Page 18 of The Bad Boy’s Homecoming (The Southern Hart Brothers #2)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Levi
One Number Away
L evi sat across from Declan and couldn’t help but notice how huge the man was, and Levi was six foot three. But Declan barely fit in the chair. His shoulders were wide like a linebacker’s, and his hands made the tablet look like a child’s toy.
“Have you ever played professional sports?” Levi asked.
“Nope, I joined the army in college. They sent me to law school, and I gave them six years.”
“I guess your size came in handy there too.”
“Let me ask you, Levi, do you want to keep playing for Atlanta?” Declan said, looking him in the eyes. His face was void of any emotion.
“Yes, it was always my dream as a kid to play for Atlanta, and I’ve been with the team for nine years.”
“Then I don’t understand why you didn’t sign this contract the second they sent it over and packed up your things.
I’ve followed baseball long enough to know this is one of the best contracts any shortstop has ever been offered, and I suspect one of the largest signing bonuses ever.
Not to mention this gets you four more years of guaranteed salary even if you get injured. ”
“But what about that persona clause?” Levi asked.
Declan leaned forward in his chair, with his forearms on his knees, and now he studied Levi.
“It means I still have to let them call me the Bad Boy of Baseball, play my part, and not refute the ridiculous storyline they come up with every season,” Levi said.
“Are you saying you’re not the Bad Boy? You didn’t sleep with your friend’s girlfriend, get into a bar fight last year, or fly an entire cheerleading squad to Ibiza?”
Levi cringed inside. Having a man like Declan judge him based on mostly lies was exactly why he couldn’t deal with the persona clause anymore. Then Missy popped into his mind.
“I’m not saying I haven’t played into this role, but it was all manufactured from the start.
Ever since my first contract, they had this plan to create more hype and develop new types of fans.
Ones that are more interested in the players’ personal lives than the game.
In some cases the fans don’t even care about the actual baseball or if we win or lose.
If I’m dating an actress they like, they buy tickets to the games.
If I’m linked to some scandal they buy even more tickets. ”
“So they’ve expanded interest in baseball with reality TV storylines? Using lies to generate ticket sales, and sell baseball swag by creating these personas?” Declan said.
“Basically, and just about every team has a handful of players who are expected to play these roles and perform on the field.”
“From a business perspective it is kind of genius. But you’re saying you’re sick of it and now you’re stuck?”
“Bingo, that’s why I’m not at spring training. I wasn’t holding out for a bigger pay day. I told my agent I wanted out of the persona clause, but either he knows Atlanta won’t agree or he likes the bonuses he gets too much to really fight for me.”
“So you need a new agent, a new contract, and maybe a new team. But even then the storyline may always follow you.”
Levi shook his head. “I never should have agreed to it.”
“It’s a pretty big decision to make at twenty-one when someone is handing you your dream job, and a big paycheck.”
Levi nodded. “It’s not a great excuse.”
“You don’t need an excuse. We all make decisions in our youth that may not serve us later,” Declan said, without adding any other details.
“To answer your question, yes, they’ve gotten a little tricky with the wording, but you’ll be beholden to present a specific type of image to the fans. An image of their choosing.”
“Then I can’t sign it, and I need to fire my agent.”
“Do you have someone else in mind to help you find a new team?”
“I think a few of my friends’ agents would welcome my call. Unless you have someone you can recommend?”
“I have a buddy from law school who has been building his agency up, but I’m not sure he’s had anyone with your level of success.”
“Can you give me his contact info anyway? Sometimes the hungry ones are the best.”
Declan nodded. “Sure.”
“I appreciate you looking at the contract and talking it through with me. If you email me the bill and that number I’d appreciate it.”
“I owe your family a lot, for helping out Missy this last year. Your brothers offered her this job with room and board, just when I thought she was going to leave town for some peace and quiet. I think Mrs. Hart has become the strong motherly figure that Missy was missing since my mom passed, but she’s still young and finding her place in the world. ”
“She’s very talented.” Levi could feel some emotion rolling off of Declan, but he didn’t know if it was protection or worry, or both.
“When Missy came to live with my mom permanently, I was away in the army, but it was clear things hadn’t been right in Missy’s home life.
My mom officially adopted her and made me swear to always protect her.
No matter how much I owe your family, I won’t stand by and let anyone use her,” Declan said as he stood.
“I’m not interested in using her if that’s what you’re worried about.” Levi stood, too, and hoped Declan believed his sincerity.
“But you are interested in her—that’s obvious. And we don’t always set out to hurt someone, but it still happens.”
“At first I thought she tricked everyone into letting her stay here and was sorta mooching off my gran. I didn’t realize how much companionship and help Missy was for Gran,” Levi admitted.
“And, now that you know she’s not some freeloader, and you’re staying in the same house with my beautiful and talented cousin? Who is like a little sister to me?”
Levi didn’t know what to tell Declan. He hardly knew what he was feeling. Of course he was attracted to Missy—she was an effortless beauty.
“There’s something about her that I think draws people to her. It’s in her art, too, which is probably why it was so instantly successful.”
“But she works for your family, and you’ll be leaving again soon.”
Levi sighed. “I hear you loud and clear.”
Declan nodded. “Good. One last thing, you might be the Bad Boy of Baseball, but my call sign was Punisher in the army. I won’t let anyone mistreat her again.”
“Do you mean someone recently hurt Missy?”
Declan grimaced. “She wasn’t right when she came home last year after she quit law school in her third year. But I didn’t press her. If she wants me to know, she’ll tell me.”
Levi nodded but his stomach twisted in knots. The idea of someone mistreating Missy—this talented woman who was winding her way around his heart—made him angry.
“Are you two done talking shop? Because I’m about to eat all the pasta and you’ll be left with cheese and crackers,” Missy said walking up to the door holding her hand protectively near her chest.
Her hair was tied back but several curls fell away to tickle the sides of her high cheekbones. Her eyes looked vibrant but there was a slight pinch to her brow.
“Did you take your medicine?” Levi said, checking his watch.
“Yes, Dr. Hart 2.0, right before I scarfed down my first bowl of pasta which I’m still not sure I believe you made.”
“You would doubt my cooking skills?” Levi said, then moved the foot stool back into place so she could sit back down.
“I think I’d like to go up to my room and lie down for a bit,” Missy said.
“I can walk you up, before I head back to the office,” Declan said.
Missy smiled, but again Levi recognized the pull of what he assumed was pain on her forehead.
“Dec, I can walk up those stairs on my own. I burned my hand; I didn’t break my foot.”
“Ya, but it would make me feel better, and you’re not going to have an easy time tucking yourself in.”
“Alright, come on. It’ll be easier if I just give in now.” She turned and moved up the backstairs and Declan handed Levi the tablet he’d been using.
“I’ll send you that contact info for my colleague, and you let me know if she needs anything tonight. Otherwise I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Thanks again,” Levi said.
Then Declan followed Missy up the backstairs and Levi stood staring after them. How had he ended up back home, with no team to play for, and worrying about his grandmother’s caretaker?
After Declan left, Levi fought every instinct to go check on Missy.
He knew she needed rest and space. She wasn’t his, and he needed to call his agent to tell him he wasn’t accepting this latest contract and he would no longer need his services.
An hour later he was just finishing the call with his ex-agent when he heard a distinct yelp upstairs, and he raced up the steps two at a time, then burst into Missy’s room.
But she wasn’t in her bed and the bathroom door was closed.
“Missy, do you need help?” he said walking to the door.
“Levi, if you come through that door you’re the only one who will need help,” she said.
“I heard you yell.”
“Well the good news is my hand stopped hurting, but the bad news is I forgot and tried to use it to pull down my pants and it hurt.”
“Are you sure I can’t help you?”
“No, please leave.”
“I’ll just wait in the hall in case you change your mind.”
A few minutes later she opened the door. Her hair was wild and looked like she’d been tossing and turning while she slept. She held out a hair tie to him.
“I actually do need help with my hair. Could you please pull it back for me?” she said bashfully.
“Yes, I can do hair, I’m actually great with hair.”
“I doubt that but I’m sorta desperate.” She turned around so her back was to him.
“Do I need a brush?”
“No, we don’t brush curls.”
“Right, I knew that.”
She turned to look at him over her shoulder. “Are you sure you can handle this?”
“Ya, how hard can it be? I just pull it all up together and wrap this hair tie around it.”
“Right,” Missy said. “Or maybe I should find Mrs. Hart?”
“She was napping in the living room last I checked.”