Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Gavin
Gavin leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of him. He needed to concentrate on what Jack Wolfe was saying. He deserved Gavin’s attention, and not because of the huge sponsorship money he kept funneling into BikeMax. Jack was a stand-up sort of guy, demanding respect.
“I’m happy with Clay like I said, but we’re missing out if we don’t have a racer in —”
“You’re absolutely right, Jack. The 450s are the big league, and we need a star.”
Jack glanced at him with smoldering power. He didn’t like to be interrupted, but Gavin wanted to get to the point and get on with it. He wanted to think about his personal life. Johnny! They’d left Anaheim with too much up in the air between them. Johnny’s non-answer hung there like Poe’s pendulum.
Gavin cleared his throat. “I have a few prospects...”
“None that seem right? We’re out of time. The season is half over.” Jack leaned forward. His broad shoulders and stern face exuded power and control. His dark blue eyes held a fire in them, demanding his due. Gavin was confident, but even he had a hard time arguing with Jack.
“Do we want to sign just anybody? I can do that. But I’d rather sign someone who has a shot at winning at least a few races this season and more next. Someone with potential. Like I said, a star.”
“Any stars in your scope so far?”
“There are a few 250 guys that may be ready to move up. Some of them have contracts they can’t get out of. Bryce Nickel is completely off the table.”
“The kid with purple hair who took first Saturday?”
Gavin nodded. “He’s personally wrapped up with Apex. It’s more than offering him a better deal.”
Jack made a placating hand gesture with his palms down, patting the air. “I get that. I’m not faulting you. I’m simply saying we need another Bryce. Maybe not with the hair thing.” He pointed to his dark and neatly groomed hair, mocking Bryce.
Gavin chuckled. “Bryce is a good kid. As much as I wish we could have signed him on our team, I wish him the best. And I’m going to find someone better.” He tossed a file across his desk to Jack. “This is Craige Lee. High potential.”
Jack flipped the file open and looked over the stats. “He has a decent record, but maybe he’s not a winner. I reviewed the videos you sent of this guy. Maybe he’s too laid back?”
He happened to be one of their best bets. Gavin sat up a little taller in his chair. “I think he needs the right motivation. A lot of racing boils down to that. And dedication. A need to be the best. You can understand that.”
“I certainly can.” Jack chuckled and looked up from the file with a knowing expression, but he didn’t elaborate. In the short time Gavin had known Jack, he’d discovered that he shared few words, but he made the ones he gave count.
“The 250 East division will be racing next week. We’ll watch the race to see how it goes and who else we can approach. I’m doing the homework.”
“What about racers from overseas? Find any in Morocco?”
Morocco had been spectacular, but he attributed that more to Johnny than any of the racers.
He’d been reliving that trip nightly. In bed.
He couldn’t think about that, though. Business first. “A couple of prospects, but visas are a bitch right now. I’m working with a Croatian rider, Jakov Hranic.
He’d be great on our team. Aggressive but smart on the track.
We’re working on it, but it might be next year before anything happens. ”
Jack nodded. “Right. Long term.” They’d discussed how even though they desperately needed riders this season, they needed to think about next year and the year after.
They needed a solid strategy and not flying off and acting on reflex.
That’s what had gotten them into trouble with Shannon Parker. “What about that Benson kid?”
“Arena cross guy?” Jack nodded. “He did fabulous last year in that straight shootout thing, but he doesn’t have a great record. He’s still on the list, but...”
“Not one of the top guys.”
“Right.”
Gavin needed more coffee. He liked talking shop, and Jack learned quickly, but Gavin would rather be talking with Johnny.
He needed to figure out how to make more time for his personal life.
How could he fit more Johnny-time into his search-for-a-racer schedule?
He had to finally sign some talent. “I think Lee is the way to go.”
“Let’s talk about him, then. Five years in the 250 class, but he’s not racing now, and he hasn’t taken a championship. He’s won a fair number of races, but how does that stack up?”
“He’s not racing for two obvious reasons.
One, lack of sponsorship. Privateers have a hard time on the finance side and keeping the bike maintained.
He’s had minimal sponsorship all along, but not because he doesn’t have talent.
It falls out that way sometimes. He needs more training. Coaching. He’s a diamond in the rough.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“He wants to move up. I think he’s waiting for the right deal.”
“To the 450s. You know that how?”
Gavin leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. He put his foot on the desk. His four-hundred-dollar, designer loafers that fit like kid gloves stretched out in front of him. “I’ve been watching him. Watching his style. He’s ready. He knows it. That makes him prime.”
“I guess.” Jack’s guess meant he didn’t necessarily agree with Gavin—not that he would give in easily in any case. Gavin already knew how to read Jack. He responded best to being straight forward, so that’s what Gavin would do.
“You don’t sound convinced.” He dropped his foot to the floor and leaned forward. Jack needed to be on board. Gavin opened his arms, silently asking what he could say to change Jack’s mind.
After a moment, Jack wrinkled his nose at the file and flipped carelessly through the pages. “I’m thinking about Bryce. I’m thinking this guy, Lee, he may have personal issues. He doesn’t seem like the go-getter we want. Not like the Nickel kid.”
“Those are the things I need to work out with him. Only one way to find out for sure.”
Jack stared at Gavin with eyes that seemed like they could stare straight into his core.
His brain calculated risk and reward in seconds—a true investor.
Smart. He hadn’t made his fortune from an inheritance.
He’d earned every penny. Those were the reasons that made Gavin want him on their team.
He trusted Jack, trusted his instincts, even if he wanted him to be wrong about Lee.
“Okay, go see him. Figure out if he’s going to ride like Apex’s Nickel kid. If he’s willing to commit...” Jack visibly relaxed in his chair with a long, exhaled breath. “If he’s not on board, don’t sign. I hope you’re right about him.”
“Me too.” It would free up more time to see Johnny, but it still had to be the best decision for the team.
When the meeting ended, Jack left. No extra hanging out or schmoozing over a meal. Jack had someone to get back home to, and so did Gavin. Although home wasn’t the right word. Not yet.
The second Jack left, Gavin picked up his phone to call Johnny.
He needed to set up their next date. This time it wouldn’t be Johnny deciding.
Gavin didn’t plan on being nice about it.
He wanted to see him as soon as possible.
Race day was still too far away, but he needed to get some time with Craige Lee first. He would have to fly out to Colorado in between.