Page 84 of Pucking My Grumpy Accidental Husband
"Let him," Miranda says coolly. "We have players willing to go on record about team chemistry improvements. We have performance metrics. We have documentation of his harassment pattern. Harrison's got policy violations and outdated thinking."
"What about the anonymous tip that started this whole mess?" I ask. "The person threatening to go to the media?"
"Funny thing about that," Martinez grins. "Turns out it was Harrison's assistant. She came forward yesterday, said he pressured her into making those calls to create evidence of external threats."
My jaw drops. "He orchestrated his own harassment campaign?"
"Apparently he thought if it looked like outside forces were threatening to expose you, it would justify his actions as protecting the organization." Miranda shakes her head. "The man's either brilliant or completely delusional."
"I'm going with delusional," I mutter.
An hour later, I'm walking into the team's main conference room feeling like I'm about to face a firing squad. The space is intimidating as hell—floor-to-ceiling windows, massive table that could seat thirty people, and enough corporate artwork to stock a museum of bland professionalism.
The board members are already seated: Chairman David Ashford, three other directors who look like they stepped out of a Fortune 500 catalog, and Harrison sitting at the far end looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.
Dax is there in his best suit—navy blue that makes his eyes look like storm clouds— and seeing him sends a tangle of emotionscrashing through me. He catches my eye and gives me the smallest smile, the kind that saysI've got your backwithout words.
"Dr. Bennett," Chairman Ashford nods as I take my seat. "Thank you for joining us. I understand this has been a difficult situation for everyone involved."
"Thank you for the opportunity to address the board directly," I reply, proud of how steady my voice sounds.
Harrison clears his throat. "Before we begin, I want to state clearly that this organization has zero tolerance for policy violations. Dr. Bennett's relationship with Mr. Kingston represents a fundamental breach of professional ethics?—"
"Rick," Chairman Ashford interrupts, "we'll hear your position in due course. But first, I'd like Dr. Bennett to walk us through her version of events."
I take a deep breath, looking at Miranda, who nods encouragingly.
"I was hired to improve this team's mental performance and psychological preparedness," I begin. "In my time here player satisfaction scores have increased by thirty-seven percent, team chemistry metrics have reached the highest levels in five years, and individual performance indicators show marked improvement across all positions."
"Yet you violated our no-fraternization policy," Harrison interjects.
"I developed a personal relationship with a colleague, yes. A relationship that, rather than compromising my professional judgment, has enhanced my understanding ofathlete psychology and improved my effectiveness as a mental performance coach."
"That's a convenient rationalization?—"
"Rick." Chairman Ashford’s voice carries warning. "Let her finish."
"Furthermore," I continue, meeting each board member's eyes, "the evidence suggests that Mr. Harrison's concerns about my objectivity are rooted in outdated assumptions about women's ability to separate professional judgment from personal feelings—assumptions that don't apply to male staff members in similar situations."
Miranda slides a folder across the table to Chairman Ashford. "Documentation shows three male staffers with clear policy violations in the last two years. Private consulting. Gambling on league games. Breaching confidentiality with player information. Not one of them was terminated. They were given quiet warnings. This is the first time a case like this has been escalated to the board.
Harrison's face is turning an interesting shade of red. "Those situations were different?—"
"How?" I ask directly. "Because the staff members were men?"
"Because they didn't compromise team dynamics or create conflicts of interest?—"
"Your Honor," Jamie Torres interrupts from the back of the room, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing because he's addressing the board like it's a courtroom, "can I speak to team dynamics?"
Chairman Ashford looks amused. "This isn't a trial, Mr. Torres, but yes, we'd like to hear from team representatives."
Jamie stands up, and I'm struck by how serious he looks without his usual grin. "Dr. Bennett has been the best thing to happen to our team chemistry in years. Before she arrived, we had guys struggling with confidence, rookies too scared to speak up, veterans burned out from pressure. She's helped all of us."
"And the relationship with Mr. Kingston?" one of the other board members asks.
"Made him a better leader," Jamie says without hesitation. "More patient, more understanding. Better at reading situations and people. If anything, being happy in his personal life has made him better at his job."
"That's completely subjective—" Harrison starts.
