Page 19 of Fumbled Beginning

“You looked great.” Robin smiled and handed me a coffee.

“Thanks.” I adjusted my tie and took the hot cup from her hands. “I’m glad to be done with it.”

“At least you get to keep the cool-looking watch,” she teased, bumping her shoulder into mine.

Robin had been my agent for the past five years. The guy I first started with retired, and Robin came highly recommended. As the daughter of one of the most sought-after sports agents in the country and the wife of a hall-of-fame running back, she knew the ins and outs of this business better than anyone. And the best part of all was I trusted her.

“Are you ready for this?”

“No.”

“Well, too bad, it’s showtime.” Her tone held a level of authority that shouldn’t have made a guy my size flinch, but damn, the woman was scary. I might be the one signing her paychecks, but she was the one running the show.

“Your husband is a lucky man,” I said, my voice heavy with sarcasm.

She rolled her eyes and handed me her coffee so she could set her iPad in her bag. Her big-ass diamond ring took up half of her left finger and was sparkling in the sunlight. “So, do you have any last minute questions for me?” she asked as we stepped inside and headed toward the elevator.

I pushed the button for the top floor. “It’s been a while for me, so I’m a little out of my element.”

“Like I said, the tone of the meeting will be more about the financial impact. Cash flow, salary cap, and things like that.”

“Can’t wait.” I ran a hand through my hair and straightened my suit as we stepped off the elevator. I knew their focus was building the roster for next season, but if they wanted to resign me, I wasn’t taking a pay cut, even though I knew I would be a big hit on their salary cap. My entire career was on the line, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

“How are you feeling walking into this meeting?” Robin asked, leading me down the long hallway to the reception area.

“I’ll feel better once I know my fate,” I said, giving her a practiced smile and rubbing my sweaty palms together.

The coaches and upper management had been in meetings all week, discussing contract renewals, trades, and budget cuts. The draft was next month, so they wanted to get the team roster in order as quickly as possible. I was taking it as a good sign that they wanted to meet earlier rather than later, unless they wanted to cut me in order to free up their budget for a younger player.

“They are ready for you.” One of the assistants smiled while holding the door open for us.

Robin and I walked into the conference room and were greeted by the entire management staff. Beau Landers, the owner of The Arrows, sat at the front of the sleek glass table. The Atlanta skyline could be seen through the wall of windows directly behind him. Jerry Fields, the GM, Coach Ludden, and head legal counsel, Max Kasmerick, stood as we shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Laptops, water bottles, and notepads lined the table. A large projector screen was on the far end of the wall.

“Gentlemen.” I smiled and pulled out Robin’s chair before I got settled in my own.

Max pulled out a folder and passed it to our end of the table. “Let’s get started and get down to business.”

Anxiously, I flipped through the paperwork and forced myself to sit and listen as they went through each page, discussing terms and conditions.

As the minutes ticked by, I had to give Robin credit. She was a good listener and didn’t interrupt once. She asked questions, took notes, and didn’t allow words to get twisted around. I knew firsthand that negotiations could turn quickly. You had to be patient and not let your emotions get the better of you.

“As I’m sure Robin has already mentioned, Baltimore and Denver have expressed an interest.” I nodded as Max continued. I had no interest in going to either team, but they didn’t know that. “We would like to get this deal locked in before your other offers come in. Based on the team’s physician report, and reviewing your current salary, we would like to extend your contract for two more seasons.”

I blew out a sigh of relief and looked at Robin. Her face showed nothing.

They went through benchmarks, incentives, and a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo that I couldn’t care less about.

Jerry folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. “With Maverick retiring last year, we’ve invested a lot of money in rebuilding our team. We understand the importance of keeping a few veteran players, that’s why we came up with an offer that we think you’ll be happy with.”

Everyone around the table went quiet as I thumbed through the paperwork. The number was more than we predicted. I snuck a glance at Robin, whose eyebrows were bent in concentration. I twisted in my seat because the woman was known to be a tough negotiator.

Robin leaned forward, folding her hands in front of her. “I understand you have a spending cap to abide by. But it is my job to put my client in a position to ensure that he is getting the value and compensation he deserves. I would like to negotiate the terms of this contract.”

I took in a long, deep breath and blew it out slowly. I loved my teammates, my home, the fans, the city of Atlanta. I didn’t want to leave yet, so I prayed and hoped Robin knew what she was doing.

* * *

“Holy Shit! You did it,” I said, clinking my glass with Robin’s.

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