Page 54 of Play to Win

Uncle Mark had been the assistant coach for the Condors until he and my dad accused Grandpa of stealing money from them and sued him.I’m not making this shit up.

Grandpa scowls.“Are you fucking kidding me?How can I keep a man working for me who’s suing me?He knew he was going to get canned when he did that.”

Probably true.

“It may not be Joe’s fault the team is losing.”I sit back in my chair and regard Grandpa thoughtfully.“Maybe it’s the roster he’s got.”

Grandpa narrows his eyes.“I’ve lost faith in him.He has to go.”

I tip my head to one side and narrow my own eyes.“That’s my decision.”

Grandpa frowns.“I own this team.”

Fuck me.Are we really going to start off like this?

Okay, he’s my grandfather and I’ve known him my whole life.I’m not intimidated by him, as some might be.I love him and respect him.

On the other hand, this is my job, and I won’t put up with interference by team ownership, no matter who they are.That caused a bit of friction in Vegas, but somehow I managed to take a stand and keep my job.

I need to do that now.

“And I’m the man you hired to run this team,” I say to him, my voice low but forceful.“Full control.You said that.Remember?”

He scowls.“I never said that.”

My eyebrows shoot up.“You did say that.Your exact words were that I’d have complete autonomy to rebuild the Condors as I see fit.”

“Bullshit.I’m not turning complete control over toanyone.This ismyteam.”

My jaw slackens and my heart drops.What the fuck?

I have a pretty damn good memory.I didn’t imagine he said that.My fears that I’m being conned roar back, making my blood run hot.“I didn’t take this job to be your happy-to-be-here yes-man.”My hands clench around the armrests of the chair.“If that’s the case, you can find someone else to be your yes-man.”

I meet his eyes and lift my chin.

Grandpa stares back at me, and his expression shifts from belligerent to puzzled.“I don’t want a yes-man,” he says gruffly, quietly.“I want you.”

I give my head a mental shake and inhale slowly.“You hired me to manage this team.If you don’t want me to do that, I’m out of here.”

“I do want you to do that.”

I close my eyes briefly.What the fuck have I gotten myself into?“Then you have to let me do that, Grandpa.We’ll talk and I’ll listen to what you have to say because I respect your knowledge, and I’ll take your opinions into consideration, but you told me I’d have autonomy.Do you trust me to manage this team or not?”

Now he looks bewildered.“I do.Of course I do.That’s why I hired you.”

“Okay.”I suck in another long breath.“So you’re giving me control to make decisions as I see fit?”

“You have to run things by me first.”

I tip my chin down, then up.Does this mean we’ll be arguing over every decision I make?Or is this a courtesy?Fuck, I’m so confused right now.“Fair enough.”

At that moment, Joe arrives.He extends a hand with a smile that doesn’t touch his eyes.“Good morning!Welcome!”

We shake hands and I motion for him to take another seat at the table.I move across the room to close the door.I feel off balance.I don’t know what to think.Grandpa said he wants Joe gone.Then he said I just have to run things by him.As I take my seat again, my gaze shifts back and forth between the two other men, my nerves jumping as I wait for Grandpa to tell Joe he’s fired.

Jesus.

“Tell us what you’re thinking, Théo,” Grandpa says, sounding clearer and stronger than he did moments ago.

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