Page 7

PRESENT DAY

MADISON

Shaking off the memory of the last time I saw Dixon, I walk alongside my new coach. She’s nattering about the team and team dynamics. “Your agent should be in the conference room.”

I nod. Todd, my agent, works for my boss. My day-job, boss, Lily Dornan. She manages Glenwood Elite Sports and Talent Management. It’s a sad fact of life that most professional women athletes have full-time jobs while they play their sport. I acquired my Paralegal certificate and fate brought me to Lily who needed someone to handle legal paperwork for her company. When I moved to Phoenix for the Bobcats, her firm represented me. By the end of the weekend, she hired me for a thirty-hour weekly position to supplement my income. Smiling, I think about how great it will be to be back in Dallas on a permanent basis.

Lily smiles when we walk into the conference room. “Hey. Todd’s sick, so you get me.”

I laugh. “I appreciate you taking his place.”

She smiles as the Dauntless General Manager strolls into the room. Elise Wilcox, a former star player and coach, motions for everyone to take a seat. She leans across the table to shake my hand. “I’m very happy to meet you, Benny. May I call you Benny?”

“Sure.”

She turns to Lily. “Good morning, Lily. I’m sure everyone is a bit caught off guard with the urgency of this meeting, but we need to replace a player, and Ms. Bennett needs a team.”

She’s not wrong. I had expected I’d be going back to Phoenix next week. Circumstances changed there and now it appears I’m without a team and this looks like a good fit.

Lily pipes up. “This is a preliminary get-to-know-each-other meeting.”

Ms. Wilcox beams. “I spoke with Phoenix. They said they’re planning to go a different way with player personnel and schemes. I’m unsure exactly what happened, but I suspect I know.”

I gasp and stare at the stunning older woman with salt and pepper hair dressed like she just stepped off the runway for Vogue. Her head dips as she leans. “I’m familiar with your former coach pretty well. Scuttlebutt suggests she was the reason you left Boulder.”

Lily raises her hand. “Let’s not get into the past. I think we can all agree that Madison brings a lot to the table. She’s won the Defense MVP twice; once as a rookie, and made the difference in both Phoenix Championship wins. They’re foolish to let her go. I’ve fielded calls from four other American teams and three international teams.”

Georgia, who took a seat at the end of the table, smiles as she gets my attention. “It’s no secret. We want you. You’re perfect for our current and upcoming plans for the Dauntless. This is your home, and I can’t imagine it will be a hardship to be close to family and friends. Your contract with Phoenix lasts through this season. We’ve picked it up, but want to sweeten the deal. You’ll be the highest paid defensive player in the league if we all decide this is the place you want to be next season.”

Elise tosses a document to Lily. “I don’t know what Madison has for endorsements, but there are four Dallas businesses that want to work with her. She’s well known and liked in Dallas. We all understand that won’t hurt her opportunities for more.”

Lily flips through the pages. “These will go well with her current endorsements. She has two through the Bobcats, so likely they will end.” She hands the folder to me, and I scan through it.

The endorsements will give me enough income that I won’t have to work at all outside of women’s soccer. I catch a knowing look from Lily and a soft shrug. She’s the kind of person that wants me to advocate for myself. I take a breath and get the focus of the GM. “You bought my contract, so I’m here. There are things I love about Dallas, but frankly I enjoyed being in a new place. How do you see me fitting in with this team?”

Georgia clicks her tongue. “You’re a born leader. You ran the Bobcats with a steel fist in a velvet glove. We didn’t make this decision lightly. You’re young, but even the older players respect you. The Bobcat coach’s illness didn’t become known until after it was affecting her coaching. You made the difference with the playoffs last year. I honestly believe that if you hadn’t been injured, they’d be making a run for the Championship this year.” Her mouth bows to a grin. “I’m looking forward to having that chance for us.”

I’m surprised with her response. The doctor cleared me to play, and I should be practicing right now. I’m kicking myself for not realizing Phoenix was biding their time to get rid of me.

Georgia reads my mind. “We’d like for you to start Monday.”

Lily laughs. “We’d like the room.”

Heads bob in agreement as the other two women stand and leave, pulling close the glass door. I chuckle, not knowing how else to respond. “I didn’t expect this.”

She shakes her head. “It started earlier in the week. Your history with ‘she who should not be named’, is legendary. Everyone saw the writing on the wall when she took over at Phoenix. She had to bide her time to cause you problems and then you got injured so quickly into the season. Anyone knowledgeable in women’s soccer knows you would never work out your differences. This is a great fit.”

I nod. “Yeah.” My face drops as Lily sets her hand on mine.

“What?”

“Dixon is here.”

Lily nods. “Well.”

My eyes bug out as I stare. “You knew?”

“Of course I knew. But it shouldn’t come into play with your decision. He’s in the past, right?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“Great.” Lily flicks her head at the file. “We can fight this move, but do you really want to?”

I shake my head. “No. I want to be here.”

“Excellent.” Lily raises her head at the two sets of eyes trying not to study us in the window. The two women walk in. “We’re good.”

Georgia walks over and thrusts her hand out. I shake it. “Want to meet the team?”

Do I? Lily shares her ‘you’ve got it’ look and I nod. “Yes. Let’s do it.”

Ms. Wilcox waits until I stand and shakes my hand. “Welcome to Dauntless. I can’t wait to see how you bring us to the next level.”

That’s not pressure at all. I inhale and hug Lily. She whispers. “The girls and I are going out to Dangerous tonight at nine if you want to come.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you there.”

I walk with Georgia as she points out the player perks while we walk to the field. “Bethany’s retirement was a blow to the team. We haven’t shared that we’re bringing you on board, but I can tell you, everyone will be thrilled.”

I hope so. We exit the elevator and walk through the tunnel to the field. Assistant coaches are running drills, and I hear a familiar voice call my name.

“Benny?” A former teammate from Boulder, Evie Benning, runs up. “Oh my God. You’re our new defender.”

Georgia shakes her head as she chuckles. “Way to blow the surprise, Benning.”

Evie squeals as she wraps her hand around the bend of my elbow. “This is the best news.”

Georgia raises her voice. “Team! Gather round.” The players run to join us on the edge of the field with chattering about who I am and what’s going on echoing around. “I’d like to introduce everyone to Madison Bennett.” I nod and raise my hand as she beams. “She’s joining us as our new defender.”

Hoots and positive comments emanate from the group. The oldest player on the team, Nadia Jurgens, raises her hand. “Welcome.”

Surprise tickles my neck. That was easier than I thought. “I’m excited to be here. I can’t wait to see what we can do together as a team.” The group of women swarm me and, just like that, I’m one of them.

Later that night, I stare at myself in the mirror. The short blue suede skirt hits just above the scar on my knee. I’m not vain enough to care. I’m a professional athlete. If someone is going to judge me for my scars, they can fuck off. My hair is long and loose in ringlets down my back with a light dusting of makeup. The off-white blouse shows more cleavage than I typically do, but I don’t feel the need to hide them as much as I did. I tip my head to myself in the mirror. “You control your destiny. Go get it!”

Dangerous is a dance club in the Quad owned by one of the Campbell cousins. They’re an uber-rich family in Dallas and Lily’s close to the wives and girlfriends. In fact, her fiancé is a Campbell cousin as well. The club is the happening place to be. It’s typically full of hot women, rich men, professional athletes, and other notorious characters. Regret peeks up in my mind as I stare at myself. My soccer career is the most important thing to me, but am I missing out by not having someone to share it? My phone rings me out of the thought.

“Hello?”

“Hey. Are you coming to my condo or are you meeting us there?” Lily is a good friend, of course she’s calling to check on me.

I flick my wrist. I’m late. “I’ll meet you there in twenty.”

“Cool.”