Chapter 19
CHASE
Checked in at the children’s hospital today.
[picture of him in front of the entrance]
ME
You don’t have to text me status updates.
CHASE
How are you supposed to know I’m following the rules if I don’t tell you?
ME
That’s what the status meetings are for.
CHASE
So we’re just working off the honor system?
Seems sus.
ME
Are you saying you’re not trustworthy?
CHASE
Are you saying you trust me?
ME
Goodbye, Chase.
CHASE
Wait!
ME
What?
CHASE
How’s your day?
ME
It’s fine. Can I go now?
CHASE
Did you eat today?
ME
Yes, why?
CHASE
The last time you had a bad day you didn’t eat.
ME
Who said I was having a bad day?
CHASE
Aren’t you?
ME
It’s not great.
CHASE
Anything I can do?
ME
Just keep your end of the bargain.
CHASE
Always. But I meant for you, Bree. Anything I can do for you?
ME
That is for me. It makes my life easier.
CHASE
At work. What about for you?
ME
What about for me?
CHASE
Do you want to talk about it?
ME
Not really.
CHASE
What are you wearing today?
ME
What kind of question is that.
CHASE
Bet its one of those power suits.
ME
I’m not sexting you right now.
CHASE
You’ve got your armor on today, don’t you.
ME
I really need to go.
CHASE
Okay. Have a better day.
Can’t wait to see you when I get back, Princess.
It both annoys me and makes me happy when he calls me Princess.
I haven’t asked him to stop, though I should.
That must mean something. Maybe it’s that despite being snippy with him when he texts me or avoiding him when he’s around, he keeps trying to talk to me.
He keeps showing up and working to prove he’s changed.
He’s making strides to take responsibility and be better. Why can’t I acknowledge that?
A knock on the doorframe interrupts the battle in my head.
We just left another status meeting with the PR team to go over the schedule for Horse Patrol Night next week, so I’m surprised to find Grant at my door.
I was expecting Mark to come ask me what he missed after failing to show up yet again.
I’ve had to deal with everything alone since the showdown three weeks ago after Chase’s arrest.
“Gabrielle, do you have a moment?” Grant asks from the doorway.
“Sure, come in.”I motion to the chairs in front of my desk and sit down in my desk chair. He walks in and closes the door behind him. “Please, take a seat. What can I do for you?”
Grant offers me a kind smile as he unbuttons the jacket of his suit while he lowers into the leather chair opposite my desk. “How are things going with Bennett?”
“Good so far. I’m sure you’ve seen him out there training. The Horse Patrol Unit will be at next Tuesday’s game for their photo op. The event staff is making a whole night of it.” He steeples his fingers under his chin, staring at me instead of responding. Choosing to wait him out, I stare back.
Looking at him now in his three-piece blue suit with a starched light blue button-down shirt, it’s hard to believe Grant Davenport was an up-and-coming pitcher-to-watch in New York for several seasons before a Tommy John injury ended his career.
He’s close to forty now and one of the youngest team owners, maybe the youngest ever to be a principal owner.
He finally breaks our silent standoff and asks, “Why didn’t you say anything about the way Mark and Ricardo were treating you?” He holds my gaze while my brain scrambles to formulate a response to the unexpected question.
“I didn’t want to cause issues.” It’s a weak reason if there ever was one, but it’s all I can come up with.
“My issue,” he laces his fingers together, resting his hands in his lap, “is you felt their behavior was something you had to put up with. That it was normal. It may be tolerated other places. Not here.” His face hardens as he speaks in a sharp tone, the edge cutting in intensity.
My anxiety spikes.
Am I in trouble right now?
Because I didn’t say anything and just dealt with it?
“They’re barely ever here. It’s not an everyday occurrence by any means.” I attempt to defend myself just in case, but it only ends up sounding like I’m defending them.
“It won’t be an any day occurrence any longer,” he says matter-of-factly, like he didn’t just come into my office and drop a glitter bomb. That’s what it is, because inside I’m celebrating, but outside I’m shocked.
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” He needs to say the words directly, otherwise, I don’t think I’ll believe it.
“Mark and Ricardo have been relieved of their duties. I wanted to fire them on the spot after their behavior in the conference room. Well done, by the way. I don’t think I’ve actually said that, but I was impressed with you.”
“Wow, um, thank you. Just doing my job.”
“It was more than that. I shouldn’t be surprised. Taylor told me you’re a—” he raises his hands in quotes “— boss ass bitch.” He shakes his head, laughing lightly at her word choice.
I smile thinking of my equally boss ass bitch of a best friend.
“What you did—jumping in to solve this issue in the quickest way with the best possible outcome for this organization, the team, and Bennett—it was truly remarkable work. That was all before you were forced to endure the antagonism and blatant harassment from those two asshats during the meeting. Had I known you were dealing with it all this time, perhaps we could have resolved this sooner.”
“Grant, I mean, I appreciate what you did or are trying to do, but you didn’t have to fire them.
” Truthfully, I’ve been waiting on him to fire them for over a year.
Grant didn’t seem like the type to put up with their boy’s club mentality, so I was surprised it took him this long to do something about it.
Their behavior in the conference room being the reason they finally got what was coming to them gives me immense pleasure.
“It wasn’t just you, Gabrielle. There were others.
We have no room for their type in our organization.
I have a zero-tolerance policy for their behavior.
I’m just sorry it took me this long to see it.
It was long overdue, and unfortunately it took me longer than I would have liked to get everything sorted, which is why I’m only now coming to talk to you. ”
“Oh.” I hate that others were subjected to their misogyny and toxicity.
“I wanted to be the one to tell you before any official announcements were made. We’ve put them both under strict confidentiality restrictions and provided severance packages to keep things quiet. I hope you don’t take offense, but I couldn’t have anyone in house handle the details.”
“Of course, I understand. Thank you for letting me know. Is there anything I can do in the interim while you search for Mark’s replacement?” If Taylor and Ivory were here, they would kick me under the desk for not tossing my hat in the ring for the job.
“Glad you asked. I was hoping you would be the interim general counsel, potentially our new general counsel. What would you think about that?”
Taken aback, I hesitate. This is all so unexpected. First, Ricardo and Mark are gone. Not just gone but fired. And now he’s asking me to fill Mark’s role. It’s too much. I don’t know what to think.
On the one hand, this is everything I should want.
On the other, I’m not sure. Am I qualified to be the general counsel of a baseball club?
I’m only thirty-four. I’ve been practicing for almost ten years at this point, but this is a lot of responsibility.
More than I anticipated so soon. But is it soon?
Grant must sense my hesitancy because he says, “You don’t have to respond right now.”
Shit, what a great first impression as a potential lead counsel. He needs someone decisive. In charge. Not someone that panics at the mere thought of the role.
“Sorry, you’ve just surprised me.”
“Why are you surprised? You’re clearly qualified. If my gut is correct, I’d say you’ve been the real person in charge for quite some time now.” He’s right. Mark was barely around, especially during the season. All the work fell to me.
“I would be honored to step into the role in the interim. As for long term, can I think about it?” I try to infuse confidence and assertiveness into my tone.
I’ve never allowed myself to hope for this promotion.
With Mark at the helm, I knew it was never going to happen.
To the point where I’ve debated leaving the organization altogether.
Sometimes, even the sport. I hate that he’s ruined that for me.
Maybe this way, I can get some of that joy back into my career and be the boss ass bitch my friends think I am.
When he smiles and nods, I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Of course. Take all the time you need. Thanks for the update on the meeting with Bennett today. I was hoping to attend, but got caught up.”
My smile falls. Chase. What would Grant think if he knew I slept with the player who I’m supervising during his compliance with the terms of the deal?
“Is something wrong, Gabrielle?”
“Um, It’s about Chase, um Bennett.” Taking a deep breath, I decide to be honest with Grant. If he’s taking a chance on me, he deserves the full picture.
“Something else we need to go over about his deal?” We can’t afford another scandal, and I respect Grant too much to let him be blindsided if for some reason Chase’s and my past comes to light.
“No, nothing like that.” I wipe my sweaty palms over my skirt before setting them on top of the desk. Squaring my shoulders, I spill the whole truth about the night Chase and I spent together in St. John.
“It’s interesting you brought this up because he came to me about Mark and Ricardo.
All but demanded I fire them. I was already planning on it, but it took some balls for him to come to me making demands, especially considering I could’ve kicked him off the team.
” He stands from the chair, straightening the sleeves of his shirt and jacket.
I gape at him as the words sink in. “He had no right to do that. I apologize for his lack of professionalism. I’ve been very clear about the boundaries that exist now. Nothing’s going on between us.”
He makes a noncommittal noise and adjusts the collar of his shirt. A hint of a golden chain peeks out from the top where it’s unbuttoned.
“We all have secrets, Gabrielle. As long as it doesn’t affect your job performance, it’s none of my business.” He winks before turning to leave my office, closing the door behind him with a soft snick.
I can’t believe Chase went to Grant behind my back.
He was way out of line, but the butterflies in my stomach come to life at the protectiveness of the gesture.
Maybe Taylor was right and I’m not giving Chase enough credit.
And maybe I’m wrong in thinking there isn’t an exception to the policy that would allow us to be together.
ME
Dickardo’s gone.
IVORY
TAYLOR
Ding dong, the dick of the west is dead.
IVORY
So, what does this mean?
ME
Mark was let go too.
TAYLOR
You’re too polite. He was canned.
IVORY
It’s about damn time!
TAYLOR
Preach, sister!
ME
Grant asked me to consider taking the job.
IVORY
That’s amazing, Gabby! I’m so proud of you!
TAYLOR
Damn right, he did.
ME
Did you have anything to do with this?
TAYLOR
Told you I was handling it.
But no, I wasn’t responsible for him asking you to take over. That was all you.
ME
He said you called me a boss ass bitch.
TAYLOR
Because you ARE!
IVORY
100%
How should we celebrate?
ME
I haven’t decided if I’m taking the job permanently.
TAYLOR
That’s stupid. Of course you are.
IVORY
We still have things to celebrate. The dicks are dead!
ME
Wine night on the porch?
IVORY
I’ll bring the wine.
TAYLOR
See you then!