“It’s merely a symptom of their main issue. Yes, they’re furious about what you said and we should address that. But no matter what they claim, it’s obvious from comments about the club itself that they’re also concerned about such a flippant lifestyle. If you were happy and had a healthy life, you would naturally attract a long-term partner. Part of what you tout is that positive behavior attracts positive rewards, right? This bleeds into relationships.”
I sucked in a quick breath. “You think a relationship will solve this?”
“In part, and it doesn’t have to be a traditional relationship. Just something that shows the world that you’re worth being around. They need to know you’re more than the façade you wear so well.”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “This is all so complicated. My private life shouldn’t be up for interpretation.”
“Unfortunately, it is now. So I would suggest responding to your clients. Let them know that you are aware of the gossip going around about you and you understand their concerns. Your model for success is not changing at this time and any change in the future will be announced ahead of time. If they ask about your relationship status, explain that you prefer to keep your private life private, but yes, you do have a steady partner and no, you don’t know who spread this information about you or what their goal was in doing so.”
“I like that. Addressing the issues without lying while still not admitting that what I was quoted as saying was said.”
“What you say to a close friend should’ve never made the world wide web. You have nothing to be sorry for, and it’s not your responsibility to apologize for someone else’s mistake. You weren’t talking about anyone in the industry, you were venting about your personal journey. That should’ve remained private, period. End of story.”
“It’s nice to hear someone say that.” But the guilt still ate away at me. His plan was perfect, but it left me struggling under the weight of expectations others had for me. I didn’t know if I could handle the pressure long-term now that I had come to grips with my true feelings. Once I’d let those feelings of resentment surface, it was like trying to close the floodgates when the water was already rushing into the valley below.
“What about entering into a contract with your friend from last night?” Walter’s question jolted me out of my musings.
“You’re not serious, are you?”
“It doesn’t have to be anything serious. You can keep a consort without sex or any kind or any other kind of formal relationship. No one has to know the relationship is new. If they think you’ve just been extremely careful to keep your private life hidden, it may redeem you in their eyes.”
“You’re really suggesting that hanging out with a guy who’s nearly twenty years younger than me is going to fix my image?”
“You’ll need to put a little bit more effort into it than that, but yeah, that’s the basic idea. I think it will be good for your image, and you know how stiff the competition is for consorts at The Club.”
“If nothing has changed since I was there last,” I countered.
“There are still consorts who are kept by The Club from when you first joined. Not many, but it can happen. Think of it as mutually beneficial for you both. The consort gets a patron, and you get your image restored, maybe even elevated. Then you can focus on making your brand more authentic and go from there. I’m not seeing a downside, Caine.”
Neither was I. “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask. I’ll talk to you soon. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “You’re going to get through this, Caine. And you’ll be a better man for it.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said, then we said our goodbyes and I sat there mindlessly scrolling through my newsfeed and wishing my name wasn’t trending.
On a whim, I looked up Shelton’s social media. When I found it, I click on a link to his public Instagram account and scrolled through his feed. It was filled with fun videos, witty banter, and loads of positive interaction with his followers, who were over ten thousand strong. He had a flourishing social media presence and was well on his way to building a platform that would generate steady income.
I spent more than an hour perusing his videos, noting a few places where he could’ve casually boosted his business without turning people off. The business itself was sound. A sort of travel agent, but he curated dreams and hosted life-changing events for people who were too busy or too afraid to do it themselves. With a few small changes, his idea could be shaped into something very lucrative. There was a lot of potential for growth, but what I noticed most of all was how his followers reacted to him. He engaged with them and they responded with such positivity. Many even shared stories of how he’d inspired them to put aside their fear and go after their dreams. His reactions to those stories were so humble and uplifting that I could almost hear him cheering people on. It was clear that the Shelton I’d known for years was the same as the man on his Instagram account. Youthful, exuberant and a little goofy, his genuine care for people and his desire to help them realize their dreams while they were still young came bursting through every post. You couldn’t help but love his bubbly personality, and it looked like even the trolls were no match for Shelton’s intellect. He matched each of their attacks with kind, but firm responses, turning their hatred into a teachable moment for his followers without feeding the trolls’ need for drama. Yes, he was at times painfully awkward in his videos, choosing honestly over moments edited to perfection, but that was part of his charm. Walter’s crazy idea of pretending to be Shelton’s boyfriend to benefit us both was starting to seem like an amazing plan.
I jotted down a few more notes, then I flicked my thumb across my phone’s screen until it stopped on Shelton’s phone number. I smiled when I saw that Shelton had not only put his phone number into my contacts, but his business information, too. I thought back to the conversation and decided that I was going to take this time to mentor Shelton. There was no reason we shouldn’t both benefit from our fake relationship, and helping Shelton turn his struggling business into a success was exactly the type of challenge I needed to shake me out of my funk.
My thumb hovered over the phone icon for several moments while I planned out how I was going to sell this plan to Shelton, then I let out a short, low growl and dialed his number. There was no need to be timid. It was a great plan, and Shelton was going to be just as excited as I was.
And if he wasn’t, I’d find another way to make it worth his while.
6
Shelton
When the phone rang, I nearly jumped. I looked away from the book I’d been reading, surprised to see Preston’s number on the screen.
I’d been hoping to hear from Caine, but it was almost the weekend, and he hadn’t even bothered to text me. Groaning, I straightened my shoulders and prepared myself. Preston only called when Mother was worried. “‘Sup, Bro,” I teased, laughing when he sighed on the other end of the line.
“Aren’t you getting a little old for that teenage patois?” he said, his voice dripping with disdain.