On the Shore (Cottonwood Cove, #3)(81)

He led me down the hallway to the elevator and ushered me inside. He hit the button to the lobby, and I just stared at him in disbelief.

How had this gone so wrong?

Lincoln moved closer, but I put my hands up.

“Don’t,” I said as I covered my mouth with my hand to hold back the sobs. The tears were so heavy that I blinked several times, desperate to keep it together. I didn’t want him to comfort me right now. I couldn’t think straight at the moment, and if he touched me, I’d fall apart. When the doors opened, I held my head high and walked through the lobby.

We made our way to the parking garage, not saying a word. He opened the passenger door, and I slipped inside.

We’d planned to stay in the city tonight, as he was flying out to New York in the morning. We were going to celebrate over dinner and come up with a plan.

I’d assumed I’d be thinking over the job offer and meeting with them again tomorrow to sign my contract.

Lou Colson had made it clear in our phone calls and emails that they would be offering me a contract to coincide with me allowing them to print the story about Lincoln.

This was supposed to be the day I’d dreamt about for years, but instead, it was a complete nightmare.

I was mortified and humiliated.

They had completely used me. They weren’t interested in hiring me at all.

Lincoln pulled into the underground parking beneath his building. “Look at me.”

I turned to face him. The tears had been falling since we’d gotten in the car, and I was sure my eyes were red and swollen by now. I wasn’t big on falling apart, but the disappointment had set in, and there was no stopping it.

“Baby, don’t let this get you down. They’re a bunch of assholes.”

Don’t let this get me down?

I was well beyond being down.

It had been a complete disaster.

I used the back of my hand to swipe beneath my eyes. “That was a disaster. I wish you hadn’t been there to see that.”

“I’m fucking glad I was there. I wouldn’t have wanted you to be there alone with those assholes.”

“I can take care of myself, Lincoln,” I said, tipping up my chin. “You didn’t need to step in.”

I didn’t know how to handle all these emotions. The disappointment and the anger were at war with one another.

“I will always protect you.”

“Well, I’m sure a part of you is relieved that this job is off the table. Less of a chance of me staying here.” It wasn’t a fair thing to say. I was just spewing venom at this point.

He reached beneath my chin. “I’m not going to lie. I’d be fucking happy to have you beside me. But I did not want today to go this way. I know how much you wanted this, and I wanted it for you. It fucking pisses me off that they pulled this shit with you.”

“Well, it really pisses me off that I’ve worked really fucking hard, Lincoln.” My voice trembled as I cried through my words. “I’ve tried to prove myself. And all they cared about today was you. That’s how it’s going to be, isn’t it? I’ll just be the reporter that wrote Lincoln Hendrix’s story, and then when news breaks that we’re dating, I’ll just be your girlfriend.”

We both knew there was a lot of truth in that statement.

People put athletes on pedestals. It was part of the reason that Lincoln had been so apprehensive to share his story. He liked keeping his life private.

“It’s not how I’ll ever see you.”

I nodded because I knew that he meant it. “I know. And I know you can’t help that you’re famous and that you’re amazing and the greatest of all time—but I need to shine, too. You get that, right? I need my own thing. I don’t just want to be someone’s girlfriend.”

He looked at me like I’d just punched him in the gut. But the reality was setting in that once we went public with our relationship, my job would be greatly affected.

My profession. What I’d worked so hard for.

No one would take me seriously.

“Have I ever treated you like you were anything but amazing? I have been cheering you on since the minute we started working together. You have other offers, baby.”

“Right. But do they only want me because they want that story?” I asked as I looked out the window. Was everyone just after the story?

“You are so fucking talented. You know it, and I know it. I will not let anyone dim your light. Do you hear me?” He didn’t answer the question because he couldn’t answer it.

I knew my worth.

Hell, I’d always known that I could do anything I set my mind to. But today had thrown me. I hadn’t thought that they would have called me in just to get to him.

His gaze searched mine, and I knew that he saw it there.

The real question.

Would I ever shine on my own if we were together?

I’d never been that girl that worried about shining. Worried that someone would dim my light. I’d always been confident in my capabilities. But Lincoln’s fame was bigger than anything I’d ever dealt with.

He pushed out of the car and opened my door. We made our way upstairs, neither of us speaking.

There wasn’t much more to say.

The reality was setting in.

I didn’t know what to do or how to handle all of this.