# Chapter 15: The Jealousy of a Man Who Cannot Speak His Heart
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review Chapter 15 of "Just for the Plot" — and oh, what a deliciously agonizing chapter this one is. If you love seeing a man tie himself into knots over the woman he secretly adores, then you have come to the absolute right place. So grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let me take you through every heart-wrenching, jealousy-fueled moment of Bennett's latest chapter of emotional torture.
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Bower sets down her empty to-go box and wipes her mouth with a satisfied sigh, pressing her hand against her belly. "That was so good," she says, practically glowing. "I'm going to need their information so I can get that every night."
Bennett, leaning his hip against the kitchen counter, can't help but tease her. "If you get it every night, you better get some for me as well."
But Bower, ever the quick one, points out, "You're not home all the time."
"Stick it in my fridge."
A mischievous glint sparks in her eyes. "Ooo, I like when you talk dirty to me."
"Excuse me?" Bennett nearly chokes.
She dissolves into laughter, thoroughly entertained by his reaction. "Didn't you think that sounded dirty?"
"Gabby's right. You read too much."
"Never," she declares, lifting her chin with an air of mock dignity. She pauses, then springs her next question on him. "By the way, what are your thoughts on Boobs and Balls Book Club as a name?"
Bennett's face goes completely deadpan. "Are you serious with that?"
"Depends if you like it or not."
"No."
"Then not serious." Her smile stretches across her face, and it takes everything in him not to sigh at the sight of her. Because here's the thing — she is so achingly, painfully beautiful that it genuinely hurts him to look at her. Fuck, he thinks. She's so beautiful it actually hurts.
But he needs to change the subject before his heart betrays him. "I think we need to keep thinking. By the way, how was the date this morning?"
There it is. The question he dreads asking. And in his mind, he's desperately praying: *Please don't say he kissed you. Please say it was awful and that you never want to see him ever again and that you actually have been harboring feelings for me this entire time.* He knows how pathetic it sounds, but he honestly doesn't care anymore.
"Note to self: Never have a morning date ever again. I met him at five thirty."
"Fuck, why?"
"Because he had to be at the stadium by seven. We had some smoothies and talked." She shrugs, unimpressed. "He wasn't spouting off his stats, trying to impress me this time, which made him seem more normal. Actually joked around a bit."
Bennett's hand clenches at his side at the very thought of this Cougar character making her laugh. "Think you'll see him again?"
"Yeah, probably. I was actually going to ask him to go with me to a dinner my boss asked me to go to."
Something dangerous ignites in Bennett's chest. His jaw tightens as a full-blown stream of anger pumps through his veins, but his voice remains carefully controlled. "What kind of dinner?"
Bower explains that her boss Adalade is trying to impress a guy she knew from high school — some man named Draco who has suddenly reappeared in her life. Adalade has apparently sworn she'd be single forever, but now this Draco is back in town and she's singing an entirely different tune. She wants Bower to attend this dinner party to help her look good, and she needs Bower to bring a date so it doesn't look like she brought her assistant to talk her up.
"So you're going to take Cougar?" Bennett asks, swallowing the lump in his throat.
The thought of her going to some intimate dinner with that guy — his hands all over her, whispering in her ear, making a move every chance he gets — makes Bennett want to lose his goddamn mind.
"I think so, unless you want to go." Bower laughs it off as if it's a joke.
But Bennett finds absolutely nothing funny about it. "When is it?"
"Bennett, I'm only kidding. I know you have baseball."
"When is it?" He asks again, not fucking around. Hell, he'll pretend to be sick if he has to. He'll do anything.
"Thursday, but—"
"I'll be there."
And for once in his life, the baseball gods have aligned in his favor. He has an off night on Thursday, no travel, nothing. It's rare, and he'll be damned if she takes anyone but him to that dinner.
"But don't you have baseball?"
"Off night."
"Oh, well, you don't want to spend your off night with me."
Bennett's brow furrows together in genuine confusion. "I have spent almost all my off time with you."
"I mean at some stuffy dinner party."
"You will be there, right?"
"Of course," she answers, looking confused.
"If you're there, then I know I'll have fun."
Her head tilts to the side, studying him. "That's very flattering. Are you trying to flirt with me?"
Panic erupts in his chest because — *oh fuck, oh fuck* — he's been caught. But then she laughs, dismissing it entirely. "Just kidding, you would never flirt with an old bag of bones like me."
*Little does she fucking know.*
She presses on, explaining that honestly, it might be best that he goes with her anyway, because she still doesn't know Cougar that well. What if he says something out of line and ruins Adalade's chances of impressing Draco? Bennett assures her that wouldn't be good. She asks if he can be on his best behavior. He asks what she needs from him.
And then she says the words that make his entire body sing: "Well, someone by my side that acts like a date. There might have to be some touching. Are you okay with touching?"
*Fucking yes.*
He shrugs, playing it cool. "That's fine. You touch me all the time and I somehow manage."
She scoffs. "You say that as if it's torture."
"I wouldn't say torture, but pretty damn close to it."
"You're going to have to suffer a night of it, so get ready."
Trust him, he is. He's already thinking about all the goddamn touching.
She transition them to the practical side — he'll need to be a good conversationalist, and she'll send him a write-up about Adalade so he can help talk up how great she is, especially her charities. When Bennett asks what kind of charities, Bower's face softens into a gentle smile. "Foster care kids."
Something catches in Bennett's throat. He asks if Adalade was in foster care herself. Bower nods slowly, explaining that Adalade doesn't talk about it much, but that she wants to help reshape the system she grew up in. That's what she focuses on.
Bennett can't help but feel a connection to this. He's been intentional about using his income to support those with less. He doesn't advertise who he supports — that would be a dick move, insincere, like he's only giving for the kudos. He and his sister Gabby grew up with nothing, and if he can help others avoid such destitution, he will. He wonders if Adalade knows of other places he could support.
When Bower suggests he tell Gretchen about the work he does for foster kids and their families, Bennett firmly shakes his head. "No, that's not something I want her using to get in the good graces of fans. That's personal."
She understands. She apologizes, and he tells her not to. She smiles at him — that soft, warm smile that makes his chest ache — and then suggests they hang some things in the apartment.
"Because I want dessert, but we're not allowed to have any until we've done some damage," he says.
She clasps her hands together, bright and eager. "Then let's get to work."
---
The scene shifts to a godforsaken publicity shoot for the zoo — the third one, apparently. Bennett is twisted awkwardly on a golf cart, his back cramping up, while Graydon stuffs his hands in his pockets like a man who wouldn't know a smile if it saved his fucking life. The photographer is pleading with Graydon to touch OC, but Graydon isn't having any of it.
"Graydon, just touch him so we can get this over with," Bennett says through gritted teeth.
"Listen to the young one," OC says before whispering, "Touch me."
"Making it worse," Graydon growls.
"Get the fuck away from my face," he snaps at the photographer when she lowers her camera.
The poor photographer presses her fingers into her forehead as Gretchen marches up, clearly displeased with all three of them. And honestly, none of them came here in a good mood. Graydon is in a bad mood because something happened with Maple — Bennett is quite sure they broke up. OC is still suffering from what he calls a major heartbreak — the girl he likes and planned on getting back together with is now engaged. She lives in Vancouver, and he lives here. Sure, it sucks, but dude, move the fuck on.
And Bennett? Bennett is pissed because Cougar invited Bower out on another early morning date. And she accepted. His sister Gabby and Ryland arrive today, and he was excited to see them, but this just puts a damper on everything because — three dates? Three fucking dates?
What does that even mean? Does she actually like this guy?
Every time he asks about the dates, she never seems genuinely excited about the prospect of dating Cougar. And yet, she's waking up at four forty-five in the morning to go on a date with him. That has to mean something.
Gretchen scolds them all for blowing the photo shoot, and after some heated back-and-forth about the golf cart being too small, she finally dismisses them to the greenroom to grab some sugar and come back cooperative. OC makes a crack about bath salts, Gretchen nearly shouts at him to get out, and the three men shuffle into the event space that's been converted for the shoot.
Graydon slumps into a chair. Bennett grabs a pack of fruit snacks. OC snags a donut. The tension in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife.
"So I know why Graydon is grumpy and I know why I'm contemplating my life choices, but what's up with you?" OC asks Bennett.
"Nothing," Bennett says, staring off into the distance like a man who has lost all hope.
"Yeah, not buying it. Does it have to do with the sister's best friend? What's her name again?"
"Bower," Graydon says, surprising them both. Bennett might have mentioned her name a few times, but he didn't think Graydon would remember.
"Right, Bennett and Bower," OC says, eyes narrowing. "Does it have to do with her?"
Bennett stays silent. He's not ready for this — for them to be involved. But after a few agonizing seconds, OC gasps with theatrical realization. "It does. It has to do with her. What happened?"
"Nothing," Bennett says flatly. "Absolutely nothing."
"Oh no." OC winces. "Did you make a move and she rejected you?"
"No."
"Wait." Graydon scratches his cheek. "Bower is the sister's best friend? Then why was Cougar talking about her yesterday?"
"Cougar Vajeen?" OC asks, suddenly sitting on the edge of his seat. "Is it the same Bower?"
Bennett sighs heavily, the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Yeah, same Bower."
"Wait — you had me set Cougar up with the girl you like?" Graydon asks, genuinely bewildered.
"What the hell?" OC shouts, outraged. "You had Graydon set someone up for you and you didn't involve me? What the actual fuck? You know I like that kind of shit."
"Yeah, too much. And I thought you'd be annoying about it, hence why I just asked Graydon."
"But why would you have me set her up with someone else?" Graydon demands.
"Because I got some bad advice."
"You sought advice outside the Gladdy Daddies?" OC asks, scandalized. "From whom? Also, serves you right, man. You know you only get the best advice from us. Now look at you, sending the girl you like out on a date with one of the most notorious players in the Bay Area. Pretty fucking dumb if you ask me."
"I don't tend to agree with him, but yeah, that's dumb," Graydon says.
"I know," Bennett growls. "I don't need the reminder."
OC demands to know who gave this terrible advice. Bennett confesses: Nolan.
"Nolan Hart?" OC asks, jaw slightly parted. "The guy who walks around in crop tops, chewing wads of gum, and giving everyone who walks by him a finger gun?"
"Do you know him?"
"No, but my algorithm sure does and is always showing me videos of him."
"You know, it's catered to keep showing you what you watch the most. Very telling, man," Bennett says.
"I watch because I want to see if I could pull off the crop top."
"Absolutely not," Graydon shakes his head.
"No chance in hell, man."
"I have abs." OC lifts up his shirt to show off his stomach. "I could put on a good show."
"It's not about abs. It's about aura, and you're not a crop-top-aura kind of guy."
"Facts," Graydon confirms.
"Fuck both of you, but we're getting off track. I want to get back to why we're setting Bower up with Cougar Vajeen."
Bennett scrubs his face with his hands, exhausted by his own stupidity. "Because I can't tell her how I feel because she still sees me as the kid she first met. So Nolan said I should set her up with someone not good enough for her and then I can swoop in like a hero and show her how perfect I am for her."
"Huh..." OC thinks it over for a moment. "Actually, not a bad plan."
"The only problem is he set her up with Cougar, who is known to charm," Graydon points out.
"You're the one who told me he'd be perfect," Bennett practically shouts.
"Because you didn't give me all the details. You said douchebag, and he's the epitome of that. If I'd have known your entire plan, I'd have probably chosen someone like... Kent Ronald."
"Ohhhhh, Kent Ronald would have been a great choice," OC says, utterly delighted.
But Bennett's anger is getting the best of him now. "Why the fuck is this happening? She had her third date today. Third. What does that even mean? Every time I ask her how her date went, she just says okay and that they don't have that much in common, but she keeps going out with him."
"Maybe it isn't really a date," OC says, raising an eyebrow. "If you know what I mean."
"I will fucking murder you," Bennett says through clenched teeth.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's a bit harsh. I'm just saying out loud what this big guy is thinking."
"Is that what you're thinking?" Bennett whips around to Graydon.
"It would track with him."
"Oh my fucking God." Bennett pops out of his seat, pacing in front of them like a caged animal. "Are they having sex? Do you think they're having sex? She said she was taking it slow. I don't even think they've kissed, but do you think they're doing it?"
OC winces and looks over at Graydon, who presses his lips together in an agonizingly non-committal way.
"Fucking fuck!" Bennett roars before he feels everything around him collapse.
He's such a goddamn moron.
---
What a chapter, my friends. What a gloriously painful, achingly relatable chapter.
Bennett is absolutely spiraling here — and honestly, who can blame him? He's caught in this impossible trap of his own making. He's so terrified of being rejected by Bower that he sabotaged himself from the very start. Instead of telling her how he feels, he orchestrated a convoluted plan that has now backfired spectacularly, leaving him to watch the woman he loves go on date after date with another man. The jealousy is eating him alive, and his friends — the so-called Gladdy Daddies — are there to witness every agonizing moment of it.
There's something so beautifully human about this chapter. Bennett is a professional athlete, a man of status and success, but when it comes to Bower, he's reduced to a nervous, possessive mess who can't even bring himself to say the three words that could change everything. His vulnerability is palpable. The way he lights up when she teases him, the way he panics when she catches him almost flirting, the way he desperately clings to any excuse to spend time with her — it's all so painfully endearing.
And the dinner party on Thursday? Oh, that's going to be a disaster of epic proportions. Bennett has volunteered to play her fake date, which means he'll have to touch her, act charming, and pretend to be her boyfriend while his heart beats out of his chest the entire time. I cannot wait to see how that plays out.
The scene with the Gladdy Daddies was absolute gold. The way OC immediately deduced the situation, the way Graydon remembered Bower's name, the way they both called Bennett out on his terrible decision-making — it was equal parts hilarious and devastating. And the revelation about Nolan Hart's terrible advice just makes the whole situation even more absurd.
What truly touched me in this chapter, though, was the moment they discussed foster care. Bennett's quiet commitment to supporting foster kids — his refusal to publicize it, his determination to help others who grew up the way he and Gabby did — adds such beautiful depth to his character. It's a reminder that beneath all the jealousy and insecurity, he's a man with a genuine heart. And the fact that Bower shares this passion, that she works for someone who wants to reshape the foster care system... maybe they're more aligned than Bennett realizes.
But for now, he's stuck in his own head, convinced that Cougar is sweeping Bower off her feet, certain that he's losing her. Little does he know that Bower doesn't seem all that excited about Cougar either. The signs are there, Bennett. She's not interested in him. She just doesn't know she's interested in you yet.
## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
As a reader, this chapter had me laughing, groaning, and clutching my chest with secondhand anxiety all at once. Poor Bennett. He's such a lovesick disaster, and I love him so much for it. The Gladdy Daddies' banter is absolutely hilarious, the pining is delicious, and that little glimpse into Bennett's genuine kindness with the foster care work made my heart melt. Reading about all of this jealousy and all that pent-up feeling definitely made me want to reach through the pages and shake some sense into both of them. But then again, what would be the fun in that? The slow burn is what makes this story so wonderfully addictive.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars
## Next Chapter Prediction
Given the setup, next chapter is absolutely going to be the dinner party from hell. I predict Bennett will show up looking devastatingly good, determined to be the perfect fake date — but the tension between him and Bower will be off the charts. Gabriel and Ryland's arrival will add another layer of chaos, particularly if Gabby starts pushing Bennett to tell Bower the truth. And of course, Cougar will probably find a way to crash the party or insert himself into the situation, forcing Bennett to finally confront his feelings head-on. I also suspect that at some point, Bennett won't be able to contain himself any longer and something will happen between him and Bower that neither of them can take back. My money is on a moment of almost-kiss, interrupted by utter chaos.
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