Payoff Pitch (Philadelphia Patriots)

by V. K. Sykes

  “No, there damn well aren’t,” his father brusquely replied. “And even if I had somebody that I could live with as the next president, I want to retire knowing that the leadership of the company is still in the family’s hands. In your hands, Noah.” His dark gaze, so like Noah’s own, narrowed even more. “I know you won’t let me down, son.”

  He could see why his father thought he was making good sense. The timing was probably right, if Noah was ready to call his baseball career over and done. But he’d barely begun to think in those gruesome terms.

  “Whatever decision I make is going to depend on what’s going on with my shoulder and the prognosis for when I’ll be able to make a full recovery. I can’t—I won’t—make any decisions until I have a better idea what’s happening on that front.” He switched his glance to Levi and then back to his father. “I hope you both get that. And I hope this discussion will be the last on that subject until such time as I tell you otherwise.”

  His father gave him an odd smile he couldn’t quite interpret. “Fine. Let’s leave it there for now. But would you allow us to run an idea past you? One only tangentially related to the discussion you’ve just terminated?”

  Noah shrugged. As if he had much choice. But before his father could elaborate, the server arrived and with their breakfasts. Glancing at his watch and noting that Teddy’s scheduled arrival was only minutes away, he started wolfing down his meal.

  His father took a couple of bites and then put his fork down and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin. “One of the reasons we made this trip was to meet with representatives of the other companies operating in the Marcellus region. You’re probably aware that there’s a coalition there that’s opposed to using fracturing technology anywhere in the state. They’re fighting for new regulations that would make it a damn sight harder and more costly to properly exploit the land leases our company has already signed.” He made a face that conveyed his disgust. “In fact, in a worst case scenario, there could be a state-wide moratorium declared on fracking, and God only knows when—or if—it would be lifted. That could spell an end to gas development in the Marcellus and would be some very bad news for Baron.”

  Noah shot him a skeptical look. “I doubt that’s going to happen. Not the way public opinion is running.” The polls he’d seen recently had the population supporting drilling, though by a fairly narrow margin. Still, most people were happy for the business flowing into the area.

  His father looked down his nose at him. “Noah, we can’t afford to be blasé about it. It will happen if the industry doesn’t push back, and push back in a forceful and systematic fashion. These anti-fracking people are zealots. They’ve got money, not to mention lawyers who are probably willing to work for free. It’s like a damn crusade for people like that.”

  Noah didn’t think Teddy fit into the category of “zealot”, but his father would probably stick that label on her once he heard how strongly opposed she was to fracking. He started to wonder how stupid he might have been to push her to come here today.

  He tried for a casual tone. “So, what’s all that got to do with me?”

  His dad smiled. “Glad you asked. Levi, since you came up with the idea, why don’t you lay it out for your brother? I’d like to take care of these eggs before they get cold.”

  Levi eagerly took up the conversation. “Our industry group has been trying to hammer out a media campaign to counter the opposition groups’ propaganda and block the worst of any regulatory changes. Almost all the prep work has been done—the strategy and tactics developed, the ad copy written, and the budget set. The media buys are done, too. The last major item to nail down is a public spokesman for the campaign.”

  Noah’s radar flipped to full, screaming alert mode. He glanced at his dad, but Adam Cade had his head down, seemingly engrossed in his breakfast.

  “We looked into using a local TV personality,” his brother continued, “and even narrowed it down to a couple of names. But an idea popped into my head not long after we talked about our plans to see you on this trip. I thought to myself, how could there be a better spokesman than a star pitcher for the Philadelphia Patriots?”

  Noah stared at his brother in disbelief.

  Levi gave him an encouraging smile. “Yeah, you, bro. Noah Cade, the man just about every last soul in eastern Pennsylvania roots for. A man with no known political agenda. A proud American who only wants to do the right thing for his country.”

  Noah snorted. “And a shareholder in one of the biggest gas drillers in the region, not to mention the son of the company president. Oh, yeah, I’d be seen as totally credible on the issue.”

  His father put down his fork and rested his elbows on the table, interlacing his fingers. “Nobody expects a public spokesman to be impartial, son. You know that. Most of them are hired guns. As far as we’re concerned, you’d have a lot more credibility—and juice—with the average John and Jane than some actor we pay to shill our point of view.”

  “There’s a reason why everybody uses celebrities to push their stuff,” Levi argued. “People tend to believe them even when they know they’re being paid to promote the product or the idea. Look, we’ll make sure the scripts emphasize that you’re just a regular American guy. A guy concerned about the environment, yes, but even more concerned about having to rely on other countries for our energy. You’d be seen as telling the truth about the pros and cons of developing shale gas, and giving people the cold facts they need to make an informed decision.”

  “Facts which just happen to support drilling,” Noah said cynically.

  Levi shook his head. “You’d acknowledge the other side’s concerns. But you’d leave people with a balanced impression, one that comes down on the side of using the abundance of energy that’s sitting right under here our feet.”

  “Levi’s idea is smart,” his father said, smiling at his younger son. “The other companies will jump on board for it. I’ve already run the concept by some of the CEOs I trust to keep their mouths shut.” He flipped his gaze back to Noah. “You should do this, son. It’ll be good for everyone, including the country. Including you. It’ll stand you in damn good stead when you take your place in the company.”

  Noah sighed and put down his fork as he tried to process all the implications of the proposal. His first instinct had been to dismiss it out of hand. What had stopped him, though, was that persistent feeling of guilt when it came to his family—the sense that he owed them. After all, he’d happily flown from the nest when was drafted by the Rangers after his sophomore year in college. In the thirteen years since, he’d contributed absolutely nothing to the company or to his family, other than helping out Aunt Roz with the Poodles.

  Yeah, he got to play the baseball hero while his father and brother were slogging away in the corporate trenches. And they’d always supported his dream and been proud of what he’d accomplished on the field.

  The idea of acting as the public face of something didn’t bother him. He’d done dozens of product endorsements over his career and was currently under six contracts for stuff ranging from trucks to cereal to fishing gear. Speaking in public had never been a problem either. Years of sports banquets and press conferences had made him more than comfortable with a microphone in his hand.

  But then there was Teddy, who was figuring larger than she probably should in every decision he made. He knew if he agreed to this idea, she’d probably run him over with her SUV.

  Time. He needed some time to fully absorb this potentially life-shifting proposal, much less respond to it.

  He cautiously eyed his father and brother. “Look, I get why you think this might be a good idea. And you know I don’t want to let you guys down.”

  “I hear a but coming,” his father said.

  Noah held up his hands. “It’s just that I need some time to get my head around this, okay? Look, I hope you don’t want me to decide now, because in that case the answer would be no.”

  “No, no. Of course you ne
ed to think on it,” his father said. “Two or three days won’t make any difference. But we do need to know quick, son, like the beginning of next week. Because if it’s a no, and I sure as hell hope it isn’t, we’ll need to get moving fast on our other options.”

  Noah shrugged. “Sorry, but I can’t guarantee to meet your timetable.”

  Now his father adopted a wounded look, the one that Noah was convinced he’d trademarked. The one designed to make his sons feel guilty and usually worked. “But I know you’ll do your very best, Noah.”

  Then he seemed abruptly switched gears. “Now, tell me about this young lady you’re foisting on us this morning. Levi tells me she’s your dog walker? Did I hear that right?”

  Noah rolled his eyes at his father’s dismissive tone. “All you need to know is that Teddy’s smart and decent and cares about what’s happening in the part of the state where she grew up. You should listen to what she has to say, just like I’m sure she’ll listen to you.”

  His father looked even more pained, if that was possible. “We’re doing this for you, son. I just hope she isn’t some crazy-assed radical. We’ve had more than enough of those wet-behind-the-ears nut jobs trying to get in our faces.”

  Noah snorted. “Way to keep an open mind, Dad. I guarantee you she’s no nut job. She grew up on a dairy farm and wants to be a lawyer. She’s totally normal and as nice as they come.”

  His father’s lips quirked up in a sly smile. “Well, she certainly seems to have made an awfully strong impression on you.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Noah noticed Levi’s mouth dipping open as he stared over his father’s shoulder. When Noah followed that gaze, he saw a young, sweet-faced goddess walking toward their table. A vision in a dress that outlined all her curves and showcased her killer legs, Teddy Quinn totally robbed him of breath.

  “Well,” his father said after swiveling his head to look, “now I understand why she made such a big impression on you.”

  - 19 -

  A man who was clearly Noah’s brother quickly rose as Teddy approached their table. He circled around Noah to stand near the empty chair next to his father. Obviously, he wanted her to sit beside Noah, and for that she could only be grateful. Noah got up, too, an appreciative expression on his face as his gaze drifted over her.

  Very appreciative.

  Last to rise was the baron of Baron Energy, Adam Cade. As the sixty-something, broad-shouldered man turned to greet her, Teddy registered that he looked a lot older than the impressive photo on the company website. Still, Cade remained a handsome man who radiated power and wealth, and she couldn’t suppress a pang of apprehension, maybe even intimidation. What the hell was she doing in this opulent restaurant, about to be put under a microscope by a man who surely chewed up and spit out people like her for a living?

  Noah brushed past his father and reached out to give her a warm hug. “You look absolutely fantastic, babe,” he whispered in her ear. “Let’s get a room here when we’re done with these guys.”

  Even though Teddy nearly choked on his comment, she knew he was pulling her leg—probably as an attempt to distract her from the prospect of facing a phalanx of Cades. But the instinctive flutter she felt in her belly signaled that a big part of her wished he wasn’t kidding.

  “You must be Miss Quinn,” Adam Cade said in a slow drawl. He stuck out a big, rough hand, looking and sounding every inch the Texas oilman. “Good to meet you.”

  “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Cade. And please call me Teddy.” She shook his hand, thankful he didn’t try to crush hers. “And you must be Levi,” she said to Noah’s smiling brother. While not as handsome as Noah, there was no mistaking the strong family resemblance. Levi’s hair was a lighter shade than Noah’s and his features a little less rugged, but his brown eyes were just as kind.

  Adam Cade’s midnight eyes, on the other hand, looked to Teddy like a thunderstorm roiling on the horizon.

  “Great to meet you, Teddy,” Levi said. His gaze took a quick dip over her figure, then he cut a sideways grin at Noah.

  This dress certainly is a big hit.

  It never ceased to amaze her how much difference it seemed to make to guys when she wore a dress, let her hair fall free, and applied a little basic makeup. She was beginning to wonder what Noah saw in her in the first place because she’d been slumming in dog clothes most every time she saw him.

  “I’m starting to think I should get a dog, too,” Levi joked. “At least if I could find a dog walker in Dallas even half as pretty as you are, Teddy.”

  Teddy felt herself blushing, torn between annoyance and appreciation of the flattery. She decided to give the remark a pass because the Cade men so obviously believed in old school, Southern charm. Besides, climbing onto her feminist high horse this early in the race would hardly do her any favors.

  Noah pulled out the chair next to him. Teddy hung her handbag over the back and sat down facing Levi—an advantage to her since it meant she wasn’t directly across from the intimidating Mr. Adam Cade.

  She smiled her thanks at Noah and then took a quick glance out the window at Logan Square, appreciating the view. This was the first time she’d set foot in the wildly upscale Four Seasons. She could imagine the small fortune that the Cade family was dropping on their rooms and meals. Then again, it was probably just pocket change to oil tycoons.

  After the server brought another carafe of coffee, they chatted for a few moments about the dogs. At Noah’s prompting, Teddy gave a sanitized version of Toby’s incident the previous evening. Then Noah added that he was going to head to the vet’s to pick up the dog as soon as they were done here. But three or four minutes of small talk was clearly as much as Adam Cade could tolerate. He cast a none-too-subtle glance at his watch.

  “Well, Teddy,” the older man said, “I understand that you hail from Susquehanna County and that you have some concerns about the drilling going on up there.” He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. “I don’t have long this morning, but I’d be glad to listen to anything you have to say.”

  Teddy returned his smile with one that surely looked just as forced. “Mr. Cade, let me start by saying that Pendulum Oil and Gas has been after my father for some time now to sign a lease for the mineral rights on our land. So, the drilling issue hits close to home for my family.”

  Cade nodded, his poker face revealing nothing.

  “And Baron is very active in our area, too,” she added. “Some of our neighbors have signed leases with your company.”

  “We don’t negotiate directly with landowners over leases,” Levi quickly interjected. “That’s handled by another company on our behalf.”

  Teddy nodded but decided to ignore what she thought was an irrelevant detail. “Like many of our neighbors, my family has seen what happens when drilling rigs move onto the land. Fracking changes everything for us, and it’s obviously a serious threat to the local environment. So, I want to start by making it clear that we’re not interested in turning our farm into a gas field. Ours is one piece of countryside that companies like yours won’t get their hands on, ever.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Noah give an almost imperceptible flinch. Okay, maybe she was starting off like a bit of a ball-buster, but the Cades needed to know right up front where she and her father stood on fracking.

  Adam Cade tilted his head to inspect her, looking faintly amused. “Are you by any chance involved with that anti-fracking coalition we’ve been hearing about, Teddy? Because that kind of rhetoric sounds awfully familiar.”

  “Dad, don’t start,” Noah said in a warning voice.

  His father held up his hands in a placating gesture.

  “It’s all right, Noah,” Teddy said. As grateful as she was for his support, she’d anticipated that she’d be patronized this morning and was prepared to rebuff it if she had to. “And the answer to your question, Mr. Cade, is no. I’m not directly involved with that group since I’m kept busy here in Philadelphia with my business
and schoolwork. But I do support what they’re trying to do in terms of beefing up the regulations on the industry. I support that a hundred percent.”

  When Cade’s eyes narrowed, Noah slid his hand onto her thigh and gave it a quick squeeze. “I thought you were here to listen to Teddy this morning,” he said to his father, “not grill her.”

  “Grill her?” Cade’s eyes opened wide in a phony assumption of wounded innocence. “I just asked her a simple question.”

  Noah’s gentle grip on her thigh warmed her and helped settled her nerves. How much of her reaction was from the sheer pleasure of his touch and how much was from gratitude for the gesture of support was something she’d analyze later.

  “Have you spent any time in my county, Mr. Cade?” Teddy asked in as calm a tone as she could manage.

  Cade gave her a stone-faced stare.

  “Sure,” Levi said. “We did a run through a while ago with our people on the ground up there.”

  Teddy frowned. “A run through? I’m not sure exactly what that entails, but I hope you managed to give some time and thought to the consequences of rushing to stick a drill on every piece of land you and the other companies can get your hands on. And that’s what so much of this feels like to the locals—a crazy rush.”

  When Cade started to respond, Noah held up a hand. “Why don’t we let Teddy get out what she wants to say without interruption? Then you can say your piece, Dad.”

  His father leaned back in his chair, spreading his hands as if to say whatever.

  “Go ahead, Teddy,” Noah said with an encouraging smile.

  She gave him a weak smile back, painfully aware of how generously he was handling the tense meeting. It made her feel more than a little guilty that she’d been so tough on him the last few days.

  “Honestly, I don’t want to be argumentative, gentlemen,” she said, staring earnestly at the senior Cade. “I simply think it’s vital that the people at the top of the food chain understand the consequences for the folks on the ground. The folks who have to live on that land every day. Many of our families have been there for generations and hope that many more generations will follow after them.”