The Athletic Groom: Billionaire Marriage Brokers

by Lucy McConnell

  Pederton owned the company she hoped would help her build the new stadium. He didn’t like to be kept waiting and he didn’t like surprises. She’d already dropped a whopper of a surprise on the Redrocks organization; she didn’t need to really tick Pederton off. “I’m coming.” Harper hurried to the door. Pausing, she looked back over her shoulder, hesitant to leave Isaac alone with Max but needing to take the call. “This one can’t wait. If you gentlemen will excuse me?”

  “Of course.” Isaac smiled.

  She looked at Max. “I’ll be right back.” The phrase came out with a warning: play nice.

  Max shrugged.

  “Harper?” Lauren nudged her shoulder.

  “Coming.” Harper followed Lauren into her office, her mind back with Isaac and Logan. She’d wanted to show Logan the executive kitchen—she had a feeling he’d like that a lot. And she didn’t want to leave Isaac on his own. This whole matrimonial venture was fragile, and yet it held everything important to her inside of its thin glass shell.

  At some point she had to take a leap of faith, right? So then why was it harder for her to walk away from Isaac right then than it was for her to marry him?

  * * *

  Isaac motioned for Max to take a seat. The man’s shoulders leaned forward and his belly leaned over his belt. He wore a gray button-up shirt open at the collar and a pair of slacks. His handshake was firm and he looked Isaac in the eyes when they talked.

  Max settled into the corner of the chair, his elbow on the armrest and his legs kicked to the side. He leaned forward, then back, thoughts jumping around behind his troubled eyes.

  Isaac cleared his throat. “Look, whatever it is you’re trying to say, just say it.”

  Max cuffed his nose with his thumb like a boxer. “Jake Richmond was one of my best friends.”

  “And you’re worried I’ve taken advantage of Harper,” Isaac filled in. He wondered if he’d get some flak from her brother, but he hadn’t anticipated a coworker taking issue with their marriage. Yes, there’d be talk around the water cooler, but for this guy to call him out the minute he walked into the office was a bit much. Although, he kind of liked that Harper had someone watching out for her.

  Raising both hands, Max shook his head. “Harper’s a capable woman. If you mess with her—she can handle herself just fine.”

  So much for having someone to watch out for her. From the way Max backed off of that comment, Isaac wondered about the woman he’d aligned himself with. Harper had this air of power and control about her that didn’t come from money or her position as owner; it came from inside. The one reporter had gotten to her, but no one but Isaac would have noticed. And the only reason he picked up on it was because he heard her small intake of breath. He’d never been so attuned to a woman that he could read her like that. Not even his ex-wife. Although there really was no comparing the two. Amy was wishy-washy and easily distracted where Harper was focused and driven. Two very attractive qualities in a woman.

  Max interrupted Isaac’s thoughts. “I’m worried about the team. We’ve been in building mode for three years now. We have the lowest budget in the major leagues and our stadium is too small. I’ve worked night and day to help build the Redrocks from nothing and I won’t let you tear that down.”

  “I wouldn’t do that.” Isaac jutted out his chin. “I may not have been a Redrocks fan yesterday, but from this point on, there’s nothing—save my family—that comes before the team.”

  Max folded his thick arms. “Not on purpose. But you don’t have the experience to make this work. I’m sorry, you just don’t. Don’t take it personal.”

  Isaac knew all about getting inside someone’s head. Sports Psychology 101. If you can get in their head, you own the game. He also knew about keeping your opponent out of your head. He leaned back in his chair, considering the man. “Now, I question how much you know about the game.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Isaac kept his voice steady, counting on his fingers. “The season ticket holders, the guy who buys a Redrock onesie for his newborn son, and even the fans in the nosebleed seats know if baseball is anything, it’s personal.”

  Max eyed him for a moment before standing. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Wolfe.”

  “Likewise.” Isaac remained standing as Max left the office. He grinned to himself. That felt good.

  Logan, who had appeared to be lost in his phone, raised his eyebrows. “Way to make friends and influence people, Dad.”

  Isaac laughed. “Just standing my ground.”

  “I get it.” Logan stood and stretched, his shirt coming above his belt line. The kid was in the middle of the growth spurt of a lifetime. They’d need to get him some new clothes—hopefully before he started school. His list of fatherly duties was growing almost as fast as Logan.

  Harper strode in, her walk full of long legs and deadlines—an attractive combination in a woman. Snapping his gaze up to her face, Isaac’s neck flushed. She’d caught him looking. Dang!

  “Did Max leave?” she asked.

  “Yep.” Isaac gave Logan a quick don’t-say-a-word look.

  Harper looked between them before massaging her temples. “I’m not even going to ask.”

  “Good plan,” threw in Logan.

  “Subtlety is not your strong suit, son.” Isaac tucked his hands in his pockets even though he felt like massaging his temples too.

  Harper dropped her hands. “At least he’s honest.” She turned to Logan with a glint in her eye. “Can I steal him for a bit? I wanted to show him our overstocked kitchen and the green room where he can do homework when the time comes.”

  “Kitchen?” Logan popped up, one earbud dangling.

  “Yes, kitchen. And you’re welcome to anything in there at any time.” She held her breath, just for a moment.

  She’s nervous. Isaac blinked with the realization. Harper wanted to get along with Logan—no, she wanted them to be friends. An uncomfortable itch hit him right between the shoulder blades. Logan and Harper getting along was fine, but he didn’t like the idea of her acting like a parent to his kid. “You might not want to do that,” Isaac cautioned. “He could double your budget in a week.”

  Harper laughed off his concern. Of course she wouldn’t worry about a food budget; she had enough money to buy the grocery store. A sense of inadequacy rubbed his gut. He shoved it away. He’d always provided for his son and that wasn’t going to change because he’d gotten married.

  “We’ll have to buy a few of your favorite foods, Logan, just to have them on hand.”

  “Yeah?” Logan cocked his head.

  “Yeah.” Harper’s smile was different this time from any Isaac had seen yet. He’d seen her camera smile, her business smile, her oh-crap-I-just-got-married smile, but he had yet to see this smile. This smile, the one she’d aimed at Logan, was tinged with motherly affection. Almost like she was proud of Logan for having a healthy appetite, or for growing, or just for being Logan. In all the years he’d been married to Logan’s mom, Isaac could count the number of times Amy had looked at their son that way on his left hand.

  Logan perked up and stood taller, like Harper’s attention was making him confident that he could swing for the fences. Isaac was so struck by the effect this strong and beautiful woman had on his son that he had to lean heavily on the desk for support.

  “Dad?”

  “Go.” Isaac flopped into his chair. “I’ve got plenty to do here.”

  Harper looked just as pleased with the answer as Logan. “I won’t keep him long.” She motioned for Logan to go out to the hall first. Her long legs carried her towards the door, and a sudden sense of panic hit Isaac in the chest. He was acting crazy. Just because Harper offered Logan an unlimited supply of snack foods didn’t mean Logan would stop loving him, nor did it mean that Harper would take his place. Besides, the more positive influences Logan had in his life, the more successful people he associated with, the better his chances.

  If Harper was anything, it wa
s successful.

  “Harper?” He stopped her—needing to say something to even himself out.

  She turned, one hand on the doorjamb. Her hair cascaded down her back in messy waves, her dark eyes lit with curiosity, and her curves were outlined beautifully. “Yes?”

  Isaac had to swallow hard to find his voice. “Thank you for—” He jerked his chin towards where Logan had been sitting.

  This smile was much different than the one she’d given Logan—there was nothing motherly about the curve of her lips or the flirtatious way her hip cocked. “My pleasure.” She held his gaze for a moment before disappearing into the hallway after Logan.

  Isaac stared after her for a minute before giving himself a good shake.

  Logan was right—she was way out of his league.

  Turning his attention to his job, he oriented himself to the space that was a far cry from the painted cinderblock cave he came from with the Bulldog’s mascot costume.

  His desk was L-shaped. The long side held a laptop and other office supplies, while the short end faced the door and was meant for a workspace. The binders Thomas had thrust upon him on the airplane were lined up nicely on the bookshelf—within easy reach but not crowding. The wall opposite his chair was empty, waiting for him to hang a motivational poster or team roster or family picture. The team logo was on the wall to his right and a large print of the stadium was on his left. Behind him was that fantastic view of the field. He could hardly wait to get out there, run his hand over the red dirt and smell the grass.

  But now was not a time for exploring. He’d gotten the job and it was time to prove he could do what he’d been hired to do. Despite Max’s overwhelming vote of confidence, Isaac believed he had it in him to take the Redrocks from fledglings to fliers. Not only for himself. The reporters thought Harper was a fool who made business decisions in the bedroom.

  He snorted.

  If only they knew about the “consent” clause that stipulated neither party was entitled to physical contact for the duration of their marriage. He hadn’t thought it would be a problem when he put pen to paper. Sure, the pictures he’d seen of Harper were impressive, but he’d been around beautiful women before and hadn’t had any problems remaining the gentleman. What he hadn’t picked up on in the pictures was Harper’s sensual aura. She probably didn’t even know she was sending out those vibes, yet he caught every one of them loud and clear.

  Too bad she seemed to be more smitten by his son than by him.

  That was okay, though. Logan had a long road ahead of him, finishing ninth grade in a new school. Hopefully he’d make some friends before summer started. If Harper made the transition that much easier for Logan, Isaac would stifle his insecurities. Strange that the feeling someone could take his son away came up now. He hadn’t had those worries since waiting for the adoption court date. Those were awful and wonderful days. Loving Logan so much and yet wondering if the state would approve the adoption. The uncertainty, the sense of being in limbo, had driven him nuts.

  He felt the same now. Like they had put a family together but it wasn’t complete. There was a big piece missing and he didn’t want to analyze what that piece actually looked like. He didn’t want to look, because he had a feeling he’d discover that the missing piece was the love that should exist between a husband and wife.

  And that wasn’t an option.

  Their marriage contract stipulated that he and Harper were supposed to “date” once a week. How that was going to happen was beyond him. Was he supposed to ask her out? Make reservations? Or could they count a planning meeting in the office?

  Funny, he hadn’t given a thought to dating or romance in years. His heart had been shattered, scattered, and scarred when Amy up and left. He’d believed there was no coming back into the world of romance after that. But Harper … Harper had him picturing first dates, candlelit dinners, and things he’d be better off not thinking about.

  Despite their marriage, romance wasn’t something he was capable of providing for his wife. He couldn’t go down that road again. Especially not in this situation, where a divorce was inevitable.

  However, he could help Harper’s reputation by not sucking at this job. His hands hovered above the keyboard, frozen by a rare moment of self-doubt. Transforming the Redrocks was a daunting task and he was just one man with a glimmer of a vision.

  He pushed the negative thoughts arm’s length away and locked his elbow. That was as far as they would get, but at least he had room to breathe. Play hard. Finish strong.

  He popped his knuckles. Time to build a baseball team.

  8

  In Redrock country, the sunsets painted the hills with desert golds and warm umber that seeped out of the rocks even as the air cooled quickly. The sky lightened to a worn-out Levis blue before dyeing a Wild West, star-dusted indigo.

  Harper barely noted the shadows swaggering across the field behind her as she slugged through paperwork, fielded phone calls, and bunted a phone interview with ESPN. Worried that the press would be waiting outside to get a picture of her new family after their first day on the job, she threw her shoulders back and tossed her hair over her shoulder. Sometime in the day, the curls had fallen out to barely discernible waves, but there was nothing she could do, or was willing to do, about it now.

  Isaac held the door, allowing her to step into the warm desert air first. Logan followed, his earbuds in place. She’d had Lauren hire what would amount to a nanny for the teen, knowing both she and Isaac would be working full time. She hoped the person they chose was as good as her own nanny had been. Of course, by the time she was ten, the title had changed to assistant. Lauren had also phoned ahead and had Isaac and Logan’s rooms made up and the entertainment center filled with game consoles, games, and the latest DVDs.

  Though Logan seemed content hanging out in the office, that wouldn’t last long. St. George wasn’t lacking in amenities. The scenery was pretty amazing and Zion National Park wasn’t far away. People from all over came to play in southern Utah and—while he was here—Logan should have a chance to enjoy the amenities. Maybe she’d even find a way to join him on a few adventures. The idea of exploring caves or rappelling with the kid had her looking forward to summer.

  “Good day?” Isaac asked as they climbed into the back of the town car. Logan took the seat across from them, engrossed in some ninja game on his phone.

  Harper chuckled. After the hours she’d spent in the office, she’d forgotten it was her wedding day. Isaac’s eyes went wide, as if he too had spaced the ceremony. Part of Harper was sad with the idea that her wedding wasn’t more memorable. Isaac would look amazing in a tux. He had the shoulders to fill out a jacket and the height to be all James Bond-y.

  Once again the vehicle was much too small for the three of them, even though it was supposed to accommodate four with room to spare. Isaac was close enough that she could smell his aftershave or cologne or body spray—she didn’t know which, but was more than interested in finding out. The scent wasn’t as strong as it had been earlier, but she found that the lingering of teakwood teased her.

  “Yes.” She rubbed her arms. “Is it cold in here?”

  Isaac laughed lightly. “I haven’t been cold since we landed in Vegas.” He brushed her arm. “But you’re freezing.”

  Her goose bumps intensified and she realized it wasn’t the air conditioner that caused them. Darn teakwood. She settled back into the corner of the seat next to the far door, eking out any distance she could get. “How was your day?”

  Isaac took the other corner. As he spoke, he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up, revealing corded forearms. Harper glanced quickly away before he could catch her staring.

  “I combed through the roster. I’ve got the players’ stats down. Until I meet them, I won’t know if their weaknesses are physical or mental.”

  “Mental?”

  “Psychological is a better word. I noticed you don’t have a psychologist on staff.”

  Harper shook
her head. “Dad thought sports psychology was a bunch of hogwash.”

  Isaac jerked back as if she’d personally offended him. “What do you think?”

  “Dad was pretty old school. You know, if life gives you lemons, don’t get sad. Make lemonade and sell it for five bucks a glass.” Harper attempted a smile. She’d been handed quite a few lemons lately—the biggest one was losing her father. With everything that was going on, she’d hardly had time to reflect on losing him. Which was a blessing, because being busy held back the sorrow—like the Redrocks were a wall between her and a blubbery breakdown.

  “But what do you think about hiring a psychologist?”

  She picked at the zipper on her purse. Losing her dad was still fresh and she didn’t want to go against his plan or the memories she had of him. “I’m not sold on the idea.”

  Isaac pulled out this smoldering grin that should have triggered a fire alarm. It certainly triggered something inside Harper, making it hard for her to catch a breath. “Then I’ll just have to work harder to sell it.”

  Harper sank into that smolder like she was sinking into the hot springs. Yeah.

  Isaac broke eye contact. “I’m looking forward to the first team meeting. I have some concerns, but I’m excited for the opportunity to make a difference.”

  Harper smoothed her hands down the seat. “You mean make changes?”

  “Yes.”

  “I know I should have told you this when I marr—hired you. I’m not out to change the Redrocks—I want to take my dad’s vision of the team and move it forward.”

  “What are you saying?” he asked as they pulled into the driveway of the mansion.

  “I’m saying there’s a plan in place and I want you to follow it—not go off and redesign the team.”

  “But—”

  Thomas opened the door, cutting off whatever Isaac was about to say. Which was just as well, considering there were storm clouds gathering behind his eyes.