Bianca glanced at him and then back at Gio and Evelyn. “Is she for hire?”
Felix laughed glancing back at Evelyn. “No, babe. She works for my promoter. She’s one of the models that walks around the ring in between rounds holding up the card that tells everyone what round is coming up.”
Oh yeah, she could picture this girl walking around in stilettos and a barely there bikini holding up a card high above her head while the ogling spectators whistled and catcalled. That made her profession much more respectable than what Bianca was originally thinking.
“She just signed with Budweiser,” Felix explained. “That’s why she’s up here. She’s one of the more famous ring card girls in the business and she’s super smart about getting her name out there so Budweiser snatched her right up and she’s here to sign autographs and take pictures with the audience at the snowboarding events. Of course, she’ll be doing it all wearing the Budweiser logo. She wasn’t working tonight so I figured since she’s single she might enjoy keeping Gio company.”
Trying not to have another jealous outburst, it slipped out anyway, “You seem to know a lot about her.”
Felix smiled, kissing her on the nose. “I just told you she’s one of the more famous ring card girls out there. So yeah, she’s worked a few of my fights, too. I’m telling you she’s real good about getting her name out there. Of course she made herself known to everyone in my camp as soon as my name started making its way up the ranks. But not like you’re insinuating.” He glanced back at Gio then smiled at Bianca again. “I’d never ask a girl I once dated to keep a friend of mine company. That would be kind of rude, don’t you think? Not to mention insulting.”
Bianca sighed softly, already feeling better. “Yes, it would. So what did you tell Evelyn?”
“I didn’t. I knew Gio would be coming up for weeks so when my promoter mentioned she’d be up here for the championships, and that I might run into her I asked him to ask her if she’d be interested in hanging out with Gio.” He smirked. “My promoter has met Gio before. Even he knows just by looking at the guy no girl would be against spending time with him. Though it’d be only temporary, because let’s face it, Gio’s never been the committing type. But I doubt any girl is immune to his looks, even her.” He stopped and peered at her playfully for a second. “Any girl that is, except you, right?”
Bianca nudged him playfully and laughed a little too loud. Overcompensating much? Visions of her dream made her voice a little shaky, “Of course, silly.” As if her ridiculous cackle hadn’t been enough. She leaned in and kissed him deeply. “I love you,” she added as she pulled away. Could her guilty conscience be any more obvious?
She glanced behind Felix in Gio’s direction and to her surprise, he was watching her. Evelyn was obviously very into whatever it is she was telling him but he was paying her no attention. His almost hard stare locked onto her for a moment before turning back to Evelyn.
For one very brief moment, it felt almost as if Gio had read Bianca’s thoughts—knew about her dream. But she knew that was impossible. Andy came over and asked Felix if he had a moment for some photos with a few fans. Felix’s jaw tightened, clearly annoyed by the interruption. “Go ahead.” Bianca squeezed his arm in hopes of assuring him she’d be fine. “I have to go to the ladies’ room anyway.”
Felix and Andy walked her halfway to the ladies’ room before she told them she could go the rest of the way on her own.
Even after she was all done refreshing her makeup she stood in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her. This was not at all how she expected this would be. Would she ever get used to this lifestyle? Most girls would probably jump at the chance to be dating a famous boxer. To be given the star treatment everywhere they went—arrive at parties and clubs in limos—and be seated in VIP sections of clubs. Like everything in life, things are always nicer looking in from the outside. But once inside it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
Felix continued to prove that her first impression of him since getting reacquainted with him was spot on. He was still the hometown boy she’d known in high school. Fame hadn’t changed him. It had just changed his lifestyle. It wasn’t fair for her to continue to distrust him. He had no control over what the media broadcasted about him. She had to stop being so suspicions.
Glad now that she’d bitten her tongue when Felix mentioned his promoter had called to tell him Evelyn would be up here, Bianca still wondered about that. Why would he call him just to tell him that? Did his promoter have reason to think Felix would care? She already disliked Andy for the same reason. Way back before they’d become exclusive, Felix had mentioned his publicist encouraging him to go out and be seen and photographed with as many different girls as possible. Said it was good for his badass image. It’d been his idea to have dinner with the Olympic ice skater Felix had been rumored to be dating. He knew what the tabloids would do with the photos—photos that had nearly broken them up.
Bianca had to start giving Felix the benefit of the doubt. He was obviously giving it to her. He’d just admitted to her that he knew the effect Gio had on women. Knew most women would easily fall for him and yet he hadn’t had a problem with her spending the entire day with him. He hadn’t even flinched when she told him she’d joined Gio in the hot tub. Of course the hot tub in the game room was party size—big enough for a group of people. Not small and intimate like the one in the bedroom.