no strings attached - j.b

the name of the game

"I could have sworn I saw that Tess girl on the sidelines today. Someone here looks damn similar to her" Ja'Marr greeted Joe as they ran into each other again in the booth.

Joe shook his head. "Not similar. It is her" he explained sullenly. The encounter with Phoebe had pretty much spoiled his mood. He was disappointed, pissed off, and just plain confused.

So many questions were buzzing through his head. Had she known who he was? Was that why she had proposed the deal to him? Was she trying to expose him because she knew they would run into each other here again? Had she just played a stupid game with him?

"say what now? Why is she here? Did she contact you and you invited her?" Ja'Marr looked at him in surprise before taking a startled loud breath. "Is she stalking you?"

"What, no, well, I don't think so. She...she works here" Joe explained. "Working? Here? As what?" Ja'Marr stared at him in shock. "She's Paige's assistant"

"Social media then. Damn, what kind of coincidence is that? Or maybe it's not Tess at all and she has an evil twin" Ja'Marr grinned.

"I doubt it, and that's not all, Ja'Marr. I finally got her real name" Joe added.

"oh, really? What is it?" Ja'Marr asked tensely. "Phoebe" Joe announced. "Phoebe Brown to be exact".

Ja'Marr's mouth dropped open as he clasped his hands together on his head. "No, don't tell me..." "she's Mike Brown's granddaughter" Joe confirmed Ja'Marr's guess, who suddenly burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, I don't believe it. You fucked a Brown. You fucked Mike's granddaughter. That's the best thing I've heard in a long time" laughing he held his stomach. "Shut up. It doesn't have to be heard by the whole locker room" Joe growled, slapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Ouch, dude, that hurts. I'm stopping already" Ja'Marr rubbed the spot, pouting. "But no shit, you're a king. No player has fucked a Brown yet" he added chuckling and jumping from one leg to the next like a leprechaun.

Joe just rolled his eyes and turned back to his bag, which he was packing. He still had the appointment with Phoebe today that Paige had mentioned earlier, and he wasn't quite sure whether he should be looking forward to it or didn't feel like it.

He had wanted to see her again, but not under such circumstances. Not to find out she was the granddaughter of Mike Brown. Not to wonder if she was just playing him.

"bro, do you think she knew who you were?" Ja'Marr had finished his dance by now and looked at Joe, who shrugged. "I guess so"

"Yeah, I guess so, too. I mean, her grandpa owns everything around here. So she must know the players. That would make sense" Ja'Marr pondered aloud.

"I'm sure I'll find out in a minute. I have an appointment with her now" he sighed, shouldering his bag and high-fiving Ja'Marr before leaving the locker room.

Stopping in front of Paige's office, he knocked politely on the door. "Come in," Phoebe's voice rang through the door. Joe stepped inside and let his bag slide to the floor beside the entrance.

"Oh, it's you. Have a seat. Be right with you" Phoebe smiled at him and gestured to the chair before turning back to the computer and typing in a few things.

Joe noticed how the uncertainty of why so she acted as if nothing had ever happened between them was driving him up the wall. His mood was once again in the dumps, and he noticed his jaw tightening angrily.

"All right. Now we're coming to you" Phoebe skimmed a few notes on the table until she picked one up. "Paige wants me to work out with you what video you want to shoot".

"Really? You're acting like this is the first time we've met?" Joe's voice sounded more pissed than he thought it would, and he also noticed a brief surprise on Phoebe's face as she looked at him briefly.

Sighing, she placed her hands on the tabletop and grimaced a few times before turning back to Joe. "No, but can we get this over with first? Paige is counting on me" she looked at him pleadingly.

Joe only made a grumbling sound and crossed his arms in front of his chest. At least she seemed to appear to want to work it out.

"So, we'd have some interviews with reporters or little challenges with one of our sponsors, but Paige said you're not exactly someone who likes to stand in front of the camera and talk about yourself, so she suggested that if you don't want to do any of that, we can just film you doing some recovery training. Maybe an interview with Nick and that would be it" Phoebe explained.

"Yeah, I'm cool with that" Joe muttered coldly. "great, then I'll check with Paige about the best time to film and when we can get Nick off work for a bit" she jotted down a few things on a piece of paper which she stuck to the computer screen.

Afterwards, she leaned back in her chair with a sigh and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So, you want to talk about the elephant in the room?" she gave Joe a questioning look.

"yes, you obviously owe me an explanation, but really I just want a question answered" Joe's look turned serious. "Did you know who I was?"

Phoebe scoffed. "Of course I did. Everyone, absolutely everyone in this club knew who you were. You don't even have to be the president's granddaughter for that" she shook her head.

At that moment there was a knock on the door and without either of them saying anything, the door flew open and Sam stepped into the office. With a huge grin on his face, he beamed at Phoebe. "oh my god, it's true. You're back."

"Sammy, oh, hey. It's so good to see you. But...uh, we're busy right now, could you hold on just a second?" Phoebe pointed with a smile at Joe, who had by now stood up and grabbed his bag.

"Actually we're done here. I know everything I need to know" he mumbled, gave Phoebe a cold look and stormed out of the office.

"Joe, wait..." Phoebe called after him in vain before turning to Sam with a sigh. "What was that all about? Trouble already on your first days here?" he asked, pointing over his shoulder in the direction Joe had just fled.

"Just a little disagreement" Phoebe mumbled before laying back against Sam's chest. "I'm glad to see you again, Sammy. It's been so long" she sighed.

Laughing, Sam wrapped his muscular arms around her and pulled her into one of the strong hugs she had missed so much. "way too long, Pheebs. About time you got back here, and from what I hear, you're staying, aren't you?"

WHO-DEY🧡