“Perfect, Joel. You play like that on Sunday night and we’ll add another win to the board,” Coach called out from the sidelines.
Joel gave him a thumbs up and then bumped shoulders with several of his other teammates as they all headed for the locker room. Practice had been long and hard, especially given the fact that it was barely above freezing outside. The New England Patriots played more than half of their games in this kind of cold weather, and that meant they needed to practice and condition their bodies to withstand the cold and keep functioning at peak levels.
He entered the locker room and headed straight for the trainer’s room. His shoulder was still stinging from that last fall, and he didn’t intend it to become a problem before Sunday’s game.
“Joel, what’s going on?” the trainer asked.
“I just landed a bit too hard. Thought maybe I’d ice up for a bit before heading out,” he replied and started stripping off his jersey and pads. His broad shoulders gleamed with sweat, and his narrow waist and thighs — built for running at top speed for yards at a time — gave him the appearance of a Greek God. His body was tanned all over from the time he spent working on his boat and being outdoors during the offseason. Joel stayed active, and since his body was what enabled him to earn the massive paychecks he received each week for playing a game he loved, he took excellent care of it.
“That’s a good idea,” the trainer nodded. “I’ll start one of the baths. Jump in whenever you’re ready.”
“Will do.” He finished stripping down, took a quick shower, and then, with a towel wrapped around his waist, headed for the whirlpool bath filled with ice and waiting for him. He sunk into the water, hissing out his breath at the initial shock of the cold, but then settled in and let the ice do its magic. Fifteen minutes later, he was feeling much better and he took a real shower this time, letting his body relax beneath the hot spray and getting his head around his plans for the rest of the day.
Several of Joel’s fellow players were still milling around when he emerged and began to dress.
“Hey, Joel! We’re headed over to Buster’s. You game?”
“Not today, guys. I’m reffing the basketball game over at the center today.”
“Aw, well, more power to you, brother,” Khalid, one of the other running backs, bumped knuckles with him on his way out of the locker room. “I’m headed home to see my own crew. Good practice, guys.”
“Take it easy, Khalid,” Joel called after him.
“So, you’re still helping at that kids’ center?, Stephen asked. Stephen played center on the team.
“Yeah, it’s kind of fun getting to hang out with the kids.”
“That’s cool, man. Good on ya.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you guys later.”
Since high school, Joel had been finding ways to give back to the community that he lived in. His father had been a great proponent for neighbor helping neighbor, and Joel had learned at an early age how to donate his time and energy to worthy causes, whether that was helping in a soup kitchen, taking a turn ringing a Salvation Army bell during the Christmas holidays, or just tossing the ball with a group of kids in need. Giving back made him feel good inside and brought a smile to his face.
He headed out and crawled into his Hummer. It was an extravagant vehicle, but given the condition of the roads when it snowed or a nor’easter came through, he felt justified in having it. Besides, he made a ton of money, had no wife or children to spend it on, and he figured he deserved a few luxuries.
The son of a Navy Seal father, Joel had grown up in a very disciplined household, and he still handled his life and his finances similarly. Unlike many of the other football stars he knew, he’d started investing his earnings from the first season he played. Real estate. Start-up companies. A few side businesses he silently partnered with. That was where most of his money went, and when he finally stopped playing football, he would have built a small empire that would last him the rest of his life.
He walked into the rundown gymnasium and grinned as several dozen kids started screaming and ran to welcome him.
“Mr. Joel! I made my first basket.”
“Way to go, man. I told you all it took was practice,” he bumped knuckles with Tommy, a little nine-year-old who had been abandoned by his mother about six months earlier. All the kids had a story to tell about how they ended up here. Some had parents who had died or parents who were incarcerated. This was where those kids ended up who had no one to care for them and no place to live, and who the foster system had either failed, or it simply wasn’t adequate to meet the needs.
Jim Marshall approached him with an easy smile and the two men shook hands. “They’ve been waiting for you to get here. I was told we couldn’t start the game without you.”
Joel smiled, “Thanks for keeping the chaos contained. Let’s get the game going, and then we can talk afterward.” Joel clapped his hands and sent the kids either to the stands to watch or to their respective benches. Once everyone was in their places, he picked up the basketball and then addressed them all.
“I want you all to play your very best, but with good attitudes and good sportsmanship above everything …e even winning. If you win with a bad attitude, you cheat yourself. Remember, this is only one game on one day and there has to be a winner and a loser when it comes to the number of baskets made, but if you play your hardest and you improve just a little bit today, then you’re all winners in my book. Got it?”
“Got it!” they all repeated back.
“Good. Let’s play ball.” Joel took the basketball to center court, blew his whistle, and then tossed the ball straight up. It was a fast-paced game filled with laughter, victories, and a few failures, but at the end of the match, Joel had never been prouder of these kids.
He sent them off to the showers and an early dinner before they all gathered to watch their weekly movie. Taking so many kids to the movies was absolutely out of the question, so Joel made sure they had satellite service, and once a week, they paid for a special movie, had popcorn, and pretended they were just like all of the other kids their ages. It was such a small thing, but it made a huge difference in how the kids viewed themselves and it did Joel’s heart good to see the smiles on their faces.
Jim joined him, and they sat down on one of the rickety bleachers for a moment.
“So, I got your message. What’s up?” Joel asked.
Jim sighed, “The same old thing.”
Joel nodded. “Not enough money to meet the need?”
“Yeah. There are another ten kids they want us to take in, but we simply don’t have the room. Anywhere. As it is, we’re three kids over the recommended limit and the state is looking the other way because I refused to make even one child leave.”
“Good for you. So, I assume you’ve put together some numbers?”
Jim nodded and then pulled out a sheet of paper from his back pocket. “I had the same construction company we used last time do some preliminary numbers. To double our capacity and provide the other facilities we need, that’s what it would cost.”
Joel unfolded the paper and then nodded. “So, for a million dollars, this place could have more than enough room to take in new kids and provide the various amenities you and I have discussed?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, I can’t do this right now, but maybe in six to twelve months…then I’ll have some liquid capital, and I have no problem putting it in this place. In the meantime, I’ll keep my ears open for anything else that might get things rolling a little sooner.”
“Whatever you can do is a tremendous blessing to these kids,” Jim told him.
“Thanks. I better scoot. Tell the kids I’ll see them next week, and we play Sunday night this week. We’re going to have Jaguar stew if things go as well on Sunday as they did in practice today.”
“The kids have it marked on the big calendar, and I’ve already given my permission for them all to stay up and watch. They love it when you
make a touchdown and then give that little salute you taught them to the camera. They’re just positive you’re communicating directly with them.”
Joel grinned, his white, straight teeth gleaming. “That’s because I am.”
“Hey, Coach?” a voice called from behind Joel.
“Brandon. Hey, what’s up? You looked good out on the court today.”
Brandon nodded, but the worry didn’t leave his face. “I was wondering…well, there are a lot more kids now and…I really want to play…”
Joel clapped Brandon, one of the older pre-teens living at the center, on the shoulder and assured him, “You’ll get plenty of court time. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that we need to add at least one more team, maybe two. Everyone’s going to get to play, I promise.”
Brandon’s face relaxed and he smiled, “Thanks. I’ll let the guys know.” He smiled at Jim, and then took off, heading back to the other kids.
Joel turned to Jim and asked, “I noticed it was a little more crowded today. I thought the center was getting ready to expand?”
Jim nodded slowly. “We would love to, but there’s a small roadblock.”
“Roadblock? Are we talking city red tape here, or what?”
“Giselle finished drawing up the preliminary plans and worked with the staff to create a budget of a million dollars to cover everything we want to do.”
Joel pursed his lips and whistled softly. “That’s some serious cash you’re talking about. Let me do some thinking on the matter, and maybe there’s a way to put that kind of money together. Granted, it’s probably gonna take some time.”
Jim nodded. “I appreciate whatever you can do to get us started on raising the needed funds.”
“I’ll give it some serious thought. For now, I better get out of here. See you soon.”
He headed back out to his vehicle, his good mood fading away as he headed back to his penthouse apartment.
I sure wish I was in a better position to give the center those funds. The timing couldn’t be worse for me right now. I just don’t have that kind of cash that isn’t already spoken for. In a few months...
He sighed as he headed into the parking garage. He was starting to think that putting all his money into long term investments was a bad idea. It pigeonholed him into not doing some of the things he wanted to do in the short term. Like fully funding the center.
He pulled into his parking spot and then grinned when he saw Giselle’s red sports car parked in the adjoining space. He headed up in the elevator, his keys jingling around his finger as he thought about the night ahead.
Giselle was an architect who had worked with him on several community development projects and while there was no denying the chemistry between them, that was all it was. Chemistry. She had a key to his apartment, and they had a casual agreement that helped meet their sexual needs, but that was where it ended.
The elevator doors opened, and he stepped into the foyer and then grinned at the sight that greeted him. Giselle was reclining on the couch, one of his shirts on, but completely unbuttoned and leaving little to the imagination.
“Hey lover, I’ve been waiting for you,” she told him in a sultry voice.
Joel kicked off his shoes, dropped his bag by the elevator door, and then sauntered toward her, removing his shirt and unzipping his pants as he went.
“You must have read my mind,” he told her as he lowered himself over her and kissed her sensuously. She returned the kiss, one hand snaking into his open pants and beneath his boxers.
He grinned at her as he broke the kiss and stepped back. “Someone’s in a hurry.”
“Yes.”
“Good enough,” he finished stripping off his clothing, removed the shirt from her shoulders and then lowered himself over her body. She spread her knees and he grabbed them and pulled them high up on his hips. He watched her eyes as he slowly entered her body, always amazed at how easily they came together. Giselle rarely needed any foreplay; she was always wet and ready for him.
Of course, as soon as her sexual needs were met, she’d be dressed and on her way, and that was just fine with Joel. No messy entanglements with emotions and responsibilities.
He started to slow things down a bit, but Giselle wasn’t having any of that and she used her nails to let him know she wanted it hard and fast.
“Tired?” she asked.
Joel took the question as the challenge it was and grinned at her before kissing her deeply, his tongue plunging deep at the same time as he sank all the way into her welcoming body. When he finally broke the kiss, he smirked. “Does it seem like I’m tired?”
“Not at all.” Giselle pushed on his shoulders and he took the hint, rolling around so that she was now on top and in control of their joining. She wasted no time in picking up the pace and riding him until she was gasping in pleasure each time she sank down on his rigid length. Joel was happy to oblige her needs and pumped his hips in time with her downward thrusting hips. Both of them were panting and then they were falling over the edge into a sexual fulfillment that would last until the next time she stopped by.
Sometime later, Giselle stirred by his side, leaning up and over him. “What’s got your brain working so fast?”
“The center. I spoke with Jim earlier and he said the plans for the renovation are almost finished.”
“They are. Did he happen to mention how they were planning to pay for all of that work to be done?”
“He gave me a top figure of a million which is way out of my reach.”
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Jim last week. We don’t need to build the entire project right now. We could take care of the basic needs for the living quarter expansion for as little as a quarter million.”
Two hundred and fifty thousand? I could probably swing that. I’d need to sell off something, and maybe move some money around…
“And I’ve lost you again,” Giselle said. She kissed him quickly and then scooted from the bed. She dressed and then headed for the attached bathroom. When she emerged, she slipped her shoes on and then headed for the bedroom door. “Until next time?”
“Sure,” Joel nodded and gave her one of his killer grins. “I’ll walk you out.” He stopped at the elevator and then took her into his arms once more. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“No problem. I’m just glad you came home before I left. This was fun.”
Joel nodded and then released her to enter the elevator. He lifted a hand as the doors closed, his thoughts a bit in turmoil. All his adult life he’d kept relationships casual. He always made sure women knew where he stood up front and only dated women who wanted casual sex, just like him.
But wouldn’t it be nice to have something, or someone, a little more permanent?
He wasn’t going to get any younger, and at some point, he was going to have to think about settling down. Shaking his head at the direction his thoughts ,, he headed back to his bedroom for his fifth shower of the day. He fell into bed shortly after that, sexually satisfied and pleased with another day lived well.
Chapter 3
The next day…
Joel’s cell phone rang, and he groaned and buried his head beneath the pillow, willing the noise to go away. This was his day off, and he wasn’t done sleeping yet. The ringing stopped and he relaxed back into the mattress, immediately falling back to sleep.
Sometime later, his cell phone rang again, and he realized that it was probably the same person. Very few people had his personal phone number; only close friends and relatives, and if they were calling him more than once, they must really need to get ahold of him. He reached over blindly, feeling for his phone on the nightstand. He found it and connected the call, putting the phone up to his ear while he rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the other hand.
“Yeah?”
“Joel? Man, are you still sleeping?” Derick’s voice came across the line.
“It’s early, and I’m not done sleeping yet, so yeah, I’m still in bed.”
“Hate to break it to you, man, but it’s noon.”
Joel frowned and then looked at the bedside clock, “So it is.”
“Late night?” Derick asked with a chuckle.
Joel groaned and then scratched his chin. He needed a shower and a shave if he was going to try and salvage what was left of this day. “Giselle stopped by.”
“No need to say anything else. I get the picture.”
“So, Derick, you calling for a reason or just to annoy me?” Joel asked as he swung his legs around and sat up on the side of the bed.
“Oh, I have a purpose. I need a favor.”
“Sure, man. Whatever you need.”
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