Chapter 14 #2
Michelle’s call was vastly different. I could see where her ‘tough as nails’ persona originated. The woman was all business as she told me the ways we’d benefit each other and the ideas she had to expand my agency.
I quickly let her know I had no interest in being much bigger than I was. If it had been Sarah, I might have shared the true reason for bringing in another agent. Michelle didn’t really give me the space to do so as she plowed ahead with a four-step plan to change my mind.
By the time I hung up with her, even Moseley was wincing. “Sorry, Grizzly. I didn’t think there’d be that much of a difference in the two of you. I mean, not so intensely. You know—”
“It’s fine,” I interrupted. “This is why we do interviews. You can’t ever really know if someone will be a good partner until you meet them.”
Moseley took in my words silently, his gaze going distant as his mind drifted. Part of me wondered just what he was thinking about. Was it the job? Or was it a certain someone who couldn’t make it today?
I wasn’t a gambler but even I would have made a bet on those odds.
“Christina is the last one today,” I said right as the sound of an incoming call echoed around the room.
Once I pressed the answer button, my screen filled with another new face. This time, I could sense something different about her energy.
“Good afternoon, Grizzly. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Christina Dayn, and I’m a big fan.” She managed to say all of this with only the slightest curl of her lip on one side. I would have thought she was being sarcastic if not for the way her eyes lit up.
I smiled in return. “Nice to meet you, Christina. It’s a pleasure to meet you too. My team has said good things about you—both your work and the future superstar you’ve raised.”
That was all it took for her entire demeanor to shift. Every ounce of professionalism floated away as a beaming smile crossed her features.
“My daughter, Emory, is actually a big fan of yours as well. She’s even told me she would want to sign with you if I’m no longer in the business come time for her to go pro. Kid talks like I’m ancient.”
I chuckled at the blatant sarcasm. “Teens tend to think anyone over twenty-two is ancient, though I’m honored she’s considered me in her future. Tell me more about you both. I’d love to know what the Dayn women are like.”
Christina shared in detail about their history, including the moment she decided being a single mom was better than dealing with a man. “No offense,” she’d added, like I’d be bothered. I waved her off, then listened as she explained Emory’s affinity to play just about every sport there was.
When she finished, I stated, “Sounds like she’ll go far.”
“She plans on it.” The warmth of her smile reinforced the obvious love Christina had for Emory. It served to make me like her more.
I was damn near ready to offer her a tentative position when her phone rang. She looked down at it, a frown crossing her features.
“It’s the school. They never call. Can you give me a moment?” she asked while lifting the device.
“By all means.” Waving my hand to her, I sat back, muting my mic so Moseley could say his piece. He was bouncing in his seat so hard the thing had started to shift.
“She’s great, right? You like her? I can see it. There’s this big energy between you two.”
His words had me smiling in an instant. “Yeah, I think there might be—”
“Grizzly! I’m so sorry to do this, but I have to go. I—I have to get to the hospital. Oh, god!” Christina covered her mouth as a sob ripped from her throat.
Immediately I focused back on her, unmuting myself to ask, “Is Emory hurt? What do you need?”
They might have been hours away, but I’d do whatever I could. This woman was a fucking rockstar for all she’d handled and the life she’d built for her family. I wouldn’t let her face this alone.
She shook her head quickly as she gathered her phone, keys, and purse. “She’s hurt. I’m not sure how bad. I’ve got my parents on standby to meet me there. I don’t think there’s anything you can do. I really am sorry about this.”
“You’re fine,” I insisted. “Let me know how she’s doing later when you have a chance to breathe. Don’t worry about the rest.”
Her nod came just before the line disconnected. I sat back in my seat, then scrubbed my hands over my face. The look of terror in her eyes would sit with me for a long time.
Fuck.
“That’s horrible,” Moseley whispered. It reminded me I hadn’t experienced all of that alone.
I pulled my hands away to meet his gaze. “What are the odds you think she’s going to take this as a sign we’re not meant to work together?”
He bit his lip. “I’d rather not say. You should probably consider it too.”
“Dammit.” I muttered the words before once again scrubbing my face. This time when I pulled away, it was with the determination to not let this derail everything. There was still a chance Christina would want to work together. Plus, I still had Auden, who was looking to be a strong contender.
With Moseley’s help, I managed to get through the rest of the work day without losing my cool. It was tough, but together we made it work. And anytime we faltered, Cheyenne was there to guide us back on task.
Twenty-two hours after my initial call with Christina, my best candidate of the three I’d met, I received a text message.
Christina (Agent): I’m not going to be able to take the position. Emory suffered from multiple injuries and will need full-time care moving forward. I can’t foresee a move in our future.
Grizzly: While I’m sad to hear this news, I expect no less given the situation. I hope she makes a full recovery and experiences as little pain as possible. Please reach out if there is anything I can do.
After sending the text, I sat in my chair wondering what came next. I’d been working hard to keep my focus on the business instead of the man I missed. A man I had no true right to miss just yet.
Then one day I looked up to find it was time for his return. The wait was finally over.
Paxton didn’t announce it in any grand way. On a Wednesday morning, he simply texted me a photo of a covered porch with two empty chairs with a single word underneath it.
Paxton: Home.
Grizzly: It looks so peaceful. Welcome back.
Paxi: Feels like I never left. At least my heart hasn’t.
That was the thing about him that I was still getting used to. Everything he said landed in a way I knew he meant as more than the words on their own. Not because he was being dramatic about it, but because he was passionate.
Paxi said what he felt, and it was always a little more direct than I had braced for. I was beginning to understand I’d never be fully prepared to hear his thoughts.
The first day he came into the office, he brought two huge boxes of donuts. I worried about how much he thought we could eat until I looked inside. They were all super elaborate designs with various toppings. Basically, it was a sugary paradise.
After picking out our treats, he followed me to my office. We ate in silence, neither of us jumping to talk when there was delicious food to be eaten.
He finished first even though he’d had two to my one. “I’m ready to get started. Tell me what I need to do to help you.”
“Help me with what?” I asked after my last bite. “I’ve been working on some deals for you, but we can’t do much until the draft. The sponsors want to know what team you’re playing for to prevent a conflict of interest.”
It was hard to keep my business head on with his gaze so intently on me. His deep, calming eyes made me want to regress so freaking much.
“Then let me help in other ways. Aside from keeping up with my workouts, I don’t have much else going on. I’ll just be bored around the house,” he admitted.
I laughed and shook my head. “Don’t you need to unpack? Maybe get settled with your dad?”
“Nope! The thing about moving is that Pops is used to handling it mostly alone. When I try to help him, he gets frustrated. This morning he told me to leave or he was going to lose it on me.”
“Which made you think to come here with donuts.” The series of events now made sense.
He tilted his head a bit, watching me work through my thoughts. “Sure, but I also wanted an excuse to see you. Not that I truly needed one. But I was hoping to spend some time together. The texts you sent were a bit vague at times. I wondered if you were upset with me or something.”
My jaw dropped. “Why would I be upset? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know that.” He shrugged, leaning forward in his chair. “But my mind loves to play tricks on me, especially with important stuff.”
I didn’t miss the way he said I was important to him. The word felt like a warm hug in a way I couldn’t truly explain. I knew no matter what, he was going to make his presence known, and I wondered what it would look like.
With time, I learned exactly what it looked like. We fell into a working rhythm easily, which I had hoped for but hadn't been entirely certain of until it was happening.
He came into the office every day after his morning workout, freshly showered and tempting as hell. There was no hope for my cock when he came through the door. Darn thing would perk up wanting attention.
Good thing most of my work could be done behind a desk. There would be no hiding it otherwise.
Paxton—because Paxi was for non-work hours—was attentive, eager to help, and willing to push back when he thought there might be a better method. Overall, he was an asset I hadn’t expected to gain.
My other clients noticed I had a new pep in my step, though I was careful to be professional about where it stemmed from. We didn’t need word spreading before it was time. Plus I didn’t want the guys to think I favored baseball over their sports. Their egos wouldn’t take the notion well.
Heck, we hadn’t even announced I was his new agent.