Harmony and High Heels (Fort Worth Wranglers 2)

Looking the big Texan in the eye, he lowered the boom. “We also need to cut Marcus Dunbrook.”

Heath looked like Dalton had just reached across the desk and slapped him in the face. “No way are we cutting Marcus.”

“You know better than anyone that he rode the bench most of last season. And last month at training camp he couldn’t keep up.” He did his best to look unconcerned, even as he watched Heath for signs of how this fight was going to go. Dalton liked it when things ran smoothly, but he’d learned to brawl before he’d learned to walk, and he’d never run from a fight since.

Heath didn’t say anything for long seconds, but when he finally spoke up, he sounded determined. “I agree that he’s a little out of shape, but when he’s on, he’s got the best hands in the game. Certainly the best hands we’ve got—”

“He had the best hands. He fumbles more balls than he holds onto these days.” Dalton slid the file folder in front of him to Heath. “And he failed his latest drug test … again. Opioids this time.”

Heath’s face fell. “Can’t we suspend

him for a few games and send him to rehab? He’s got five kids.” But the look on his face said he knew he’d already lost the battle.

“We’re beyond game suspension here, Heath. We’ve sent him to rehab … twice. It didn’t work. This time, the dosage was more than he could claim a medical exemption for. He has a problem. We’ve done more for him than he’s done for himself. It’s time to move on.”

Finally, Heath shook his head. “I’ll tell him. It should come from me.”

Dalton nodded, pleased with how the whole thing had gone. Heath was turning out to be a stand-up guy.

“Have you given any thought to—” Heath broke off as his phone rang. Reaching into his pocket for it, he said, “I know it’s unprofessional to pull out your phone during a meeting, but Lyric is flying home today from Hawaii and she’s supposed to call me when she lands. Considering her bad luck when it comes to planes, I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

“Family first.” Dalton smiled. He liked Lyric. She was smart as hell, and—despite being a bit of an absentminded professor—she managed to keep Heath in line. Little remained of the hell-raising ladies’ man he used to be, and that was something Dalton could definitely get behind. Especially since it made his job so much easier.

“Hey, baby. How was your flight? Did you make it without duct tape this time?”

Dalton watched as Heath’s smile turned to a scowl. “What the hell are you doing with my wife’s phone?”

Dalton sat forward as threats of high-profile kidnappings bounced around in his head. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” Heath rolled his eyes even as he covered the phone with the palm of his hand. “It’s just my crazy sister-in-law giving me hell because I won’t let Lyric go jump off a mountain in the middle of a South American hailstorm.”

A series of pissed-off-sounding squawks came through the phone then, and Heath winced as he held the thing farther away from his ear. “I know you heard that, Harmony. It’s not like I made any attempt to stop you from hearing it.” It was a blatant lie, but it wasn’t like Dalton was about to call him on it. “I was just explaining to my boss that you are my sweet Lyric’s evil twin.” His top lip was curled into a snarl.

More shrill yelling.

“Yes, I do know the definition of evil.” Heath was trying to remain calm. “I’ll even agree that your mother is the embodiment of it on earth. But in my considerable opinion, Harm, your poisoned apple doesn’t fall far from the Livinia tree.”

That set off a full-blown shriek on the other end of the phone, one that was loud enough to blow Dalton back in his chair. Was Heath’s sister-in-law an actual banshee? Lyric was so lovely, he had trouble imagining her twin could be anything but lovely herself.

“You can scream at me all you want. There is no way I’m going to be okay with Lyric taking on the Andes, especially while volcanoes are erupting in the general area.” Heath was final.

More screeching. Was she part hyena?

“Yes, I’m sure you do have a plan. Normally, I’d be thrilled to have Lyric be a part of whatever you want to do.” His tone of voice was anything but enthusiastic. “But I’m putting my foot down on this one.”

This time the screams were loud enough that Dalton could almost make out some of the words. Of course, they were all obscene, so maybe he was hearing wrong. Although he really doubted it.

“Look, I don’t have time for this. I’m at work. We can talk about this more when I get home, but I’m telling you now that I’m not changing my mind … yeah, I love you too, Harm.” The sarcasm that came with that last statement told Dalton that whatever this Harmony had had to say, it wasn’t “I love you.”

Heath shook his head, exasperated, as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Sorry about that. The Wright women tend to be a little high strung when they’re angry.”

Dalton grinned. “Yeah, I could, uh, hear that.”

Heath grimaced. “I bet you could. Harmony isn’t one for stony silence when she’s mad. It takes a lot to wind her up, but once she’s there …” He moved his hands apart in an explosive gesture.

“I didn’t even know Lyric had a twin.” Dalton rarely mixed business with pleasure, so he knew little about the players’ or coaches’ personal lives. Blurring the lines of work and friendship was never a good idea.

“Identical. Growing up, I thought I was in love with Harmony and then I bumped into Lyric and came to my senses. They couldn’t be more different if they tried.” Heath shook his head. “Now Harm is convinced that if she yells at me enough, I’ll bow to her and let Lyric go heli-skiing.”