Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
~HENDRIX~
The nerves from earlier have faded. I try to relax and let myself have fun.
I was genuinely worried about coming here.
There’s no one here that I know, other than August and Drew.
But more importantly, Maxwell Cromwell is here and he is not a fan of me.
Nor would he appreciate August bringing me here.
So many scenarios are running through my head of him exposing me and pointing out all of the ways that I do not fit in here.
I could tell all of my concerns and fears were really making August worry.
I think he must have thought at one point that I was going to run screaming from the town car or from his apartment.
But I managed to pull it together. I was glad he gave me a bit of whiskey; it did calm me down and make me feel a bit more at ease.
His kisses didn’t hurt either. Although, that last one made me want to rip his clothes straight off of him.
Oh god, does that man know how to fill out a tux. I love the way he looks like James Bond. The only thing missing is the martini, which he doesn’t seem to need, judging by the way he drinks me in when I catch him staring at me. It sets me on fire.
The night is more fun than I expected. We’ve walked the auction tables. I recognize the Blaze Jersey and tickets to the upcoming game exhibition game that the coaches have set up between us and the Orlando Pride.
I’ve had a few glasses of champagne so I’m feeling a lot more comfortable being around here. I grab a mini quiche from a tray that is being brought around by a waiter.
“I keep forgetting that this is what your life is normally like. This is so surreal to me,” I tell him when we stop at one of the high-top tables that are set up around the outer limits of the room.
He just looks at me and grins as he picks up a pulled pork slider like he is trying to figure how to eat it without getting it all over his jacket and shirt.
“Bold choice,” I say, eyeing the sandwich. Although, it looks like absolute heaven. I would have loved to grab one too, but I fear that it would have ended up down the front of my dress.
“These are amazing. I keep saying to Watts that we should bring this vendor in for a team meal, but apparently, this is not what you girls should be eating,” he says, chuckling, taking a bite and outright moaning when the pork hits his lips. “But it is so worth it.”
I grin and lick my lips, just staring at the juicy-looking meat on his plate. He eyes me carefully and then pulls a bit of the bun away, bringing some of the pork with it. I notice the juice is running down his fingers a bit.
“Come here,” he says, motioning with his clean hand for me to come closer to him.
I do as he asks, and he slowly lifts the pork to my lips. “Open,” he commands, and I clench my thighs together. But I do as he says.
It tastes amazing. I wish that I would have grabbed my own. I moan as I chew and swallow the tender, juicy meat.
“Good, huh?”
“It is. Why aren’t we having this at team meals? Like you really gotta push Watts to get this,” I say, grinning at him.
“I know, right. But it’ll be a stretch because he likes his Mexican food.”
“That he does. But change can be good,” I say playfully.
“It sure can,” he says as he winks at me and I swear my knees go weak on him. I hate and love how charming he is at the same time.
“August, so this is where you’ve been hiding,” a voice says from behind.
I instantly move so that I am not across from August but now standing beside him.
I would recognize that voice anywhere. August stiffens a bit and moves to place his hand over mine.
Either for support or to make sure that I don’t flee.
I take one of my fingers and wrap it around one of his, anchoring him too.
Like I’m afraid that Maxwell can make him disappear from here as well.
“Hey, Dad, I haven’t been hiding, just making my rounds with the auction tables and thought I’d grab a bite to eat,” August says awkwardly.
He nods and turns his attention to me. “I don’t believe that we’ve met before. I’m Maxwell Cromwell.” He extends his hand to me and I tentatively take it, shaking it gently.
“Hello, sir, I’m Hendrix Monroe,” I say proudly, wondering if he remembers who I am. He was in charge of the recruiting for the Blaze, but it would honestly shock me if he did.
He stares at me for a moment. Eyes narrowing on me, like he’s flipping through his memory, trying to figure out where he’s heard my name before. I see the moment the light comes on in his mind, accompanied by an irritated sigh.
“You’re a Blaze player, are you not?”
I feel August stiffen beside me. I just nod and wait for him to say anything else on the matter. I don’t have to wait long.
“Did you buy a ticket to come to this event?” he asks me, like he’s hoping that the answer isn’t that I’m here with August.
“She’s here with me, Dad,” August confirms for me.
Well, one of us had to admit it, no point in hiding it.
He shakes his head. “Are also dipping your pen in the company ink, August? Or is she taking advantage of the fact that you are a Cromwell.” There’s a hint of distain in his voice and I know that he’s thinking it’s the latter.
I get ready to open my mouth to say something, but August beats me to it. “I guess I’d say that neither of those things is happening, Dad. Hendrix isn’t attempting to get ahead or take advantage of me in any way by dating me.”
It’s my turn to stiffen beside him. I just stand there frozen, unable to speak, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I see. August, I thought we had a conversation about fraternization with the team. I thought it was made perfectly clear to you that while you can spend time with them, that you should not begin dating anyone from the team.” He stares at me for a moment longer than I’m comfortable with, his beady eyes zeroing in on me.
“You look so familiar to me. And I don’t believe it’s because I watch the games. Because I don’t.”
I want to tell him what a charmer and an asshole he is all at the same time. Although, I’m not surprised. I didn’t expect Maxwell to watch the games. I’ve heard August give him the run-down of how it went. He only had opinions when we lost, not when we won.
“You would recognize her from UNC, Dad,” August says, shocking him by telling him exactly where he should know me from. Although, what’s the point in hiding it, it was bound to come up at some point.
“That’s it,” he says, wagging a finger at August. “I knew that I recognized that name. I knew it was from somewhere other than the team. You can dress it up, but you can’t make it unrecognizable to me.”
I hate the words he chose. Like I’m not even a person to him. He referred to me as ‘it.’
“Ever the charmer, Dad,” August says, shaking his head. “Please show her a bit more respect than that.”
“You mean the same respect that the two of you showed me by bringing her here? Without so much as a heads-up that she was coming. Or that you two managed to find each other again.”
While the words that he said weren’t exactly mean, they weren’t nice either, and I can’t help but feel like the other shoe is about to drop.
“I don’t care for this,” he says, motioning between the two of us. “I didn’t then. And I don’t now. It’s not just the dating of the player, August, but who you are dating. You’re a Cromwell, you need to have a bit more class than this.”
I swallow, getting ready to tell him that my family has status and stature, that it’s just in Philadelphia. We may not have the money that the Cromwells do, but it’s nothing to sneeze at.
But I don’t.
I just stand there and let him tear me to pieces.
“Well, Dad, it’s a good thing that I’m an adult and that I can date whoever I would like to.
” August slides his arm around my waist. “She’s not after anything, Dad.
Not every woman that you come across is a gold digger or trying to get something out of us.
Hendrix is not like that.” He places emphasis on my name and shakes his head.
“But you already have your mind made up. The good news is, I have my mind made up too. And the goalie for the Blaze or not, it’s going to be fine. You’ll see.”
Maxwell shakes his head and lets out a cold laugh.
“Is that what you think? You think that you can do and say whatever you want to me? The paperwork may be in your name, my boy, but those lawyers work for me. I can change all of it. And I will if you think for one second that there is nothing that I can do.”
My blood runs cold. I knew this was a mistake.
“Honestly, August, I think that you can do better.” He lays the final nail in the coffin and hammers. “Can’t you see that?”
I back up slightly from the table, thankfully, August lets me. “I think I should be going.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Maxwell replies, staring me down. “See, son, she gets it. She understood back then and she does now.”
Drew picks this moment to join our table. “This does not look like a fun conversation. What is going on over here, guys?”
I open my mouth to speak but close it without saying anything. Nothing that I could say would be helpful right now and might land August in more trouble.
“Oh, you know, Dad’s just over here making friends with Hendrix. Acting like he can tell us exactly what to do again.” August shakes his head. “Thanks for joining the party.”
Drew nods. “Dad, perhaps we can talk about this another time. It doesn’t seem that you’re thinking this all the way through. I think maybe you should give August some space right now. When the two of you aren’t drinking and when cooler heads have prevailed, we can all talk this out.”
I like that he’s trying to mediate the situation, make sure that our night is not completely ruined. But I fear that he might be too late for that.
“Yeah, I think that’s a great idea,” August replies. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see he’s staring Maxwell down. “I’m sure Dad has some more important people to talk to than us.”
“August,” Drew warns.
I wish the floor would swallow me up right now because there is no way this is going to end quietly.
“If August understood that and could wait until cooler heads prevail, then, yeah we could do that, Drew. But I think your brother is ready to fight this battle right here,” Maxwell replies coolly.
“Doesn’t have to be a battle, Dad,” August warns him.
“Sure, it does. Because after all these years and after all I’ve done for you, I can’t believe that we are here again.” He shakes his head. “I mean, seriously, August, haven’t I taught you better than to fraternize with the help.”
The help.
He just called me “the help.” Further reminding me that I do not belong here. And that I do not belong on August’s arm.
“I think that’s enough for me,” I say, straightening my shoulders. I can feel the tears burning behind my eyes and there is no way I’m letting them fall here.
“I can take you home,” August says, gently holding onto my arm.
I take his hand and place it on the table.
“I think it’s best if you stay here. We nearly just got here.
Stay with your family,” I reply and turn on my heel, ready to walk away.
But before I do, I turn back to the Cromwell men.
“Thank you all so much for such a wonderfully eye-opening evening. I truly won’t forget it. ”
And with that I turn on my heel and hurry out of the ballroom. I hear someone coming up quickly behind me. But I keep on moving. Pulling my phone out of my clutch, I open my Uber app.
“Hendrix, please wait up,” he calls after me.
I turn around and notice that more than a few heads have turned in our direction.
“Please don’t, we have an audience,” I say, looking around, making sure that he can see that there are eyes on us.
“I can take you home. Let’s just get out of here,” August pleads with me.
“I am going to get out of here. You stay.”
“No, I want to come with you,” August says, reaching for my hand. But I pull it back.
“You don’t get it, do you? I am leaving here because I don’t want to be with you anymore.
You can stay here all you want, but I would never let anyone talk to you the way you just let him talk to me.
That was shameful,” I spit at him. “I wouldn’t have let anyone, family or not, make you feel that way. ”
“Ash,” he replies.
“Yeah, Ash may have had some things to say to you, but he never called you “the help!” I remind him. I look away and shake my head. “Just stay here, August. You belong here and I do not. We were only kidding ourselves thinking that this night was a good idea or that we would ever work.”
The last thing I see before the tears start falling is the expression on August’s face. It’s something I will never forget.