Chapter 50
CHAPTER 50
C ome Work for Us
Cameron
I’m sitting outside of my Texas home, watching my boys play in the front yard. Amina comes out of the house and sits on the porch swing. My family is picture-perfect.
My throat turns dry and it’s not from the sun baking through the windshield. I swallow hard and look down at the offer that guy placed into my hand. He said his name was Uri.
I remember receiving the call from Nico a week ago. I looked up M.H.D. Group. They have a nice roster of agents. I heard some good things about them, but this offer.
I’d be able to stay at home with my family. They would be paying me more than my worth. The only problem is, one of the coaches I asked about them mentioned probable ties to the mob.
“I can’t bring that back into her life,” I breathe out as I drag my hand down my now sweaty face.
I’ve been sitting here trying to get my thoughts together so I can talk to my wife. I don’t even know if I should bring this up. We both want me home in New York. Working with Justice Mack and Tim Essex would be career changing.
However, if taking this offer could make our lives anything like it was ten years ago, I’m going to have to pass. Our marriage can’t take another hit.
It’s bad enough I have to watch to make sure nothing changes with Dez’s imprisonment. He’s been trying to appeal for years. I had security secretly following Amina for the first three years just to be safe.
The second year, someone stabbed him up pretty bad and my sources said he was stripped of his power in his family. I waited a year before I became comfortable with letting the team go.
I close my eyes and lean my head back against the headrest. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to go back to DR. I’m tired of missing out on things with my family.
This offer is for a significant salary and is a damn good position. J Mack and Essex are elite athletes. This is the sort of job I’ve been working toward.
“You’ve been out here for about twenty minutes. I wanted to give you time, but now I’m worried,” Amina says as the sound of the door opening and closing behind her brings me out of my thoughts.
“I was about to come sit with you. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
“Bullshit. I know you, Cam. Remember? This is me. I can tell you exactly what you’re going to do as soon as you walk into that house.”
I snort. She reaches for my face and turns it to her. I look into her eyes and my heart warms to be able to be in the same space as her.
“You’re going to walk in that house, kick off your shoes, walk straight to the kitchen and grab a beer. Then you’re going to sneak into the pantry, looking through the boys’ snacks to steal a few. Then you’re going to go up to the bedroom to eat them before you come down for your second beer and ask me what’s for dinner.
“You’ll nod and head for the fridge to finish off the rest of the grapes before you go to work out in the gym. After your workout, you’ll start calling for the boys to go in the backyard to play some catch before you tuck into the couch to watch some TV with them before dinner.
“So again, what’s going on? What’s wrong, baby? Is it Caleb?
“Is he doing that bad? Does he want me to call Nicole for him and talk to her?”
“No, it’s not Cal, but I adore you for being willing to help him.”
“Then what is it, babe? Talk to me.”
I lean my forehead against hers and breathe her in. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I take in a deep breath. It’s better I be honest with her now rather than her finding out later that I turned the offer down without talking to her. Nothing is ever simple in my life. Why would it be now?
“I was offered a batting coach job in New York. It’s for a sports agency looking to add value to some of their players. Hiring me can make them top dollar and they’re willing to pay the price.”
“Baby, that’s great. You can come home. Oh my God, why do you look like this is the end of the world?”
“I’m not done. I haven’t said yes because I did some asking around about the firm and the owners. There are rumors that they have ties to a certain element.
“I don’t want to invite anything crazy back into your life. I was going to pass. I’ve been so happy being home with you guys the last few weeks, but reliving the past isn’t something I want to put any of you through.”
“Okay, let’s slow this down. What have they said about you returning? How much time are they giving you?”
I sigh. “I was told to take all the time I needed as of this morning. That didn’t sound too good to me. I think I’m fucked if I don’t get something before they let me go and word gets out.”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. We can afford the layoff, but you still have goals you want to accomplish. Are you sure this person gave you accurate information?”
“You know how competitive your industry can be. Was he trying to poach your offer?” she asks as the wheels turn.
“That’s always a possibility, but I met two of the owners today when the boys and I picked up Cal. I got a dangerous vibe from the Uri guy. Not toward me, but I can tell he’s not someone you want to fuck with,” I reply.
“Uri? What was his last name?” she asks as her eyes go wide.
“Something with a D . Hold on. He and the Nico guy have the same last name.”
I pull up my contacts and look through to find Nico’s contact information from the initial call. “Donati. Uri and Nico Donati.”
Amina bursts into laughter. I look at her like she’s crazy. I have no idea what she thinks is funny.
“Take the job, babe. We’ll be fine. Now come on inside and I’ll get you a beer and some snacks. I got you some of your own, so you don’t have to steal from our boys.”
“They taste better when they’re theirs,” I tease.
She laughs and I tug her closer to me. I just want to sit here and absorb the moment. I’m not sure why she’s so confident about this job, but I’m not ready to take that leap with her and my boys’ safety.
I’m going to take some more time to think about this. Rushing into the fire is the last thing I want to do. Boy, would it be nice to be able to be like this all the time.