Smooth Play (Brooklyn Monarchs 2)

Danielle patted her husband’s knee. “All right. We were upset about that. I also was upset that instead of coming to us, you rushed to take care of the situation by yourself. Only to have it turn out that Susan wasn’t even pregnant.”

Charles shifted on the love seat. “It’s been fifteen years. Why do you want to discuss this now?”

Why do I? Troy stood. He rubbed the back of his neck as he circled the armchair. “Yeah, Dad, it’s been a long time. And I need to let go of the past. I can be impatient, although I’ve learned the benefits of planning. I’m still impulsive, but I’ve seen the value of talking things over with other people.” Specifically Andrea. Troy turned to pace back across the Oriental rug to his chair.

Danielle tilted her head. “Recognizing those things about yourself is a good sign.”

Troy stilled. He hooked his hands on his hips. “But it’s only the first step. I need to talk with Susan.”

His parents again exchanged a look before Charles spoke. “Why?”

He frowned at his father. “I need to put the past to rest, and she’s an important part of that past.”

His father grunted. “That sounds like pop psychology crap.”

Danielle scowled at her husband. “Troy has a point, Charlie. The reason we’re still talking about this now is that we didn’t talk about it before.”

Charles shrugged. “You have.”

Troy frowned at his mother’s wide-eyed expression. “Who’ve you been talking with, Mom?”

Danielle’s slender shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath. “Susan. And I only spoke with her twice.”

Troy’s skin chilled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Danielle shot a glare at an unrepentant Charles before answering Troy. “Every time we mentioned Susan’s name, you’d clam up. We didn’t think you’d want to talk with her.”

Troy sank onto the armchair. “When did you speak with her?”

Danielle frowned as though trying to remember. “She called us about ten years ago, after she divorced her first husband.”

Charles interrupted. “Troy was her first husband.”

Danielle’s sigh was impatient. “Her second husband, then. She called me again a couple of months ago. She’s getting ready to marry Howard.”

Charles held up three fingers. “Her third.”

Danielle continued. “She wanted to apologize for the trouble she’d caused in the past.”

Troy leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his thighs. “How can I get in touch with her?”

“How’d your interview with the Horn go this morning?” Willis leaned back in the chair behind his desk. It squeaked.

Andrea rested a shoulder against his doorjamb. “Bruce Donnelly offered me the job.”

Willis’s face lit with pleasure. “Congratulations.”

Andrea shook her head. “I turned him down.”

Willis sat up, causing his chair to squeak again. His green eyes widened. “Why? You’re going to be out of work in a month.”

“I know, Will.”

“Then why didn’t you take the job?”

Andrea’s gaze swept her editor’s office. She glanced over her shoulder. What was the difference between Sports and Horn? Not much that she could see.

She turned back to Willis. “Someone once told me not to accept my first job offer unless it’s for a really good company. Horn wasn’t the right fit for me.”