Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
SALVATORE
Ialmost fucking kissed her. Again. What the hell is wrong with me? She’s twenty years younger than I am. She’s not even ready to settle down yet, while I’m thinking about retirement. Okay, I’m not actually thinking about retirement, but some people my age definitely are.
Regardless, we are at completely different stages in our lives. So why the fuck did I let myself go there for a second time?
Once was bad enough. We moved on from that. We found balance again.
If I?—
“Knock knock.” Wes’s voice sifts through my slightly ajar door as he raps his knuckles against the wood. I’m late. I pride myself on never being late. I’m busier than I’ve been in my entire life, I’m delegating more than I ever have, I’m dropping balls left, right and center, but I am never late.
“Come in. Sorry. I was just finishing up a call.”
“You’re fine. It’s been a day for me too. I would have left you alone, if this wasn’t important.”
Dammit. I was worried about that when he set up the meeting last minute. “Take a seat.” I gesture to the couch, internally cringing when Wes stays standing.
“Myers turned us down.”
“He turned us down?” Fuck. That explains why he canceled our meeting today. “His agent said he wasn’t feeling well and needed a recovery day. They rescheduled our meet and greet for Wednesday. What’s going on?”
“Your predecessor.”
“My what?”
“Storm’s previous owner is releasing a book.”
“And…”
“A passage from the book is being shared on social media. He mentioned the team’s abysmal culture. He said he left because the staff and players were ‘not the type of people he wanted his family associating with.’”
“He said that? Abysmal. Are you fucking kidding me?” My body tenses as my blood boils. “That fucker almost drove this team into the ground financially. He cheated Storm out of millions of dollars from that damn TV show. He stole—” I stop speaking, having already said too much.
When I bought the team two years ago, I made a promise that I’d never burden anyone else with the issues I walked into.
That man was a crook. There’s no other way to describe him.
But instead of rotting in prison, he’s living the high life as a wannabe film producer, and apparently selling his soul for a bestsellers list. Once again dragging us into the spotlight.
Wes stares at me as I calm myself down and offer him a smile. “You didn’t hear any of that. The team is fine.”
“Are we?” he asks, concern marring his features.
“Yes,” I reply, hopefully putting him at ease, and I can honestly say that at this moment in time, it’s the truth. “Other than our reputation being put through the wringer again.”
“So…I don’t need to start looking for another job?”
“What?” My eyes grow wide until Wes laughs.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. As I said, it’s been a day.”
“All good. You have nothing to worry about. I’ve been working behind the scenes to get the team out of debt, and I’m happy to report we are almost in the clear. Almost. But there’s only so much I can do to tackle the hurdles we keep facing when it comes to our reputation.”
“I’ve never been one to chase trouble,” Wes begins and I turn to face him, giving him my full attention. “I apologize if I’m out of line here, but could we fight fire with fire? Discredit him a little.”
“Wow.” I raise an eyebrow with intrigue. “I never thought something like that would come out of your mouth.”
“Me either.” He laughs incredulously.
I haven’t known Wes for long, but I quickly discovered he was a man of integrity. He plays by the rules. He’s honest. He’s also loyal, though, so I imagine this stems from his loyalty to the team.
“The thing is, I value right and wrong, and from what you accidentally shared, that man is in the wrong.”
“You’re right. You are. But we can’t leak anything related to him without bringing more negative attention to the team, and we need to keep things positive.
Having said that, when we’ve secured our quarterback and the media speculation has died down, I might ‘accidentally’ say something I shouldn’t. ”
Wes smiles. “Sounds like a plan. In the meantime, how do we secure our quarterback?”
“Do we have any other options?”
“We do, but we haven’t looked into them enough, because at a glance, they didn’t look like a good fit.”
“We may need to change shape.”
“I agree. Let me talk to a few contacts I know. I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Thanks, Wes. I’ll do the same, while also tackling our little image problem. That book couldn’t have come at a worse time. Myers is all about upholding his good reputation. I can understand his hesitancy to leave one negative team for another.”
“I hate to say it, but you’re right. When I heard the news, I couldn’t fault him for it.”
“That’s why we have to fix it. And fast.”
I pat Wes on the shoulder as he leaves, releasing a long, drawn-out breath before Tabitha announces herself. “Sorry to interrupt, sir. If you don’t need anything, I have that dinner…” She trails off, cringing when my eyes meet hers.
It takes me a second to process her words before I rush to apologize. “Sorry. Of course. You were supposed to leave thirty minutes ago.”
“Wes looked anxious when he walked past, so I wanted to wait in case you needed me.”
I smile in thanks. We’ve come a long way, Tabitha and I.
At first, I didn’t think it was going to work out between us, but other than her annoying habit of calling me “sir,” she’s been a godsend.
“I appreciate you waiting, but you can go. I know tonight is important to you.” And while I’m certain I need help, it’s not Tabitha I want.
“Thank you, sir. Would you like me to come in early tomorrow?”
“That’s not necessary. Enjoy your anniversary.
” In the almost two years we’ve worked together, Tabitha has only ever requested this night off.
Both years. For her anniversary. And while I’d never expect her to work the long hours that I do, she never asks to go home.
She always waits until I dismiss her, and sometimes, I forget.
No matter how many times I tell her she should just leave when it hits seven, she never does, unless I say goodbye.
I once found her out here at nine p.m. and immediately gave her a raise.
Sometimes I wonder if I need an assistant to manage my assistant. Or…I could work on leaving the office earlier myself. I could embrace the whole work/life balance bullshit and take my work home instead.
Though, I’m not sure that’s what the term means.
Tabitha pulls my door closed behind her as she leaves, and the second I hear the soft click, I’m retrieving my phone and messaging Keeley. Did I promise myself I’d try to rely on her less after our moment on Saturday night? Yes. Am I failing on day two? Also yes.
This is an emergency. And if anyone can calm me during a crisis, it’s her.
SALVATORE: Any chance you want to help an old man out?
I cringe as I press send, but it’s too late to take it back.
KEELEY: Stop trying to remind me of your age, Sal. Just tell me where you want me
Just tell me where you want me.
Where I want her?
Fuck. I want her in my bed, on her back with her legs spread. I need her in my office to sort out this shit storm of events and… Jesus Christ.
SALVATORE: My office in an hour. I’ll buy dinner. It might be a long night
A long, purely platonic, disaster aversion, work colleague, business only night. Nothing else.
KEELEY: I’ll be there
Keeley arrives fifty-five minutes later, and a loud sigh escapes me, releasing the tension I’d been holding since Wes walked out of my office.
It’s crisis after fucking crisis here at the Storm headquarters, and I don’t know what I’d do without Keeley by my side.
She glides in without so much as a knock and makes herself comfortable on my couch, talking about one of the coaches interrupting her on her way in. “Why is he even here? It’s almost eight.”
She glances up at me for the first time since she walked through the door, and all I do is smile as relief fills me. She’s here.
She’s always here when I need her. And I have no idea what the fuck I’d do if she wasn’t.
I inhale slowly, letting my shoulders drop.
“Are you okay?” Keeley waves to get my attention. “You’re scaring me a little.”
Huh? My eyes focus, alerting me to the fact that I’d been staring at her while I contemplated the idea of her one day being gone. “Sorry. I was lost in my head. Thank you for coming. What were you saying?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Her lips lift into the most glorious smile, and I force myself to keep my eyes on hers instead of her mouth. “Anyway, I’m starving. There was a promise of dinner?” She changes the subject, rubbing her stomach for visual effect.
“Yes, there was. I’ll order now. Riccardo’s?”
Keeley raises an eyebrow, her expression stoic until I laugh. “What can I say? I’m kind of obsessed.”
“Are you ready to admit it’s better than any pizza you’ve had in New York?”
“Never.”
“Then I’m ordering. I have a feeling I can change your mind.” She bites her lip with a smirk, and my fucking cock twitches. Until I remember the mention of the owner’s son the last time she ordered.
“I’ll order. Just tell me what I need to get. It’s my turn.”
“What if my order comes with another free bottle of wine?”
That’s exactly why I’m ordering. “I’ve got wine here if we need it.”
“You do?” Keeley’s eyes widen before her gaze darts to the cabinet in the corner of my room. “Since when?”
Since I realized you like a glass or two to wind down. “Someone gave me a few bottles for Christmas. And lucky for you, it’s your favorite.”
“That’s convenient.” She grins, her gaze once again darting to my makeshift bar. The bar I stocked with her drink of choice. Just in case she needed it.
“It is,” I lie. “Anyway, what am I ordering?”
I order the gourmet special that Keeley insisted I try and my usual, just in case, then it’s down to business.