Page 6 of Their After Hours Playbook

“I’ll think about it.” She took a deep breath and decided this was as good a time as any to probe for more information. “Have you run your plans by Tom yet?”

“Tonight.”

“Interesting. How long before he shoots you down?”

“Honestly, I’m guessing he’ll be enthusiastic once I make my case. I think his ego wouldn’t let him back down from his previous stance on the genders in sports, but mostly because he’d gone and made it so widely known for years. So he’s got me to play it off on. He can chalk up the change to there being a new sheriff in town.”

She nodded and gnawed on her finger. She was definitely conflicted about this. She didn’t want more competition, but there was a shortage of high quality agents willing to go beyond the big moneymaking sports—professional football, men’s basketball and baseball. There were women athletes who would benefit from this. She certainly couldn’t represent everyone. “Well, I wish you luck.”

“So the flowers did work.”

She grinned to herself. “You’re quick, Zach. I’ll give you that much.”

“Thanks, Paige. I’ll see you in Vegas.”

Vegas. Funnily enough, she was looking forward to this year’s expo, even if it was going to be a lot of work. “Yep. See you there.” Paige hung up the phone. As much fun as she’d had talking to April and Zach, it was time to dig into her workday. “Henry? I’m off my call. Do you have a sec?”

Henry popped into the doorway with a notepad and pen in hand. “Of course.”

“Let’s sit down and brainstorm some corporate sponsorship ideas for Alexis. I feel like we need to strike while the iron is hot.”

Henry closed the door, bustled over and plopped down in the chair in front of Paige’s desk. “I so agree. Alexis is drop-dead gorgeous and she’s going to kick ass her rookie season. I’m positive we can come up with a ton of great ideas.”

“Perfect. Then I can try to set up some meetings ahead of the Vegas trip.”

Henry raised his pen in the air. “Excellent idea.”

“I’m glad you think so. I’ve got my work cut out for me in Vegas. Alexis is expecting a lot. And if I was her, I’d be expecting a lot, too.”

Zach had spent far too much of his afternoon ruminating about Paige Moss. She was a lethal combination of qualities he admired—smart, sexy and fiery. That was probably why it stung so much to feel dismissed by her. It was as if she thought he didn’t know what he was doing. Or that he was too young. He hadn’t done himself any favors by suggesting that she could teach him a few things. Why on earth had he done that? Flatter someone at his own expense? It had made him seem inexperienced, and that wasn’t the way he wanted Paige to see him. If he was going to last in this business, he had to focus on getting her and everyone else to take him seriously. But that might require casting aside his tactic of playing nice, all so he could prove a point.

He needed tonight’s meeting with Tom to be a step forward in that direction, and the prospect held so much uncertainty that it was souring his stomach. The traffic on his way out to his family’s compound on Long Island wasn’t helping. He’d been at the wheel of his Aston Martin DBS for more than an hour, frustrated by the congestion, merely to get out and away from Manhattan. Still, it felt good when the roads became less busy and he could roll into the town of Brookville, where Zach was lucky enough to have grown up. The trees were already lush with spring green and he took in the view as he drove off from the main road to the quieter street where his parents lived. As he turned onto the private drive that led through the family’s fourteen acre wooded parcel, he finally felt his anxiety recede. As nervous as he was about what Tom would think when he made his proposal, Zach was home, and that was such a comfort.

Zach was only two years old when he first came to live at this house—a stunning white stucco mansion that was updated but still spoke of the elegance of a time gone by, with manicured grounds and formal architecture. As the story went, he and his mother, Angie, had lived in a small apartment nearby before his mom met Tom. Angie and Zach’s biological dad had only dated briefly, and he took off the instant he learned she was pregnant. It was a tough road for Angie, doing everything on her own, but she made it work. Then one miraculous day, Tom walked into the restaurant where Angie was a hostess and everything changed. Tom was instantly charmed by her wit and smile, and she was enamored by his good looks and kind nature. Tom had been widowed before he turned thirty and he’d never had children. Tom had always hoped to fall in love again. He’d always wanted to be a dad. It was like a fairy tale that the three of them found each other.

Zach pulled into the circular drive in front of the house. The entrance had staunch pillars and wide front steps, welcoming in visitors while also whispering that this was a home built for making a fantastic first impression. Zach parked his car just a few yards beyond the front door and grabbed the pitch materials for his talk with Tom. The instant he looked up, he was greeted by his mother, who was standing on the landing with a warm smile on her face. “Zachary.” She held her arms open wide, and her voice was soft and yielding, as if she’d been waiting years for him to return. In reality, it had only been a few weeks since he’d last been home, but they were close and he appreciated how much she enjoyed his visits. Her reddish brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. “It’s always good to see you.”

Zach followed her into the foyer, which had oak floors in a herringbone pattern and long antique tables flanking either side of the main hall. He gave his mom as tight an embrace as he could while having his arms full.

“What are those?” She stepped back and pointed to the binders in Zach’s hands.

“These are for my chat with Tom. I’m just going to duck into his office and stow them away.”

“I’ll let him know you’re here and then I’ll check on dinner. We’ll eat in about forty-five minutes.”

Zach parted ways with his mother, started down one of the four halls that branched off from the foyer and arrived at Tom’s office. When Zach was a kid, this room had held so much mystery. It was like something out of a movie, with rich brown leather club chairs, a fireplace and a grand mahogany desk, which had been owned by Tom’s father, the man who’d started Armstrong Sports in the 1970s. Dozens of framed photos adorned the walls, mostly of Tom with notable figures in sports, some of which amazed Zach as much today as they had years ago. Tom was a legend, beloved not only by his clients, but by athletes around the world. He was especially known for his philanthropic work, raising millions of dollars over the years for various charities. Some of the photos even included Zach and Angie. The one that held the greatest memory for Zach was from the first time he got to go to the Super Bowl. Zach was seven at the time, and he’d met so many of his idols that day. It still made him smile just to think about it.

“There he is.” Tom’s voice came from behind Zach, startling him.

“Tom. I figured you were somewhere else in the house.” Zach gave Tom a hug, then stood back. “How are you feeling?”

Tom ambled back behind his desk, taking his time. He was getting stronger every day since the heart attack that had forced him to step back from Armstrong Sports, but he was still very much in recovery mode. He had a ways to go. He eased slowly into his chair, and as Zach studied his cautious movements and the way his face had gone a bit gaunt, the younger was struck with the same realization he’d had when Tom ended up in the hospital. Tom wouldn’t be around forever, and it would be a sad day when Zach lost him. He adored him so.

“Please. Sit.” Tom sat back in his tall-backed leather office chair.

“Yes. Of course.” He took a spot in one of the club chairs opposite Tom’s desk. “So, first thing, I have big news.” Zach took a pause for effect. “I’m about to sign Ryan Wilson as a client.”

Tom arched his eyebrows, laced his fingers and rested them on his belly. “How did you manage to pull that off?”

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