Smooth Play (Brooklyn Monarchs 2)

Andrea’s eyes stung. “I’m in love with you. But I won’t change who I am. I wouldn’t ask you to change, either.”

“I’m in love with you, too, Andy. But I have a responsibility to the team. Don’t ask me to choose between you.”

Andrea’s legs were heavy as they carried her to his sofa. She lifted her large brown purse to her shoulder and slipped her feet into her shoes. “Maybe this relationship wasn’t a good idea.” She waited a beat, but he didn’t respond. “It looks like we both have a lot to think over.”

Troy didn’t move. “Maybe we do.”

Stop me. Don’t let me leave. Tell me that you trust me. You’ve already said you love me.

Silence continued. Andrea left his condo and crossed to the elevator doors.

How can you break up with someone after you tell her you love her? She swiped away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She’d given him her heart. Did she have to give up her career, too? She’d fought so hard to reclaim it. Why wasn’t her love enough?

20

A gentle knock on Troy’s office door Thursday morning distracted him from his regrets. He looked up to find Constance in his doorway. The concern in her eyes drew his full attention.

“Mr. Bimm is here to see you.” She stepped aside.

Gerald appeared in the threshold. He watched Constance leave before giving Troy a wry smile. “‘Mr. Bimm’? Mindy used to say, ‘Gerry’s here.’”

“Connie isn’t Mindy.” Thank God. Troy got to his feet with reluctance. “What do you want, Gerry?”

“I came to say good-bye.”

Music to his ears. Maybe now the franchise could focus on rebuilding. But if the other man only wanted to give his regards, why was he taking one of the seats in front of Troy’s desk?

“Good-bye.” Troy returned to his chair.

The former Monarchs co-owner settled into the center visitor seat. Even as he was preparing to leave the franchise, Gerald was still getting in Troy’s face—literally and figuratively.

Gerald had the air of someone who may have had a setback but refused to be counted out. He crossed his legs, then adjusted the crease of his navy trousers. “I’ve got some opportunities in Reno.”

“Good luck.” Troy didn’t care whether Gerald was going to Nevada or the moon. He’d savor the knowledge that the Monarchs’ nemesis was leaving New York.

Gerald studied Troy for several sile

nt seconds. “You think you beat me. But it wasn’t you. It was Jackie and Andrea.”

The other man was baiting him. Troy wouldn’t react. That was something else he’d learned from Andrea. He breathed through the pain in his heart at the thought of her. Why did she have to run Barron’s article? “It was a team effort.”

Anger flickered in Gerald’s eyes. “How do you feel knowing that by trying to protect the team you caused it more trouble than I ever did?”

It was harder to resist reacting to that. But coming from his former boss, the charge didn’t sting as much as it had when Jaclyn had made it. “It all worked out in the end.” Troy pulled his chair under his desk and folded his hands on its surface. “I want to know why you risked everything to destroy the team your uncle helped create.”

Temper burned brighter in Gerald’s brown eyes. His skin flushed, almost matching his dark red shirt. His gaze traveled around Troy’s office. What was the former partner thinking as he viewed the news clippings that decorated the walls with details of successes from the Monarchs’ recent past?

Gerald returned his attention to Troy. “My uncle was an equal partner with Gene Mannion, Cedrick Tipton, and Jackie’s grandfather. But he never received any credit for his role in the Monarchs’ success. Instead, Frank Jones conspired to push my uncle out.”

“What?” The word was a sigh of impatience.

“When Mannion died, he left his twenty-five percent of the franchise to Frank, making Jackie’s grandfather a majority owner. Frank gave one percent of his shares to Cedrick. That left my uncle as the minority shareholder.”

Troy heard the resentment in Gerald’s voice but knew the other man had revised history. “Your uncle was more interested in making money than he was in building the team. That’s why Mannion left his shares to Frank.”

“Did Jackie tell you that?”

“It’s common knowledge.”