Page 104 of Mad Rivals
“It’s why I didn’t tell you I would be here.”
“You knew I would be?” I ask, and a slice of anger bolts through me.
He nods. “I saw you working on it when we were in Chicago.”
“And you didn’t say anything?” I ask.
“What good would it have done?”
“Oh, uh, I don’t know. Maybe I wouldn’t have been blindsided when you walked in?” I say it like a question as irrational anger that he knew plows into me.
“You held your own just fine.” His phone starts to ring, and he glances at his watch. “Shit, I need to take this. See you tonight?”
I fold my arms across my chest, and I stare at him with pursed lips. “Are you kidding me?”
He sighs. “Kennedy, I don’t have time for this right now. Just…tell me everything is fine so we can both go on with our days.”
I shake my head as I get into my car. “Take your call.” I don’t tell him everything’s fine. I don’t speed away and kick up dust the way that asshole Jason just did, but I do manage to get out of the parking lot before Madden does.
And then I spend the next hour as I drive toward the Aliso Viejo office positively fuming that he knew and didn’t say a damn word.
CHAPTER 44: Madden Bradley
We’re a Family
I blow out a breath as I answer the call, glancing in my rearview to see her pulling out of the parking lot.
“Hey, Coach,” I answer.
“Madden, I need you in my office in one hour.”
I glance at the clock. I can be there, but it’ll be tight. I don’t tell him that. I guess I’ll just speed. When Coach calls, you show the fuck up. “I’ll be there.”
I have no idea what this might possibly be about, but I had to answer. It’s not like I could’ve stood in the parking lot arguing with Kennedy when I saw Grace walking out the front door and around the side of the tasting room. She didn’t need to see Kennedy glaring at me with all that fire in her eyes, and she didn’t need to hear our argument, least of all when this bid is clearly going to come down to the two of us.
I hate that we’re competing here in California. This was supposed to be our safe space, and it’s turning into something else.
Not for the first time, I wonder at the possibility of us working together. We’re going to run into a problem here if Newman wants us to draft new bids with their notes. I only have a month of the offseason left before training camp begins, and Iwon’t be able to dedicate the sort of time to this project that this vineyard deserves.
Kennedy, however, can.
Her ideas were genius and on point for the demographics, but it just depends what Newman is looking for. If it’s luxury, they’ll choose VBC. If it’s sustainability with a focus on the vineyards, they’ll go with mine.
One thing I know for sure is that Cal-Wright is out of the picture. He didn’t bother to do any market research first or he would’ve known that Newman Winery is a bit more reserved than the plans of splendor Jason presented this morning. Lavish and exclusive craftsmanship? Hand-laid Venetian mosaics? Is he fucking nuts?
I dial Kennedy after I hang up with Coach, and she doesn’t answer. I leave a voice message anyway.
“Sorry, my coach was calling me, and I had to take that. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I knew. I didn’t want it to feel like we’re competing here in California. This was supposed to be our haven, you know? But I should’ve told you, and I get that now. Can I see you tonight?”
I leave it at that and hang up, and then I spend the rest of the drive toward Coach’s office pondering how things feel like they’re going up in smoke right now and trying to figure out how to salvage what felt like the most important thing in my life.
I arrive at the practice facility that houses Coach Brian Dell’s office, and I make my way to his secretary. Coach Clark is waiting outside Coach Dell’s office, and so are Spencer, Clay, and DJ. Trey and Zach are absent, but this was an emergency meeting, and it’s possible they’re not in town.
I glance around at everyone, my brows pushed together. “What’s going on?”
“Did you just come from a funeral?” Clay asks, his eyes moving along my suit as I glance at his athletic shorts and sleeveless Storm shirt that tells me he came here from workouts.
He’s putting in the work to be better, faster, and stronger ahead of this season. I, on the other hand, am spending my time chasing after a woman and trying to manage a company that will eventually become mine when I really don’t have the time for it. Maybe my priorities are in the wrong place. Or maybe his are.
