“No one would think less of you?—”
“Please stop.” I took a deep breath. “We have a game on Sunday. I have a lot to learn, and staying home won’t accomplish that.”
We both turned to the sound of a knock.
It was Grant knocking on the outer office doorframe. “Vee, I’m here to continue our conversation.”
I crossed my arms over my breasts. “Our conversation is completed.”
He walked past me to my open office door. “I’ll be in here.”
Clenching my teeth, I turned to Jen. “Five minutes. If we’re not done, come in.” I nodded toward her watch. “Five minutes. Not a second longer.”
She nodded and reaching for my arm, she lowered the volume of her voice. “Are the rumors true?”
My neck stiffened. “Rumors?”
“You’re the new owner and CEO?”
That wasn’t the rumor I expected, but honestly, I was better prepared to answer that than a question about Fin and me. “I don’t know what’s official. I’m meeting later today with Dad’s attorney and Cammy Wilcox from Coopers’ legal.”
Jen squeezed my arm. “We all have faith in you, Vee.”
Exhaling, I tried to smile. “I appreciate that.” I looked at her watch and back to her eyes. “Five minutes.”
Jen nodded.
Once inside my office, I closed the door and placed my leather satchel on the floor near my desk. Instead of joining Grant at my small conference table, I took the leather chair behind my desk. “If you want to talk, you’ll need to come over here.”
Exhaling, Grant stood. The muscles of his cheeks were pulled taut as were the tendons in his neck. Sitting in one of the chairs opposite my desk, he adjusted his suit coat and leaned back. “You and Fin…?” The indication of a question was in his tone.
“Fin and I have a history. You asked about it during the first preseason home game.”
“History. Not present or future?”
I laid my arms on the top of my desk and sighed. “What the fuck difference does this make?”
My cousin’s eyes closed momentarily as his nostrils flared. “Uncle Reid didn’t sign the new will. You know that, right?”
“I was informed.”
“How the fuck is the organization supposed to spin the fact that the new owner is fucking our quarterback?”
“As I told you earlier, don’t. Don’t spin it.” I pushed my chair back and stood, my palms slapping my skirt-covered thighs. “Don’t address the rumors. If we don’t give this story oxygen, it’ll die.”
Grant narrowed his eyes. “Did Uncle Reid know?”
Tilting my head, I pressed my lips together. “What Dad and I talked about is really none of your damn business. Be at the executive meeting at ten o’clock.”
He stood and leaned toward me. “You’re not ready to take over as CEO. The will gives you ownership. Family can fight that. Dad has a copy of the drafted will.”
His words cut in a way I wasn’t prepared to evaluate.
“However,” Grant went on, “it’s the Coopers board of directors who are responsible for appointing the CEO.”
Clenching my teeth, I met his stare. “Our board of directors will be everyone in the room during the meeting. As owner, I’ll lead the board. We can discuss the particulars after I have my say.”
“Uncle Reid had that will drawn up when you were eleven years old. Eleven,” Grant repeated the number louder. “Do you think that Uncle Reid intended for you to be owner and CEO at eleven?”
