AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Meeting the GM in visitor ballparks was becoming something Emmy didn’t want to make a habit of. She would have preferred keeping him at arm’s length, communicating in short daily emails. Face-to-face made him too real.
He had Tucker’s career—and hers—in his hands. To Darren, she and Tucker were just names and finances, and she was well aware how little it would mean to him to send them both away.
Especially if he knew about their relationship.
She was betting a trainer screwing around with a pitcher was a whole new kettle of fish the management wasn’t prepared to deal with, and though there was nothing against it in the contract, she was fairly certain the GM wouldn’t hesitate to ship her away if he caught the scent of blood in the water.
Emmy met him in a makeshift office and sat on a folding chair across from his particleboard desk.
“Not the nicest digs. Apologies.”
She placed her hands in her lap. “No need to apologize.”
“I’d have met you in the box but…” He shrugged. “No game.”
“Of course.” Emmy kept her face neutral. Just like with Simon, she wasn’t sure what the motivation behind the meeting was, and she didn’t want to make any assumptions. “How can I help?”
“I didn’t get a status report last night.”
“I’m sorry, sir. Tucker’s health was my first priority.”
“Naturally, naturally. And that’s why I’ve asked you to meet me here.”
“To discuss Tucker’s health?”
“I got the press release right after I called you, so I know what your official word is, but I want to hear it from you.”
“You want me to repeat what I wrote?”
“I want you to tell me the whole truth.”
“Sir?”
“Let’s be frank with each other, Ms. Kasper. You and Tucker are close. You spend a lot of time helping him, and you’ve made great advancements with his arm. We’re very grateful to you for that. But I’m sure in your time together you may have developed a…friendship with him. It’s natural, when you spend so much time with someone.”
“I’m perfectly capable of maintaining a professional detachment from someone I work with daily.”
“I don’t doubt you are, but you understand why I need to be clear about this. I need to know you’re not…covering for him.”
Emmy might not have been a fan of the GM, but she also hadn’t actively loathed him. He had given her a fantastic opportunity with her job, and because of that she’d given him a certain amount of leeway when it came to his personality. But she was convinced he’d just asked her if she was lying about Tucker’s head wound to help the pitcher stay in the game.
She got to her feet, appalled at the accusation but trying hard to maintain some façade of professionalism rather than reaching across the desk and smacking him in the face.
“It would be very difficult for me to lie about the results of an MRI. Sir.”
His face went smooth, devoid of any trace he was offended but also not showing any surprise at her for calling him out on what he was suggesting.
“Now, now.”
“Tucker is fine.”
“It’s your professional opinion that Tucker Lloyd is fit to play the remainder of the season?”
“I’m telling you Tucker is fit to play this season, and the next, and every damn season from now until forev
er.”
He gave her a thin-lipped smile, his mustache quivering. “We’ll see about that. Forever is an awfully long time, Ms. Kasper.”
