Love from Left Field (23 page)

Miranda relaxed in the owner’s box, thinking she just about had everything she wanted. Granted it wasn’t a sellout crowd but pretty darn close judging by the sparse scattering of empty blue seats. She wore her jersey, the one she’d worn on Opening Day, just few short weeks ago. The players insisted she wear it every game now because it brought them luck. Superstitions. But if it kept them happy and focused, she’d do whatever it took. Another ritual had become going to the locker room before every game and getting to know the players. She had always avoided it, been focused on work but, as president, the players were part of her family, too, and she enjoyed meeting with them, their families, and the staff.

A loud roar erupted from the crowd. Dylan Prosser had launched a fastball directly over the right field porch and the almost-filled stadium went crazy. She took another bite of her hot dog. Yup, all was right with the world.

Lucas chatted casually with Cole and Jason on his other side, talking players, sports, and who knew what else. She and Stacia enjoyed this rare moment of quiet. For once, the box didn’t have guests. She often hosted sponsors and business partners, making it more of a business meeting than a ball game. But today she was at rest with friends, enjoying a fun day.

Lucas draped his arm across the back of her chair, the warm weight igniting heat deep in her belly, the ever-present butterflies flitting inside of her when he was near. As if sensing her emotions, he turned and kissed her gently on the lips, not caring about their audience. A light, quick kiss that was more an affectionate hello than a prelude to anything more. She was smiling a stupid happy grin but she didn’t care. Stacia gave her an amused glance but said nothing.

The door opened behind them with a bang and they all turned around.

“Well, isn’t this cozy.” Seamus Callahan stood framed in the doorway with Gwen a half a step behind him.

Miranda jumped to her feet. “Daddy! I didn’t expect to see you here today. Come and sit down.” She shot a panicked glance at Lucas, who rose slowly to his feet.

“Mr. Callahan. Mrs. Callahan. May I get you something to eat or drink?”

Seamus Callahan glared at him as if Lucas had offered poison instead of a hot dog. Gwen laid a hand on Seamus’s arm. “Remember, darling. You need to stay calm.”

He grunted and stomped to a chair in the front. “Good crowd today.”

Miranda hastened to his side. “And we’re winning. Again. Prosser just hit a two-run shot.”

“I still don’t like him.” He sat hard in a chair, his face set in a frown.

Everyone else sat in their seats gingerly, as if afraid to waken the beast. Gwen drew Miranda to the back of the box. “I wanted to call you but he wanted this to be a surprise.”

“Well, he got that. Is he supposed to be here?”

“Here’s another surprise for you. His doctor cleared him to do some work. He thinks he’ll be back tomorrow. Part-time.”

Miranda’s heart sank like a stone in her stomach. Mid-May and he was back much earlier than expected. Her only saving grace was that most of the plans were pretty set in place. He couldn’t affect too much, could he? Even he had to see that they were succeeding. He would let them continue, wouldn’t he?

She didn’t dare voice the questions. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

Cole sat on her father’s right side, his right-hand man. She feared that he would be put in a difficult position, between her and her father. She was the president, but Seamus was the owner. Cole would have no options. She only hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

*

Monday morning dawned.
Miranda saw the sunrise after a sleepless night. She was going in the office to face her father, the team owner returning to take up the reins of his team. And he was pissed.

She got up and dressed quietly. Lucas had stayed over, offering quiet comfort and encouragement, then making love so sweetly it had brought tears to her eyes. She had lain awake in his arms, mind awash in worry over what Monday would bring.

Miranda drove in to the office while the sun was still rising and beat most of the staff in. She had to gather the supporting documentation to prove the success of their method, to persuade her father to give it a chance. By the time the office had filled up, she was feeling confident that she had what she needed. Now to ensure her staff supported her and didn’t back down for Seamus.

She made the rounds of the office, touching base with department heads, leaving Cole for last. She knocked on his door and pushed inside at his greeting. She sat in the chair, crossed her legs, and studied him, trying to determine his position on the issue at hand.

“How do you think he’ll react to your plan?” she asked.

Cole leaned back and stretched his arms over his head. “About as well as he did last year and the year before. Which is to say, not well at all.”

“Can you stay firm against his pressure?”

Cole looked regretful, a pitying look in his eyes. “If he wants me to trade someone or change something, I can argue, but ultimately I’ll do what he orders. I’m in my last year of my contract. I can’t just walk away.”

“Understood. I’m on my own.” She nodded, keeping her face smooth and blank, while disappointment welled up inside her until she almost choked on it.

That had been the same response from everyone. And she did understand. They had to save their jobs. Seamus was not known for tolerating failure or arguments.

*

It didn’t take
long for Seamus to summon her. She gathered her courage and her reports and coolly walked into his office to see Cole already sitting there, avoiding her gaze. So she was second in her father’s eyes, the second person called. She stuffed the pain from the slight deep down and pasted on her business face. She sat in the chair, opened her folder and started to speak.

Seamus held up a hand, halting her words. “I’m not interested in any reports. I’ll read them later. I’m more concerned with our team. You took advantage of my illness to directly oppose my wishes. You traded for a player I expressly said no to. You changed how we play, another plan I rejected last year. If you weren’t my daughter, you’d be fired on the spot.”

“No, I wouldn’t,” she calmly stated. “The team has a winning record, even better than last season when we went to the playoffs and ticket sales are up. Firing me, and anyone else, can’t be supported in the media. And you’re all about appearances. No, you’d wait until the team goes on a skid then make the change. It wouldn’t matter if I were your daughter or not.”

His face twisted then smoothed as if he was reminding himself to remain calm. “You’re right. I can’t justify firing you, after saying that all that matters are wins. So, I’ll try a new tactic. I’m taking back my team and things will be done my way. Understood?”

Cole cast her a glance but nodded. Miranda studied Seamus for a long moment, hoping for some chink in his argument, a soft spot, something she could exploit. But he was too canny for that and too blinded to anything else.

“May I ask one question?” Miranda asked.

Her father narrowed his gaze but nodded.

“Why are so adamant against this plan? Many teams are using it and are very successful. We’re clearly doing well. Why change it now? Why not try it?”

“Because it’s not sustainable. Fans get bored when they have a group of mediocre players to watch. There’s no one to root for. Yes, they win but there’s no rallying player. No superstar. You can play your little games all you want, but I want my player.”

She folded her arms. “Fine. Let’s stay our course until a better option comes on the market.”

“Yes. Cole will be beating the bushes looking for him. Prosser has actually done well enough to be a good bargaining chip. He’s first on the block.” He turned his attention to papers in front of him. “We’re done here.”

She knew it was a losing battle, at least right now. But she wasn’t ready to give up the war. She got to her feet and headed for the door, Cole on her heels, when her father stopped her.

“Miranda? Stay for a moment.”

She froze and caught Cole’s look of sympathy. She nodded to him and walked back to the chairs, sitting on the edge, waiting for the axe to fall. After several minutes, her father finally looked up. She kept her face impassive and relaxed, knowing his tricks of trying to put her off balance with delaying tactics and glares.

“Lucas Wainright. I want him gone.”

Well, that was certainly blunt and not at all unexpected. “Sorry. You took a loan from the league. He’s the string that came with it. Until we prove we can make the payment, we’re stuck with him.”

He was shaking his head before she even finished. “No, we can’t get rid of him here. I meant, I want you to stop seeing him. I know you brought him to dinner to try and have us get along, some throwback to our history or some nonsense. And then with your snuggling at the game, well, I won’t stand for it.”

“You won’t stand for it?” For the first time since she had come in his office, anger boiled over. She could handle him criticizing her management and even her plans, but not her personal life. “Lucas makes me happy. He sees me for who I’m and he respects me, which is more than you do. You may control my working life, but you don’t control my personal life.”

“I do when your personal life affects your job. He wants revenge against me for his father. It’s bullshit, but he believes it.”

“What happened between you anyway? Why do you believe he wants to get even?” She cried, sick of no one telling her the truth.

“He thinks I took advantage of his father when he was sick. I bought the team fair and square. He can’t handle knowing his father never trusted him to take over and do right by the Knights.” Seamus slammed his hand on the table and winced. He rubbed his chest for a moment, then stopped when he caught her expression. “I’m fine. It’s nothing. Just the scar pulls sometimes.”

She wanted to ask, wanted more details, but knew he wouldn’t discuss his health. “Maybe you and Lucas need to talk about this.”

“We’re not girls who talk about our feelings and some shit. He needs to get over it. But I told you to watch out for him, and you let him seduce you into taking over our team.”

“He’s not taking over. As a matter of fact, he’s helped us save it. If he wanted to ruin us, wouldn’t he have advised us differently?” She stood, her hands sweating under her folder. “I’m sorry you feel this way but my personal life is my own. You don’t run it.” She turned and headed for the door, hoping to keep her dignity until she was out of his office at least.

“Just wait until he turns on you. Because he will.” Seamus called after her.

She closed the door quietly behind her and sagged against it for a moment. Lucas was leaning on Maggie’s empty desk, an inscrutable expression on his face. After a moment, he held out his hand. She took it and they walked to the elevator and out of the stadium.

M
iranda’s hand shook
in Lucas’s grasp and he could feel the clammy skin betraying her tension. They said nothing until they had exited the stadium, opting for a walk around the building to the small park across the street where kids played before games. It was empty now, kids being in school, and it had the added advantage of not being in eyeshot of the offices.

She sat on a swing and idly swung back and forth. He sat on the one next to her, the black rubber seat of the swing probably leaving stains on his slacks. They rocked back and forth, not speaking for several minutes, only the metal clang of the chains holding the swings filling the silence. Finally, she drew in a deep shuddering breath and let it out again.

“He’s going to change everything. He wants to trade Prosser, anyone he can to get his big-name. Wins, sales, nothing matters.” She glanced up at him, eyes blazing. “I’m so damned mad I could scream. We worked so hard, had so much success and he doesn’t give a damn.”

Lucas nodded, keeping his face and tone neutral. “You expected this. You knew he wasn’t happy, no matter what. Did he provide a reason why he was changing course?”

“He feels the fans need someone big to rally around.” She laughed bitterly. “Does he care that our biggest jersey sales are for Prosser and Patterson? No, because they’re not making the big splash like he wants. He says the fans want it, but it’s really him who wants the big name, anything to make him look good. He didn’t even care about everything I did for him.”