Smooth Play (Brooklyn Monarchs 2)

“I understand.” That’s what she’d been trying to do for the past four years, help people. If she backed off now, she’d be breaking a promise she’d made to herself. Was she willing to do that? Could she compromise herself, even for Troy?

Barron was still talking. “Thanks for not giving up on me. I mean, when I didn’t want to listen, you got in my face. And when I didn’t want to do the article, you said it wasn’t about me. It was about other people who needed me. I owe you.”

Andrea blinked. The feature wasn’t about Barron. It wasn’t about her or Troy, either. It was about all the people who were struggling with the same personal demons she and Barron were fighting. It was about the kids who thought they’d be set for life if they could just make it to the NBA. Because even more than covering professional sports, she wanted to write articles that made a difference in people’s lives. If Troy couldn’t understand that, then maybe he wasn’t Mr. Right For Her after all.

She took a breath to ease the constriction in her chest. “You can repay me by not giving up on yourself.”

“I won’t.” His voice was determined. “When will the story run?”

“Sunday.” Andrea glanced toward Willis’s office. He’d planned a prominent spot for the feature. At the time, she hadn’t cared. Now it was important to her.

“Two days after the Monarchs’ game three against the Knicks.” Barron’s observation reclaimed Andrea’s attention.

She smiled. Athletes tended to interpret things in terms of their sports calendars. “Maybe the article will inspire them for Tuesday’s game four.”

Barron’s chuckle was dry. “They split the first two games with the Knicks. They’re playing better without me.”

Andrea sensed his uncertainty. It was important for Barron to remain confident and positive. “Focus on getting healthy. You’ll help them with their run for the championship next season.”

Barron exhaled a deep breath. “That’s right. Back-to-back championship titles. You heard it here first.”

Andrea chuckled. “I’ll write that down. See you at Friday’s game.”

Barron and Andrea wrapped up their conversation before she recradled the phone. With her hand still on the receiver, she gathered courage for her next conversation. She suspected it wouldn’t progress nearly as well.

Forty minutes later, she faced Troy behind his closed office door. There was more than his desk between them. They hadn’t spoken in almost two days. Even the memory of their last conversation hurt. How had things gotten so bad so quickly?

She crossed her right leg over her left as she settled into the black cushioned visitor’s chair. “We’re running Barron’s story in the Sunday edition. I thought you’d want to know.”

Troy leaned back in his seat. “And it doesn’t matter that I don’t want you to.”

Did he know the effect his gentle tone had on her? Probably not. He’d used it often enough without getting the results he’d wanted. Still, resistance wasn’t ever easy. “This story has value. It’s accurate and it’s newsworthy. There’s no reason to kill it.”

Troy folded his hands on top of the pile of papers on his desk. His gaze moved over each of her features as though memorizing her. “The franchise is still reeling from all the news coverage of Gerry trying to blackmail a league official. We can’t handle your releasing a story about our team captain being an alcoholic on top of that.”

She studied his determined features. “It sounds as though this article is just what the team needs. It’s a good piece, and it shows the Monarchs in a positive light.”

He gave her a skeptical look. “This season we’ve taken one black eye after another. We can’t risk any more bad press. We’ve just launched a new image campaign.”

Andrea tightened her grip on the padded arms of her chair and absorbed the blow. “This isn’t bad press. Barron’s comfortable with the article. He sees it as an opportunity to help other people who may be going through the same thing he’s facing right now. I understand how important that is for him.”

Troy’s dark eyes sharpened. “Barron read the draft? Can I read it?”

His request took her breath away. First he wanted to tell her what she could and couldn’t write. Now he wanted to review her article? “No

. You cannot. You’ll have to take my word for it that the feature is a solid human interest piece that won’t bring shame to your franchise.”

“You let Barron read the article in advance.”

“It’s important that he’s comfortable with the way he’s portrayed in the article. You’re a different situation. I’m not sending you the draft for approval, Troy.”

“Then why are you here?” Troy pushed himself back into his chair with an air of defeat.

“To tell you when the article’s running.” Andrea’s shoulders rose and fell in a useless sigh. “I’d hoped you’d reconsidered your decision.”

“I’d hoped you had.” His disappointment hurt, but not enough to make her change her mind.

Andrea saw her own regrets reflected in Troy’s ebony eyes. “Why won’t you trust me, Troy?”