Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
I didn’t know that. I grab Levi’s phone since he has Benson’s account up. I’m impressed by his content, and even more impressed that he is only a few hundred thousand followers from my total. His feed is full of hockey stunts and him playing guitar. He also has a YouTube channel with his best friend, Quinn, where they do covers of songs. He’s blowing up, which is great. It’ll further our campaign even more. “He has shared every year. I’m sure this one will be no different. But we can confirm through email,” I say offhandedly.
“I’m not worried about views,” Nati tells us as she turns her computer. “Each year we do the Beauty and the Bull campaign, our reach, our views, and our donations skyrocket. People love you two together.”
“I mean, they aren’t hard to look at,” Amber supplies. “He’s a freaking dreamboat.”
Coach scoffs at that. “He knows it too.”
West agrees. “But they complement each other. Like, Cameron is so light, while he’s so dark. It’s like yin and yang, and people like looking at them.”
While I am fully aware they are speaking of me as if I’m not in the room, I’m completely overwhelmed by the insights into our campaigns. I’ve seen these numbers before, even recorded them for the analysts, but they are insane. I click through the data, and no other campaign for gymnastics or hockey has done as well as the Beauty and the Bull. That is so weird to me.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, Benson is a good-looking dude. Dark hair, curly on top and shaved up the sides. Dark, gorgeous gray eyes with full, lush lips. Long lashes and a body that should be illegal. He’s made of muscle. Thick tree-trunk legs, wide door-busting shoulders. He’s a stud.
And I’m not bad, but even I don’t get views like this on a video of just me.
“I wonder why this campaign does so well,” I find myself saying out loud. Everyone looks over at me, confused by my question. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great campaign. I’m proud of it. But these views and the number of comments…wow.”
Nati gives me a dry look. “Do you not read the reports?”
I nod eagerly. “I do, but seeing the numbers like this is a lot to take in. I mean, each photo of us has over a million comments and that’s only grown since the first one.”
Levi clicks on his phone and then shows me the insights for one of the videos of Benson and me. It’s from sophomore year, when Benson took my hand in his, kissing my knuckles as I grinned up at him, swooning because I am a fool. It’s a gorgeous video, we’re gorgeous, but I know it was all for show. He was just showing off. He loves attention. It had nothing to do with me. “Cameron, people love you two together.”
Amber holds up her phone. “Especially since no one believes you aren’t together. If you read the comments, everyone says you’re hiding your relationship.”
I scoff at that, and I don’t miss the look from my coach. He knows Benson’s and my history. “We are not involved.”
“We know that, but it’s almost like that need to see two people who look good together be together,” Amber says, though it doesn’t make sense to me. “It’s like with Dancing with the Stars. When a couple has incredible chemistry, everyone wants them to date. Your chemistry is electric.”
“It’s a soundless video. How can anyone make any assumptions from that?” I challenge and she laughs.
“You don’t need sound. It’s the way you two look at each other. Everyone loves love.”
Coach holds his hand up at that. “Except me. I hate love.”
I snort. “Says a newly divorced guy.” Then I glance back to Amber. “But we aren’t in love—or together.”
Coach shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. Amber is right. It’s like when the stars of a movie hook up. It’s free press for the movie because of the gossip, it’s entertaining, it gives people what they want—or what they think they want in their relationships.”
I think that over and then say dryly, “But we are obviously not dating. We don’t talk or even hang. There is no basis for this belief.”
Nati shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. People ship you two together, and as Amber said, they believe you two are secretly dating.”
I look back down at the numbers as Amber says, “Just think if they were dating, like, for real. Our numbers would be insane.”
As I look around, everyone is nodding but Coach. He knows why we aren’t dating. He knows why we don’t talk. Our past is too much. But…these numbers aren’t something to ignore. I meet Amber’s carefree gaze. “No way.”
Levi scoffs. “For real, they would be.”
“Yeah, look at that football player and the pop star. No one even confirmed that they’re dating. She just showed up to a game, and his jersey sales went through the roof. Like Coach said, it’s the possibility of love. Everyone wants love,” she says with a dreamy look on her face. “Except you, Coach.”