Page 94 of The Player Penalty
“Well, good.” She doesn’t sound like she completely believes me.
∞∞∞
Boone isn’t lying on his dumb thinking couch. That’s a bad sign. He’s not sitting behind his desk either, so all hope isn’t lost. Instead, Maddie sits behind the desk and pretends to type.
Playing the role of referee today…..
“What?” I ask. Yeah, that’s probably not a great start.
“I told you to leave her alone, and when I said to think long and hard before getting together with Lily Webb, you weren’t supposed to think with your dick.”
Be calm and explain. “Nothing happened. She snuck into my trailer while I was in the shower. I immediately kicked her out. Nothing happened.”
“She was seen by a lot of people.” I shrug because it shouldn’t matter. “The wrong people,” he says. “Sponsors leaving my trailer, a good portion of our crew, multiple drivers. Everyone knows. Everyone knows you’re cheating on Pete Webb’s daughter.”
“I didn’t cheat.”
He huffs. “You haven’t been able to keep it in your pants since the day you started here. The only difference is you lasted longer than usual.”
“No, we aren’t doing this. You do not get to stand there and fucking lecture me. Do you want me to remind you that you snuck around with your own assistant? Then your sister snuck around behind your back for months. Everyone around here kept their dumbass affairs secret.” Maddie suggested stayingcalm. We gave that a good, solid try, and now it’s time for a new strategy. Rage. “Unlike you, I was open from the beginning. You snuck around like a bunch of fucking cowards while I had the fucking balls to be honest. I’m the one who confronted Pete like a man while all of you hid behind closed doors. So get off your high horse and stop lecturing. You aren’t better, Boone Rivers, so stop fucking trying to be.”
“You absolute idiot. You went and made a bet with Pete Webb. He told me. What in the hell were you thinking? He wants you gone,” Boone yells back.
I’m not here for a lecture. “I bring you money, an absolute boatload of money. I’m in a strong position for the championship and have more wins this season than any other driver. You need me, but you’re too damn stubborn to admit it.”
Maddie clears her throat. “Well, this is going swimmingly, isn’t it?” Neither of us responds. “Boone is upset because he doesn’t know how to solve this problem, so I’ll do it for you both. He wants you here, and he considers you part of this team. Boone also feels the same about Pete. So, he feels trapped in the middle, which can be difficult. Wouldn’t you both agree?”
We both mumble something that approximates agreement.
Maddie continues, “Julian, you need to find her and fix this. Explain, apologize, or grovel—whatever it takes. Pete will listen to his daughter, but he won’t listen to either of you. Lily will need to do it. As for the rest, the sponsors will get over it, and gossip dies if you don’t feed it. We can arrange some interviews and do some social media showing off our newest happy couple, assuming Lily agrees.”
My anger dissipates. “I’ll fix this.”
“Well, that’s progress,” she says.
“Boone, you keep Pete occupied for now. Can you do that?” she asks.
He grumbles, accepting.
“Your wife is the best thing that ever happened to you,” I tell him and leave the office.
Back in my own office, I sit back at the desk. She’s not in the office, and she’s not at work. It’s summer, so she’s not taking classes. She also wasn’t at home.
I pick up my phone and find a voicemail waiting for me. It’s not from the person I hoped for.
“Well, son, it looks like we’re not so different after all. The sports sites are questioning your contract now, and you won’t find another team willing to pick you up from the gutter. I hope she was worth it.”
∞∞∞
I ring the doorbell a second time without success. She’s also not in her bedroom, which I know from sneaking over a fence and climbing a tree.
The house is dark and gives off an empty feeling.
She’s not at home, and there aren’t many places left.
I try Sarah’s next. “Is Lily here?”
“You come to my house to ask about your girlfriend? I’m only here because we’re expecting a plumber. Why would she be here?”
