Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lucien
“Beaumont,” Coach says, inclining his head toward the visiting coach’s office space.
I was about to go do my pregame stretching, but I go into the office instead, where he’s sitting at the desk, his hands steepled beneath his chin.
“Close the door,” he says.
I do. Sitting down in the chair across from him, I ask, “Were you able to get it?”
He furrows his brow. “Get what?”
“A seat for Talia tonight.”
“Oh, yeah. She’s on the glass.”
I relax. “Great. Thanks.”
“I didn’t do it for you, I did it for my daughter.”
Fucking grouch. “Thanks for doing it for her.”
He studies me for a few seconds, then asks, “Are you in love with Talia?”
This feels like a trick question. Like he’s about to accuse me of doing something I didn’t do.
“Yes, Coach.”
“How many times have you been in love?”
“Um ... I don’t know. Once, maybe? I thought I was in love, at least. But I was only nineteen. Life looked a lot different then.”
“Why did that relationship end?”
“My travel schedule. She said I wasn’t around enough, but it’s not like I can pick and choose which games I go to.”
“This job is hard on relationships.”
I nod, wondering where he’s going with this.
“How do you know you’re in love with her?” he presses.
“Coach, are you ... looking for relationship advice?”
He laughs and scrubs a hand down his face. “Fuck no, and if I was, I wouldn’t be asking you, Beaumont. Just answer the question.”
I can’t hesitate, and sure as hell can’t mention anything sexual, but the only thing running through my mind is Isaac spitting out inappropriate answers to the question.
“She’s my favorite person,” I say, forcing Isaac’s face from my mind. “She’s funny and sharp and she calls me out on my shit. I’d rather sit on the couch and watch a movie with her than go out with the guys. I’m not sleeping because I’m so wrecked over her job interview in Salt Lake City.”
“What if you get tired of her after a month?”
“Coach, I don’t get tired of Talia. We’ve spent a lot of time being together around the clock, and it just makes not being with her that much worse. She loves hockey and is so damn good at what she does that she’s increased my range of motion.”
“So you like that she’s part of your world?”
I hesitate. “Sorry, that’s making me think of The Little Mermaid.”
He drops his brows, aggravated. “Stay on track, Beaumont. Did she say how the interview went?”
“Great, of course. Who wouldn’t want to hire her? Some Mormon will probably be trying to make my girl his fourth wife by this time next week.”
Coach ignores my comment. “I may have a way to keep her in Cleveland.”
I lean forward slightly, waiting for him to say more.
“That would be great. What is it?”
He puts his hand up—his way of saying, not so fast, I’m not done explaining. I’ve seen this move many times.
“What matters most is what she wants. I’m not going to try to pressure her into anything. If this Salt Lake City job ends up being what she wants, that’s where she’ll be going.”
I shift in my seat, irritated. “What makes you think I want anyone to force her into anything? She’s her own person, it’s her decision.”
“If she stays and then things go bad between you guys, that’s gonna fall back on you. That’s why I’m trying to find out how serious you are about her.”
“I’m very serious. I’d never take advantage of your daughter. I was afraid to even touch her for a while, because—”
He gives me his palm again. “Don’t ever mention you touching my daughter again, Beaumont.
I would’ve put my entire foot up your ass already, but I like the way you took care of her in Hawaii.
You must care about her to give up your break to be there with her.
And then you stayed at Isaac’s for a few days to keep her out of the spotlight. ”
“Did she tell you what a slob he is?”
Coach shakes his head. “No one needs to tell me. I imagine his house has the piano from the movie Big, a TV, a bunch of gumball machines, and nothing else.”
“You’re not far off.”
He gives me a pointed look, putting his lower arms on the desk. “This stays between you and me only. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Coach. It won’t leave this room.”
“Isaac and Melina went to McClain and made the case for us to create a team position for Talia. She wouldn’t be Melina’s assistant, but they’d work together. Melina would pass some of her duties on to Talia, and they’d work together to create some new work for her.”
I didn’t even think this was an option. Not only could Talia stay in Cleveland, but she could stay with the team. It’s a great idea, because she’s good at what she does and would be an asset to the team, and she and I could still be together.
“I take back what I said about Isaac being a slob. I can’t believe he and Melina did that.”
“Melina asked me if it was okay first. I told her I can’t be a part of asking our team owner to create a job for my daughter, but I wasn’t going to stop her from doing it. She and Isaac got it done.”
“That’s great news. When can we tell Talia?”
He sits back in his chair. “This isn’t the type of work she wants to do, Beaumont. She wants to help people with disabilities be physically active.”
I deflate because he’s right.
“Okay, so then ... what’s next?”
“Hunter Beck.”
I pinch my brows together, confused about what Pittsburgh’s billionaire team captain has to do with Talia.
Coach continues. “It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to approach Beck and ask him to seed the money for a league-wide foundation that connects every team with disabled people in their communities.
To provide equipment and help in getting youth wheelchair hockey programs and field hockey programs going.
Where players could show up to help coach and cheer on the participants. ”
My jaw drops. “Holy shit! Talia had an idea for something like that here in Cleveland.”
Coach shrugs a shoulder. “Like I said, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to try to get that going. But if another player were to ask Beck, he’d be ready to write that check. And then we’d need someone on our staff to run the program, and ...”
“Talia’s perfect for it.”
My throat tightens with emotion. He did this. It’s a done deal, and he’s telling me I just need to place a call to Beck so the idea comes from me and not him. It’s a perfect scenario.
“I’m ... damn close to speechless, Coach,” I say. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do it for you, I did it for Talia.”
“I know, but—”
He cuts me off with the palm. “I wasn’t done, Beaumont. It’s for Talia because I selfishly want to keep her close, but also because you’re the kind of man I always wanted for her. You’re ten times the man Kyle Macintire is and I’d be proud to call you my son-in-law one day.”
My throat tightens even further. Coach doesn’t dole out personal compliments, and I’m stunned by what he just said.
“Thank you, Coach. I won’t let you down.”
“This is your last chance to tell me if you’re not serious about her.
I can kill this job offer without her ever knowing.
And I want to do that if you aren’t one hundred percent certain you want to be with her a year from now—and ten years from now.
If so, let her go to Salt Lake City and start fresh. ”
I shake my head. “I’m very serious about her. I love her. It made my entire fucking day that she decided to come here tonight instead of going back to Cleveland.”
“Good. I’ll make sure Melina has a double room so Talia can stay with her.”
I freeze for a second, then say, “Seriously?”
He gives me another irritated look. “She’s my daughter.
As far as I’m concerned, she’ll be staying in Melina’s room.
Am I going to drop by at midnight and make sure she’s there?
No, but don’t say anything—ever—to make me think she was anywhere else tonight.
I imagine the team will pay for rooms for her that are empty a lot if she joins the team, but I sure as fuck don’t want anyone confirming it. ”
I nod. “I understand, Coach. Thank you.”
“Get out of here. And let me be the one to make the offer to Talia. This conversation never happened.”
“Understood, Coach.”
I leave the office, finally able to relax and be happy about this idea. Hopefully she’ll want the job. I think she will, but I won’t fully relax until she tells me she’s taking the job and staying with the team. And, more importantly, with me.