Chapter 27
Career Plans
Jonah
Despite horrendous traffic, my drive to the team training facility is spent in bliss.
I am taking the Wilde girls to a bluegrass festival.
She agreed, and like, pretty enthusiastically!
She checked both boxes on my note. She could have created another box and declined me—though I purposefully didn’t leave her much room on the receipt to do that—but she didn’t!
“What’s goin’ on Joner Boner?” Joaquín asks as he enters the facility with his brother. “You look... manic.”
I hug them both. “I’m taking her on a date!”
“Renée?” Raf asks.
“And her daughters. We’re going to that bluegrass festival Christina told us about.”
“Does she like bluegrass?” Raf asks. “Do you like bluegrass?”
“Of course I do. Just because I haven’t listened to a lot it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it. And Renée...” I sigh. “She’s so talented. She plays mandolin and sings and... God, you have to see for yourself one day. Amazing.”
My best friend and brother-in-law take me through the renovations of our state-of-the-art rugby training facility.
Though still under construction, it’s nearly finished, and I gape at the transformation Joaquín and Raf have pulled off in such a short time.
Granted, I did end up throwing more money at the project to speed things up, but it was worth it!
No one outside of my family knows I funded this. Not Coach, not even the team’s executive board. As far as they know, it came from an anonymous donor.
Every week since this began, I’ve been meeting with the Jimenez brothers.
Raf worked with the e-board and planning committee on all the details and financial reporting, while Joaquín was the project manager.
To keep myself anonymous, I was never present for those meetings, but the guys still filled me in.
I haven’t been here since they started renovation a couple months ago, and I’m floored with the results. No training equipment has been moved in yet, but the indoor field is done.
“Holy smokes.” I huff and take in the magnificence. Bright LED lights illuminate everything—the faux grass, our enormous team logo painted on the far wall, benches, newly-painted field lines, and beckoning goalposts.
In the planning phase, we didn’t know if we’d be able to squeeze in a whole practice field, but the owners of the vacant bowling alley behind our lot sold it to us for a song, and voila!
Raf produces a rugby ball seemingly from thin air. “Go long.”
Before I can think, Joaquín and I are sprinting to the other end of the field, each of us turning to look back as we run.
Raf’s kick is long and flies over our heads before bouncing chaotically.
I pick it, but as soon as I turn, Joaquín is there and I side-step.
“Sugar,” I grunt, and barely make it out of his grasp.
“When did you start playing rugby?” I yell.
My friend laughs as he tries to catch me. “I’ve picked up a few things over the years.”
The three of us take turns kicking the ball, and thirty minutes later when we’re breathing hard and sweating through our clothes that were not designed for exercise, we call it.
“I can’t wait for the rest of the team to see this place.” I smile. “That was fun.”
Raf opens the door back into the main entry area. “Yeah, well,” he says, “I did promise my wife I’d take you for a run tonight. You know, get all your energy out before bed.”
I shove him and chuckle. “Thanks.”
“Did she get the job?” Joaquín asks.
I look between them. “What job?”
“She has two offers actually,” Raf smiles. “She’s waiting to see if we make the Premier League. If we do,” he explains, “then I’m going to step down from my role as CFO at Define.”
My mouth drops. “What? But... you like your job.”
“I do, but when am I ever going to get the opportunity to play semi-professional rugby? I’m not gonna move away to do it. My life is here. I’m also in my mid-thirties, so how much longer can I realistically play at this level?”
I suppose he has a point. I wouldn’t want to move away either. Not like Isaiah did playing professional rugby in England all those years ago. I love the sport deep in my bones, but part of that love is being able to play alongside my brothers.
“So,” Raf continues, “Ang is gonna take a job in the private mental health field. She’ll make a lot more money than working in public schools.”
“But I gave you guys two million each.”
“Yeah,” he smiles. “And we took a sick tropical vacation and invested the rest of it. Jonah, there’s nothing to worry about. She’s happy to make the change, I’m happy about playing rugby.”
“And he’s not leaving Jimenez Brothers Properties,” Joaquín tacks on. “He’s still the money guy for our company.” He cocks his head and tsks. “Some people can't handle all that pressure.”
Rafael laughs before pushing his brother. “You jackass. Sorry I don’t want to juggle two CFO positions, a semi-professional rugby career, marriage, and three kids.”
“It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore,” his younger brother grimaces, trying to keep a serious tone but loses it once they start tussling like children.
I know Joaquín is only teasing him. The Jimenez brothers are a couple of the smartest, hardest working people I know.
The pair of them always know what to do, and they’re always two steps ahead.
That’s how I know Raf’s decision to leave his executive position at the architecture firm wasn’t made lightly.
He and Angie both are rearranging their careers to make Raf’s dream come true—and if I know my rugby super-fan sister the way I do—this is probably her dream too.
They’re so... confident in their careers, and I’m... not. I mean, no one needs a career when you have the kind of money I have, but I can’t help this disconnected feeling I have. It’s like I’m standing on the outside watching real people live their lives, jealous over their shop talk.
Of course, I still want to play rugby and I’m doing everything in my power to level us up. But what Raf said about not knowing how much longer he can play has me thinking, what if I got injured and couldn’t play anymore? What would I do to fill my time? That feeling of disconnection would grow.
But then something one of the parents said to me at Delta’s birthday party pops in. “What if I opened an animal sanctuary?” I ask the guys.
Joaquín’s dark eyebrows shoot up. “Like, at your house?”
I consider that. “Well, my barn might be better for most of the animals.”
“Is that what you wanna do?” Rafael asks.
“I don’t know. Maybe. One of the moms at the birthday party suggested it. I think it could be kinda cool. Now that Dane trusts me, he keeps sending me old or abandoned animals he can’t rehome. And I loved seeing all those kids light up around them—the parents too. It felt good.”
Raf smiles. “Then I think that's a great idea.”
“Me too.” Joaquín nods. “Do you think you could acquire a cow? Because I’ve always wanted to snuggle one.”
I laugh. “I’ll put in a request to Dr. Brother, DVM. I’m sure Delta and Lo would love for me to get a cow, too.”
“Speaking of,” Joaquín drawls, “have you told her about your lottery win?”
I raise an eyebrow. “No. I’m not allowed to tell anyone.”
“Has she asked about how you can afford your house?” Raf asks. “Or where your money came from?”
“No.”
The Jimenez brothers share a look.
“What?” I ask.
Raf winces. “It’s a little suspicious, isn’t it?
She knows you play rugby, but she’s smart enough to know rugby players at the club level aren’t paid.
Even if we make the Premier League, our salaries will be less than what teachers make.
Hell Jonah, most of the Philadelphia Eagles wouldn’t be able to afford your place. ”
“Go Birds,” Joaquín and I add reflexively.
“Go Birds,” Raf repeats. “All I’m saying is, I hope she doesn't have dollar signs in her eyes whenever she sees you.”
“You think she’s after my money?”
Rafael looks pained. “I hope not,” he says. “But if she hasn’t asked how you have all this money... she might be the kind of person who doesn’t care how you made it, just that you have it.”
I scratch my head. “She doesn’t seem like that.”
“But what if she’s the one?” Joaquín asks his brother. “Jonah’s gone for this woman.”
“Yeah!”
Again, Raf is pained. “I know, and I’m happy you are.
But, aren’t you like this in every relationship?
Jonah, you have the biggest heart and love to see the best in people, but sometimes that’s your downfall.
You have a tendency to throw yourself into loving people and putting blinders on. You ignore the red flags.”
I scoff. “Name one time that happened.”
“When your college girlfriend Paris went on spring break and swore up and down she didn’t have sex with that bartender even though everyone from her sorority confirmed it.
You refused to believe it until you saw her cheating on you.
Then there was Kendall who used you as a meal ticket because you had an unlimited plan on campus.
Oh, and how about Jessi who was only dating you to get closer to your roommate, Devin? ”
“Didn’t they get married last month?” Joaquín adds, unhelpfully.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “But it’s different this time, I swear.”
“So what is he supposed to do?” Joaquín asks. “Never tell the women he dates that he won the lottery?”
I’m never dating anyone else again, I think to myself, but then backtrack to the point Rafael just made. I do be love-bombing. I do ignore warning signs and maybe I trust too easily...
“I can’t lie to her,” I say. “Maybe I could if it was someone I just met and they asked me how I made my money, but I don't want that with Renée. She deserves to know.”
Raf takes a moment to digest my words. “If she ever asks.”
“Bro, come on,” Joaquín says. “Have some faith. You know, some people think it’s rude to discuss personal finances.”
He sighs, “That’s fair.”
“Well I’m gonna tell her,” I state. “She kissed me for the first time last night—”
Joaquín’s eyes bug out and he grabs my shoulders before I can continue. “She did? Dude, lead with that kind of info!”
“That’s huge,” Raf beams.
“I know! It’s taken her a long time to trust me so she deserves to know.
And you know what? I don’t care if she is a gold digger because I wanna spoil her.
I want her to relax. Everyone tells me how I should and should not spend my money, and sure, maybe a yacht isn’t a great idea, but giving Renée and her girls a comfortable life? That sounds like the best idea.”