Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Social conduct for hate-free inter-colleague teamwork
For short: SCHIT
Neither Party A nor Party B may go behind the back of the contractual partner to friends and family and reveal their faux pas.
You’re impossible, you know that?”
Surprised, Gareth glanced up from his phone and looked at his sister. Normally, Penny was the only person in the world who claimed he was a good guy. However, judging by her expression, she had hopped over to the rest of the world’s side.
“I’m sitting here, so I cannot be impossible,” he replied dryly. “Maybe I’m more unlikely?”
He had found a seat in the back rows, hoping to be able to work in peace for a while. Penny wasn't about to allow that, as she dropped into the chair next to him with a snort.
“When we took over the team together, it was clear: you take care of the paperwork and I would deal with the people. I only let you work with the agents because they’re waving around a lot of contracts, which is your specialty. But maybe it’s time to relieve you in that area.”
Perplexed, Gareth stared at her. Was she threatening to take away his favorite task? It took him a few seconds to figure out what the hell she was talking about…and then it clicked.
“Fuck,” he said tonelessly. “Hazel called you.”
Penny turned scarlet. “So what! From the sound of it, she had every right to do so.”
“Wow.” Unbelievable. Hazel was playing dirty! But he’d seen that in college, even though he’d liked that kind of dirty much better back then. “You’re on her side?”
“I’m always on your side, Gareth,” Penny said, exasperated. “But, seriously, you told her you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth and had the right to take whatever you wanted. Because you’re a rich bastard?”
Oh, shit. “I was just quoting her!”
“What?”
“Originally, those were her words.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. Five years ago?”
His sister looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Maybe she was on to something. “You threw something in her face that she said to you five years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it…was convenient?”
“Oh my God, Gareth.” She put a hand over her eyes.
“You’re worse than I feared! You really can’t go on like this.
If you’re not careful, you’ll overtake Dax Temple for the biggest asshole in the stadium — and you know he can’t stand not being the best at everything.
It’s bad enough that he’s discovered Leon Alvarez is giving him a run for his money. ”
“I’ve already apologized to her, okay?” he replied irritably. After his mental lapse yesterday, he’d had no choice but to apologize to Hazel for his words, in the interest of fairness. But if he’d known she’d actually ratted him out…
“It’s nice that, to everyone’s surprise, you’re trying to be a decent person, but that’s not enough.”
“Yes it is,” he said harshly. “We’re back on neutral ground.”
“Oh, please. Nothing that happens between you and Hazel is neutral. Switzerland is laughing at you right now.”
“Penny, it’s okay, we’ll sort it out.” He liked negotiating with the agents.
It was his favorite aspect of the job. He enjoyed twisting the words of snotty lawyers and the adrenaline rush of negotiating a contract in favor of the Hawks.
Some would say he himself bore the title of snotty lawyer, but he could live with that as long as he was the best snotty lawyer.
No other task as owner of the Hawks made him feel as alive as a tough negotiation and the inevitable legal victory that followed.
He wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from him.
“So you’ve come to a decision about Fox?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Is Jason Devreaux officially part of our roster yet? Did I miss something?”
“No, but…”
“Then nothing’s okay, Gareth!” Angry, she punched him in the shoulder, like she did twenty years ago, whenever he’d shoveled Brussels sprouts onto her plate.
She hated them, and there had been a rule in her parents’ house that everything on their plates had to be eaten.
“This whole thing isn’t just getting on your nerves, you know?
It’s getting on mine, Freddie’s, Lyle’s, the coach’s.
.. So, do what you’re so famous for and pull yourself together.
We want Jason Devreaux, and we want to keep Fox.
Get a grip and find a middle ground with Hazel. ”
He gritted his teeth and stared stubbornly ahead. He’d love to. He’d been searching for it for a decade, but damn, it was well hidden!
“Because, if not…” Penny took a deep breath, “I’ll take contract negotiations from you.”
He whipped his head up. Oh, she was being mean, knowing with absolute certainty that she would be condemning him to acute boredom. “You won’t.”
“Yes, I will.” She jutted out her chin. “We vote on these kinds of decisions within management and whose side do you think Lyle and the rest will be on?”
Fuck. “I’m a better negotiator than you, Penny!”
“I know. But not when it comes to Hazel. I’ll be generous and give you a day to prove to me that I don’t have to take away your job.”
“One day?”
“Yes. Today, to be exact.”
A bitter taste flooded his mouth. “What?”
“Well, you’re both here, aren’t you? Prove to me that you can handle her reasonably and that you can remain rational and friendly.
Set up a time to talk about Fox and Devreaux without shouting or going for each other’s throats.
And if I see you being polite and nice to each other, once I honestly believe you’ve made peace — then I might reconsider the whole thing. ”
He stared at his sister in disbelief. “And then I’m supposed to solve the energy crisis and colonize Mars, right?”
She shrugged. “Sure, if you have enough time, but I’d think you’d have your hands full with Hazel.”
“Penny!” he snapped. “It’s not up to me if we’re polite to each other.”
“I know. But you contribute at least 50 percent.”
“Thirty. Tops!”
She snorted. “Oh, come on. You have as much power to upset Hazel as she does you.”
He found that highly unlikely. He might scratch the surface, but she got under his damn skin every time.
Shit. At heart, he still felt like a lawyer — but without the contract negotiations with the agents, he’d practically be a professional signatory.
God, the situation was his worst nightmare.
His personal happiness lay in Hazel’s damn hands — and the last time that happened it had ended in absolute disaster for him.
“Fuck,” he whispered tonelessly, sinking back in his chair. “And they say I’m the worst of the two of us.”
“You are,” Penny said earnestly, patting his shoulder. “But today is your chance to prove everyone wrong!”
Fantastic. He’d celebrate when hell froze over, which would have to happen soon if he and Hazel were to find a middle ground today.
“Come on, Gare.” Grinning, she nudged him in the side with her elbow. “You like a challenge. So smile. This is a wedding! Have some fun. And give me your phone.”
“What?” His sister was saying increasingly absurd things.
“I’m confiscating it for the day,” she said innocently. “You shouldn’t be working. That way you can concentrate on Hazel.”
He gripped the phone more tightly. “You’re not my teacher. You can’t take my phone away from me!”
“Oh, I’m much more powerful than a teacher,” she replied, unfazed. “You want to make me happy because if you don’t, I’ll take away your favorite task at work.”
Gareth stared at her stonily. When had his sister become the wicked witch from the gingerbread house next door? “You know, I’m tempted to run to Mom and tell her you’re being mean to me.”
Penny laughed. “It’s for your own sake, Gareth. Really. I…I worry about you.”
Snorting, he leaned back in his chair. “Why?”
“Gareth.” Her expression softened — and he hated the sympathy she showed him, which he certainly didn’t need. “You’re…not quite yourself these days.”
“What are you talking about?” He was fine!
“You’re always stressed. Always serious. Always hard. You weren’t like this before.”
“Yes, I was.”
“No,” she insisted. “You used to enjoy…everything. You used to come up with poems about your Milky Way before you ate it.”
“At sixteen, Penny.”
“Your life is all work! No more fun or the little things that used to make you so happy. You’re so focused on goals that you’re forgetting to enjoy the journey.”
“You sound like a self-help book.” There was nothing wrong with his life! He wasn’t to blame for growing up! “My life isn’t only work. I have a girlfriend and I go to pub quiz night with Cian and Connor once a week.”
“But only if they force you. And most of the time, you work while you're there. I asked them.”
“What the hell?!” First, Hazel ratted him out, and now his friends were stabbing him in the back? What a low blow. “My friends suck,” he said, stating the obvious.
“I did it out of love, Gareth, out of love!” a voice to his right stated, and Cian slid into the empty seat next to him.
“Connor would agree, but he gets to sit in the front row because the bride’s sister is his girlfriend.
Weddings are very hierarchical. Couples are heavily favored.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up at the singles or kids’ table. ”
“I’m not single,” Gareth said, exasperated.
“Oh yeah? I don’t see your girlfriend, so you’re single for this wedding.”
Gareth snorted. “Speaking of the kids’ table: Where’s Ada?”
“Where do you think?” Cian asked darkly.
“Over by the goat! She’s currently fighting with another girl who claims the goat is hers because her aunt bought it for her.
I told Ada she’s almost eight years older, so she should be the mature one between them and give the animal to her.
But, apparently, I’m a dimwitted dad who doesn’t know anything. ”
“That’s a smart daughter you have,” Gareth said contentedly. “She’s captured your essence.”
Cian gave him the middle finger before leaning toward Penny with a broad smile. “Hey, Penelope. Nice to see you. Your brother’s an idiot.”
Penny blushed, as did every woman whom Cian smiled at, whether they were taken or not.
He and Connor were certain the Irishman had made a pact with the devil for boundless charm, patience, and emotional sensitivity…
and then the devil had forgotten to ask for anything in return because Cian had been just too damn charming.
“I know,” Penny replied lightly. “I’ve spent the last five minutes explaining to him why he’s an idiot. But I could use a little help.”
Oh, dear God. It had to stop. “Penny, why don’t you go sit next to your beloved boyfriend? So you can enjoy the benefits of the hierarchy?”
“Because you haven’t handed me your phone yet, besides, Jack is…” She cleared her throat and looked away. “Getting treated.”
“What? Why?” He frowned. “The season hasn’t even started. How did he injure himself?”
His sister’s cheeks reddened. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Oh God.” Groaning, Gareth put a hand over his eyes.
“You asked!” Penny defended herself.
“I, for one, am thoroughly enjoying this conversation,” Cian said contentedly. “I also welcome the idea of taking Gareth’s phone away and forcing him to have more fun.”
Gareth wanted to change the subject. “Okay, that’s enough,” he said sharply, looking warningly at his friend and sister.
“It’s my life, I can use my time as I see fit.
I have more money than I can count. A job I obviously love.
A loft I didn’t decorate myself — which is why it’s beautiful!
And I have a girlfriend who is so damn near perfect, I’m probably going to propose to within the next few months, so… ”
“Wait, what?” Penny blinked, perplexed. “You want to marry Lacey?”
“I’m thinking about it,” he growled. “I guess you have an opinion on that, too?”
She did. “Why? Why do you want to marry her?”
“Why not? It’s the next logical step.”
“You’ve only been together for six months.”
“So? That's more than enough time to know she's everything I want.”
“Aha.” Penny looked shocked.
“What? I thought you liked Lacey!”
“I do. She’s nice.”
“But?” he asked harshly.
“Well…” Penny cleared her throat and looked at him steadily. “Do you love her?”
He didn’t understand the question. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Oh, Gare…” Sympathy filled her eyes, and he groaned as he tilted his head back.
It was a real shame the sky was so cloudless.
Being struck by lightning seemed like a better option than continuing this conversation.
He’d tried love and it had prevented him from enjoying a Milky Way, negotiating a contract, or sleeping for a year.
If he wanted to feel like an elephant was stomping on his chest, he’d go to the zoo and jump over the fence, thank you very much!
“We’ve talked to him about it. He wants to remain a complete idiot,” Cian said, not at all helpfully.
“But why?” Penny whined. “Wait. Wait until you love her, then…”
“This conversation is over,” Gareth replied sharply. Because he wouldn’t love Lacey, at least not the way Penny wanted him to. That was exactly why he’d chosen her!
“No!” Penny snapped. “Love is important. Love is…”
“A word, Penny,” he replied stonily. “Merely a word that’s been given too much meaning by movies and books. We’re compatible. We like each other. We give each other the space we need, and don’t expect too much from the other. It’s perfect.”
“For a mannequin and a snowman, maybe!”
“Then I pick the snowman,” he said, unimpressed. “If all our players get nicknames, we should get them too, right? And I like carrots.”
“Oh God.” Penny buried her face in her hands. “Gareth, you’re the smartest person I know, but sometimes you say and believe stupid things.”
“Hm,” Cian said, leaning toward him. “Have I ever told you that your sister is a wise person?”
“Shut up, Cian,” he replied gently. At that moment, he let his guard down a little and Penny coldly took advantage of it, snatching the phone from his hand and stuffing it into her bag.
“You’ll get it back at eleven.”
“I’m not staying until eleven!”
“Mm hm. I disagree. Now shush. I think they’re about to start.”