Fast Break

by Regina Hart

  DeMarcus’s gaze slid away from hers. Not a good sign. He was scaring her.

  He ran his hand over his close-cropped hair. “I can’t give you an exact time. But I promise I was going to tell you today.”

  Her knees gave out. Jaclyn dropped into the visitor’s chair behind her. “Why didn’t you tell me yesterday after Andrea met with you?”

  DeMarcus circled his table and took the chair on Jaclyn’s right. “I went to see Gerry after Andrea left. I told him, if he kept pushing the story, I would tell the media he planned to move the team.”

  He seemed confident that his warning had convinced Gerald not to pursue the libelous piece. Based on Andrea’s update this morning, he was wrong.

  Jaclyn gave him a flat look. “Your tactics didn’t work, Marc. The drug dealer called at least one other paper this morning.”

  DeMarcus stood and paced the room. “Then I’ll have to make good on my own threat.”

  Jaclyn tunneled her fingers into her hair. Her head was spinning. Andrea had told DeMarcus a drug dealer claimed to be his supplier. DeMarcus had exchanged threats with Gerald. All of this had happened yesterday without DeMarcus saying a peep to her.

  She heard the blood rushing through her veins. “Why didn’t you tell me this last night?”

  “You were having dinner with Violet, discussing the Empire. I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

  Her temper snapped. Jaclyn shot out of the chair and stormed after him. “That’s absurd. Gerry’s shopping a story—a lie!—that will not only ruin your reputation but also damage my team. Trust me, dinner and Vi would have waited.”

  DeMarcus turned to face her. “I was handling the situation.”

  Jaclyn froze. “You were handling it?”

  His expression grew cautious. “Yes.”

  “What’s my role, Marc?”

  DeMarcus frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Jaclyn struggled to rein in her emotions. This was business. Then why did it feel so personal? “If you’re here to handle crises for the franchise, what’s my role?”

  “You’re already dealing with Gerry’s other schemes.”

  Could he hear himself? He couldn’t possibly. “You’re going to pick and choose which problems I work on?”

  “I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job.”

  “It certainly appears that way.”

  “I’m trying to help you.”

  She was able to control her tone despite her growing agitation. “You thought I was too busy to be told about the libelous article concerning my head coach, which Gerry was shopping to the papers?”

  DeMarcus shoved his hands into the front pockets of his black warm-up pants. “I thought I could handle it.”

  Jaclyn had heard enough. “Do you want to know what I think? I think you don’t like having me for a boss.”

  “What?” He sounded stunned.

  “Do you resent reporting to me specifically or women in general?”

  DeMarcus pulled his hands from his pockets and hooked them onto his hips. “Now you’re the one being absurd.”

  Jaclyn shook her head. “I don’t think so. What am I supposed to believe when you withhold critical information from me regarding my team?”

  DeMarcus paced his office. “It was a judgment call to talk to Gerry before I spoke to you.”

  “You exhibited very poor judgment.” Jaclyn tracked DeMarcus’s movements around his office. “And this isn’t the first time.”

  DeMarcus frowned at her over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”

  Jaclyn raised her right arm toward his desk. “We’ve had this conversation before, right here in your office. You were sitting in your chair. I was sitting on the corner of your desk. I told you I needed to know everything that affected the team from tensions between the players and coaches to problems with the equipment. Do you remember that?”

  “I thought I had autonomy.” DeMarcus faced Jaclyn. He seemed to vibrate with anger.

  Jaclyn narrowed her eyes. What did he have to be angry about? “Don’t try to paint me as some sort of control freak. I’m not a figurehead sitting at a desk approving expense reports all day. If you can’t handle my being your boss, you should have said so that night in Atlanta.”

  Silence slammed into the room. Jaclyn stared at DeMarcus. His tall, lean, well-muscled body she loved to explore. His shared passion for the NBA. His quick wit and great sense of humor. She’d thought he was perfect for her. Deep down, were they really so incompatible? Realization was a crushing blow to her heart.

  “What are you saying?” DeMarcus’s words came on a faint breath.

  She wouldn’t cry. “I told you we needed to keep our personal and professional lives separate if this relationship was going to work.”

  DeMarcus went cold. His heart clenched. He was losing her. Dammit. What could he say? What should he do to turn this around? “How did my talking to Gerry cross the line from professional to personal?”

  Jaclyn’s eyes were sad. She was already saying good-bye. “If I were Donnie Walsh, president of the Knicks, would you have waited a day before telling me what Gerry was doing?”

  DeMarcus didn’t want to answer. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  The answer was obvious. “Because it wouldn’t matter as much to me whether Walsh believed Gerry.”

  Her jaw dropped. “I know you’re not taking drugs.”

  DeMarcus closed his eyes. He didn’t know what hurt more, losing her or having to explain why he’d been such a coward. He opened his eyes and met her gaze. “I know that. That’s not the part that worried me.”

  Jaclyn prompted him when he fell silent. “Then what was it?”

  DeMarcus swallowed. “I didn’t want you to doubt me. I didn’t want you to wonder whether I was losing on purpose because of what Gerry said. I need your faith in me.”

  Jaclyn rubbed the fingers of her right hand over her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose. When she opened her eyes, they were damp. DeMarcus’s heart clenched again.

  Jaclyn took a breath. Her slender shoulders trembled. “You wouldn’t have lost my faith in you if you’d talked to me. But you’re keeping secrets, Marc. Maybe you’re trying to protect me, but I can’t do my job with your brand of protection. I can’t wonder what else you’re not telling me.”

  DeMarcus wanted to go to her. Take her into his arms and beg her for another chance. Instead, he braced his feet to the floor and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m used to protecting the people I care about.”

  “You don’t need my protection, but the team does. As much as I care about you, if I have to choose between you and the team, I have to choose the team. It’s all I have left of my family.”

  “I know.” She could have both, if she’d just give him another chance.

  Jaclyn checked her watch. “I have to go. I asked Troy to pull together a press conference. I want to address Gerry’s lies before they end up in print.”

  DeMarcus’s eyes widened. “You’re holding a press conference? Do you want me there?”

  She finally looked at him again. Her cinnamon eyes were red and wet. “No. The press would try to corner you. I want to go on the offensive. Then I’m giving Andrea an exclusive on what Gerry’s been up to. It’s time we exposed him for the traitorous worm he is.” She moved toward his office door.

  “Jack.” DeMarcus called after her. “I didn’t mean to let you down. You have to believe that. I was trying to help.”

  She gave him a half smile. “We should have known we couldn’t mix business with pleasure. We’re not the first couple to fail at an office romance.” She opened the door and walked out of his office.

  DeMarcus stared at the open door. Jaclyn was wrong. They hadn’t failed. There was still time left on the clock, and DeMarcus hated to lose.

  The Monarchs’ large conference room was crammed with reporters, cameras, tape recorders and microphones. Jaclyn was overwhelmed. Playing in the shadows of the New York Knicks, the M
onarchs didn’t hold many press conferences.

  Jaclyn covered her eyes to avoid the blinding camera flashes as she walked with Troy toward the podium. “What a circus. We didn’t have this kind of response when we announced Marc was joining the organization.”

  Troy used his bigger body to shield Jaclyn from the crush of people and equipment. He’d put his suit jacket back on and straightened his tie. “There’s nothing like a scandal to bring out the media.”

  Jaclyn glanced up at the former newspaper reporter. “You used to be the media.”

  Troy smiled down at her. “That’s how I know.”

  The former reporter turned media executive reached the podium and took the microphone first. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. Let’s get settled so we can start the press conference. We don’t want to keep you too long.”

  Jaclyn looked at the wall clock mounted across the room. They still had a couple of minutes before the event was supposed to begin. She and Troy had a long day ahead of them. The sooner the conference started, the sooner they could prepare to leave for the Wizards game in Washington, D.C.

  The crush of bodies, lights, cameras and other audio-visual equipment made the room almost unbearably hot. Someone was wearing a lot of cheap cologne. The chatter of personal conversations was making it difficult for Jaclyn to mentally review her speech.

  Troy once again thanked the members of the press for coming to the event. “As I explained in the announcement, rumors are circulating about our head coach and drug abuse. Brooklyn Monarchs owner Jaclyn Jones wants to address those rumors. Ms. Jones, if you’ll take the podium, please.”

  Jaclyn switched places with Troy on the makeshift platform. She exchanged smiles with Andrea Benson, who sat in the front row. Today, they were pals and coconspirators in a strategy to stop the slander against DeMarcus and her team. Tomorrow, they could very well be on opposite sides of some other issue. That was the nature of their professional relationship.

  As Jaclyn adjusted the microphone, she realized this was her very first press conference. And she was using it to tell the world her lover wasn’t a drug addict. “Thank you for taking the time to attend this press conference. When we learned of the lies circulating about our head coach, DeMarcus Guinn, we wanted to address the allegations immediately to put a stop to these outrageous and completely false accusations. The Brooklyn Monarchs takes drug abuse very seriously. We support and strictly adhere to the NBA’s drug-testing policy. We want all of our employees to be good citizens and role models in the community. They can’t do that if they’re crippled by drug addiction. That’s why I can stand here with complete confidence and assure you that DeMarcus Guinn is not addicted to drugs. That’s all that I wanted to say. Do you have any questions?”

  An older gentleman with a receding hairline stood toward the front of the room. “Are you standing by The Mighty Guinn because the rumors aren’t true or because you’re lovers?”

  Jaclyn would have been stupid if she hadn’t seen that question coming. And Jaclyn wasn’t stupid. “I don’t sleep with drug addicts. It’s a personal preference.” She surveyed the rest of the room. “Anything else?”

  A petite young woman toward the back of the room shouted to be heard. “Where’s DeMarcus Guinn now?”

  Jaclyn smiled. The question made it seem as though DeMarcus was a fugitive from the law. “He’s practicing with the team. They’re getting ready for tomorrow night’s Wizards game.”

  A lanky young man in the front left corner of the room stood. “How did this rumor get started?”

  Jaclyn shrugged. “How does any rumor get started? That’s something we’re looking into now.”

  An older man with a ruddy complexion used the back of Andrea’s chair to push himself to his feet. “Ms. Jones, how will this rumor affect your season?”

  Jaclyn didn’t see a link between the Monarchs’ season and DeMarcus not being addicted to drugs, but this sports reporter apparently did. “As you know, Coach Guinn has given us our first winning record in three seasons, and we have realistic hopes of making it to the play-offs.”

  An older woman in the center of the room waved her hands frantically. “How will this rumor affect your relationship?”

  Jaclyn chose to misunderstand the reporter’s angle. “Coach Guinn and I have a strong working relationship. The rumor won’t have any affect on it.”

  The older woman persisted. “How will it affect your personal relationship?”

  Jaclyn gave the reporter a steely stare. “My personal relationships aren’t open for public discussion.” She again scanned the room. “We have time for one last question.”

  Andrea stood in response to the invitation. Jaclyn blinked. Considering she’d promised the reporter an exclusive interview later that afternoon, she hadn’t thought Andrea would have any questions for the press conference.

  She faced the other woman. “Yes, Andrea?”

  Andrea held her pen poised above her reporter’s notebook. “Ms. Jones, what do you think Franklin Jones’s reaction would be to this situation?”

  Jaclyn’s eyes stung at the thought of her grandfather and the shambles she’d made of his legacy. Troy stepped closer, putting his hand on the back of Jaclyn’s shoulder.

  She blinked several times and cleared her throat before leaning closer to the mic. “My grandfather would be devastated that someone was spreading lies against a member of his team, especially a lie involving drugs. He helped found this franchise to be a positive presence in the community. That’s what we’ve been for the past fifty-five years, and that’s what we’ll continue to be for many decades to come.”

  “Why would you not tell Jackie that Gerry was blackmailing you?” Troy stood in DeMarcus’s doorway, one shoulder propped against the threshold. The media executive looked like he’d just finished a hard Gentlemen’s Quarterly photo session. His tie was askew and he’d rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows.

  DeMarcus dropped the Washington Wizards scouting reports he’d been trying to study onto his desk and sat back in his chair. “Because I’m an idiot.”

  Troy crossed into his office. “You won’t get an argument from me. But what were you thinking, really?”

  DeMarcus rubbed his eyes with the fingers of his right hand. How many times was he going to have to explain just how big of a fool he’d been? “Jack has enough problems to deal with. I thought I could handle this one on my own.”

  Troy lowered himself into one of the guest chairs in front of DeMarcus’s desk. “But you were wrong.”

  DeMarcus didn’t have much patience left. Troy’s line of questioning was working the last of it. “Spectacularly wrong. What’s your point?”

  “My point is, you tried to play the Lone Ranger and face the bad guys by yourself. If Andy hadn’t contacted me this morning, the situation would have gotten worse.”

  DeMarcus had never seen Troy so serious. He acted as though DeMarcus had personally wronged him. “Jack already gave me this lecture.” And so had my father.

  “And now you’re hearing it from me.” Troy balanced his elbows on the arms of the chair. “The team is depending on Jackie to keep us in the Empire. If Gerry succeeds in moving the Monarchs out of Brooklyn, a lot of us will be out of a job.”

  It was hard to hear the negative impact his actions—or inactions—had on other people. “I’m sorry.”

  Troy sighed, a mixture of exasperation and irritation. “Just don’t go off on your own again. The front office needs at least the same level of communication you use on the court.”

  DeMarcus stared at the surface of his desk. Instead of the clutter of papers, he saw again Jaclyn’s face as she told him good-bye. “Trust me, Troy. I’ve learned my lesson.”

  Troy settled back into the chair. “This is more than a job. This place is like a family.”

  “I can tell. It shows in the way people care about each other and talk to each other.” DeMarcus shook off his melancholy. “How did the press conference go?
”

  “It was pretty rough.” Troy gave him a pointed look. “They asked a lot of questions about her relationship with you.”

  DeMarcus’s shoulders and back tensed. “I knew I should have been there with her.”

  “Jackie was right to keep you away. The media would have torn you apart.”

  He understood the professional reasons for excluding him from the press conference. But, personally, he’d wanted to support Jaclyn as well as shoulder his share of the blame. And crossing the line between the personal and professional is what started this problem in the first place. “What did they want to know about Jack and me?”

  “They wanted to know whether the rumors would affect your relationship.” Troy rested his right ankle on his left knee. “Jackie told them the rumors wouldn’t have any impact on your professional relationship. She refused to answer personal questions.”

  “I see.” DeMarcus stood to pace his office. He felt Troy’s eyes boring into his back.

  “She broke up with you.”

  DeMarcus felt the pain in his heart. He’d known it would hurt, but not this much. “She did.”

  “You should have seen that coming.”

  “I know, Troy. But this is worse.” DeMarcus flexed his shoulders, trying to ease the tension in his back. “She doesn’t think I can separate our personal and professional lives.”

  “She’s right. You didn’t tell her what Gerry was doing because you wanted to protect her. You wouldn’t have wanted to protect Donnie Walsh.”

  He shouldn’t have been surprised that Jaclyn and Troy had used the same example of the Knicks owner, but he was. “She also doesn’t trust me anymore.”

  “Why not?” Troy sounded confused.

  Outside his window, DeMarcus could see the marina. “Because she thinks I’m keeping secrets from her.”

  “You are. You should have told her right away that Gerry was blackmailing you.”

  DeMarcus turned to face Troy. “I was afraid to tell her about Gerry’s threats because I was afraid to lose her. She found out from someone else and I lost her.”