He finally responded, “She’d pay me more if you asked. Ask her after one of your boning sessions.”
“You’re crossing the line, Tommy.”
“Man, it ain’t like it’s a secret. Everybody knows you two are hitting the sheets on a regular basis. She got you so whipped that you can’t even ask a question?”
“Get out of my office.”
Tommy seemed to hear the danger in Drew’s tone and was instantly contrite. “Uh, look, sorry. I’m gone, but think about what I said, okay.”
Drew watched him go. Tommy’d only been with the team two years—two years too long, Drew decided and made a mental note to find another defensive back ASAP. He wanted Tommy Reed gone.
* * *
On the Fourth of July, the team members and their families began arriving at the Bloom mansion a bit past noon. Tasha met them personally, alongside a couple of clowns she’d hired for the day. Most of the children greeted the clowns with glee, but many of the toddlers screamed in terror. A mortified Tasha was reassured by the wife of Sammy King that all her children—and she had four—were terrified by clowns until they were older. Tasha thanked her and made a mental note to rethink adding clowns to team family events in the future.
The afternoon went well. There were hot dogs on the grill and a bunch of other food choices overseen by Carmen and her hired helpers, kite flying, sand castle contests and volleyball games. Tony was manning the bar—soft drinks only. The team wives were polite but standoffish at first, but seeing Tasha bouncing on the equipment with the kids melted the ice.
The team members also were stiff at first and remained that way as she ushered them into the boardroom for her meeting. Some of the wives wanted to attend. Tasha had no problem with that, and their husbands didn’t object, so the wives took seats, too.
The first thing on the agenda was a quick video update on the field. “I know the Freighters had to play all their games away last year because of the field, but that’s been fixed. Take a look.”
The monitor showed the field as it was and then with the improvements made by the small army of landscapers she’d contracted.
“Wow!” she heard one of the men say and applause and cheers filled the room.
Gone was the trash-filled, rut-filled sorry excuse for a playing field. In its place stood a freshly leveled surface surrounded by grass. “There’s still a lot of work to do on it, but it’ll be done in time for opening day.”
The stiff, skeptical faces were now smiling and viewing her as if impressed, and that pleased her.
“Now, I waved some money in the faces of the school board, and they are willing to sell the field to us. In exchange, I’ll refurb their athletic facilities and add a state-of-the-art weight room, donate a bunch of computers and help them out with some of their other financial needs.”
She could see the men exchanging more surprised looks. “Drew told me we don’t have many people coming out to watch us play, so we’re going to reinvent our team as family entertainment. The more local families we can involve in the operation, the more people will come out and buy tickets. With that in mind, I’ve made arrangements with one of the Pee Wee leagues to let them use our field for their games when we’re not playing. Their cheer team wants to cheer at our games, so I told them they could.”
“How old are they?” one of the wives asked.
“Ages six to ten, and I think they’ll be cute.”
The amused women nodded in agreement.
Tasha continued. “The high school’s Honor Society will run our concession stand in exchange for a cut of the profit. We’ll hold canned food drives in conjunction with the local Scouts and blood drives for the Red Cross and for anybody else who needs support. We’ll also be doing community service—like visiting the local hospitals and volunteering to read to the kids in the school district. Anything that will raise the profile of the Freighters in the community, I’m down.”
She scanned the faces and saw that many appeared to be on board. Tommy Reed looked skeptical and unimpressed. “Any questions, concerns or other ideas before I move on?”
Offensive lineman Donnie Ware asked, “This all sounds good but what about stuff like equipment and that hoopty bus of ours—you got a plan for that?”
“Yep. Drew?”
He stepped up and talked about the agreement Tash made with the school board. “Ms. Bloom’s already mentioned the upgrades to the district’s athletic facilities. In exchange, we get access to the new gym, weight room and track.”
Many of the team members shared impressed glances.
“We’ll also be getting a new bus.”
“But will the heat work?” somebody called out.
That brought laughter.
“Yes, the heat will work.”
Drew added, “I really like Ms. Bloom’s community service idea. I know some of you have day jobs that will affect whether you can volunteer or not, but if you can, I’m sending around a sign-up sheet. This isn’t a commitment—just a show of interest.”
As the paper made its way around the room and people began to sign, Tasha said, “And if any of the ladies feel they might want to help out, you’re welcome to put your name on the list, too.” Some of the wives told their husbands to add their names.
Tash noted that Tommy didn’t sign up. When Drew handed the list over, she stuck it in the file with her other papers and added, “I forgot something. Every person on this list who does volunteer will get a bonus of three hundred dollars added to their pay.”
Jaws dropped. It was obvious that those who hadn’t signed now wanted to sign, but it was too late. Not mentioning the bonus earlier had been deliberate. She’d wanted the men to sign up because it was the right thing to do, not because of the bonus.
Ignoring the anger in Tommy Reed’s eyes, she spent the next few minutes discussing the pay upgrade that would be available to those who made the team and her newly instituted incentive clauses for outstanding performance. Her grandfather never rewarded the players, so hearing that she would be willing to negotiate such an item sent a buzz through the room.
“I’m also going to be offering team members and their families health insurance. It’ll be a basic plan, but hopefully it’ll help your bottom line at home.”
Donnie Ware asked with a puzzled face, “For our families?”
“Yes, and if you don’t want the insurance, you don’t have to accept.”
He shook his head. “No, no. That wasn’t my question. I don’t think any of the other teams offer insurance for players’ families.”
“Ours does.”
She watched him turn to Sammy with such an incredulous look that Sammy smiled. For the next few minutes, the room was again abuzz with talk about the insurance and all the other things she’d laid on the table. Tasha saw Drew’s approval and that pleased her, too. She felt as if the meeting had gone a long way toward establishing trust in the new organization and in her as the new owner.
She and Drew spent the next half hour taking questions and listening to the players’ ideas on some of the items on the agenda. When she closed the meeting, most of the men came up to formally introduce themselves, thank her and shake her hand. More than a few said how great the season was going to be, and she wholeheartedly agreed. The pleased men and their wives departed to return to the cookout and she and Drew stood alone in the conference room.
After circling his arms around her waist, he looked down and said, “I think you impressed your team, Ms. Bloom.”
“I think I did, too. And did I impress the GM?”
“So much that I want to drag you into a closet and show you.”
She chuckled. “There are kids outside, remember?”
He stroked a finger down her cheek. “You’re no fun at all.”
“I know, but I will be.”
When darkness fell, the bonfire was lit on the beach, and the small company she’d hired to handle the fireworks took center stage. For an hour, Tasha and her guests were treated to a rousing display that evoked many oohs and ahhs. The finale proved to be well worth all the money she’d paid, and as the last flare winked out, she was sorry to see it end. It was then time for everyone to pack up and head home. She was given hugs goodbye from wives and players alike and kisses and hugs from their kids.
As she watched the last of them drive away into the night, she felt good, better than she had since the death of her grandfather, and vowed to have more events for her team family in the future.
Drew was the last person to leave. There was a national headliner performing at the club, and out of respect for the artist, he didn’t want to pawn his duties as owner off on Hazel. Tasha threaded her arm through his and walked him to his truck.
“You sure you don’t want to come hang out?” he asked.
“Dead as I am, I’ll probably fall asleep on the way. See you tomorrow?”
He placed a quick kiss on her brow. “Of course. Get some rest. It was nice of you to have everybody over, Tash. They’ll be talking about this for months.”
“Glad they had a good time but it was purely selfish in a way. Wanted them to get to know me, and I guess it worked.”
“It did.”
They shared another kiss. He drove off with a wave and she dragged herself up the stairs and into her now quiet home. Carmen’s hired crew was taking care of the cleanup. She didn’t see Carmen or Tony, though, so she went up to her room to shower and relax. Still feeling the high of the great day, she first stepped out onto her balcony that faced the lake. After all the laughter, music and celebrating, the night seemed beautifully still. She was whipped, but it was a happy whipped. Down on the beach she saw two people slow dancing in the moonlight and realized it was Carmen and Tony. She didn’t hear any music but it was obvious they didn’t need any. Happy to see them in each other’s arms, she tiptoed back inside.
She was glad the two of them were finally on the same page. What that meant in terms of their future employment with her wasn’t clear, but it didn’t matter. Their happiness was all she cared about. Before the year was out, she’d be putting the mansion on the market anyway and closing this chapter of her life. Word was still out on her immediate future, however. In the days after her grandfather’s funeral, she’d been all about getting the team up to speed and returning to her own little business empire, but now she didn’t know. She’d begun looking for office space so she could hire a small staff for the team, and once that was in place she could very easily return to work and run the operation from a distance if need be, especially with Drew as the GM, but her gut told her that wasn’t what she wanted to do. The only thing crystal clear was wanting Drew in her life for the rest of her life, but the question remained—did he want the same? The truth-speaking parts of her personality wanted to just flat-out ask and let the answer fall where it may, but the part of her that loved him was loath to take such a risk and maybe lose him altogether. Because of who she was and how she was raised, being indecisive had never been a problem before, but then again, she’d never been in love before.
CHAPTER 9
By the end of July word about the Freighters’ new owner and the generous pay and benefits package being offered to her players spread like wildfire. As a result, Drew and the newly hired coach, Brad Womack, found themselves hosting team tryouts for an unprecedented fifty men. Many of the hopefuls came from the other teams in the league. Their coaches and owners probably weren’t happy with the defections, but that wasn’t Drew’s concern. Thanks to Tasha, he was able to hire a full staff of coaches and a team trainer for the first time ever, and he no longer had to be coach, general manager and chief bottle washer anymore. Nothing seemed to be beyond the reach of the Bloom money, and as he stood on the sidelines of the brand-new field and watched the coaches put the players through the drills, he was glad she was on his side.
Not everyone felt that way, however. Tasha was seated at her desk in the office she’d leased to serve as the Freighters’ headquarters when Wade Blount, Sr. came barging in demanding, “I need to speak to you now!”
Behind him stood an angry Felicia Tate, the newly hired secretary. “I told him he didn’t have an appointment, Ms. Bloom.”
Tasha ignored the fuming commissioner. “Felicia, the next time he doesn’t have an appointment, just notify building security, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Shooting daggers at the fuming Blount, Felicia exited.
Tasha met his eyes boldly. “Don’t ever barge into my office again.”
“And you need to stop trying to upend my league. I want you to rescind the insurance package you’re offering to your families right now.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’ll take you to court.”
“On what grounds? Legally, you don’t have a leg to stand on and we both know it. There’s nothing in the league bylaws that says thou shall not give insurance coverage to family members.”
“Don’t get flippant with me, missy.”
“Then stop dealing with me like somebody you can intimidate.”
His jaws were so tight she thought he might burst. It was pretty obvious he was unaccustomed to being challenged, at least by a female. She wasn’t intimidated by high-powered men wearing five-thousand-dollar handmade Italian suits, so she certainly wasn’t going to turn tail and run from one in a gray jogging suit and running shoes—gold chain or not. She folded her arms and waited.
As if realizing his attempts at bullying weren’t going to work, he changed tactics and tried a more conciliatory tone. “But no one else is going to be able to match what you’re giving, Ms. Bloom. All the best players are jumping ship to come here.”
“Not true. Colonel Powell’s matching my offers and her players are staying put.” Tasha had had a long, friendly conversation with the owner of the Grand Rapids team just that morning. The lady owner welcomed Tasha into the league and then apologized in advance for having to beat the Freighters’ butts on her team’s journey to yet another championship. Tasha liked her instantly.
“Well, at least do me the courtesy of having the league pick your insurance vendor.”
“So you can get a kickback? I think not. We’re done here, Commissioner. And for the record, I meant what I said about calling security the next you come in here trying to throw your weight around. Now have a great day.”
He appeared on the verge of exploding again, but Tasha faced the fury calmly. He finally stormed out and slammed the door. As the echoes dissipated, she went back to the paperwork spread out on her desk. “Now, where was I?”
A few minutes later, she got a text from Drew that read: Tommy Reed arrested for drunk driving. Third offense in two years. Wants me to put up bail. Not!
Her reply. Can him!
Like spinach. C U later.
LOL K!
* * *
The first day of the season was the last Saturday in September. The weather was beautiful, the stands were full and the Freighters’ moppet cheer team, decked out in the team colors of blue and black, were shaking their new silver pom-poms and shouting their cheers while their proud parents videotaped and took pictures.
Tasha stood next to Drew on the sideline while the local high-school band played the national anthem. “This is so cool!”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and gave it a quick squeeze. “I have to admit I was skeptical that first night at the club, but you kick ass, girlfriend.”
“Why, thank you, Mr. General Manager. You had a lot to do with this, too, you know.”
“I did, but you carried the weight and did a damn good job.”
The sigh
t of the captains taking the field for the coin toss drew their attention, and a few minutes later the game began.
Their opponent was Colonel Virginia Powell’s Grand Rapids Lumberjacks and the Jacks scored a field goal on their first possession, much to the disappointment of the home crowd. The Freighters answered right back, however. Guided by their new quarterback, they marched the length of the field and scored a touchdown. Tasha and the crowd went wild. At halftime the game was tied at ten. The band treated everyone to a nice halftime show, but an anxious Tasha wanted them to hurry up and get off the field so the second half could be played. Once it did, the Freighters did well, but the final score was Lumberjacks 21–Freighters 17.
On the drive back to his place, Drew took in her solemn face. “We play them again next week at their place. We’ll get them then.”
“I wanted to win.”
“I know, baby. We all did. Coach Womack’s pretty disappointed. Team played well, though.”
“They did and I’m pleased, but a W would’ve been a nice way to kick off the season.”
He chuckled. “How about I treat you to some dinner and some loving? That ought to make you smile.”
When he glanced over she was grinning.
But they lost to the Jacks the next game, too, and as she and Drew made the long drive home from the western side of the state, they were both glum.
Tasha said, “I don’t think making love’s going to fix this one, babe.”
“You may be right.”
“How could we not score any points?” The score this time: seventeen to zip.
He shook his head and sighed.
“Our guys looked so promising last week at home.”
“I know. Season’s not over. Long way to go to the championship game on New Year’s Day.”
“If we lose next week to Kevin Blount, I’m jumping off the Ambassador Bridge.”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
You Sang to Me Page 44
