The media adored him, but they’d typecast Silas the moment it was revealed that his birth mother was serving time in a Texas state prison. Silas had taken it in stride. Jamar wasn’t so forgiving. It didn’t matter how decent and equitable Alec Mooney appeared on the outside; the fact that he was a member of the media placed him squarely in Jamar’s Do Not Trust category.

“Hey, Diesel. Long time no see,” Alec said as he approached. “You’ve been MIA lately. I figured I’d see you on the sideline of at least a couple of Longhorn games this season.”

Jamar shrugged. “I haven’t been able to make any games yet, but when Coach Green calls, he knows I’m here for him.”

Alec nodded. “How is the knee holding up? Is Dr. Hoffman the orthopedic wizard everyone claims he is?”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better surgeon,” Jamar said, bending his knee.

“Hi there,” Alec said, offering Taylor his hand. “Alec Mooney from Central Texas Sports Talk.” Jamar was about to apologize for not making introductions when Alec added, “You were in that viral dating video a few months ago. Weren’t you one of that guy Craig’s girls?”

Jamar saw the way Taylor’s jaw tightened and knew Mooney was in trouble. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the show. It promised to be a good one.

“Taylor,” she said in an excessively sweet voice that signaled to any guy with half a brain that his ass was grass. “I much prefer being called by my name than to be called ‘one of Craig’s girls.’ It’s sexist as hell to refer to any woman as someone’s girl.”

Alec had the blank look of someone who’d been put in his place so soundly that he didn’t know how to react.

“Umm…yeah, sorry about that,” he said. “That was rude. Please, accept my apology.”

That was a half-decent recovery. Jamar was impressed.

Taylor gave him one of those regal, Queen of England nods. “Apology accepted,” she said, her smile more genuine this time around.

“Uh, so,” Alec continued. “Are you Jamar’s new trainer?”

A surge of shock calcified Jamar’s muscles, rendering him numb. He’d been preparing his we’re just friends story as an answer to what he thought was the most logical presumption people would make upon seeing him and Taylor out in public.

“What do you mean?” Jamar asked, mentally crossing his fingers and hoping that Alec hadn’t made the correct leap.

The reporter pointed at Taylor with his pencil. “She—Taylor—is a fitness trainer, isn’t she?” He looked to her. “I’ve watched some of your YouTube videos.”

Fuuuuuck.

Jamar tried to play off his unease with a laugh. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she’s my trainer? We’re—”