“Oh, God, I’m so sorry!” the woman who just ran into me says. She seems a little drunk, too. “What happened?”
“Fuckin’ Dex Bradley plowed into me during practice and broke a rib. Everyone knows you don’t hit a red jersey during practice,” I mutter. Thismightbe the attitude Dallas wastalking about when they gave me the boot. “But Dex didn’t give a fuck. He plowed into me shoulder-first and took me out for four to six weeks because he was pissed his wife left him. Fuck that asshole, man.” I shake my head in disgust.
And that’s the viral video Coach Nash shows me the next morning after calling me into his officefartoo early when I’m hungover as fuck.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” he yells at me. Before I can answer that I was too drunk to be forming actual thoughts, he plows forward. “Younevershare personal information about a teammate. You know that.”
“I apologize,” I say flatly.
“You stirred up drama for Dex and made people think I don’t have a handle on my own fucking team. That’s going to take more than an apology, Jennings.”
Ooh, he must mean business if he’s using mylastname.
“I knew I should’ve trusted my instincts with you,” he mutters. “But Jack told me to hold tight.”
I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean or why he’s bringing Jack into this, but I just want to know how to fix this so we can move on. I want to head back home, crawl back into bed, and sleep off this headache.
“What’ll it take?” I ask.
“More likewho.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Who?”
“It’s not a babysitter. Let me make that clear.”
“Who?” I repeat, a little louder this time as my chest tightens at his words.
“We hired the top marketing firm in the country to help you rebrand your image. They’ve sent out their best rep to work one-on-one with you day in and day out.”
“The fuck they are!” I thunder, lifting to a stand, andfuck, it still hurts. Jesus Christ.
I sit back down as I grimace.
“It’s not negotiable, Mav. You knew coming in here that we were going to do things my way, and this is what I’ve decided. It was actually Jack Dalton who suggested it,” he says, naming the team owner. “He did something similar when he came to the Aces.”
Jack Dalton is one of my role models. His passer rating still holds as one of the best of all time, and watching his footwork while he scrambled his way out of a tough situation is still impressive to this day.
To be completely honest, Jack Dalton may be the one reason I didn’t fight kicking and screaming to come to the Aces.
“Then have him come in here and tell me that,” I mutter.
“We were going to get started after the game in New York, but we decided to hold off until you were feeling better. After last night’s fiasco, we’ve decided it’s time. Let’s head up to his office instead so he can personally introduce you to the strategist.”
My jaw slackens. “He’s already here?”
“She. And yes, she’s already here. She’s been settling into Vegas, and after last night’s viral drunken rant, this feels like the most opportune time to introduce the two of you.”
“Are you fucking with me right now?”
He presses his lips together and shakes his head, and then I have no choice but to follow him up to Jack Dalton’s office.
CHAPTER 4: Everleigh Bradley
Unprepared
I twist my hands a little nervously in my lap, and I send a text to the group chat I have with my siblings.
Me:Checking in on all of you. Vegas has been pretty quiet so far, but I’m about to meet my client. Any guesses where I’m sitting right now?
