Chapter 32
Fin
At the end of the day, I grabbed my bag and coat from the locker room and headed toward the parking lot along with the rest of the team.
During the season we would be preparing for our day off, our day to rest. Yesterday, was that day.
Thoughts of Vee sleeping with her head on my lap brought a smile to my face.
Tomorrow will be more meetings in the morning and practice in the afternoon.
The new plays Coaches Pratt and Garcia came up with took a lot of thought.
As players, we need to conquer both the mental and physical aspect of each play.
By the time it’s game day, every player on the field will know exactly what route to run and who to block.
For Dennison, Jackson, and me, we need to do our part—advancing the ball—without hesitation.
A well-oiled machine.
Heading toward the glass doors of the football complex, I reached for my phone.
I had a text message from my mother and one from Vee.
It was the second one that made me stop walking and step to the side of the wide hallway.
Exiting Maker’s Mark was a bit like swimming with the salmon, everyone headed in the same direction.
A sudden stop could cause a pileup. No one wanted to end up with the trainers because of a hallway debacle.
I clicked on Vee’s name. Her text message appeared.
“SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED. I CAN’T WAIT TO TELL YOU. CAN YOU STOP BY MY OFFICE BEFORE YOU LEAVE?”
Amazing.
Despite what Clark said about Vee seeing the world through rose-colored glasses with glitter, I didn’t agree. Since we were back together, the Vee I knew was tempered, methodical, and hopeful. She wasn’t na?ve. Vee knew she would need to ride the lows to experience the highs.
Whatever she thought was amazing, I wanted to hear.
Now I was the salmon swimming against the flow until I turned toward the executive offices and away from the exodus. It was after five, yet Vee’s assistant, Jen, and others were still present in Vee’s outer office.
“Hi, Jen,” I said with a grin. “Vee sent a text asking me to come see her.”
“Mr. Graham.”
“Fin. Mr. Graham is my dad.”
She lifted her cheeks with a smile. “Fin, let me check. I think she’s still on a call with one of her directors.”
“If she is, tell her I’ll wait.”
I walked over to the windows looking down on the indoor practice field as Jen knocked and disappeared behind the door to Vee’s office. For the first time, I imagined watching the practice from this view—above the plays.
Jen returned. “Go on in. She’s almost done.”
“Thank you.”
Pushing open her door, I heard Vee’s voice. Once inside, I closed the door. There was a gleam in her bright eyes when she looked beyond her computer screen. She tilted her head, and I got the message that she wanted me to sit in one of the comfortable chairs near the windows.
Again, I had a view of the practice field. During the day, natural light penetrated the roof, brightening the field when the sun was shining. This time of the year, the sun was late to rise and early to set, leaving the field cast in a murky dimness.
Taking off my jacket, I laid it in one chair and sat in the other.
With my phone in hand, I could have easily kept myself occupied rereading the new plays, catching up on current events, or scrolling social media. I didn’t do any of those things. From where I was seated, I had the perfect view of the stunning titan of football operations.
There was a different cadence to her voice—professional, knowledgeable, with an edge of authority. Throughout the entire season, this was my first experience seeing Vee in this role—vice president of stadium operations—a role where she thrived, unlike football operations where she was new.
This was her world, and in it, she shone.
Whomever she was speaking to was named Gavin. I picked up on his name. While I didn’t try to understand the content of what they were discussing, it was the sound of Vee’s voice and changing facial expressions that had me mesmerized. Vee was fucking sexy as hell in this element.
She was incredibly sensual in all environments.
Even at home, we both know, the only reason our Fin’s-in-control bubble works was because we both wanted it. As I listened to her discussing security protocol for another upcoming fan experience, she wanted perfection and wouldn’t settle for anything less.
“Thank you, Gavin,” Vee said. “I’ll watch for your report tomorrow. Also, I’ll get back to you on the numbers as soon as Wednesday.”
“I’ll have the report, Vee.”
“Goodbye.” She popped her chin higher meeting my gaze. “Thanks for waiting.”
Getting up, I walked to the door to her office and inspected the doorknob.
“What are you doing?”
I turned to see that she was now standing.
A mischievous smirk quirked my lips. My focus started on her slacks covering her round hips and moved upward, a thin belt showcasing her trim waist, the dark-blue scooped blouse covering her perfect breasts, the soft, fuzzy white sweater covering her arms, up to her radiant eyes.
“Fin, what were you doing?”
“I was searching for a lock.”
Vee’s face exploded with a sensational smile, her green eyes shining. “You’re crazy.”
Walking toward her I reached for her waist, pulling her hips toward mine. “I don’t think you realize how fucking sexy you are when you’re in all-business mode.”
She scoffed. “I hardly think Gavin Weiss, my director of safety, security, and emergency services would share that opinion.”
Wrapping my arm around the small of her back, I brought our lips inches apart. “Good. I don’t want to compete with Gavin.”
I stopped her laugh by bringing my lips down hard on hers. Within my grasp, Vee melted, meshing closer, bringing her soft to my hard. She lifted her arms to my shoulders, her fingers in my hair. Our breathing deepened.
Finally, I took a step back and lowered my voice. “Seriously, Vee, does that door lock? I’m fucking hard, and the idea of you bent over your desk is making it painful.”
“That’s the second-best thing I’ve heard today.”
It was my turn to chuckle. “Second.” I took a step back. “It was Gavin, wasn’t it? That was your first best thing?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I have one more Zoom meeting before I can leave.” She arched her eyebrows. “Or I might take you up on the desk thing. I’ve never done that.”
I looked down at my watch. “How long until your next meeting?”
“Fin, Fran from guest services is already waiting for me.” She buzzed with excitement, wiggling her shoulders and bouncing on her toes. “I didn’t want to wait to tell you.”
Reaching for her shoulders, I gently held them still and stared into her gaze. “What is it?” Whatever it was, I loved seeing her happy.
“I’ll give you more detail at home.” She grasped my hands in hers. “I had a lunchtime meeting with Cammy Wilcox and Tricia Loften. Fin, the Coopers are mine. They’re really mine.”
Freeing my hands, I wrapped her in a hug, lifting her feet off the floor. Once her feet were back to the tile, I looked deep into her emerald orbs. “They’re yours. Did Daphne take back her motion to contest the will? Is Bre not pursuing the team in the name of her child?”
Despite her smile, tears fell from Vee’s eyes, running salty paths down her cheeks.
“It was Dad,” she said. “He went above and beyond the will. Cammy thought he might have done it, but neither she nor Trish could find evidence.”
“Of what? What did your dad do?”
“He put the franchise into a trust. There’s only one beneficiary named in the trust.” Her eyes were wide. “Me. Not child or children. In the trust it says Maeve Mary Hubbard.”
“Fuck, Vee, that’s amazing news.”
“I’ve just…” She turned toward her desk and back. “I was so frightened of losing the Coopers. I didn’t realize how much energy I was using feeding that fear until suddenly it was gone.”
I wrapped her again in my arms. “I’m so happy for you.” Looking down, I added, “And proud of you.”
“Thank you. I can’t say a lot yet to anyone else. I wanted to share the news with you.”
We kissed.
“You know,” I said, “if this was a few weeks earlier or later, I would take you out tonight for the biggest celebration.”
Her smile was back. “You’re officially grounded, aren’t you?”
“Oh yeah. No public appearances that can be mistaken for a member of the Coopers’ team not taking preparing for the championship round seriously.” I had an idea. “That doesn’t mean I can’t stop by the grocery store.” My mind was filling with ideas. “How many more meetings?”
“Only one.”
“How long should it take?” I asked.
Vee shrugged. “Thirty to forty minutes.”
Squeezing her hands, I kissed her forehead. “Ms. Hubbard. We will celebrate tonight. It won’t be in public, which is probably good. My plan is to have you naked.”
She shook her head with a grin. “You are crazy.”
“Only for you.”
A knock sounded before the door opened. Jen cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Fran Holland—”
“I’m leaving,” I interrupted.
“Thanks, Jen,” Vee said. “I’m getting on the call right now.”
I closed Vee’s door after Jen and I both had exited into the outer office. “Sorry to be a bad influence.”
Jen grinned. “Judging by her smile, you weren’t all bad.”
“Have a good night.”
“You too, Fin.”
The illumination from the lights in Maker’s Mark’s parking lot sparkled like crystals in the cool night air. Getting into my truck, I turned up the heated seat and steering wheel. Warm air came from the vents as I planned our celebration.
My phone buzzed with a text message from Vee.
I hit the icon.
“I FORGOT TO TELL YOU. STEPHENS SECURITY INSTALLED A NEW SECURITY SYSTEM IN OUR CONDO. THE NEW CODE IS…”