Page 83 of Score to Settle
“Take a seat, Harper.” Tim waves to one of the chairs, his voice tight.
I perch on the edge of the chair, hoping I look more poised than I feel. Scott throws himself into the other chair, slouching back like he owns the place. He examines his nails with a bored expression.
Tim pinches the bridge of his nose before fixing me with an intense stare. “Scott has told me something very disturbing, Harper.”
My breath catches in my throat, but I force my voice to sound strong. “Tim, I can explain?—”
He holds up a hand, cutting me off. “Let me finish.” He turns his steely gaze on Scott. “This man has made some serious allegations against you. Suggesting you sexually harassed him in his workplace in New York.”
Of course he did.
Scott sits forward. “You only have to look at how quickly she jumped into Jake Sullivan’s bed to see she uses sex to get what she wants.”
“Shut up, Scott,” I hiss through gritted teeth, earning me another shit-eating grin from the man beside me.
Tim fixes Scott with a cold stare. “Let me finish. I happen to know that these allegations are bullshit for two reasons. First of all, I know Harper. I know the dedicated, hardworking journalist she is. I don’t know you”—he points to Scott—“and I have no reason to believe you over one of my employees. And even if that wasn’t the case, there’s the second reason. I’ve also had a woman by the name of Genevieve Rose leave me several messages this week.”
The name rings a bell, but I can’t think why. Whoever she is, Scott’s face pales.
“Genevieve is the head of HR for the media group that ownsInsight. Apparently, she’s been calling you, Harper, but you haven’t picked up. She looked you up and found you were working here, which is why we spoke first thing this morning.It appears you were dismissed from your internship following allegations of sexual harassment from Mr. Harrington.”
A smile twitches at the edges of Scott’s face. I don’t miss the look of relief either.
“However,” Tim continues, “it has come to the attention of HR that these allegations are most likely entirely false. Following Mr. Harrington’s dismissal a few weeks ago, several employees have now felt able to come forward with their own allegations against Mr. Harrington. Given the number of complaints, they’re now looking back and considering that the one against you was also probably made up. Genevieve has asked you to call her to discuss reinstating your internship should you want it, although of course I’d rather you stayed here.”
My mouth drops open.Insightwants me back. My dream life in New York is mine for the taking. I draw in a sharp breath, unable to fully process everything Tim has said.
Scott clears his throat. “The allegations against me will all prove false, I can assure you. What is undeniable, however, is that Harper has also lied to you to get this job. She might be a sports journalist but she knows nothing about football. Trust me. I’m afraid you’ve been manipulated, Tim.” Scott smirks, despite the beads of sweat forming on his brow.
A dark rage bubbles inside me, but I force it down. He isn’t worth a single drop of my energy.
“I’m well aware of Ms. Cassidy’s experience, Mr. Harrington. So if there’s nothing else, there’s the door.” He points across the room.
My head snaps up.Tim knows? How?
“Wh-what?” Scott splutters. “But she lied to you.”
“I can call security to show you out if you can’t find the way yourself,” Tim says by way of reply as he flashes me a brief smile.There’s a warmth there, a trust, that brings a lump of emotion to my throat.
Scott mutters something under his breath before striding to the door and out of the office. I stay where I am as Tim stands and closes the door before addressing me again.
“Harper—”
“I’m sorry,” I blurt. “I was in a really bad place after being fired in New York. I was desperate to prove myself. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I didn’t know a thing about football.”
Tim looks at me in the same way I imagine he does his children when they’re in trouble. It’s stern but not unkind. “Do you think I didn’t know you were full of shit, Harper? I’ve been working in sports journalism for over twenty years. You evaded every single question about football I asked, always bringing the answer back to baseball and hockey.”
I make a face before I ask the next question. “Why did you hire me then?”
“Firstly, we all have different interests and experience. No one is expected to be an expert on every sport. I hired you because I read your work and I liked the depth you add to your pieces. Sports journalism is a lot about reporting stats and scores. Not everyone thinks to scratch the surface the way you do.”
“I knew Jake Sullivan in high school,” I blurt out, cheeks flaming from my confession or from Tim’s compliment, I’m not sure. “We weren’t friends, but I was a couple of years below him and I didn’t tell you when you gave me the assignment.”
Tim raises his brows.
“You knew that, too?” I say quietly.
“Mama Sullivan mentioned you’d gone to the same high school when she asked for you. When you didn’t bring it up in the meeting, I didn’t say anything either. I assumed you’d rather the team didn’t know. Most journalists with a connection to asports star can’t wait to tell me. It gives us a great in. So if you happen to have gone to college with Kelcie Grant or Joshua Tiegan, now would be a great time to tell me that, too.”
