by TJ Penn
Game Plan
by
T.J. Penn
Game Plan
by:
T.J. Penn
Copyright © 2016 T.J. Penn
Editor: Donna Graham and Nancy Tulloch
Cover: Bellissima’s Wicked Graphics
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America.
First Printing, 2016
ISBN 978-1539653974
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Dedications:
This book is dedicated to all the people who never gave up on me. Those that no matter how many times, I said this is crazy, always answered back with, I have faith in you. You’ve got this. This book is for you, because without you, I would never have finished.
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Acknowledgments:
I know I am going to forget someone so I apologize now. To my husband, Bryan, who kept the kids from bugging me so I could finish. My kids who are just as excited as I am about this. My mom, dad, and sister who have put up with me all these years. To Heather Hollingsworth, Daniele Lanzarotta, and Lena Carmona for listening to me ramble about what I need to do and for pushing me to finish this. To the endless encouragement my friends give me on a daily basis. I say Thank you!
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Chapter One
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"We have to make sure they lose every game this year, Wendell. Do you not realize what is at stake here? What all we could lose if they don’t? I don’t know about you but I have had enough of this crap.”
The things you overhear when you are a waitress are astonishing. People like the redhead over there pay no attention when people of my class are around. Heck, maybe they do and just think we are too far beneath them, and their status, to hear what they are saying.
The guy with her doesn’t seem to be as worried as she is. He has a more refined look to him. His clothing is more suitable for a five-star restaurant than a bar. His hair has yet to move since he sat down. I wonder how much product he uses on it. He probably spends more on his hair than I make in a week here. Slowly, he leans toward her trying to keep what he says between them.
"Ronda, I realize very well what is at risk as you put it. They’ve lost every game for the last six years I am sure you have nothing to worry about, my dear. Just relax and finish your drink so we can get out of this godforsaken place. We don’t want to hang around here too long. Wouldn’t want anyone seeing us together now would we?"
Not that I care but, whoever they are talking about must not be very good at what they do. I just wish those two would pay their bill so I can close out the ticket and go home for the night. Dani's, the hole in the wall bar I work in, announced last call over forty minutes ago, and they are the last customers in the bar. They have ignored every last call and all of my attempts to get them out. My feet are killing me, and I smell like beer thanks to the ass that didn't know how to stay in his seat after he had one to many. He somehow decided that I needed a beer bath while he asked me out.
Looking over at Sam, the bartender at Dani’s, I hope he has an idea how to get rid of them. Sam makes the motion of strangling them; I take that as a sign he is also out of ideas on how to get them out. Finally, with a shrug of my shoulders, I decide to just go over there and be firm about them needing to pay their bill and leave.
If they are wanting this meeting to be a secret, they aren’t doing too well with it. She is being loud and staying this late really makes them stick out. I wonder if they thought of that. I figure the odds of someone knowing them here, or coming here to look for them are very slim, so they are probably safe, unfortunately. Before I can even get up, the redhead is ranting again.
“We have to make sure! I want nothing to stand in the way of closing this whole team down and selling the whole headache to the highest bidder. I just want the money so I can get on a plane to some tropical island with sugar sand beaches and a never ending supply of Sex on the Beach. A place where I never have to hear the word football again. Why did the old man have to put it in his will that the team had to have seven losing seasons under my ownership for me to sell them? I swear that old man had it in for me; but I will show him. Hear that old man, I will get the last laugh and sell your precious little team!”
I am really starting to worry about this woman's sanity as she looks up at the grime covered ceiling yelling the last part of her conversation. Wendell must have the patience of a saint. All the woman has done since she sat down in my section is fuss and rant about that team. "Well dear, why did you take Robert up on his offer to come to the team? It seems to me that you would have wanted to keep any players off the team that could actually play. Even with him here, I still don’t think one player could pull a whole team. No matter what he does."
Oh for Heaven’s sakes, they are talking about football. I have been sitting here waiting on them to finish up, and they are talking football. Do they not know that we are ready to go to the house? Not that I don't love this place, but man how long can two people go on about some losing team. The local team hasn’t won a game in 6 years.
From what I understand, they used to be one of the best teams in the league. Hardly a season went by that they didn’t have some of the best numbers. But, after the owner passed away, the team took a nose dive. All of the good players were traded or had their contracts revoked.
Yeah, I know a lot about the team, but I work in a bar. Football is everywhere down here. What do you think is on television on Sunday nights here, and of course, everyone talks about the good ol’ days of the team.
"Why did that stupid idiot have to decide he wanted to go to a losing team to help rebuild them? He could have gone to any team in this organization, any! Why did he have to come in and put my perfect plan in jeopardy? I couldn't very well say no and have it look like I was out to sabotage the whole team now could I? What we need is something or someone to distract him. Keep him from really getting his head in the game. Someone to keep him busy off the field.”
Oh forget being nice, I am done and ready for my long hot bath. That is a must after a night like this. And then, I plan to curl up in my bed for a long night’s sleep. Well, as it is now past one in the morning, it is more of a long morning sleep. I take a deep breath before I get up and make my way over to them. Hopefully it will help me keep my composure.
"Excuse me.”
Ronda looks up at me with disgust written all over her face. I can only guess it’s because I dared to enter her space without having been called to bring another refill of their drinks. Well, there went my tip! Though, I seriously doubt they would have left one anyway.
“I was wondering if you would like to pay your check now. Dani's has been closed for almost an hour, and I really need to close out your ticket and lock up."
There, that was nice enough. I start to get a creepy feeling going down my spine when Ronda starts really looking at me. She gets this evil gleam in her eyes. What have I got myself into now?
"I am just wondering; how much do you make here on average every night? A hundred at the most I would say; am I correct? What would you say if I could offer you a job to really do nothing but hang around a hot football player, keep him entertained, and in exchange, I would pay you double what you earn here.”
I look over at her friend to see if she is serious; because she can’t be.
“Ronda, darling what ar
e you talking about?”
I was relieved to not be the only one completely in the dark on what was going on in her mind.
“Think about it. What is one thing that can distract any man? A hot woman, and look at her. Take her and fix her up, and she would be completely his type. She has that whole sweet and innocent look going on. Oh, don’t look at me like that! I’m not stupid, I looked up the man online trying to find a weakness, and she fits the look he always has on his arm. It is the perfect plan. She distracts him. I get my losing season, and she makes some extra money. It would be a win-win situation.”
“Ma’am, I’m not sure what you’re asking me to do, but I am no whore. I also couldn’t just quit my job here. I need it to pay my bills. I’m sure your plan is not a long term deal so I have to say no thanks.” I turn around and walk off, after laying the bill on their table. I try to distance myself from her and the crazy planning she is doing, until she stops me in my tracks with her next words.
“Fine, you can even keep your job here. Though, I must admit I’m not sure why you would want to work in this hole in the wall; but if you must. Matter of fact, it’s even better if you do. It will give you more charm.”
I turn back around to face her because I want to be looking at her when she confirms what she just said. “So let me lay this back out to you just so I’m clear on your proposal. You will pay me two hundred a day, I can keep my job, and all I have to do is hang around a “hot” football player? What’s the catch? I mean, no one pays someone to just hang around and do nothing.”
I figure at some point while waiting on those two I must have fallen asleep; or slipped and hit my head. There is no way this woman just offered me two hundred a day to do basically nothing.
“You got it, sweet cheeks. Except for the fact, you only get paid on the days you actually see and spend time with him.” Even with that stipulation, there is no way I can say no to that. Not having to worry about scraping by; no trying to decide which bill can wait to be paid. I look around to make sure Sam isn’t still standing at the bar.
“You have yourself a deal. Where do I sign up?” When she turns and smiles at me, I start to think I may have just made a deal with the devil himself.
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Chapter Two
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When I woke up late Saturday morning, I thought it was all a dream. I mean come on, what crazy lady would offer to pay someone to date a football player. There are plenty of women who would trip over themselves to do it for free. I was able to live in denial for all of three days That’s when I got the phone call to inform me of how Ronda’s plan would all play out.
As she tells me the details, I have to remind myself why I am doing this. I can finally afford to put some money into my car. I have slowly been fixing her up when I had the extra cash to put on the parts. Elizabeth and I need to have her fixed so if either of our ex’s show up we can leave without worrying.
Ronda has everything planned out and all of her ideas don’t sound too bad. There is nothing set in stone that I have to do, except making sure I distract him. How hard can that be?
I am starting to relax until she mentions the media. With that one word, I panic. I really hadn’t thought of all the media attention this would bring me when I agreed to do it. I will just have to hope he doesn’t see or hear about me. If he does, all of my hard work to move on and make something of myself will be for nothing. My one saving grace is that he was never really into sports anyways.
Ronda also informs me the plan would start tomorrow. She would call him into her office and have him agree to a date with the winner of a contest that she will set up to start the next day. The winner will be chosen and surprised the next Friday. That gives me exactly two weeks to prepare myself for the whirlwind this would bring my way.
I don’t have to worry about family getting caught in this mess, and I only have one close friend that could be affected. I hope she doesn't get caught up in this with her history. I would hate for her background to get blasted out there because of my stupid move.
The time goes by a lot quicker than I had hoped it would. I work every shift I can talk my boss into just so I wouldn't be alone with my thoughts and talk myself out of this crazy plan. When Friday rolls around, I force myself to get my stuff together and head off to work. I watch the clock through my whole shift fearing when it hits six. I end up making more mistakes tonight than I did on my first shift and that is saying something.
Just when I didn’t think my nerves could take any more stress, and I was ready to go home sick, the clock strikes six o’clock. Almost immediately, I hear the unmistakable sound of Ronda and her circus.
Dani’s is usually a quite little place. We have our regulars who are always stopping in, but occasionally we do have newbies pop in. But even with me knowing what is happening, I am not slightly prepared for the sight that greets me when I turn around.
There he stands all 6’4 and 225 lb. of him. His spiked dark brown hair begs me to run my hand through it. Blue eyes that you want to get lost in. I can honestly say those pictures I looked up just to get a feel for him, didn't do the man smiling at me justice in the slightest form.
Wait, smiling, what did I miss? When I come out of my Robert induced haze, I realize Ronda has been talking to me the whole time, making some announcement I couldn't care less about. But, if I was going to get paid, I better wake up. “I’m sorry; what was that?”
Ronda smiles her sickly sweet smile back at me. “I was just saying, darling, how we are so happy to announce that you are the winner of the grand prize of our fall contest! A date with none other than our new QB himself, Robert Shelton. Your name was picked out of the thousands of entries. You must be excited to be the winner of this once in a lifetime chance!”
I know I need to say something, but for the life of me, I am coming up with nothing.
Finally, deciding to rescue me, Robert walks over to greet me since I was not making a move toward him. “Hi, I’m Robert and you must be Bailey. It is a pleasure to meet you. I can't wait to take you out for a night on the town.”
God that man's voice is smooth as silk and sweet as molasses. It is official, I am a goner! I can see several women's eyes shooting daggers at me as I stand there like an idiot; not even realizing I am reaching for the flowers he is handing me. Somewhere behind me, I hear Elizabeth, my best friend, cough and it pulls me out of the Robert haze I find myself in again.
“Oh yeah, sorry. Hi and yes I’m Bailey, and thank you. You know, for the flowers.” I am finally able to speak, while taking the flowers from him. Oh God could I be any more of a dork.
Robert leans in to kiss my cheek but as he does, he whispers in my ear just to smile and wave to the cameras, to look happy, and they would get out of our hair soon. At least, he thinks it is the cameras making me act the way I am, and not because his looks rendered me speechless. When he pulls away, I swear he winks at me.
After the circus finally leaves and things go back to almost normal, Elizabeth comes up to me. I already know what she wants to know. When did I become such a football fan? But I mean, who needs to be a football fan to enter a contest to meet that man. Any woman would want to meet him fan, or not. That is exactly my answer to her, and she seems pleased enough with it, so she lets it go. I just hope when she does find out exactly what happened, she isn't too mad at me for not telling her beforehand.
While closing down, I have to wonder if this is the right thing. I mean who would want to play for someone who doesn't even want the team. It can't be easy to deal with her. I try making myself feel better by saying I am actually helping the players out; not Ronda. When this team folds, surely the players will go to better teams.
These thoughts bug me all the way home. I don’t know much about football. I need to double check, make sure that going to another team i
s possible. I make plans to do just that tomorrow, but for now, I just decide to get in the shower and relax.
After I finish scrubbing the funk of the day off, I still can't get rid of this nagging feeling that something just isn't right no matter how much I lie to myself. I have to figure out exactly what all of the pieces of this game are.
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Chapter Three
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Today is the day Ronda’s big plan starts, well really starts I guess. I have my big night, I am not calling it a date, with Robert tonight. To say I am nervous is an understatement. Last night, a package was delivered from Ronda. I should have opened it when it arrived. I am standing here looking at the worst outfit known to man. The dress is a god awful blue with flowers. I mean come on…flowers!!!
“There is no way I am wearing this.” I am actually wondering if she has changed her mind and doesn’t want to go through with her plan. I try to find a way to make the knee length dress work. The outfit is beyond horrible. She can’t honestly think I would wear this. I decide to look through my closet and discover I have nothing to wear. How could I be so stupid as to not have made sure I had an outfit!
I call Elizabeth in a rush to see if she wants to run to the mall and go shopping. God I hate that word, but I don't want to go out with him in my jeans and hoodie; that just may be frowned upon.
While waiting on Elizabeth, to show up, I can’t help but analyze her reaction when I broke down and told her a few days after why the circus rolled through Dani’s. She was shocked, that is one thing do I know for sure. She couldn’t believe I would actually do something like that. She also used words like genius and bloody brilliant, but no matter what she says I keep worrying I missed something behind her excitement.