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“What in the actual fuck?”
I can’t help but grin. “Exactly. Thanks to Will, I already have a team of people on standby to help me with things, and my dad won’t be able to touch any of the money, but that will only piss him off more. I’ll be able to handle it, but I just thought you should know because… well, because you matter to me.”
Sophie crosses to me and frames my face in her hands. “You’ve taken care of yourself? Protected yourself?”
“Yeah. I have.” I take one of her hands in mine and kiss her palm. “But it could get dramatic for a minute.”
“Don’t worry about me.” She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight, and I’ve never had the urge to tell a woman that I love her more than I do right now. Her support is everything. “Get through the meeting, then deal with the next thing. One step at a time, Ike.”
“You’re right.” I kiss the top of her head. “Thanks.”
“So, I guess it’s a lot of money?” She frowns up at me. She doesn’t look hungry or excited or calculating.
She still looks concerned.
“Yeah. It’s a shit ton of money.”
“Good for you. When it’s all said and done, we’re going to celebrate that.”
“I’m in.” I wink down at her, kiss her lips softly, and then step away. “I’d better go. We’re meeting over at headquarters in thirty.”
“You’ve got this. I don’t know what it is that you’re negotiating, but you’ve totally got this.”
I kiss her again, then grab my keys and wallet and head out to my truck parked down the driveway.
I didn’t tell Sophie that she is the main point that I’m negotiating.
The ironic thing is that a month ago, this wouldn’t even be a thing. I didn’t know her then, and Florence would have no reason to include Sophie in the contract. I likely would have signed by now, and it would be a done deal.
The timing of things is just crazy.
But, I did meet Sophie, and I’m well on my way to falling in love with her. I’m not giving her up for Florence or anyone else.
I pull into my parking space at the practice facility. The headquarters offices are in the adjoining building, and when I walk inside, I see that Bill is waiting for me in the lobby.
“You look great,” he says, as if surprised, and I look down at my black slacks and blue shirt.
“I almost wore a tie, but I thought that might be overkill.”
Bill laughs and smooths his hand down his own tie. I’ve never seen the man outside of a suit, even in a casual setting.
I kind of like that about him. He’s professional.
“Like I said yesterday on the phone,” I begin, getting right to the chase, “if she won’t back down, I’m out.”
“I have two calls from other teams,” he says softly, almost whispering into my ear, which is probably smart. There are ears everywhere. “San Francisco and Denver would match the terms.”
I narrow my eyes. “Good to know.”
“Hello, gentlemen.”
We turn at the voice behind us. Brandon Lily is Florence’s assistant. For now. She goes through assistants like she does underwear.
“Hi, Brandon,” I say.
“They’re ready for you,” Brandon replies and gestures for us to follow him.
The first thing I notice is the huge table in the middle of the conference room. Florence is sitting at the head of the table, her hair dyed a fiery red, and she’s dressed in a black suit. She’s flanked by several men, also in black suits, whom I assume are her attorneys.
My attorney is already here, and Bill and I take our seats next to him.
For the next fifteen minutes, I sit quietly and listen to the attorneys go back and forth on little nitpicky things, like the pay schedule.
And when they get to the Montgomery clause, I glance up to see Florence staring holes into me.
She likes to be intimidating. I know she can be a ruthless bitch. She didn’t purchase this football team because of her love of the game. No, she inherited it.
And she loves the power she has because of it.
But I bet she wouldn’t know a touchdown from a kick in the ass.
“There’s no cause for this clause in the contract,” my attorney, Richard, begins. “My client is an employee, not a slave. The team can’t dictate who he’s friends with or with whom he has a romantic relationship.”
“Yes, I can,” Florence says, not taking her eyes off me. She looks good and pissed. “The Montgomery family has declared war on this team, and I will not have my players fraternizing with them.”
“Uh, Will is still on as an advisor.”
Her eyes narrow at my comment. “That’s none of your business.”
I sit back and blow out a breath.
“Ike won’t sign the contract with this clause in it,” Bill says. “Not under any circumstances.”
