Fast Break (Brooklyn Monarchs 1)

“It was pretty rough.” Troy gave him a pointed look. “They asked a lot of questions about her relationship with you.”

DeMarcus’s shoulders and back tensed. “I knew I should have been there with her.”

“Jackie was right to keep you away. The media would have torn you apart.”

He understood the professional reasons for excluding him from the press conference. But, personally, he’d wanted to support Jaclyn as well as shoulder his share of the blame. And crossing the line between the personal and professional is what started this problem in the first place. “What did they want to know about Jack and me?”

“They wanted to know whether the rumors would affect your relationship.” Troy rested his right ankle on his left knee. “Jackie told them the rumors wouldn’t have any impact on your professional relationship. She refused to answer personal questions.”

“I see.” DeMarcus stood to pace his office. He felt Troy’s eyes boring into his back.

“She broke up with you.”

DeMarcus felt the pain in his heart. He’d known it would hurt, but not this much. “She did.”

“You should have seen that coming.”

“I know, Troy. But this is worse.” DeMarcus flexed his shoulders, trying to ease the tension in his back. “She doesn’t think I can separate our personal and professional lives.”

“She’s right. You didn’t tell her what Gerry was doing because you wanted to protect her. You wouldn’t have wanted to protect Donnie Walsh.”

He shouldn’t have been surprised that Jaclyn and Troy had used the same example of the Knicks owner, but he was. “She also doesn’t trust me anymore.”

“Why not?” Troy sounded confused.

Outside his window, DeMarcus could see the marina. “Because she thinks I’m keeping secrets from her.”

“You are. You should have told her right away that Gerry was blackmailing you.”

DeMarcus turned to face Troy. “I was afraid to tell her about Gerry’s threats because I was afraid to lose her. She found out from someone else and I lost her.”

“Classic.”

“Oscar was right.” DeMarcus walked back to his desk.

“About what?”

“Sometimes you have to risk losing if you want to win.”

Troy shook his head with a grin. “Who would have thought that grouchy old guy would be so wise in matters of the heart?”

“We were talking about the season. But I should have listened to him.” DeMarcus sat, propping his right ankle on his left knee.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to prove that I can keep our personal and professional relationships separate.”

“How?

DeMarcus considered the media executive’s question for several moments. “I don’t know.”

20

“Well played, Jackie.” Gerald’s voice came over her office phone line less than an hour after the ten o’clock press conference ended. His tone made the words sound more like an insult than a compliment.

“What is it, Gerry? I’m kind of busy getting ready for the trip to D.C.” Jaclyn worked her computer’s mouse. She selected commands that sent to the printer the documents she wanted to review during the trip.

“Why are you going to Washington?” Gerald’s confusion seemed genuine.