Page 84 of Undeniable Love
“So while the stuff we did today is great and it puts some good feelings out there toward me, the bottom line is this is one of the worst seasons I’ve had since my rookie year. There are endorsement deals on the line and I have to just…I need to stop…” Pausing, he cleared his throat. “I can’t keep flitting off for weekends here and there or taking a few days for personal reasons for the rest of the season.”
“You know we’ve always appreciated you making the time for us when we’ve needed you,” Noah told him. “And we all completely understand. This is your career and we support you no matter what.”
“Exactly,” Simon agreed. “The countless times you’ve dropped everything for one of us has meant more than you’ll ever know, and you have to know we’d do the same for you if you needed us.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “I’ve never been in this position before. I’ve never had anyone sit me down and reprimand me like what I just went through. My position on the team is safe for now, but…is that how I want it to be? That I’m just safe, but I have to worry over my every move? Do I have to be afraid to do or say the wrong thing for fear of punishment?”
“To be fair, Jax, most jobs come with a level of having to play by the rules—even with seniority,” Noah reasoned. “I’ve been with Montgomerys for years and I’m married to a Montgomery, yet I still have to put in for my time off and report to people. Simon can’t just take a day off of a tour because he wants to go do something; he’s got to run it by people and schedules have to be changed and if he doesn’t show up, there are repercussions. So don’t take it personally. This is just life. You’ve just been blessed because you’re a great guy who never truly stepped out of line.”
“That’s why this feels like such a harsh punishment. I get that I screwed up and it brought negative publicity to the team, but they can all see that Tiffany was to blame, not me.”
Simon made a noise but immediately looked away.
“Come on. Out with it,” Jax urged.
“Out with what?”
“Dude, seriously? Can we please not do this right now? If you have something to say, then say it.”
“Fine, but remember, you asked.” With a loud sigh, Simon blurted out, “You are to blame too! You showed us the texts! Everyone told you not to bring Tiffany anywhere, but you did it anyway! There were so many opportunities to just not let this happen, but you were too stubborn to listen!” Another sigh. “I get that you’re sorry and that it all sucks, but you have to take at least some of the responsibility for the situation. Yes, she’s completely unhinged, but you invited the crazy in.”
Again, you could have heard a pin drop.
“Okay. Wow,” he murmured. “You’re…you’re right. I know you’re right and I guess it’s just a little less embarrassing to just…let Tiffany take the blame, but…I did invite the crazy in.”
“That doesn’t mean you deserved everything that happened to you,” Lucy stated firmly, shooting a heated glance at Simon before continuing. “But that’s all behind you now, so…what comes next? You have to be on your best behavior and focus more on the game and the team for the rest of the season. That’s easy, right?”
This girl. Did she have any idea how he’d be willing to give it all up for her right now? To just tell the coaches and the executives and the lawyers and even Reeves that he was done?
But that wasn’t the legacy he wanted.
It wasn’t the one he’d worked so hard for.
“Right now, it doesn’t quite feel that way,” he gruffly admitted. “I’m feeling a little beat up.”
“Jax, that’s just your ego talking,” Noah said, “and I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m just saying that it’s hard not to take it personally when you just had a team of people talking down to you and politely reprimanding you. You know it really wasn’t personal. It’s business. Tomorrow, everyone’s going to be fine and a week from now, no one’s going to remember this.”
“I will.”
There were more than a few groans, and he knew he was being unreasonable, but this was how he felt.
“So, for the next few months, the board will have to handle the camp stuff,” he said after a moment. “Not that it wasn’t the plan already, but now I know that I don’t have a choice. I have to let other people handle things until the season’s over.”
Everyone nodded.
“On top of that, I’m basically going to live, breathe, eat, sleep football until we either win the Super Bowl or our season ends.” That’s when he finally looked at Lucy. “I’m going to miss our getaways. I always looked forward to them.”
“We’ll make it work,” she assured him, squeezing his hand.
But he was already preparing for the talk he was going to have to have with her when they were alone later. But for now, he wanted to just forget about all of this for a little while. Forcing himself to smile, he looked over at Juliette. “So what’s next to post? Any chance you have footage of Simon sabotaging my pizza last night?”
And that broke the tension as they all began talking at once about who really deserved to win and why.
Then, they decided tonight’s challenge should be the ultimate taco bar and who was going to make the greatest side dish.
“Challenge accepted!” he called out, already determined to win.
It was late when he and Lucy were finally alone. She looked so happy and sexy and…selfishly, he wanted to put off reality until tomorrow morning.