Elizabeth grinned, adrenaline pumping through her system as she took a seat at her desk and brought up Ty Anderson’s stats and bio. “I take it then that you’re interested in changing agents and working with me?”
“Yeah. Eddie Wolkowski said you’re a good agent and that we should talk.”
She made a mental note to send Eddie, one of her clients and another player on the Ice, a bottle of his favorite whiskey. “That’s nice of him to say.”
“Can we arrange a meeting?”
She clicked open her calendar. “At your convenience.”
“I want to get this done soon. I already gave my agent the boot.”
She made arrangements to meet with Ty, then hung up and swung around in her chair.
Finally, things were starting to look up. Ty was a star player, and even better, as she discovered when Colleen had brought her the list of Davis Agency clients, Ty Anderson was with the Davis Agency. It would be an absolute boon to steal him away from Don Davis since Davis had been doing his damned best to bleed her dry over the past six months.
It was about time she started getting some payback.
OPENING WEEK OF THE SEASON NEVER FAILED TO MAKE Gavin feel like a kid. It wouldn’t matter how many years he played baseball, he’d still be six years old, and the sights and sounds and smells of the home stadium would still fill him with the excitement he’d felt when his dad had brought him to his first Rivers game. He’d been wide-eyed and taken it all in, from the sheer size of the stadium to the smell of hot dogs and popcorn to the deafening screams of all the fans. He’d fallen in love with baseball that first day, and the thrill had never left him. It didn’t matter if he was sitting in the seats watching a game or standing at first base ready to field a ball. The love of the game was in his blood, and he’d never tire of it.
Putting on the uniform was an honor, one he didn’t take lightly. He knew how hard players worked to make it to the major leagues, knew how few did and how easily that privilege could be lost, and he savored every minute he was allowed to play, because it could all go away with one big injury or a loss of mojo.
So far so good, though. The preseason had ended pretty well for the Rivers, even though Gavin hadn’t batted as well as he thought he should. His game hadn’t been consistent. He’d been all over the place and not all of it had been good. He’d lost his focus somewhere mid preseason, and he hoped to get it back now that the season had started.
“You gonna just stare into your locker all night, or do you think you might get off your ass and play some baseball?”
Gavin lifted his gaze toward Dedrick. “I’m channeling my mojo.”
Dedrick leaned against the locker, his glove under his arm. “Maybe your mojo is somewhere up your ass, and that’s why you can’t find it.”
Gavin snorted. “Likely.”
“Or maybe your pretty redheaded girlfriend ran off with it when she stopped coming to the preseason games.”
Gavin didn’t want to think about Elizabeth. “No woman has ever had my mojo.” He grabbed his cup. “I got all the mojo I need right here.”
Dedrick laughed. “Yeah, that’s what we all say, ’til some woman brings us to our knees.”
“Just because it happened to you, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to me, brother.” Gavin stood and followed Dedrick down the long hallway toward the dugout. “You ready?”
Dedrick touched his glove to Gavin’s. “Hell yeah. Ready for this season to get under way. You?”
“You know it.”
“Then let’s play some ball and kick Milwaukee’s ass.”
“SO GAVIN RILEY IS ONE OF YOUR CLIENTS, RIGHT?”
Elizabeth sat in the owner’s box with Ty, her new client. He wanted to see the game, she wanted to impress him, so she got him seats in the owner’s box since she and Clyde Ross, owner of the Rivers, were close.
She made it a point to be on friendly terms with all the team owners. Not too close, but close enough that negotiations would go her way and her clients would get a good deal. Owners trusted her because they knew she wasn’t out to screw them over. She didn’t give them drug- or steroid-addled players or players who were interested only in becoming the next action movie star. She represented players who were serious about their sport. Which was why she’d spent several days in close meetings with Ty Anderson before she signed him on. She checked out his background and his playing history, wanted to make sure there were no skeletons in his closet, then she hit him with some tough questions and let him know she’d tolerate no bullshit. He had to be serious about playing hockey and staying in the sport. Money was great and all, but as she told all her clients, it wasn’t just about the money. They had to love their sport.
By the time she’d spent several days with Ty, she was convinced he lived, breathed, and ate hockey, which was just what she loved in a client. They’d signed the papers yesterday.
“Yes, Gavin is one of my clients.”
“He’s damn good at first base. I played first base when I was a kid. Football, too. Tight end.”
Elizabeth lifted her glass of wine and took a sip, studying Ty. “A little schizophrenic about your sports, were you?”
Ty laughed, a deep, booming sound that matched the man. “Hey, I had to play them all before I figured out what I wanted to do. Hockey seemed to fit me. Probably because I was always getting into fights.”
“I can so see that about you.” She was going to make a fortune off him and product endorsements. Don Davis might be able to sign players to a team contract, but he didn’t know shit about promoting a player through the media.
Women’s tongues were going to be dragging on the ground when they discovered Ty. Elizabeth had to get him a cologne or deodorant ad. Something that would feature him in print media. He had steely bluish gray eyes that simply penetrated when he looked at you, a square jaw, the kind of rough stubble that made a woman want his face rubbing across the tender parts of her skin, and he was tall and just utterly built like a man.
He was rough around the edges and a little crude, but he wasn’t rude. He was the kind of man who knew he was a man and made no apologies about it. If Elizabeth wasn’t stupidly hung up on Gavin, she could easily drool over Ty.
But despite appreciating his utter masculinity and fabulous good looks, the man didn’t hit her hot buttons in the least.
She intended for many women to fall madly in love with Ty. She just wasn’t going to be one of them.
“Elizabeth. So glad you called me today.”
She rose to great Clyde, who kissed her cheek and gave her a hug. At sixty-four, Clyde was robust and an avid golfer. She played a few rounds with him whenever the weather was good and she had a free day on her calendar.
“Hello, Clyde. Thank you for allowing us to join you in the box tonight. I know opening day brings a crowd.”
“Nonsense,” he said, his brown eyes bright with excitement. “Always room for you in here.”
Elizabeth introduced Ty to Clyde. Clyde beamed. “You’re the center for the Ice. I go to many of the games.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ross. It’s an honor to meet you. I attend as many of the Rivers games as I can. You have a great team.”
Ty was an awesome ass kisser. A point in his favor.
“I’ll make sure you have season tickets and good seats, then. Bring some friends with you and talk us up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Clyde and Ty struck up a conversation about their respective sports, which left Elizabeth free to visit with some of the other people in the box, including Clyde’s wife, Helen, who had showed up late with their daughter Aubry. Aubry was a cute, petite blonde with the brains to match her beauty. She was in med school at Washington University and didn’t often have time to pop in and see a game.
“How’s medical school?” Elizabeth asked.
Aubry rolled her eyes. “Torture. Pure hell. I love it.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Of course you do. You were born to be a doctor. It’ll all be worth it when it’s over.”
Aubry blew out a breath and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “At this point I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, but I know someday it’ll be over and I’ll be delivering babies.”
Elizabeth grinned. She’d always loved Aubry, could remember meeting her when she was in high school. It made her feel old, as if time had passed her by and maybe she’d missed out on marriage and having a family. Not that she’d ever wanted those things.
One couldn’t have everything, could they? Elizabeth had long ago decided that her career would be the number-one priority in her life and nothing else would get in the way. No man, no marriage, no children. Sacrifices would have to be made because she couldn’t have it all. No one could.
But lately . . .
Well, there was no point in thinking about that. She’d made her choices: she had a successful career, and she was happy.
Mostly.
She turned her attention to the game, to Gavin digging in at first base. He looked good. More than good, actually. Tanned and muscular, his fine ass stretched his uniform as he bent to scoop up a grounder and run to touch the base before the runner got there. He threw the ball, his muscled forearms glistening in the waning sunlight.
She inhaled, let out a small sigh and sat, enraptured, through the rest of the game. Since she’d gotten to know Shawnelle and Haley, she paid particular attention to Dedrick and Tommy. Dedrick played third base, and Tommy was a relief pitcher, right now set up to pitch in the middle innings if needed. He didn’t get to see a whole lot of action. But Haley had told them they were grooming Tommy to be a starter.
Gavin had gone one for four on the night, which wasn’t his best, but he did knock in a run. The nail-biter came in the ninth when the bases were loaded and Dedrick was up. The game was tied so if he didn’t bring a run in, they were going to extra innings.
Elizabeth leaned forward in her seat, her fingers clasped together as Dedrick stared down Milwaukee’s closer. Dedrick dug his toe into the dirt, leaned in, and swung. It skidded along the third-base line, and Elizabeth held her breath, certain it was going to slide outside the foul line.
It didn’t. It stayed fair, and the runners took off from first and second. She leaped from her chair and squealed with delight as Jose charged around third base toward home while the right fielder scrambled for the ball. As soon as Jose touched home plate, the game was over. They only needed that one run to win the game.
The stadium erupted into chaos. The Rivers had won.
“That was a great game,” Ty said, turning to her with a grin.
“It was, wasn’t it?”
“Thanks for bringing me. I’m new to the city and haven’t had much of a chance to get out to meet too many people. Since the move to the U.S. after the trade to the Ice, I’ve been busy finding a place to live and playing hockey. And then changing agents, of course. It’s nice to get out and do something for a change.”
“But you like the team change?”
“Of course. I was the one who wanted the change. Davis resisted.”
Elizabeth leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “Why?”
Ty shrugged. “No clue. He just said I should stay with Toronto, that change was never good.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Your stats were abysmal in Toronto. Since the trade, you’ve been kicking ass on the ice. And with the Ice. Sometimes change is exactly what a player needs.”
“That’s what I thought, too. But hey, that’s why I’ve got you and not him. He and I never saw eye to eye on my career. You and me mesh.”
She grinned. “Yes, we do. And I’m glad you’re happy. Now you can relax, play excellent hockey, and enjoy life in Saint Louis. The guys on your team are great. You should get to know them.”
“I have. A few of us are making plans to go out this weekend.”
“Settle in and make this your home. From what I hear from the team owner, you’re going to be here awhile. He likes you and your style of play.”
“Hey, Ty, want a tour of our fine facility here?”
Ty perked up at Clyde’s suggestion. “Love one. Come on, Elizabeth.”
She shook her head, not wanting to go anywhere near the locker room. “I’ve seen the place, but you go ahead.”
“Come with us, Elizabeth. Afterward, you and Ty can come with Helen and Aubry and me. I’m buying dinner.”
Crap. Schmoozing the owner was on the top of her list of things to do, and she never turned down an opportunity to hang out with him. “What a nice offer. We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Ty?”
“I’d consider it an honor. Thank you.”
Clyde took them on the standard tour of the ballpark, from the executive offices all the way down to the players’ locker room. Elizabeth opted to wait outside the locker room with Helen and Aubry while the guys went inside, but she was certain Ty would get a kick out of meeting some of the players.
Elizabeth preferred not to see Gavin. In fact she hoped like hell she could avoid it.
“That guy is gorgeous,” Aubry said.
“Which guy? Oh, Ty?”
“Yes. Makes me wish I had a nanosecond of free time to date. The only men I get to hang around with are the other medical students.”
“Well, you do have a lot in common with them.”
“True. My mother tells me I’m destined to marry one. She’s probably right.”
“Or a baseball player.”
She rolled her eyes. “The last person I would ever marry is a baseball player. I’ve been surrounded by them my entire life. I think I’ll stick with doctors. Baseball players have entirely too much ego.”