AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But you admit it happened?”
“I’m not going to tell you that, either.”
“It’s cool, your rosy-red cheeks already spoke volumes for you.”
“Goddammit.” She rubbed her cheeks as if she could tamp down the color, not that it mattered. The damage was already done, and there was no sense in trying to hide it from Jasper now. “Look, he’s going to be here any minute for his session. I would consider it the biggest favor you’ve ever done for me if you would not say anything.”
Jasper mimed zipping his mouth shut. The blessed silence lasted all of a minute before he spoke again. “I’m not going to say anything…”
“I hear the unspoken but.”
“If you’d given me two seconds, it would have been a spoken but.”
“Carry on.”
“But, I want to make sure this guy isn’t just using you.”
It was the sweetest, most brotherly thing Jasper had said to her since, You don’t want to chase the swim coach. He likes the peen. He’d been right then, but Emmy didn’t think she had anything to be concerned about when it came to Tucker. It had been a long time since she believed in the honesty of someone’s affections. Even with Simon she’d known a large part of their relationship was based on comfort and ease rather than real love.
“He’s not,” Emmy assured him.
“Okay. Because if he is, I’m going to kick his ass from here to next Sunday, I don’t care how much his contract is worth.”
“Last time I checked, one hundred and forty-eight million over five years,” Tucker said from the doorway. “So depending on the length of the ass kicking, you might owe the Felons about sixty dollars a minute. Give or take.”
Jasper was unabashed, but counted on his fingers. “You make ten thousand dollars a game?”
“Sounds about right.” Tucker joined them in the room, apparently not one of those people who was ashamed to admit what they were worth. It was hard to be shy about income when your paydays were broadcast to the world via ESPN.
“You make my annual salary in less than a month,” Jasper said with a dramatic sigh.
“Don’t feel so downtrodden,” Emmy said. “In that month he makes your and my annual salaries combined.”
“Pretty damn good week,” Jasper noted.
“Only if all my parts work,” Tucker offered. “And that’s all on you guys.”
The team’s massage therapist came in, helping herself to a cup of coffee and trading greetings with everyone, but also nipping any of Jasper’s commentary in the bud. Tannis was a sweet girl. A little too sweet to be working in a locker room daily, and Emmy had needed to scold most of her staff about their lewd conduct, lest
they all be taken to the Felons human resources department.
Right now, Tannis’s mild-mannered nature was working in Emmy’s favor as it kept Tucker and Jasper from further humiliating her.
“Jasper and Kasper,” Tannis said with a smile. “What’s on the menu for today?” Her red curls were piled on top of her head in a lazy-looking knot Emmy wasn’t a big fan of but had no say in banishing.
“Chet will be in in about half an hour,” Emmy said, not needing to consult the schedule to know who needed what. “His hamstring has been causing him some grief lately, so I want you to focus there, but not too much pressure. We need him healthy.”
Tannis nodded and added more sugar to her coffee, swishing the liquid in her mug to mix it since they had no spoons. “Anything else?”
“Alex will probably roll in an hour later than his scheduled time. He’s about to go on a five-game stretch since Brian got recalled and the trade for Pablo hasn’t been finalized. I want you to pay attention to his legs and thighs especially, then send him to me, okay?”
Tannis nodded, wished them all a good morning, and wandered down the hall to her room.
Tucker gave Emmy an appreciative nod. “You know about the Pablo Rancon trade?”
Emmy smiled. “They don’t say pending physical for nothing, you know. Sometimes I get asked to assess on these things, see what kind of wear a guy has on him and whether or not the eight million he wants is a bargain or a shot in the foot for our franchise.”
Ramon entered the room with a six-foot cloud of ego around him and presented himself to Emmy and Jasper, announcing, “I am here.”
