by Lea Coll
Her question had me thinking about whether Dylan would have had a connection with one of those guys instead. If she had, they would have readily agreed to help her. Chase or Jonah would be in my seat agreeing to work with her. Would something have happened between them? I didn’t like the thought.
I was delaying the inevitable. If Lena wanted the team to partner with Kids Speak, we would. My contract dictated my participation, my role as captain demanded it.
Lena’s always present confident smile slid off her face. “Reid. You’re a captain on this team—”
“I’ll do it.” I was ready to be done with this conversation.
Lena nodded once before smiling. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“I have one stipulation.”
Lena raised her brow.
“I don’t want to be a spokesman. I’m not smooth like Jonah or Chase.”
I hated the weakness in my voice. I was so confident about football, my ability to catch a ball, block a player, contribute to the team, in any way except for this.
“I don’t think that’s necessary. From what I understand, you’ll mentor kids with speech disorders, giving them confidence and hope.” Her eyes shined with excitement. When she predicted something would be a success, she was usually right.
She made things sound doable. How could I say no, even if the thought of being in a room with Dylan made me sweat?
“You need to convince Ms. Gannon to expand into Baltimore. If not, we won’t partner with Kids Speak. It’s nonnegotiable. Callie scheduled a meeting with everyone at the Annapolis Yacht Club on Friday. I already spoke with Jonah and Chase. I want you there, too.”
I ground my teeth together. Why would Callie have said that? What did I tell her that would indicate I had some pull with Dylan? “I’ll do anything to help the team.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” Lena smiled before turning her attention back to her computer.
I headed home, trepidation for this joint venture setting in.
I couldn’t get Dylan’s face out of my mind when she was talking about Kids Speak. She had a way with words. I was caught up in the moment, hanging on to every word that fell from her red lips. In that moment, I wanted to help her. I wanted to do whatever she asked.
Chapter Seven
REID
Riding with Chase and Jonah to the meeting with the other owners of Kids Speak was a welcome distraction. If I was alone, I’d fixate on what to say.
I couldn’t argue with my father’s assessment that the way I spoke affected people’s opinions of me. If it altered my father’s impression of my intelligence, what would strangers think? Online trolls were quick to strike down a perceived weakness of an athlete or celebrity.
“You ready for everything your title of captain entails? More responsibility? More interviews?” Chase turned his face to me briefly before turning his attention to the road again. The three of us were team captains this year. Chase as the starting quarterback and Jonah as a wide receiver were veterans in this position. They were used to this leadership position, seemingly taking on all responsibilities in stride.
Chase knew me better than anyone else on the team. He knew I was apprehensive about taking this position even though I wanted it badly.
“As much as I can be.” Which was to say not at all. As proud as I was to be a captain, a leader on the team, it hadn’t escaped my notice that it was tough to be a leader when you were afraid to speak, afraid of the inevitable judgment.
“This is the fun stuff.” Jonah leaned forward in his seat to talk to us in the front. “Speaking to beautiful women about what they need from us…”
I twisted my neck to see his face in the dim back seat. “How do you know?”
“Lena showed me the picture of the women at a fundraiser—a red head, a brunette, and a blonde.”
“I have to say I’m partial to the blonde. There was something about her,” Chase added.
“They might not be single.” My lips pressed into a tight line, knowing what he was referring to. Her vivacious personality came out through a photograph. Unease unfurled in my stomach.
What would I do if Jonah or even Chase was interested in her tonight? I had no intention of making a move on her. I didn’t want them to either.
“I only need one.” Jonah leaned back in his seat, comfortable and relaxed.
Jonah was focused on the field, easygoing off. Would he be more Dylan’s type or did she take chances on guys who were quieter?
“You already met with one of the women, didn’t you? What was your impression?” Chase asked.
I shifted on the leather seat. “I met Dylan Gannon. All I know is that she won the blind date in Kids Speak’s silent auction to pitch to us.”
“Gutsy. I like it.” Jonah’s voice was full of admiration.
“She could be manipulating the situation.” I couldn’t ignore the fact that people usually wanted things from us, whether it was attention, time, or money. Dylan wanted to be associated with the team, not me. I was a means to an end. It was disappointing because there was a moment when we met when I thought there might be something between us.
Chase glanced at me briefly before turning his attention back to the road. “That’s harsh. She owns a nonprofit. She’s not some groupie you met at a club.”
She wasn’t. At least not from what I was able to glean online. Her family was involved in the community. Her father owned several local businesses. Her mother was head of various local committees, helping the disabled, sick, and needy. Her family appeared to be kindhearted. Was it because they were nice people or was it to further their businesses?
Had Dylan learned that particular skill from them? Dylan and her partners were trying to start a new law firm too. If the firm was affiliated with a professional football team, it could help her get more clients. Was that her goal or was she solely focused on Kids Speak?
Chase pulled in front of a brick building with an awning over the entrance, the words Annapolis Yacht Club etched on it. The valet opened my door. The breeze smelled like the bay. My nerves kicked in as soon as I stepped out of Chase’s car. Despite my misgivings, I was excited to see her again. I wanted to see if that chemistry I’d felt when we shook hands was still there.
“Ah. I love Annapolis. Wish I made it out here more often.” Jonah moved to stand next to me as we waited for Chase to round the hood, nodding to the valet.
“Ready to go in?” Chase stuffed his hands in his pockets.
Jonah took a step toward the door. “Let’s go. I’m dying for a drink”
It was our bye week, so we had the weekend off. We could drink if we wanted to. But I needed to keep a clear head. Alcohol made my brain less sharp, my speech issues more noticeable.
We walked inside, heading toward the bar where Callie said we’d meet the women. After a quick scan of the room, I noticed her.
I tried and failed to ignore the way Dylan slowly turned, taking us in. Her black cocktail dress clung to every curve, her hair fell in thick waves over her shoulders. Dylan’s gaze paused on me, her lips tilted up into a knowing smile as if she knew a secret. One I desperately wanted to discover.
Chase held his hand out to Hadley, then Dylan. “Chase Crawford. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Dylan turned her attention to Chase, her smile widening as she greeted him.
Dylan shook my hand last. When our fingers met, a slow buzz started in my ears, making it difficult to remember what I’d planned to say.
Her words came to me as if from far away. “It’s so nice to see you again, Reid.”
I nodded, my face growing warm. I sensed Jonah and Chase watching our interaction.
“Would you like a drink?” Hadley asked.
“I’ll order.” Chase stepped up to the bar.
I needed something to occupy my hands so that I didn’t reach out to touch Dylan, seeing if her skin was as soft as it looked.
When we had our drinks, Chase said, “Whatever Dylan said to Reid mu
st have impressed him enough to forward your information to the front office. Tell us what we can do for you.”
I was grateful he took the lead. It not only saved me from speaking, it allowed me to observe Dylan. When she turned slightly to face Chase, I noticed her dress dipped low in the back. My fingers itched to caress her bare skin.
I ripped my eyes from Dylan as Hadley launched into her plans for Kids Speak. She spoke with the same confidence Dylan had. I was a little surprised Dylan didn’t take the lead as the group’s self-proclaimed public relations representative. But it made sense to hear from the creator first.
Jonah took a long sip of his beer, considering her over his bottle. When he lowered it to his side, he said, “That sounds great but don’t kids already have assistance through school, like an IEP?”
My eyes snapped to Jonah, surprised he knew what an IEP was.
Hadley’s smile was knowing. “It sounds like you know something about education. Our program is after school. We’re not confined by the limitations of an IEP. We don’t place limits on how far behind you have to be to obtain help.”
Jonah nodded. “I had an IEP for dyslexia. My mother was an expert at getting the services I needed from the school. Obviously, I turned out fine, graduated from college, played ball. It didn’t hold me back.”
I didn’t know that Jonah struggled with any aspect of schooling. He was always so sure of himself, confident.
“That’s the thing. Not everyone qualifies for services. In Maryland, if you’re less than twenty-five percent delayed you won’t. If you can’t afford private assistance, there might not be any help for you.”
“So, you help the people who aren’t already getting services?” Jonah asked as if for clarification.
“Sometimes parents are unhappy with the services the schools are supplying. Not every school has a full-time speech language pathologist. It’s not consistent enough to encourage improvement. We supplement on a case-by-case basis. Our priority is for the kids who fall short of qualifying.”
I loved that they were helping kids who wouldn’t get it otherwise. The kids who fell through the cracks. If this had been offered in my school, would I have gotten the help I needed? “How do you…” I thought carefully about my words, “identify each child if they haven’t been tested?”
I wanted to ask if they didn’t have parents that advocated on their behalf. Instead, I fell silent knowing I couldn’t say the word parents without faltering. When I was nervous or people’s attention was on me, my impediment was worse. The more time I spent with Dylan the more nervous I was in her presence, exponentially increasing my odds of slipping up.
Hadley exchanged a look with Dylan I couldn’t decipher. “That’s the hard part. We work closely with the schools to identify those who need help but don’t qualify for more robust services. But there are kids who might not have parents advocating on their behalf. We haven’t figured out a way to reach each child yet. We’re open to any suggestions.”
Her implication was clear. She wanted to know if I had any idea how to reach those kids. I couldn’t say anything without revealing my history. I wasn’t prepared to do that now or ever if I could help it.
Jonah jumped in, saving me from responding. “I come from the perspective of parents fighting to get what their kid needed. I can see how some kids wouldn’t have that.”
“Oh good. Avery’s here,” Hadley said, nodding toward a petite brunette making her way to us.
“Avery handles most of the behind-the-scenes organizational things, fundraisers, money, the silent auction,” Hadley said.
Dylan tipped her head toward Avery. “She’s the one who procured the last investor.”
“I thought you brought in the investors?” I quickly lifted my beer bottle to my mouth to cover the r which came out sounding more like a w. Hopefully, no one noticed.
Hadley smiled at her. “Avery had a way with this particular investor.”
Avery shifted on her feet, her eyes shifting away from us.
It made me think there was a story between whoever this investor was and her.
“Avery Arrington, nice to meet you. Sorry I was late.”
Dylan touched her arm. “You weren’t. We were early.”
Dylan turned her attention to us. “I’m excited that you’re interested in being involved with Kids Speak. I don’t have to tell you how much it will mean to these kids that you took time out of your busy schedules to meet with them.”
I was ashamed I was more worried about what volunteering meant for me, not the kids.
Chase leaned against the bar. “We enjoy meeting kids in the community but we’re in season right now. There might be scheduling issues.”
“Of course. We’ve thought about that. We’d definitely work around your schedule.” Dylan smiled at me.
When she smiled it did something to my insides, something I wasn’t ready to acknowledge. It made me wonder if she’d been researching me, or even watched our game last Sunday. The prospect excited me.
Lena wanted me to convince her to expand their program into Baltimore. I didn’t want them to get excited about a possible partnership if the location wasn’t something they’d be interested in. “The team’s involvement comes with one stipulation. They want you to expand into the city.”
Hadley’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? We hadn’t planned on opening a new location so quickly. We wanted to solidify our position in Annapolis first.”
“If you expand into the city, the team will back you financially to make it feasible.” I’d practiced this at home, so I knew the words I could use without any issues. The key to this was to make it sound relaxed, not rehearsed. I wasn’t sure I was successful. My words sounded stilted.
Hadley’s brow furrowed.
“It will be easier for us to meet with kids closer to home,” Jonah said.
“Obviously, you should discuss it more with Lena Vickers. She’s the head of marketing,” Chase said.
“She wanted me to let you know the team’s position. You don’t have to make a decision now.”
“This is an amazing opportunity,” Avery said carefully as if she was mulling over the new development.
Hadley’s face fell. “Would you be able to work with the other kids off-season? I hate that the kids in Annapolis would miss out.”
If Hadley wasn’t interested in moving Kids Speak to Baltimore, I wouldn’t have another reason to see Dylan. Seeing her again solidified that I hadn’t been wrong, there was an attraction there. Whether it was one-sided remained to be seen.
“I don’t see why not.” The words were out of my mouth before I could censor myself.
Dylan looked at me, a mixture of surprise and respect on her face.
I preferred her admiration as opposed to her disappointment when I told her I didn’t want to volunteer at our first meeting.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to volunteer at all until I listened to Jonah and Hadley speak about how much it would mean to the kids. It was their reluctance to take Baltimore’s money if it meant the Annapolis kids missed out. It was admirable they wouldn’t compromise their program or the kids for a promise of money.
“I think we can manage that. Other players might be interested as well. Maybe we could do a little clinic for them.” Chase rubbed his chin, thinking of other options.
I was proud to be part of a team that wanted to help kids. I was excited about teaching football, something I was confident I could do.
“That would be amazing. Let me know what you’re thinking, we can work on it together.” Dylan addressed Chase, which I didn’t like.
Panic filled me that Chase or Jonah would step up. Working together meant time alone. Dylan was seemingly immune to our fame. She was unique in our world. Another player would recognize it sooner rather than later.
I preferred she work with me. “I can take lead on that.”
Chase looked at me, his brow raised. “You can?”
“Yeah. I don’t like the idea of
the Annapolis kids missing out.”
Chase seemed to accept that.
“Thank you guys, so much, for meeting with us. I really appreciate your enthusiasm. I think we should discuss it between ourselves before we make a decision,” Hadley said.
“Did you have any more questions for us?” Dylan asked.
I almost thought she didn’t want the evening to end, that she was angling for a way to lengthen our time together. I’d gone from dreading this meeting to wondering how I could see her again. Would I be her contact in Baltimore to set up the program? My heart rate picked up at the thought.
Jonah moved closer to Dylan and Hadley, asking questions about how the program worked in the schools, describing his own difficulties in school, feeling like he wasn’t smart because he didn’t learn the same way other kids did, the relief when he was finally diagnosed.
Chase shifted from his spot at the bar to me. “Dude. What was that about?”
“What do you mean?”
“You not wanting to volunteer, then jumping at the opportunity to work with Dylan?”
I shrugged. I had no defense for my actions. I hoped he didn’t notice my attraction to her.
He considered me before nodding toward Dylan. “You like her.”
“She’s beautiful, intelligent and motivated. Anyone would be lucky to have a shot with—” I wanted to say her. My face heated as the seconds ticked. I finally settled on, “Dylan.”
“You say that when you’d be lucky to have her.”
Chase had an uncanny ability to read between the lines. I turned my back to the women so they couldn’t hear what we were discussing. “I don’t want to date in season.”
That was the excuse I told the guys even though I didn’t date in general.
“I get that. If these women are single,” he nodded toward Hadley, Dylan, and Avery, “the other guys are going to snatch them up. They’re either not sports fans or unimpressed with our fame. They’re classy and sophisticated.”
I chuckled without any humor.
“You better make a move before someone else does.” He gestured at Jonah.
