Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
NATALIE
I stared at the outside of the Atlanta Arrows corporate office, feeling my nervous fingers twitch against my coffee cup. It’s been twenty-four hours since I found out I was a married woman and ran from that Vegas hotel room like it was on fire. I should be focusing on my job, not worrying about my uncle finding out that I got hitched to one of his players.
My legs felt wobbly as I trudged through the parking lot. Heels were not my friend, but it was my first day, and I wanted to make a good impression. The second I passed through security, scanned my key card and stepped inside the main lobby. I was shocked at how much had changed.
Uncle Beau had an intern meet me and walk me through department after department. The first floor contained the locker rooms and training facilities. There was also a huge hydrotherapy pool, rows of massage tables, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and a dining hall.
My intern, Patrick, introduced me to a few staff members as we passed by the white cubicles on the second level. Judging by the tall ceilings and wide hallways, you could tell these buildings were designed to accommodate football players. Everything was oversized and quiet due to this being the offseason. When I passed by a team photo on the wall, it took everything in me not to stop and stare at my husband in his team uniform.
Rhett’s dark brown hair was floppy and hanging along his forehead. His smile was big, and his eyes were sparkling. Just looking at him gave me butterflies. Jesus. I needed to get a grip.
Patrick led me to one of the meeting rooms, where I sat at the end of the large, glass, sleek table. I took a deep breath and pulled my iPad out of my bag. I tossed my phone on the desk, feeling my stomach twist in knots while I waited for a team member to drop off a list of training materials to review.
Knock . Knock .
A short, younger woman with long red hair popped her head into the room.
“Hi, Natalie. I’m Penny, one of the head marking directors.”
She breezed into the room, and I stood to greet her. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”
We had spoken several times on the phone, but this was our first time meeting in person.
“Beau is finishing up with a meeting. He’ll be in shortly,” she said, holding out a small white box with a bakery logo on the top. “Are you ready for your first day?”
“I am,” I said, accepting the pastry box from her. “Is this for me?”
She nodded and smiled. “Beau said you liked blueberry muffins, and these are the best. I hope you like them.”
“They are my favorite, thank you.” I set the box down. “Please help yourself.” I flipped the lid open so she could take one .
She shook her head. “Nope, those are all yours.”
“That was very thoughtful.”
“It’s just a small welcome gift.” She smiled as she lowered herself into the empty chair across from mine. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Yes, and I apologize if you’re not the right person to answer this, but my offer letter indicated that I would be mostly working with the shareholders and investors on managing our national and media coverage. The revised paperwork sent to my email stated that my role would be more community relations targeted. “
“Good eye. You’re just as smart as Beau said you were. The V.P. you were originally reporting to, took a different position, so the marketing department had to shift things around a bit.”
“So, my role will be focused more on local programs as opposed to national targeting?”
“From my understanding, yes.” She tilted her head to the side. “Is that going to be a problem for you?”
That was a good question because it meant I would be more involved with the players’ charities and their volunteer work. I wasn’t planning on working so closely with the team, well, one team member in particular.
I shifted in my chair and gave her a tight smile. “I’ll just have to verify a few things with HR. I’m sure it will be fine,” I lied and berated myself for my lack of judgment in Vegas.
“Okay, great.” She stood up and straightened her shirt. “I gotta run. Here is your schedule for today. You have my number if you need anything. Beau will be in shortly.”
“Thank you.”
“Also, here is an employee benefits booklet and a few government forms you need to fill out so you can get paid. You don’t need to complete those right now, but if you can get them finished by the end of the day, that would be great.”
I placed them in the folder and started writing everything down. I was fortunate that Beau gave me this opportunity, so I didn’t want to screw this up. I was worried that people would assume I only got this job because I was related to the owner.
If I hadn’t made such a stupid decision over the weekend, I would have held my hands up in celebration.
I thumbed through the training materials and was about to complete the last task on the checklist when Uncle Beau came strolling in. He was dressed in a blue suit with an orange tie.
His face was buried in his phone when he looked up. “Hey, sweetie.”
I dropped my pen and walked around the desk. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see you when my plane landed yesterday.”
He set his phone inside his pocket. “No worries. Did you get settled in okay?”
“Yes, but you went overboard on the snacks.” I laughed as he pulled me into his chest for a hug.
He chuckled and squeezed me tight. “I remember how much you love your chips and Twizzlers.”
I patted his shoulder. “And don’t forget the blueberry muffins.”
“I’m just trying to help ensure you have everything you need.”
“The room is more than enough. Thank you.”
My suite in Uncle Beau’s mansion was almost the size of a small house. I had my own living room, bathroom, and balcony. As nice as it was, I yearned for something more intimate: my own space, something I could call my own .
“Good. In a couple weeks, you’ll have the whole place to yourself, so feel free to invite a few friends over.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, and I really appreciate you letting me stay with you while I look for something more permanent.”
I originally planned on crashing at a hotel until I could find a place of my own, but he insisted I take one of the guest wings. It was only temporary, but the house still felt big and lonely, especially with him and Aunt Suzie not being there very often.
“You can stay as long as you need. I’m just so happy to have you here.” He smiled and tapped my nose. “I’m sorry I won’t be around much.”
“No need to apologize. I know you do a lot of traveling during the offseason and split your time between here and LA.”
Uncle Beau also ran an investment business that was headquartered in California. Despite the geographical distance, he was able to balance both responsibilities.
“Yeah.” He rubbed his chin. “I need to wrap up a few things before I leave for South Africa. Which reminds me, I’m hosting a dinner tomorrow night for the team after the parade. It’s nothing fancy, but I’m hoping you will be able to join us.”
“Oh, that’s right. You have your victory parade downtown.”
He tilted his head. “Yes. The weather is supposed to be beautiful, so we are expecting a huge crowd. You are more than welcome to come as my guest.”
“I would love to, but I need to stay behind and get caught up to speed. I know nothing about football, so I feel like I have a lot to learn.”
He leaned forward. “I’m going to give you a piece of advice. Your job isn’t to learn plays and keep track of stats.” He swept a hand, gesturing to the window that overlooked the city of Atlanta. “Your job is to nurture relationships and make sure the guys are having a positive impact on the community. If anyone can keep them in line and make them roll up their sleeves and do some good work instead of just writing a check, it’s you.”
“About that.” I swallowed nervously. “I was hoping you could provide some clarification of the revised email that I received this morning. The job description is slightly different from what I was originally hired for.”
“Sorry about the short notice, but we are doing some restructuring. The position I originally assigned you was not very stable. That department is going through too many changes, and due to the rise of social media, I thought it would be best to have someone younger start to foster our commitments in the community. I figured you would be much better served working with the athletes and individual charities, as opposed to sitting behind a desk, drafting up media posts. I know your skill set. I know your personality, and I think you would be the perfect person to help promote the team’s brand in the community.”
“But what about the public relations position?”
I wasn’t trying to come across as ungrateful, but I was hired to do a specific job, one that I’d prepared for.
“That wasn’t a permanent position, and there was no guarantee we would be able to keep you on after the first year. This is a similar role, with more flexibility and stability.”
“Got it. I was concerned when I saw the email, but I feel better now,” I said, tacking on a smile at the end.
“I know I’m throwing you a curve ball here, but this will benefit you in the long run. You’re not just my niece, you’re also my employee, and I need to do what’s best for my business. Tracy, the woman you will be reporting to, has the experience to teach you all you need to know. There is no doubt in my mind that you will thrive under her guidance.”
If Beau had that much confidence in her and felt this strongly about it, then I had no doubt that this was the right move for me. I was just starting out without a nickel to my name. Most people would kill for this opportunity, and I might have already had a foot in the door, thanks to who Beau was to me, but I still wanted to make him proud.
“I understand. I know you have to get going. Is there anything else I should be made aware of?”
He held up his hand. “One more thing. While I’m excited to have you join the organization, I want to make something very clear. Under no circumstances are you allowed to have any type of romantic relationship with anyone in this building. I know these guys, and I know how tempting they can be. They’re not all bad, but you just got out of a relationship, and I’ll be damned if I allow any of those young punks to take advantage of you, and trust me, they will try. If they do and I find out, they will be gone quicker than cupcakes at a kid’s birthday party.” My face went white, but somehow, I managed to simply smile and blink as he continued. “We had a scandal a few years ago that involved a big player and our physical therapist. The guys know I mean business, so when the season starts, I will be sure to remind them that you are off-limits.”
I never truly understood how much I would regret my actions until this moment. Beau has been one of my biggest supporters in everything I’ve done. The thought of disappointing him filled me with dread.
“Now that we got that talk out of the way, do you have any last-minute questions for me?”
“I can’t think of anything at the moment.”
He nodded and rose from his chair. “Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.” I stood to meet him halfway, feeling unsteady on my feet. “I think you’re going to be very happy here.” He smiled and gave me one last hug before walking out of the room.
I gripped the edge of my desk before pulling the gold band out of my purse and staring at it. The events over the last weekend came rolling through my mind. My heart raced with anxiety about how he would react if he ever found out. He would see this as a betrayal, and Rhett could lose his spot on the team.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Now, I had to find a way to divorce my husband before Beau found out the truth.