinner; you don’t need to hire her at all if you get a bad vibe.”