The Athletic Groom: Billionaire Marriage Brokers

by Lucy McConnell

  The pressure attacked again as Isaac opened the door to leave.

  * * *

  Harper stared after Isaac’s very fine-looking retreat. If the view hadn’t been so good, she might have reacted faster. She’d purposely flushed out every reason for his actions, giving him outs along the way, to see if he’d stick to his guns. Stick to them he did, and she was impressed.

  Impressed enough to scramble out of her seat and call down the hall, “Mr. Wolfe, wait!”

  Isaac hadn’t made it to the reception area yet. When he turned, they were sheltered from Harrison, Logan, and who knew who else by the distance.

  Harper couldn’t help herself this time—she tweaked his tie. “Are you always this dramatic? Because that’s something we’re going to have to work on before you step in front of a camera.” She smiled to let him know she was teasing and that he’d passed the interview with flying colors.

  “You, you want me?” he asked, his tiger eyes searching her face with an intensity that took her breath away.

  Harper cast her eyes to the side at the question as her heart pounded like jungle drums. She’d crossed a line by touching him—a line she swore she would never cross again so long as they both shall wed.

  Isaac recognized his innuendo. His eyes went wide and held up his hand. “To coach. You want me to be your manager, is what I meant.”

  If he can recover, so can I. She hoped so, anyway. “I do. If you want the position.”

  “I do.”

  “Wonderful,” said Pamela, who stood in her open office doorway just feet from where they’d talked. “Now, if we can just get the two of you in front of the judge, you can repeat those words and then you can be on your way.” She shepherded them down the hallway. “Harrison, would you please have Mr. Wolfe sign the prenuptial agreement?”

  Harrison smiled at the two of them. “You bet.” Isaac followed him back into his office, and Harper’s eyes followed Isaac. It wasn’t something she did consciously; he was just really good-looking, and real in a way that most the men she dated couldn’t come close to.

  Pamela stepped over to the receptionist’s desk. “Tina, will you call Mr. Fornsworth and see if he is on his way?”

  “Yep.” Tina, the perky redhead, picked up the receiver and went to work.

  “I had the justice of the peace scheduled just in case this all worked out,” Pamela explained with a wink. She touched Harper’s arm. Harper sucked in, fighting against the sensation of falling in space. “I have a good feeling about you.”

  “He’s just pulling in and Trish is on line two—she says it’s an emergency,” said Tina.

  Pamela released her and Harper bent her knees to steady herself. “I’ll take it in my office.”

  Tina nodded and a ring sounded down the hall just as Pamela reached the door.

  Harper looked around to get her bearings and found herself alone with Isaac’s son. The logistics of moving a teenager into her house hit as she tipped her chin to look up at the kid who was taller than she.

  Pamela hadn’t said anything about a stepchild. Of course, Pamela hadn’t said much about anything. If they’d had more time … Not that a stepson was a deal killer; it was just a surprise. Her day was full of them.

  Then again, maybe he lived with his mom and was just here to see his dad get hitched. “Hey,” she said as she sat down, smoothing her skirt over her knees.

  “Hey,” he said back shyly as he joined her in the couch.

  Dozens of thoughts rushed at Harper and she worked to sort them quickly. “Um, are you okay with this?”

  Logan looked down at his scuffed dress shoes. He shrugged. “My dad needs the job.”

  Harper sighed. How many times had she followed her dad from meeting to meeting? Her heart went out to Logan. “Yeah, but what about you? Moving is kind of a big deal, isn’t it?”

  He shrugged again. “I think I’ll be all right.”

  Strange. Weren’t teens supposed to be full of drama and think the world revolved around them? She tried to remember back to when she and Seth were younger. They had been busy in school, with friends, and with their parents’ social obligations.

  She took in his trim frame and height. “Are you into sports? There’s lots of teams in St. George for kids your age.” She mentally cringed at the word kids. She should have said guys or young men or something more grown-up.

  “Naw. I don’t play.”

  She tipped her head in confusion. Logan was athletic and his dad was Mr. Baseball. Her mind churned with unanswered questions. There was a dynamic here she couldn’t quite figure out. Scratching her arm, she asked, “Why not?”

  Logan opened his mouth to respond at the same time Tina’s phone beeped. Harper’s head whipped around.

  “I can take you back for the ceremony.” Tina came around the high desk.

  “Great.” Just great. Harper smoothed her skirt over and over again. Catching herself, she purposefully dropped her hands to her sides and forced them to stay there.

  She and Logan were met in the hallway by Isaac and Harrison and they all made their way to Pamela’s office together. Harper stared at the immaculate desk as the justice of the peace came through the door.

  Perhaps sensing the high levels of panic and anxiety that coursed through Harper’s veins, Pamela shut the door, closing off her escape. “Let’s begin.”

  Throwing her hair over her shoulder, every bit of posture training her former Miss USA mother had drilled into her took over. Good thing, because her mind was kicking dandelions in the outfield. Harper chanced a glance at her intended. Isaac stared straight ahead, a mask of determination on his face and a pool of fear in his eyes.

  Pamela took a deep breath. “Some marriages begin with a spark of attraction, others begin with friendship, and most begin with love.”

  Harper’s cheeks flamed red.

  “This marriage has had a unique beginning.” She chuckled. “I’ve attended more marriages than I can count and yet each one carries a distinctive sense or feeling with it. May I suggest that in the absence of attraction, friendship, and love, you cultivate loyalty.” Her eyes went soft and she stared past the people in the room for just a moment before gesturing to the officiator to take his place. “You’re going to need it.”

  The justice went through the barest of ceremonies.

  Harper swallowed a strangled cry just in time to say, “I do.”

  For better or worse, she was now Mrs. Wolfe.

  Heaven help them all.

  6

  Isaac hiked his overnight bag higher on his shoulder as he exited the town car at the airport. He and Harper had barely spoken since exchanging rings and a firm handshake. Not directly to each other, anyway. The moment the ceremony was over, Harper focused on getting them out of the BMB offices and on the road. The soft, understanding woman he’d talked to in private was overtaken by a tour guide Barbie on steroids.

  Isaac checked several times to make sure Logan had his overnight bag, since he had no idea where their luggage ended up. Tina had assured him everything was arranged, and right at that moment a woman named Trish was supervising the packing up, storage, and shipping of his items back home.

  Their car stopped not far from a private plane with the Redrocks logo emblazoned on the side. The private airport had a dozen hangers, making Isaac wonder who else utilized the facility. He’d like to hang out for a weekend and see who showed up, but there was no time for that now as Harper had already bolted from the car. Halfway up the staircase, she glanced back and motioned them forward.

  “I guess we’re flying.” Isaac shrugged.

  “Sweet,” Logan replied.

  They were met at the bottom of the stairs by a short, round man with black hair. He was dressed in a Redrocks polo shirt and slacks. “I’m Thomas Malone. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wolfe, Logan.”

  They shook hands before climbing the carpeted steps and entering the plane. Large enough to comfortably transport the twenty-five-man roster, the coaching
staff, and the support staff, the interior was done in walnut, chrome, and cream-colored leather. There was an office area near the back. Harper was at the front row, digging through the laptop bag she’d set on the seat.

  Isaac lifted an eyebrow at the accommodations. The seats were far enough apart that even their tallest player would be able to rest comfortably. To the right was a kitchenette. He hoped there was food in there. It had been over an hour since Logan last ate. The kid had turned into a food vacuum on his fifteenth birthday.

  Upon entering the plane, Logan let out a low whistle and asked, “How rich are you?”

  “Seriously?” Isaac asked him. Pushing Logan toward two empty leather seats a few rows back, Isaac threw an apologetic look at Harper.

  She shrugged it off as her phone beeped a text. Her hands went still. “It’s my brother.”

  “You have a brother?” he asked before he could stop himself. He assumed, with the plane and the money, that she had been an only child. If there was a brother, why did Harper inherit the team? Not that women couldn’t own major league teams; it just seemed like an untraditional course.

  She made a face, as if she’d heard his mental discussion and processed a whole opinion of him based on his opinion of women in baseball. Which he wasn’t against!

  “I’m sure you’ll meet Seth at some point.” Her tone added a not if I can help it.

  “I’ll look forward to it.” Their eyes met and he worked to add sincerity to his gaze. He wanted to meet Seth, wanted to see where Harper came from. There was so much about her he didn’t know.

  Her gaze dropped back to her phone as it chirped. “If you don’t mind, I need to make a few calls.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, looking everywhere but at him. She moved to the back, where a full-sized desk with dozens of cubby holes and several file drawers waited. She had the phone pressed to her ear before she sat down. “Seth, I’ve got the figures right here.” She glanced up, meeting Isaac’s gaze and then ducking her head again.

  Isaac tried to give her some privacy and sat next to Logan near the front, though his senses were constantly picking up Harper. One moment, her scent would tickle his awareness. Another, the melodic sound of her voice would float through the cabin.

  Logan figured out how to change channels on the television recessed in the seat on front of them and asked, “So how does it feel to be married again?”

  Running his hand down his face, Isaac admitted, “I’m trying not to think about it.”

  Logan tipped a cocky grin his way. “Yeah, but you just got married.”

  “I know. Am I crazy?”

  Logan turned to peer over the back of his seat at Harper. “If you had brought her home and dated her, I’d have said she’d drop you before the third date.”

  “Thanks a lot! Your overwhelming confidence in my—my—in me is an ego boost I could do without.”

  Logan shook his head. “No offense, but I’m wondering what she sees in you.”

  Isaac did his own perusal of Harper. “You and me both, kid.”

  Settling on a Marvel movie, Logan relaxed into his chair.

  Isaac took the reprieve to stare at the BMB-provided ring on his hand. A quarter-inch wide, the platinum band had several grooves running the circumference. The ring was a foreign object, one that didn’t belong on his hand and was definitely not a part of his body. Not like his first ring had been. Taking that one off had been like removing an organ. But for the sake of his kid and his career, he would wear the farce and play the part of a devoted husband.

  Thomas approached with an armload of three-ring binders. “Mrs. Wolfe asked me to deliver these to you.”

  Isaac quickly checked Logan, but the boy didn’t flinch at having a new woman called Mrs. Wolfe. Not like Isaac’s insides did. “What are they?” Isaac asked as he accepted the load.

  “Pitching stats, batting stats, a history on each of the players, and an overview of our farm system.” Thomas clapped him on the back. “Time to go to work.”

  Isaac stared at the vast amount of reading material in his arms. “I guess the honeymoon is over.”

  7

  When Isaac had asked to meet her brother, Harper about choked on her own spit. Mom was out of the country and Harper hadn’t given a thought to Seth’s reaction to her impromptu nuptials. Never one to play the overprotective brother, Seth was nevertheless going to have something, or more accurately a whole lot of some things, to say about her latest venture.

  Throughout the flight from LA to Vegas and the car ride from Vegas to St. George, Isaac buried himself in the information she’d thrust at him on the plane. Well, thrust at him through Thomas, who now drove them to the stadium offices. The man was a prince for providing the distance she needed from her new husband so she could regain a sense of control over the emotions surging through her.

  She’d gotten married. Married!

  While it seemed like a good idea at the time, she hadn’t considered the way saying I do would give her a sense of connection to Isaac. A connection she wasn’t sure how to handle.

  As they approached the outskirts of town, Harper called Lauren in the office to get the lowdown on the situation before they arrived. After saying hello, they got right down to business.

  “The press room is filling quickly,” said Lauren.

  Harper checked the time. “We should be there just before the press conference.” Which was perfect, since she had hoped to be the one to break the news. If they wasted time with a tour and introductions around the office, someone might tweet out the name of their new manager before Harper could put the right spin on the info.

  Isaac’s head came up at the mention of a press conference and Harper looked down so she wouldn’t stare. She found his gaze was far too connective for her comfort. She said goodbye and hung up with her secretary.

  Isaac’s fingers gently brushed her elbow. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. Press conference?”

  Harper swallowed, nodding quickly. “To introduce you as the new manager …” She paused and was barely able to get the next part out. “And my husband.”

  He tugged at his tie, and Harper’s thoughts went back to when she’d straightened it at BMB offices, their eyes meeting for that brief moment and her heart leaping like a demented frog on caffeine. She sucked in. The back of the town car was too small to fit them all, especially with Isaac and all his Sean Connery and Harrison Ford kind of sultriness filling it to the brim. She moved as close to the door as she could to give the guys more room.

  Logan leaned against the other door, wearing his headphones and staring out the window at the landscape. How strange this place must feel to a kid from the Oregon coast. She’d have to figure out a way to get him up to Snow Canyon to hike or explore a few lava caves. Not that she’d had much time to explore the city, but having someone to go with would be a lot more fun that going on her own.

  Thomas pulled up to the glass doors, set the car in park, and calmly walked around to open Harper’s door.

  Harper ousted herself from the vehicle with efficiency and speed that Batman and his ejector seats would have envied.

  Thomas’s eyebrows shot up. “I believe we’ve arrived in plenty of time, Mrs. Wolfe.”

  Harper ignored his use of her married name. The words had sent a thrill up her back, but she didn’t need to let him know that. “Of course we have. Thanks to you.” She patted his arm.

  Thomas nodded once in acknowledgement of a job well done.

  Watching Isaac unfold himself out of the vehicle was like watching warm caramel drip from a spoon—delectable. “This way,” she squeaked.

  Thomas had hurried ahead to open the glass door, holding it open for them.

  “Thank you.”

  “Of course.” He smiled.

  Thomas’s calm and happy state was a welcome balm. Squaring her shoulders, Harper marched past the receptionist area and back to the small room off the press room where they prepped for the cameras. She hoped she gave off the impr
ession of a woman in a hurry and not a woman trying to outrun butterflies that belly danced in her stomach whenever she made eye contact with her husband.

  Lauren was waiting for her with a handful of note cards. “Here, I typed up what we talked about on the plane.”

  “You’re a saint.” Harper threw her scratchy handwritten notes in the trash next to the makeup table. She paused to introduce everyone. “Lauren, this is Isaac Wolfe and his son, Logan.”

  Lauren held her hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet the new coach. Can I get you something to drink?”

  Harper watched Isaac’s reactions. Lauren was a pretty woman. The pixie black hair worked well on her heart-shaped face and accentuated her slender neck, making it easy for the eye to flow down to her thin everything else.

  Harper ran her hand over the curve of her hip to smooth out her slacks. She wasn’t a toothpick by any means and yet she was in the shape, healthy and strong. She’d never felt insecure around Lauren before, but she suddenly wondered if Lauren was Isaac’s type.

  “We’re good, thank you.” Isaac’s eyes stayed on Lauren’s face. “It’s good to be here.”

  Lauren tipped her head to the side. “You’re a little shiny for the lights. If you don’t mind having a seat, I’ll dust you.”

  Isaac leaned slightly forward as if he’d heard her wrong. “Dust me?”

  “With powder.” Lauren gestured to his cheeks. “To take off the shine.”

  “No thanks. I don’t … dust.” The tips of Isaac’s ears went red. Logan snickered.

  Harper smothered her smirk. “All the guys are doing it,” she quipped, hoping to put him at ease and keep it light. Members of the team, did in fact, go through makeup before a press conference unless they came right off the field. Then, they were expected to be sweaty and shiny.

  Isaac gave Harper a once-over, his eyes traveling achingly slow over her features and finally landing on her lips. “Apparently only the guys need beauty tips,” he said.