by Lea Coll
“Good. You’ll make yourself available to do more interviews after the game. You’ll work with Ms. Gannon. I’ll be available to assist you.”
I wanted to say I didn’t need someone to hold my hand even though I did. For some reason, I wished it were Dylan I was having this conversation with, not Lena. Lena wanted what was best for Baltimore. Dylan’s eyes in the garage were filled with interest. Maybe it was my imagination, but I’d thought it might be projected at me. Other than my family and Callie, I had no one looking out for my best interests. Finally, I said, “Okay.”
“You’re a man of few words, Reid. We need to change that if you want to appear likable to the fans. We want Lincoln to see your future with the team.”
Tension coiled in my stomach and dread slid down my spine as I straightened in my chair. “I’m not going to change who I am but I’m dedicated to staying here.”
Lena leaned on her desk, focused on me. “I’m not asking you to change. You just need to be you. Whoever that is.”
“Got it.” I swallowed down my answer. I was a guy hiding a speech impediment who wanted to be known for my play on the field. More interviews meant increased my chances of making a mistake. If I did, the media might speculate I was on drugs, drinking, or like my dad said, stupid. None of the options placed me in a favorable light. It wouldn’t be good publicity for Baltimore either. I couldn’t warn her. It was way too late for that conversation. I should have told her in our first interview when she asked if there were any skeletons in my closet she should know about.
“It’s not as scary as you think.” Lena smiled before turning her attention back to her computer. “I’ll let you know when I have things scheduled.”
Knowing I was dismissed, I stood. Change was daunting. If I wanted to prove to Lincoln I wanted to be here, that he should offer me a long-term contract at the end of the season, I needed to play my part. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “You’re welcome. Lincoln loves the idea of pairing with this nonprofit. Don’t screw it up.”
“I won’t.” Impressing my bosses was at the top of my priority list. I had to do whatever the front office wanted if I wanted to solidify my position here. I wanted to be a franchise player, someone like Chase or Jonah, someone they could count on. Someone they’d invest in.
As I walked away, a sense of foreboding settled on my shoulders. Kids Speak, Dylan, they all equaled change.
Chapter Eleven
DYLAN
On the way back to Annapolis to meet the girls for lunch, Dad called.
“Hello.” The high I’d been on since my meeting with Lena dissipated with the sound of his voice bringing me back to reality.
“Where are you?”
“I’m headed back to Annapolis. I just met with Baltimore’s PR representative to discuss the team’s offer.” I bit my cheek to stop myself from saying celebrate. I wasn’t sure he’d be happy about my change in focus.
“Hadley will take lead once you finalize the deal?”
“Actually, I volunteered.”
There was a long pause.
“Is everything okay? Did you need me?”
“Can you stop by one evening so we can discuss switching doctors? Your mother doesn’t think this one is listening to her.”
I sighed. We’d been through this before. Mom was searching for a doctor who could tell her what to expect with her illness. There wasn’t one out there who could because that was the nature of the disease.
The last thing I needed on top of Kids Speak was researching a new doctor, scheduling an appointment, driving her wherever the new one was located. “What’s wrong with this one? I thought she liked him?”
“You know how your mother is.”
I did. I wanted the best for her, which included her medical care. We’d been through this so many times. I had to remind myself it was her way of controlling the unpredictable.
“I’ll be at brunch on Sunday. We can discuss it then.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Hadley.” It felt good to feel appreciated even though sometimes I wished they didn’t rely so heavily on me.
“I’m here for you guys. Whatever you need.”
Saying goodbye to my dad, I pulled into the parking lot, eager to see Hadley and Avery to tell them the news.
I could tell him to see a therapist. He’d say she didn’t need it. The argument would take longer than agreeing. “Sure.”
“Great. Congratulations on your deal.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I hit end on the call, pride coursing through me for the partnership. Some of it was luck, some of it was timing. At the end of the day, it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken a risk.
I parked the car, feeding the meter, before heading inside the restaurant. After we discussed my conversation with Lena, the girls laughed and chatted. The mood was light and happy. I was excited too. Although, something held me back from being as carefree as them.
A part of me was worried about my parents, whether this new focus on Kids Speak would interfere with the promises I’d made to my father to be there for them.
A part of me was back in that parking garage, deciphering the mystery that was Reid. There was something under the surface that made me want to dig deeper. I suspected there was more to him than a football player who wanted to win games.
“Are you sure you’re okay with handling things here? It’s a bit of a commute from Annapolis.”
Hadley’s question brought my attention back to the table. “It’s not that far.”
“Do you feel comfortable working with the schools directly?” Hadley asked.
“Yes.” I excelled talking to people.
Hadley smiled. “You’ll probably do a better job than me. I don’t want to overburden you though. We should scale back your cases until Kids Speak is up and running. I have a feeling Lena will push us to move quickly so they can make an announcement.”
“I get the impression she’s eager, too,” Avery said.
Hadley covered my hand briefly with hers. “Thank you, Dylan. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have had a meeting with a professional football team. It’s surreal.”
“We haven’t signed the papers yet.” My words were cautious despite the pride I felt being the one who set this up.
“It feels great to have a professional team consider us, offer us a partnership.” Avery took a sip of her wine.
“Shall we toast?” Hadley raised her glass. “To Kids Speak possibly coming to Baltimore.”
“To Kids Speak,” Avery said.
I paused, filtering through all of my swirling emotions, success, happiness, excitement. “To us. May we always be this close. May we never forget why we started this, why we can’t stop expanding to reach as many kids as we can.”
Hadley smiled at me, clinking her glass with mine. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”
We took a sip of the wine. We were quiet for a few seconds, admiring the view of the harbor outside the window.
“I think this is what you should be doing,” Hadley said softly.
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
“Fundraising, championing people to your cause. I think if Kids Speak does well in Baltimore, you should take lead in each city we expand into.” Hadley’s smile widened, excitement for the future of Kids Speak evident.
I shifted in my chair, uncomfortable with the idea of traveling away from my parents when they needed me. “We’ll see. I might be terrible at it. Plus, we just started the firm. I don’t want to walk away from that.”
Avery shook her head. “Your heart’s not in the firm like it is in the nonprofit.”
It was validating she’d noticed it too. “I do love working for Kids Speak.”
“Avery’s right. You’re amazing.”
“Thanks, guys.” Their praise was everything. I wasn’t sure I wanted to travel around bringing Kids Speak to other cities. Locally I was fine. I couldn’t stray far from home. I wanted to be local in cas
e Mom needed me.
I checked my phone to make sure I hadn’t missed a call from Dad. Not seeing any, I said, “I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”
“Think about it.” Hadley opened her menu.
Anytime I thought about leaving, the worry about my mother’s condition, thoughts of how my father needed me crept in. My place was in Annapolis, supporting my family. Anything that took me away from them wasn’t an option. No matter how good I was at something.
Chapter Twelve
REID
I hesitated in the doorway of Callie’s grandfather’s room at his nursing home, for our weekly meeting, making sure I wasn’t interrupting his lunch. He sat in his chair, looking out his window. The room was tidy, the floors clean. The bed had been made, the bathroom door was ajar, smelling of disinfectant.
The first time I visited his old home, I was appalled at the facility. The room was dirty, the nurses were slow to respond to calls for assistance. There was little to no physical therapy or exercise offered.
I discreetly spoke to his case manager, pulling a few strings to move him to a better home. I never told Callie I’d orchestrated the move or paid the difference in price. But I think she suspected.
I’d made it a habit to visit, checking in with him whenever I could. I enjoyed talking to him.
“How are you doing today, Frank?” I shoved my hands in my pockets, looking out the window. The patio was empty today despite the warm weather.
“Fine.” His voice was gruff. He didn’t turn to greet me.
“Has Callie been by recently?
“I haven’t seen her this week yet. Her boss keeps her busy.” Frank’s tone was dry.
I laughed. “Unless she has another boss, I don’t demand too much of her time.”
I turned to face him, resting my hip against the dresser. His face was relaxed, his lips were tilted into a smile. He loved giving me a hard time.
“Would you like to sit outside? It’s a nice day.” I nodded out the window. He had a view of one of the many courtyards here, the brick patio, gardens, and gazebo.
His grunt was his only answer, so I moved behind his wheelchair, unlocking the brake.
“The sun is shining, the birds are chirping.” Any time I visited I took him outside if the weather was nice. It was good for him to have a change of scenery.
“You know I don’t care about that.”
“Come on now. Everyone loves sunshine.”
“I don’t. I love gray clouds. If it’s raining even better.”
“I can’t say anyone’s ever told me that before,” I teased.
His head bobbed with his words. “I do. I tell you that every time you come here.”
I smiled, waving at the nurses as we passed the station. “You just like giving me a hard time.”
I held the door open as I pushed his wheelchair onto the patio. “Do you want to sit in the rocking chair?”
“No. This is fine.” He indicated his chair.
I pushed his chair to the edge of the patio, so he had an unobstructed view of the fields. It stretched as far as we could see. “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”
I sat next to him, breathing in the fresh air. I loved getting out of the city to visit Frank. We’d developed a relationship of sorts over the two years Callie worked for me. She didn’t take me to visit him until we’d known each other for about a year. I’d relaxed enough not to watch my words around him. If he noticed any issues with me mispronouncing words he never mentioned it. Although, it was rare for him to miss anything.
“How’s Callie?” he asked.
Callie came to visit on Tuesdays, so I usually avoided those days, wanting them to have their time together.
“She’s good.” I lifted my chin to feel the sun on my face.
He nodded, pleased. “Good. I want her to be happy.”
“I know you do.”
“Has your sister heard back from any colleges?”
This was the other reason I enjoyed talking to Frank. He listened. “It’s still early.”
“You plan on helping her out with tuition?”
“I do. It’s why I work so hard.”
His eyes bored a hole into the side of my face. “You the reason I’m here?”
“I’m sorry?” My neck heated. I’d wondered if he was going to call me out on it. It had been a few weeks since the move from the old nursing home.
“You heard me.” His voice was stronger this time.
“Is it a problem if it was?”
He shook his head, a hint of pride in his tone. “Not for me. I’m grateful. Callie might take issue with it.”
“You’re welcome. I’m happy to help in any way I can.” Callie had become like a sister over the years, her grandfather an extension of that relationship.
We were quiet for a few minutes, taking in the view, watching people walking on the path past us.
“You’re distracted today. The only time a man’s got a look like that on his face is when there’s a woman involved.”
Dylan’s face a couple of weeks ago when I ran into her at the parking garage popped into my head. “No.”
“But there’s someone you like?”
“Possibly. It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
“She’s too different from me.”
“Sometimes opposites keep things interesting.”
“I’m actually meeting her for dinner tonight. It’s a business thing though.” Callie and Dylan had arranged it. Something about discussing my role with Kids Speak. Even though it was purely business I was looking forward to seeing her again.
He raised his brow. “Maybe it will turn into something more.”
I shifted in my seat. “What about you? What was Mrs. Goodwin like?”
“Don’t think I don’t know you’re changing the subject. I’ll allow it this time.”
I smiled. I’d asked this question many times before. Frank loved talking about his late wife.
He smiled, his eyes distant as if he was remembering it. “We met in high school. I knew immediately she was the one. We grew up together. I loved her.”
I wanted to say I was sorry she’d died, leaving him alone but I didn’t. He didn’t like pity. He was grateful he’d had her as long as he had.
“I hope Callie finds someone like that. For a while I hoped it would be you.”
“No, sir. We’ve only ever been friends. I look at her like a sister.” One I had to protect when she let me. She never once came onto me or gave me any indication she felt any different. It was probably the reason I was so comfortable with her.
“I still expect for you to look out for her.” His voice was stern.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “That’s the plan.”
“Good.”
We sat for a while discussing the season, my last game, until he became visibly tired. I wheeled him back to his room.
I’d never had a male to look up to or a father figure. Like Coach Ackerman, Frank had become that for me. I enjoyed talking to him, making things easier for him. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like to have a significant other in my life. Would they visit Frank with me? Would they come to the games to cheer me on? Would they respect my need for privacy?
My mind drifted to Dylan. She wanted something from me even if it was for a good cause. Maybe she wasn’t like the other women, but I didn’t want to let my guard down.
My nerves kicked in with each mile traveled from the county to the city. The fields slowly gave way to city buildings. We’d be alone at dinner, the setting intimate. Would the lines between business and dating blur or would Dylan keep things strictly professional? Did I even want her to?
She sparked something in my chest, something that had long been dulled. I parked, heading up to my condo to get ready, determined to resist her even as I was looking forward to seeing her. I showered, putting on cologne, changing into black slacks and a blue V-neck sweater.
When she knocked a few
minutes later, Callie having sent her my address, I reminded myself it wasn’t a date before opening the door. There was a pressure on my chest, a feeling tonight would change things.
Dylan wore dark wash jeans that clung to her legs like a second skin, short boots, a black sparkly top that draped suggestively over her breasts. Her eyes sparkled with happiness.
Was she happy to see me?
“You look—” she hesitated, taking me in from head to toe, drawing in a shaky breath, “—
handsome.”
She looked sexy but I couldn’t say that. This was a business meeting. I’d need to pinch myself periodically during the evening to remind myself.
Instead, I settled on, “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes lowered as she smoothed a hand down her jeans. I wondered if she wasn’t as confident as she sounded. If I took a step into her space, touching her chin, the back of her head, would her skin flush? Would her breathing hitch? My fingers itched to touch her. Instead, I took a step back which she took as permission to step inside.
“This is an amazing view.” She walked past me, her floral scent flowing behind her, to the large windows, taking in the view.
If she were my date I’d step behind her, skimming her shoulders, then her arms with my hands, kissing that sweet spot on her neck. I’d enjoy making her tremble at the sensations of my breath, my lips, my touch.
She looked over her shoulder. “You’re lucky to have this view to come home to every day.”
I hoped she couldn’t see every thought on my face, the lust in my eyes.
“I guess.” It was an amazing view. Now that she was standing here, I realized how much better enjoying it with her was.
She faced me, smiling. “Are you ready to go to dinner?”
Was she unaffected by me? Did she see me solely as a difficult player she had to coddle to get me to do her bidding? I didn’t like that. I wanted her to be here because she wanted to, not because I was a good business move.
No. Yes. “Okay.”
“You’re a tough one, you know that.” Her lips twitched as she touched my shoulder lightly before she breezed past me to the door.