CHAPTER 40 Everleigh Bradley
Where to Work
I twist my hands nervously in my lap. I have a feeling I know why I’m here, and I don’t like it.
And when Ellie shows up, sits in the chair beside me, and takes my hand in hers, my fears are confirmed.
I draw in a deep breath, and Lily says to both of us, “You can head into Mr. Dalton’s office.”
I’ve never been fired before, but I’m bracing myself. I don’t think I’ll still be able to say that once I leave here today.
I slip into the chair opposite Jack Dalton.
“Make this quick, Jack,” Ellie says to her brother-in-law. “I need to return about ten calls regarding your suspended quarterback.” Ellie may be one of the few people on this planet who could get away with talking to her brother-in-law like that.
“I’ll be very quick. What are you two doing to mitigate what’s going on with my star quarterback?”
I glance at Ellie, sure she’s going to take the reins, but instead, she nods at me.
“I’ve been playing the boring statement, nothing to see here game while highlighting the few good deeds I could find in his track record.
” I nod to Ellie. “If you have more charity work, we need to jump at it.” I make plans in front of Jack.
Maybe he won’t fire me if he knows I’m still working behind the scenes.
“I’ve been trying, but few organizations want to work with someone with his reputation. They’re concerned they’ll get him to sign on only for him to pull a stunt that gets him benched.” She shrugs.
“I don’t blame them,” Jack says. He glances out the window.
“I wanted to leave these types of things up to the GM and the coaching staff, but I see a lot of myself in Maverick. It’s why I decided to take a more hands-on approach with him, but I think maybe I’ve still been too hands-off with him.
I’ve decided to go in a different direction with how we’re handling his behavior.
Instead of having you as his brand strategist, I’m going to personally step in to mentor him.
I’ve set aside the few tasks I held onto at Dalton Developments until further notice so I can put my full attention here.
I’m grateful to you both for all the work you’ve done.
Ms. Bradley, you’re free to return to Chicago, and Ellie, I’ll see you at dinner on Tuesday.
I may still have some things for you to do with Jennings since you’re familiar with his background, but I’ll be taking him under my wing for the foreseeable future. ”
I want to ask what that means, but I realize it’s not my business anymore.
It could have been, but I chose a different path.
“Thank you for the opportunity to work with one of your players, Mr. Dalton,” I say, not fully sure I mean it considering it was never what I wanted out of this career. “It’s been a pleasure.”
“It certainly has,” he murmurs, and he pins me with those navy blue eyes of his. “You know, Ms. Bradley, our marketing department may be able to use someone with your skillset. I know it didn’t work out with Jennings, but that’s more on him than on you. Would you be interested?”
I give him a tight smile. “It’s a wonderful offer, really, but I should probably return home to Langford. Mr. Langford would be furious with me if I let you poach me.”
Jack chuckles. “I can understand that. But if you’re looking for something more permanent in Vegas—”
“Then she’ll come work for PCPR,” Ellie finishes, giving Jack a glare.
He holds up both hands, and I can’t help a tiny smile as it plays at my lips that these two are fighting over me. But what I told him is true. If I’m leaving Langford, it’s going to be because I’m starting my own business, not because I’m going to work for someone else. And it won’t be here.
Maybe I can still plow ahead with my original plan, but Stuart’s condition for the out he was going to give me was contingent on lasting a year here on this contract. I didn’t. And while Jack is framing it as going in another direction, the truth is that he’s firing me.
It’s going to make it harder to start my own company.
“In any event,” Jack says, “you’ll get a good report from me to Stuart. You’ve been a great asset to us, Everleigh, and I don’t want you to mistake my intentions here.”
“It feels a lot like I’m getting fired,” I say in a small voice.
I think about begging him to keep me here, but I don’t want to come off looking desperate, and I also don’t want to give away the fact that I want to stay close to Maverick since I’ve fallen for him.
Maybe this is my sign that he isn’t mine to fight for.
He’s already made it pretty clear he doesn’t want that fight anyway.
“I’m certain it does, but rest assured, that’s not what this is. If you’d prefer to stay here and finish out the year on the contract, I can reassign you. If you’d prefer to transfer back to Chicago, I’m sure Stuart is suffering without your talents close to home.”
I don’t have to put a lot of thought into this, to be honest. “That’s nice of you to say.
I guess if I’m being let go from my current responsibilities, I’d just as soon head home.
” I’d rather not stick around and be face-to-face with someone who doesn’t want to be around me—someone who broke my heart after I broke his first.
I guess we’re both responsible for the wreckage we’ve left.
I say my goodbyes to Jack and Ellie, and I head home. It’s hard walking out of the Complex for what is likely going to be the last time, so of course I bump into my brother just to make things a smidge harder.
“Ev, where you headed?” Dex asks as he walks in through the front doors just as I’m about to walk out of them.
“Home,” I say quietly. I glance around, and then I realize I don’t really care who hears me. “Jack fired me.”
“What?” he breathes. “What the fuck? Because of Jennings? It’s his fault, not yours. Fuck that dude. I’m going to rip him a new—”
I hold up a hand. “Dex, stop. Please. It wasn’t a good fit. You and I both know I wasn’t cut out to work with athletes, least of all one like him.”
“Like him?” he repeats.
I lift a shoulder and twist my lips as I look away. “Someone who really doesn’t want to change.”
“Yeah,” he murmurs. “I need to get to practice. I’m sorry this is how things went. Can I take you to dinner on Monday?”
I shake my head. “I’m going home. I think Vegas just isn’t for me. I’ll let what happened here stay here and all that jazz. I’m going to get my feet back under me in Chicago.”
Except what happened here won’t stay here. It’s Vegas, sure, but the way my chest feels heavy and my head hurts and my legs feel like jelly—I’m pretty sure all that’s going to follow me home.
And the way I feel about Maverick Jennings will definitely follow me home, too.