True Love with the Football Billionaire Groom (Sweet, Christian Football Bad Boy Romance Series Book 2)

by Ellie Hall

  “In this setting, I will address you as Mr. Wolfe or if you prefer, I can use your given name.”

  He mustered, summoning all his plays. He shook his head and called on the alpha inside, the swagger that he effortlessly carried. “I’ve never dated a chick long enough to call me by my first name.”

  She snorted. “That’s because you don’t know how to treat a lady.”

  “Maybe you could show me.” And he was back. The flirt. The wolf.

  “To be clear, I am not interested.” She pressed her lips into a thin line.

  “Maybe I could persuade you.” He pointed to the room.

  Had she not been an etiquette coach, he was sure she’d have rolled her eyes or slapped him on the cheek, given the strained look on her face.

  “No, Mr. Wolfe.”

  “I’ll work on changing your mind. In the meantime, what should I call you? Babe? Beautiful? Sweetheart?”

  “My name is Katerina Kuznetsova. You can call me Ms. Kuznetsova.”

  He knew he’d never be able to say her last name without butchering it. He changed tack. “Ms.? I take it you’re single then.”

  No reply. Stone. Ice. Solid rock. She didn’t budge under his smoldering gaze.

  “Since your name is Katerina, how about I call you Kitty Kat or just Kat?”

  Her arms crossed in front of her chest. “What do you know about cats, Mr. Wolfe?”

  “They don’t get along with dogs.”

  “They also scratch.” She was good.

  Whew. He’d met his match that was for sure.

  “Well, Kat, wolves bite.” He winked.

  She strode down the hall away from him. He couldn’t ignore the sway of her hips. But she was too serious and certainly not interested in him. A first for Connor Wolfe.

  Chapter 3

  Katerina

  Had Katerina waited long enough to see Connor’s face before she swept down the hall on the third floor, he would’ve witnessed flame and fury. Never before had someone gotten under her skin so completely. Guys like him were all swagger and no substance. Ivan had been like that. She thought she knew him well until he’d revealed his true motives.

  And he had a man bun. Better to steer clear and put him in his place.

  Katerina was certain that like Ivan, Connor saw her as little more than a good time, which meant he was little more than a superficial jerk. No matter that the soft twang of his southern accent was charming or that his eyes were captivating. She’d be having none of that. She tightened her bun and marched down the stairs.

  If she was looking for a guy, which definitely was not the case, she’d want someone with depth, substance, and who took her seriously. But seriously, she wasn’t looking.

  Katerina passed Arthur in the hall on the way to her office—she had work to do and needed a minute to cool down.

  He nodded cordially. “Thank you again for the time off, Miss Kuznetsova.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the administrative offices, including hers. “Good luck.”

  That gesture and comment could only mean one thing. Regina had more bad news. Arthur somehow seemed to know everything that went on at Blancbourg ahead of everyone else. It was as though he had a sixth sense or had been around long enough—since the former king and queen of Concordia attended as students—to have seen every manner of triumph and calamity. Although Katerina had headed up the opening of the school’s doors to the world, in recent years their numbers and revenue declined no matter how much money the Board of Regents approved for advertising. The funds evaporated more quickly than they gave a return.

  Katerina braced herself before knocking on Regina’s office door. It was an old habit from her days as a ballerina. She’d prepare herself before she stepped over the threshold of a room or onto a stage, leaving everything that was going on in her life on one side and taking a deep breath and being fully present to whatever would come on the other side.

  Regina didn’t answer. Maybe Arthur was mistaken. She padded down the hall to her office. When she opened the door, she heard quick shuffling and caught Regina mid-lower as she moved to sit down in the plush chair opposite Katerina’s desk. The woman’s cameo brooch glinted. There was no reason to ever lock the doors since Concordia was so safe, but the faint tint to Regina’s cheeks suggested she’d been looking at something among the files and papers on Katerina’s desk. Not that she had anything to hide. The woman was probably curious about the boisterous football players. There was no escaping the fact that they were all good looking, though Regina was at least twenty years Katerina’s senior.

  By most accounts, the position of headmistress should have gone to her, but the board selected Katerina from the pool of candidates. She’d always wondered if it had something to do with her aunt and uncle—and their positions as prominent members of the elite Concordian society before leaving for Greece. They’d relocated from Russia years previous. But she told herself no, she’d accomplished the feat on her own merit.

  Though by the grave look on Regina’s face, one she knew all too well, they might soon have to close the doors to the school completely.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Harrow.”

  “Good afternoon,” Regina said. She never even bothered to try to pronounce Katerina’s last name.

  The employees of Blancbourg followed all manner of polite protocol, practicing what they taught. Although, somehow, Regina thought it was okay to go in Katerina’s office without an invitation. She let it slide because she had bigger problems. Much bigger ones that were about six foot five, maybe six or so, and consisted of over two hundred pounds of pure muscle. Connor was massive. But she shouldn’t have been thinking about him at that moment.

  “What may I help you with today, Mrs. Harrow?” Katerina’s gaze flitted to a photograph of Connor Wolfe on the desk, one of the many clippings and articles she’d gathered to prepare for the football player’s arrival. Too bad she hadn’t had a chance to look at much of it being as busy as she was. In that particular photograph, he was clean-shaven, being profiled for a charity that he operated. It seemed each of the players on the team had a charity, following in the footsteps of Ryan Kelly—Boston Bruiser, billionaire, and recently married to his high school sweetheart.

  Regina’s eyes followed and she raised an eyebrow. There was no mistaking that Connor was an incredibly handsome man if he’d clean himself up. Fortunately for her, he’d presented the rough and rugged version when he’d arrived fashionably late to their meeting earlier. She’d gotten an immediate read on him.

  He was a flirt. That was for sure.

  Had well-defined muscles. No mistaking those.

  The man had a killer smile that verged toward looking perpetually smug like he had all the confidence in the world. She wouldn’t forget it soon.

  His couple of days’ worth of stubble wasn’t too bad either. Though she wasn’t a big fan of the man bun.

  In fact, Katerina couldn’t find anything wrong with him other than that he was infuriating.

  She stuffed the photos inside the folder, closed it, and willed her cheeks not to flush.

  Regina cleared her throat. “I came to review the budget. It seems like we’ve gone over for the quarter again.”

  “I see. This information should be presented to the board. Do you remember, I suggested we review the budget monthly rather than quarterly when we started backsliding into the red?”

  “Yes, well, as I’d said, I am already doing the work of several people and adding that to my load would be impossible.”

  “We’re all managing as best we can considering circumstances. What do you recommend?”

  Regina’s answer was always the same. Cut costs. They were near to the bare minimum to keep the sizable manor itself going not to mention it functioning as a school.

  “I think the landscaper needs to be let go...or Arthur.”

  “No.” Katerina’s tone was firm.

  The fulltime gardener had been released and they’d already hired a landscape firm to
tend the grounds once weekly. She knew the landscaping company had other accounts, but Arthur only had one job, his wife was ill, and he’d been loyal to the school for longer than she’d been alive. If more money continued to move out rather than in, next it would be the cook then the housekeepers, and then the teachers. She’d make sure Arthur was last.

  “I understand you’re sentimental, but that has no room in running a business.” Regina simpered a smile.

  A deep furrow sliced Katerina’s brow. She was not sentimental at all except once a year, which happened to be that day of all days, but she was very intentional about keeping emotions separate from her professional life—not that she let herself experience emotions much at all.

  “I beg your pardon,” Katerina said as Regina’s words dug in. “I’m not sentimental. I am compassionate.”

  She wasn’t going to get into details with Regina, but Arthur Fitzwilliam relied on the healthcare provided through his job to help with his wife’s ailments. To lay him off right then would be a hardship.

  “We need an additional thirty-four thousand dollars to cover operating costs and I don’t see where else we can get it. The landscape service runs fifteen annually, leaving us with nineteen remaining if we remove it from the budget. If we let Arthur go and no longer have to pay his salary, we’d have a surplus.”

  Katerina’s face was made of stone, unshakable. To some, that dollar amount might not sound like much, but in the last several years, since Regina took over as bursar from her previous role as junior headmistress when the position was eliminated, the school had to count every cent.

  “I’m sure our guests can figure out how to open doors by themselves and—” Regina started in, slighting Arthur’s importance to the operation at Blancbourg.

  Katerina held her hand up. She’d heard enough. “When do you need these additional funds by?”

  “We have thirty days. That’s also when we have our next meeting with the Board of Regents.” Regina cut her eyes at Katerina, challenging her.

  “I will come up with these amounts by then.”

  “You mean you’ll try. Believe me, Katerina, I’ve tried. The money isn’t there.” Regina slid some documents across the desk.

  She skimmed them. “Please email me the spreadsheets, account information, and anything else relevant to the budget.”

  “Are you suggesting that I missed something? That I don’t know how to do my job? Might I remind you that I’ve been working at Blancbourg for seventeen years? I know everything there is to know about every aspect of every job. You’ve only been—”

  “I’ve been here for almost eight years, less than half your time, as you’re so kind as to remind me with frequency. I too am familiar with the function of this school. I aim to keep it open so long as I am employed as headmistress.” She surveyed Regina as she spoke, wondering the woman’s angle. There were always money problems, which were real, but it seemed unlikely that their enrollment would be diving so deeply down when they were pouring the majority of the budget into advertising.

  “Of course. I wasn’t suggesting we close it, but—”

  “What were you suggesting?”

  Regina shook her head and got to her feet.

  Katerina did the same. “Thank you for alerting me to this issue.”

  Regina was near to the door.

  “Oh, and Mrs. Harrow, considering you’re well versed in the many roles and positions at Blancbourg then you’ll understand that Arthur is indispensable.”

  If the school had a mascot, it would be him. He attended to the guests’ needs, made them feel comfortable, and always had a cheerful countenance. If anything, he’d be the last man standing.

  Regina said nothing in response.

  Katerina set the papers aside. She’d look at the budget later and would get to the bottom of the lack of funds, where the money was going, and why it seemed like there was never enough. First, she had to deal with her current roster of students since for better or worse, they were the current moneymakers.

  Later, after a brief check-in with the other teachers and getting status updates on each of the pupils, Katerina entered the inner courtyard to take a shortcut to the dining area. She was lost in thought about the bad first impression she’d gotten of Connor. He certainly didn’t do himself any favors, but he was charitable, at least according to the article she’d read. Then again, he had the kind of entitled swagger that made it seemed like his success had been handed to him—he was on the most successful American football team in the league. On top of that, he was handsome. She imagined everything was just handed to him: a college education, a career, and tons of cash. She’d had to fight so hard for her success and since the school was practically drowning in debt, she feared she was failing.

  Loud voices with American accents echoed from the balcony above the inner courtyard, breaking into her thoughts. She didn’t mean to listen, but it wasn’t like they had a volume button. The football players were all so loud, raucous, and such...boys. If she were looking for a relationship, which she wasn’t, she’d want a man. Not someone immature like Connor.

  The voices filtered louder. “We all have lady coaches?” one said.

  “Figures the commish would tempt us with forbidden fruit,” one replied.

  “Let me remind you of the playbook, guys. The women are off-limits—they’re our coaches,” the first guy said.

  “The only coach I answer to is Hammer.” That was definitely Connor speaking in his smooth, southern accent.

  Figured that he’d say something like that.

  She soon realized that only three of the guys were in the conversation. One of them must’ve been out somewhere. It wasn’t like the students were relegated to the campus, but given the updates she’d received, they were all a bit like Connor, concerning Katerina that one of them was up to some nonsense.

  “The commish sent us here. Like it or not, he has more of a say in our careers than Hammer does. So for the next month, these women are our coaches and nothing more.”

  “Emphasis on women,” one said.

  “Hot women.” Again, that was Connor. He imitated a wolf howling.

  Katerina stopped by a statue draped in ivy. A full body flush worked its way through her. He couldn’t have been talking about her, could he have? She wasn’t hideous, but she wasn’t hot—at least she didn’t think of herself that way and certainly no one had ever commented on her attractiveness. As a ballerina, she was complimented on her poise, her weight, and how lovely she looked in costume. When she was in town, guys didn’t pay attention to her—not that she went out often.

  The football player’s voices floated back to her.

  “Not hot women, coaches,” the one with a low rumble of a voice said.

  The other, who wasn’t Connor added, “Would you date Coach Hammer?” He laughed.

  “Are you insane?” Connor asked.

  “Remember what Hammer said? If one of us screws up, we’re all out. We abide by the playbook rules. No kissing, no dating, eyes up, hands-off,” the low-toned football player said.

  “Those are all playbook don’ts. What about some dos?” Conner spoke again in his southern drawl.

  “Dos as in I do?”

  Loud laughter bounced off the stone walls of the courtyard.

  “Unless you fall in love. Then it’s okay. If she makes you an honest man then all bets are off.” That was the third guy. Katerina liked him the most so far.

  The sound of pushing and shoving—likely the guys teasing each other—tore her from the spot by the statue and she hurried through to the dining room.

  A few minutes later, Connor entered. At least he wasn’t late, but he hadn’t changed his outfit from earlier and into something suitable for dinner.

  The echo of his voice in the courtyard filtered through her mind as he moved toward the seat opposite her. She gritted her teeth. “Good evening, Mr. Wolfe.”

  “What’s up?” He sat down and as he lowered, his knee bumped hers. He didn�
�t apologize and she didn’t let on the way that the sensation zinged from the point of contact right into her belly at the same time she clenched her teeth even tighter. Was he some kind of barbarian? Raised in the jungle?

  He took a big slug of the water that was at his place setting.

  “Let’s try this again.” If nothing else, ballet training taught her patience.

  Seated across from each other at a small table for two, Connor looked up as though alarmed. Either that or he was concerned about the neoclassical painting of a general leading a charge into a bloody battle behind Katerina’s head. She couldn’t tell.

  Katerina instructed him on how to greet her properly.

  He sighed as though put out. “Do I have to? I mean, seriously, can’t we just go through the motions? I’m starving.”

  Maybe it shouldn’t have surprised her, but in all the years of teaching etiquette, she’d never had anyone so boldly suggest not doing the lessons. She’d had lazy students and people who simply didn’t understand, but Connor was obstinate.

  “I’m here to do my job so no we will not go through the motions. According to the information I received, you weren’t given a choice so I suggest you play by my rules or—”

  “Or?” he asked, interrupting.

  She pressed her lips together, feeling as though she were losing her cool. If he’d simply let her finish speaking. Instead, he’d rudely challenged her. “Or I will inform your commissioner that you failed, Mr. Wolfe.” She went on to explain her role as headmistress.

  “Does that mean you’re very organized, systematic, strict...” He trailed off. “Wait. Why did I get the headmistress and the other guys just got regular chicks?”

  She cast him a glare at the word choice. “Teachers.”

  “Were you warned that I’d be the most problematic?” He smirked.

  “No, Mr. Wolfe. I figured that out myself.”

  “Just Wolf,” he corrected.

  He leaned back in the chair as though he was fighting against sitting up straighter even though he had to be uncomfortable slouched like that in the upright wooden chair.