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“Honey, it’s my job.” She winks at me. “Whatisn’tmy job is to tell you that the hotel across the street,” she jabs a thumb over her shoulder, “is where you want to be to recover from this. When the lineup finishes, do yourself a favor and attend the Valentine’s soiree they’re hosting tonight. Everyone who matters will be there,” Amy adds. “Publicists, editors, writers…everyone involved in Personal Relations.”
I realize what she’s doing. Amy is giving me a chance to be interviewed by people who could matter, people who will take my name and do something bigger with it than I already have.
“I’ll check it out,” I say. “Thank you.”
Amy nods, congratulates us both again, and disappears.
“She’s a saint,” Michelle says. “I don’t know how we could have done this without her.”
“I know, right? She’s going above and beyond.”
“So, what do you say? You and me across the road as soon as we can manage it?”
I agree. It sounds like a good idea. I will take any chance to mingle with the right people.
This is just the first day. It’s going to get more intense before it calms down again. But, so far, so good.
Chapter 3
Noah
The team is in great form. They barrel across the field, the ball tightly tucked under the Linebacker’s arm, and he’s gunning for the end zone.
“Yes, yes!” Rooster cries out. “Fucking A, man!”
He blows the whistle just as Mason crosses into the end zone and the team brings it in.
They’re dripping with sweat despite the shitty weather outside, large chests heaving as they pant. Mason spits out his mouth guard so it dangles from the grill on his helmet.
“That’s a good play, guys,” Rooster says. “Well done. Keep this up and the next one’s ours.”
“They’re all ours,” Darrell chimes. “We’ve fucked every team we’ve played since the start of the season.”
“Yeah, and your fucking arrogance isn’t going to keep us there,” Rooster claps back. “What do I always say?”
“Humility wins games,” they all recite together.
“You fucking bet,” Rooster says, nodding. “When you get full of yourself out there, you stop working for it. And when you stop working for it, your win is ripe for the picking. Now that we’re the winning team, there’s a target on our backs. They’re lying in wait, and the moment any of you fuck up, that’s when they nail you.”
The guys mutter and grumble at Rooster and his repetitive speech. They’ve heard these words a million times. But he’s right—when they get complacent, they get second place. Or worse.
This is the big leagues and there’s no space for mistakes. The NFL isn’t a joke—if this was some kind of local team, maybe Rooster wouldn’t be so hard on them. But we’re playing with the big boys. Rooster is a hell of a coach, and the guys know to shut up and listen to him because he’s the reason they’re the unbeaten NFL champions so far.
“Give me fifty,” Rooster says and blows his whistle.
The guys groan and drop to do their pushups. I drop next to them and do the same. No one bats an eye when I do—they’re used to me training with the guys when I get the chance.
“And then I want a full five circles,” he adds.
They don’t complain too loudly because they know Rooster will double it up if they have issues with his coaching style. And no one has issues with their coaching style because he knows what he’s doing.
When we’re done with our fifty pushups, the guys head around the field. I run with them. I’m right next to Mason, who runs like a buffalo with his equipment on. He’s a hell of a man—as wide as he is tall and solid muscle front to back.
I match his height, but I don’t have the muscle mass anymore. I used to, once upon a time, but those days for me are over. I’ll do the cardio with the guys, and sometimes I join them in the gym to do weights, too. But the heavy lifting, the rough stuff on the field when they train, I don’t take part in.
I wish I could, but as the team’s general manager, it’s not in my job description to take hits anymore.
“Why are you punishing yourself like this?” Mason asks when we run. His breath comes in even gasps. Despite sweating like a pig, he’s not exhausted. He’s fit as fuck, and he still has a long career ahead of him.
