“I’m pleased to meet you, Miss Samuels.”
“Please, call me Veronica. You mentioned on the phone that some repairs and renovations were needed?”
“Yes.” Jim walked her through the facility, making sure to point out the improvements that were either just beginning or would be coming soon with the new money they had received.
Veronica could see why they needed to overhaul a few of the rooms. They were falling apart from so much use and were very outdated. “So, the money that the center is using to do all of these renovations…any idea of where it came from?”
“Oh, yes. Joel was kind of proud of the way he’d basically done nothing but be himself. His friend owns one of those internet dating things, and Joel signed up and then let his buddy use his picture for advertising to get more members joining.”
“And you think that’s okay? Joel advertising an online dating app?” Veronica asked.
“Well, I don’t know if I really have an opinion about that, but Joel sure seemed happy to have met this girl. You.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He was here yesterday and told us what happened. He thought maybe you were upset because he got a large sum of money and just wasted it, but the center was on his mind all along. These kids are his mission, you know?”
Veronica nodded her head, feeling close to tears, but then she saw something that made her feel like she’d been duped again. “What is she doing here?”
Veronica pointed to where Giselle was conferring over a set of blueprints with someone. “That’s Giselle Worthington, the architect on this project.”
“The architect? Don’t you mean Joel’s girlfriend?”
Jim shook his head and then called out, “Giselle, could you come over here for a minute?”
Veronica shook her head, “I don’t want to talk to her.”
“Which is precisely why you need to,” Jim told her.
“Jim, what’s…up? Never mind, I have eyes.” Giselle glared at her. “I hope you’re happy. Football is the one thing Joel really cares about, and now he’s got problems because of you and that stupid article.”
Veronica swallowed and then crossed her arms over her chest defensively. “You had keys to his apartment?”
Giselle nodded. “Not that you deserve an explanation, but Joel happens to think he’s in love with you. Why, I’m not sure, but there you go. He and I had a thing on and off again, but he made it pretty plain a few nights ago that he’s in love with you.”
“A few nights ago?” Veronica asked.
Giselle nodded. “I dropped him off at his apartment after our board meeting here and offered to come up and help him unwind. He told me we were never going to happen again because he didn’t want to mess up the best thing to ever happen in his life. You.”
Veronica felt tears sting her eyes. “That was when I saw…I was coming to talk to him, and I saw him get out of your car…”
She’d been so unfair to Joel and then the article…she felt horrible. She’d no doubt made his life a living hell, with all the negative publicity the article had created.
“Oh, I’ve made a terrible mistake,” she told Jim Marshall and Giselle. She couldn’t stop thinking about all of the fun times they’d had together, and how she’d been so close to believing herself in love with the man, but then she’d found out about the money, and Joel hadn’t tried to explain until she was too mad to listen…What a mess. I have to fix this.
“Mr. Marshall, I’m sorry, but I have to go. Thank you for calling and straightening out my misinformation.”
“No thanks necessary. We all love Joel around here and hated to see him mistreated.”
“Giselle, I’m sorry if I misjudged you.”
“No harm, no foul. If he’d been willing, I would have been right there with him. But he likes you, and I don’t poach on other’s relationships.”
“I’m going to try and fix things. Has he been here since…?”
“The article came out?” Jim asked, waiting for her answer. She nodded, and he shook his head.
“Two days before the article came out was the last time he was here. If it helps, he was also listed as an injured reserve for next Sunday’s game.”
“He didn’t play yesterday, either.” Veronica felt horrible about that.
“No. He was sitting on the bench. That had to have killed him,” Giselle told her softly.
Veronica nodded and then left the center and headed for her car. On her way back to her office, she called Joel’s phone multiple times. She left voice messages the first few times, and then she just called back, hoping he would answer, but it just went to voicemail. She needed to reach him. She had so much to tell him and to apologize for. Please, Joel. Pick up the phone.
*****
Not playing in Sunday’s game had sent a frisson of fear through Joel’s brain. Everyone was asking questions, and he decided his best choice of action was to hold a press conference and make sure if people were talking about him, they at least had the correct version of facts.
“Folks, if you’ll all sit down, I’ll make a short statement, and then I’ll answer your questions.” Joel waited until everyone was seated and then he stepped back up onto the stage.
“So, many of you have read the article that came out in the Boston Globe several days ago and have put two and two together. Let me clear the situation up for those still wondering who the story was about. It was about me.
“The man who created Duets is an old friend of mine from college. When he called and asked for a favor, I saw the amount of money he was willing to pay and realized it could do so much good once it was in my hands. The children’s center is the only reason I would ever put myself through this horse and pony show.”
“So, you only did it for money?”
“What was in it for you with the girls? How many girls did you date?”
“Look, I don’t really care what you all think about me, but I’m telling you, the main reason I considered signing up for Duets was that I knew the good that could be done with the money. Plus, I was keen to find love, you know I guess I've been known to date a string of different models. And truth be told I haven't really been interested in finding something stable, until now. Then I saw Veronica’s profile come across and I…well, I decided I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to meet someone like her. Before I knew it, I’d fallen in love with her.”
“You expect us to believe that you didn’t have any money to donate? And that you really fell in love?”
Joel nodded, “Yes, I am. I’m privileged to play a game I love, and I’m paid very well for doing so, but I’m also smart and know that playing football won’t last forever. Except for the salary I live off, the rest of my earnings either go to Uncle Sam or investments. I don’t have a large amount of accessible cash. Not right now. And yes, I fell in love.”
“So, the woman who wrote the story…where is she?”
This question hurt most of all, but Joel answered it as honestly as possible. “The woman I was matched with is a beautiful woman who believes I lied to her. I didn’t, but she is convinced otherwise. I feel very betrayed by the story she wrote, but I won’t let this incident keep me from moving forward and trying to find true love.”
“Are you going to use the online dating app again?”
“Joel, what’s her name?”
Joel shook his head. “I’ve said all I’m going to say. I just wanted the American public to know I don’t believe I did anything wrong. That’s all. Thank you.”
Joel stepped down from the stage, ignoring the many questions being hurled his way, and headed back inside to hide until the reporters could be cleared out. That might take a couple of hours, but he didn’t mind. He didn’t have anywhere else to be at the moment, and he could only hope that somewhere Veronica realized she’d made a mistake. It wouldn’t change anything from where he stood, but he still wanted the the truth to be recognized and accepted.
Chapter 20
The next d
ay…
Veronica was going crazy. She had been calling and texting Joel, and he wasn’t responding. At all. She arrived at work and decided to see if the senator could offer some help. She knocked on the doorframe and then stepped inside when the senator hung up the phone and glanced at her.
“Veronica, is this about the story that was leaked to the newspaper on the online dating application you were researching?”
“It is. Sir, I need your help to right a wrong. The online dating app isn’t to blame for what happened between Joel and me. The money wasn’t only for greed but was earned with a specific plan in mind, and I need to make sure the public knows the article I wrote was erroneous.”
“Veronica, I’m afraid there’s no way I can do what you’re asking. The information you presented in the article gives us a perfect case against the online dating application company. We cannot let this information slip through our fingers while we have the ability to stop this company and others.”
“Sir, at least give me a chance to clear Joel’s name. He didn’t do anything wrong and shouldn’t have to pay the price. Maybe I could get the paper to write another article…”
“I thought you would be happy. This is what you originally came to me to have happen.”
“I know, but I didn’t want to sacrifice people to do so.”
“Well, that is life. You win some, and you lose some. Rarely is there ever a situation where you win on multiple levels all at the same time.”
“But sir, my original article…I was misinformed. I need to set the record straight.”
The senator stood up and grabbed his suit jacket, slipping his arms into the sleeves as he gave her a pitying look. “Buyers’ remorse. That’s all this is. You did a credible job on the research, and you need to see beyond whatever problems are created for your friends in the short term and think about the future. Your research and article are going to save hundreds, maybe thousands of women heartache and pain.”
Veronica was at a loss of how to get her boss to see that acting on her original research would be so wrong. “Sir, if you push my original research, you’ll be punishing the wrong people and correcting the wrong side of the equation.”
The senator straightened his tie and gave her the thousand-watt smile that had won him many votes on the campaign trail. “Frankly, Miss Samuels, I don’t care about the fallout. This is the beginning of an election year and people want to see positive steps being made to fix this crazy world we live in. I ran on a platform that included protecting women and empowering them to step up and make a difference in the world. You’ve provided me a way to show my constituents that I’ve done both. End of discussion.”
Veronica had known that politicians could be callous and even dishonest, especially when votes were on the line, but she’d never put this man in that category. Until now. He headed for the door to his office, and she knew she had to decide her future. Immediately.
“I’ll be back in a few hours, and then we can continue this discussion…”
“No, sir. That won’t be necessary.” Veronica stood and faced him, meeting his eyes with determination to follow her heart written across her face. “Consider this my immediate resignation. I cannot in good conscience allow you to proceed without at least trying to set the record straight and provide a modicum of protection for the people I put in the line of fire before I had all the facts.”
The senator arched a brow at her and asked sarcastically, “You think you can go up the system? On your own?”
“I won’t be on my own for long, and frankly, yes. Yes, I do.”
“Well, good luck. You’re going to need it,” he shook his head at her and left the room. “Close my office door on your way out,” he called back.
Veronica stood there for another moment, taking a few deep breaths and finding her center once again. It took her little time to clean out her desk, and she made a point to download her research files onto a flash drive.
“Girl, I can’t believe you quit,” Kevin stopped by her office.
“I can’t work for someone who has no morals or qualms about hurting innocent people when the truth would be so easy to put out there.”
“The senator is behind in the early polls. He’s grasping at anything that might give him the upper hand.”
Veronica smiled at Kevin. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Well, when you get set up and going on your next crusade, look me up. I wouldn’t mind rolling up my sleeves and getting a little bit dirty.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Tata, girlfriend. Do whatever you need to get that handsome young man back. He’s worth it.”
“I know he is.”
She finished cleaning out her office and carried everything down to her car. She only had to make two trips, and she parked illegally in the fire lane for almost twenty minutes between her first trip and her last. The security guards had promised to make sure her vehicle wasn’t towed and had wished her well on her next adventure.
She headed back to her apartment and immediately sat down and re-wrote the original story, including the extenuating circumstances and making sure the article exonerated Joel and Derick from any wrongdoing. She contacted the Boston Globe and explained the situation to the editor. He was more than happy to print a follow-up story, not wanting to expose his newspaper to any legal liability should Derick or Joel decide to sue the paper for defamation of character.
With that handled, she then placed a phone call to the local news channel.
“This is Rebecca, what can I do for you?”
“Rebecca, this is Veronica Samuels, we spoke once before when you came and interviewed the senator I was working for about SB 1295.”
“Oh, yes. What can I do for you today?”
“Well, first, let me make sure you understand I no longer work for the senator. I’m calling on another story the Boston Globe ran a few days ago, about the online dating app Duets. I wrote that story and have since come into some new information that completely clears the football player involved in any wrongdoing. He did not misuse the application to make money. He was simply part of an endorsement deal. That’s as far as his involvement went. The wrongdoer, in this case, is the CEO of the application. He intentionally leaked private conversation to create a sensation and gain publicity for his online dating app. I was hoping you might be willing to do a news story to help get the word out there.”
“Have you contacted anyone else about this?” Rebecca asked.
“No,” Veronica smiled to herself. Hook, line, and sinker. They want to scoop the other stations. “You would be the only news channel doing this particular story at this time.”
“That’s great. Can you give me more details?”
Veronica took great joy in doing exactly that. She scheduled the news reporter and her cameraperson to arrive at the children’s center in two hours and was promised it would make the news tonight; both the five o’clock and the ten o’clock news. Veronica couldn’t have been happier.
Veronica contacted Jim Marshall, and he was overjoyed that she was taking steps to fix things. She arrived at the center thirty minutes before the reporters and together with the other workers, they made sure the children and the center were going to put their best foot forward.
Rebecca showed up with her cameraman and recorded a segment that would be run during the evening news broadcast.
“This is Rebecca St. James from Channel 19 News, coming to you from the Westgate Children’s Center here in Boston. Recently a news story broke about football player Joel Marketis and his involvement with a new online dating app called Duets. We have recently discovered that the information printed initially in the Globe might have misled people and we’re here today to set the record straight.
“Joel Marketis did sign an endorsement deal with the online dating app and while he was looking for love certainly wasn't counting on finding this young woman right here. Veronica Samuels. The two of them went to high school together, and Joel w
as so intrigued when they were matched, he decided to give it a shot. The rest is history.
“Many people are wondering what happened to the money Joel received as part of the endorsement, and you’re looking at it. Joel has been helping the Westgate Children’s Center for a while now and only a short while before he signed the endorsement, he was made aware of several costly renovation and additions that were needed to keep the center functioning.
“Unlike many pro athletes, Joel has been wise with investing his money and didn’t have the ready cash that was needed for the projects. The endorsement provided those funds.
“This is Jim Marshall, the director of the facility. Can you tell us what those funds have meant to the children here?”
The Right Swipe Page 15