Chapter 13
By the time we land in Nashville a couple hours later, I’ve talked the district attorney about the charges.
We’ve been acquaintances for several years through the local bar association.
Since this is Chase’s first offense and it was nonviolent, they’re willing to work with us, but he’s currently looking at a felony for stealing the horse, drunk and disorderly, and public intoxication charges.
Whether we can strike a deal depends on the meeting we’re about to have with team management.
“You ready for this?” Taylor asks in the elevator on the way up to the conference room.
It’s down the hall from my office, so we stop to drop our bags off there, grab notepads, pens, and collect ourselves after the flight.
Thankfully, flying private allowed me the opportunity to freshen up and put on a blue sheath dress instead of the loungewear I’d been wearing at the hotel.
The last thing I need today is someone commenting on my unprofessional dress.
“Ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s hope they go for it.”
“They’d be stupid not to.” I’d kill for an ounce of her confidence and command of the room.
We leave my office and walk two doors down to the open conference room where everyone is waiting to start.
Grant stands at the head of one end of the table.
Mark, my boss and the team’s general counsel, sits at the other end of the table with the team’s general manager, Ben, on one side of him, and Ricardo, the dickhead, on his other side.
Also in the room are Mary, the director of communications, with a few members of her team, and finally Chase and his representation on the far side of the conference table.
Chase doesn’t look up from where he’s seated between his attorney, George, and his agent, Tom, when I walk in.
“Nice of you to join us, Gabe,” Ricardo calls out when we enter, sitting on the other side of Chase’s agent.
Grant takes the lead and defends my temporary absence. “Gabrielle was in Atlanta with our all-stars.”
“Why are you here?” I ask. Ricardo is a talent scout. He’s not involved in this, or at least he shouldn’t be.
“This is my boy. I scouted him. I earned a spot at this table.” Pompous ass.
“While I respect your role in getting him on the team, your job ended when that happened. This conversation is confidential and privileged. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.
Only vital personnel can remain in this room.
” I take a seat directly across from Chase at the table.
Taylor sits to my left. “That goes for your team as well, Mary. You can stay, but the assistants leave.”
“I have to leave, but your little friend here can stay? I don’t think so.” Ricardo takes a swipe at me.
“Taylor is critical to the crisis management piece of this plan. You are not.”
“Taylor stays,” Grant says with finality, taking a seat.
“Ricardo stays as well.” Mark glares at me, daring me to object again. Fucking boy’s club.
“Fine,” I grit out, knowing when to pick my battles. Taylor glares at Mark and Ricardo biting her tongue.
“Let’s get started.” Grant starts the meeting, folding his hands on the table in front of him while speaking directly to Chase.
“Mr. Bennett, we are extremely disappointed with the choices you have made and your behavior. It is not in line with the Music City organization, nor is reflective of the values of the MLB.” To his credit, Chase maintains eye contact and looks rightfully contrite.
George, Chase’s attorney, immediately begins speaking when Grant pauses. “My client regrets his—”
Chase cuts him off, addressing Grant directly.
“I understand, sir. There’s no excuse for my behavior and I take full responsibility for my actions.
I will accept whatever penalties the team and law enforcement feel are appropriate.
” His eyes shift to me at the end of his response.
His expression is solemn if not a little ashamed.
“That’s good to hear,” Ben, the GM pipes up. “The league will also likely assess a suspension. They can’t let this go unpunished with the headlines as they are.” Chase nods, dropping his head to stare at the table.
Mark speaks next in a harsh tone to Chase and his team. “The league has already stated they’ll suspend you from games. They haven’t decided how long. It depends on how the charges shake out.”
It’s impossible for him to know whether the MLB will suspend Chase or not. They haven’t even opened an investigation yet. I know because I called their office on the plane. This is nothing more than a scare tactic and an attempt to intimidate Chase.
Mark continues with a smug grin as if he has the upper hand.
“There’s also the matter of your contract and the morality clause.
Now, Ricardo has gone to bat for you, and Coach Crenshaw speaks highly of your performance thus far.
I think we can lean towards probation instead of breach.
Again, depending how the charges go with the district attorney. ”
“I believe Gabrielle has a solution.” Grant leans back in his chair, crossing an ankle over his knee and nodding his head in my direction. Chase’s head pops up to look at me. I can’t help but squirm in my seat at the intensity of his stare. All eyes are on me, so I can’t think about that right now.
“Yes, I do. I spoke with the district attorney on my way over.”
“How did I not know about this?” Mark questions, anger flashing across his face at being shown up in front of all these people.
“You were busy handling things here. You told me to handle the mess, so that’s what I did.” This man grates on my nerves. He’s barely ever in the office and the one time I’m not, he’s here and wants to swing his dick. I just hope Grant takes note of how things have been running around here.
Grant has been a silent partner for the better part of my time here, but last year he moved to Nashville permanently and started showing up in the office every week.
Now, he’s an active part of the leadership team and in every major meeting, even some not so important meetings.
His investment in the front office and presence with the team is a big part of the Troubadours’ success over the past two seasons.
As a retired player himself, he knows the game inside and out.
His wealth and management only serve to propel the organization forward at speeds never seen before.
He’s building an empire. A household name in baseball.
The fact that he still has people like Mark and Ricardo on staff is surprising to me after everything else I’ve seen from him.
Taylor pointedly looks at Mark and then back to Grant in silent communication, showing a different level of connection between them that I’m dying to understand, but likely never will. She’s a vault where he’s concerned.
“I’d like to hear your plan,” Chase says with a small smile, encouraging me to continue, which makes it very difficult to stay mad at him.
“Right, well you’re in a lot of trouble. A felony charge for the horse. Two misdemeanors for drunk and disorderly and public intoxication.
“A felony for riding a horse down the street? Absurd.” Mark shakes his head.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ricardo’s outburst draws everyone’s attention. Chase mutters something under his breath I don’t quite catch.
“You must have made a good impression on the officers when they finally caught up to you because they noted your cooperation in their report.” I try to ignore Ricardo and keep the meeting on track. Since I’m not paying attention, Ricardo says it again.
“It was a harmless prank, Gabriel. A felony for a prank. You can’t be serious.”
“Gabrielle,” Chase growls.
“Prank or not, it’s how the law—,” I respond but Chase cuts me off.
“Her name is Gabrielle,” he says through a clenched jaw. I whip my head in his direction. “Not Gabriel. Not Gabe. Gabrielle.” My skin prickles at the anger and protectiveness in his tone.
“I beg your pardon, son.” Ricardo spins his outrage on Chase. Guess, he’s not “his boy” after all.
“No. You will show her the respect she deserves, or you don’t speak to her at all.” Chase glances at me, and I watch the realization click into place. He knows this is one of the men I was alluding to harassing me during breakfast a few days again. Oh shit. This isn’t good.
“It’s fine,” I say, trying to diffuse the situation. I’ve dealt with Ricardo’s bullshit longer than I should have, but Chase going in on him is going to make everything worse. He’s in enough trouble. If he doesn’t stop, not only will this be used against him, it’ll also start rumors about us.
“It’s not fine.” The finality in his voice has me flushing. It’s hot. Way hotter than it should be. All eyes are on us in this room, and I can’t bring myself to look away.
Images of our time together play in my mind.
Images of him claiming me here in front of all these people make me sweat.
I shouldn’t want him, but I do.
So much that I’m about to throw it all away and let him make this situation even messier.