Page 154
Story: The Playbook Complete (Vegas Aces Complete Series Box Sets #5)
“What are you nervous about?” Jack asks me a few weeks after we won the big game, and it’s so strange sitting in this office having a conversation with Jack rather than getting yelled at by Calvin.
It’s also strange seeing Jack in a Vegas Aces polo instead of a jersey. He’s a businessman now, though with his real estate developments I suppose he always has been. I’ve just never seen him in that role before.
I suck in a breath before I answer him. “I guess I’ve been yelled at one too many times in this office.” I think about the last time I was in this office when I was threatened with bench time or even a trade thanks to the arrest that’s now planted firmly in my past.
Jack chuckles, and so does Steve, who sits beside him. “You know, sitting on this side of the desk is a lot more fun. The first time I sat on that side was actually the day I met my wife.” He nods to the chair beside me where my agent sits, and he seems to get a little nostalgic at that. “But that’s a whole other story. Let’s get down to it. Your contract is up, and Steve and Jimmy have negotiated the terms.” He slides a packet of papers across the desk to me with a pen sitting on the top. Even the pen has a Vegas Aces logo. “We’re prepared to offer you eighty-seven million for five years. The breakdown is listed on the top page.”
I glance at the top page and study the figures—guaranteed money plus a signing bonus that’ll be paid out as soon as I sign on the dotted line.
Five years.
That’ll put me at thirty-three—almost thirty-four. Only about six percent of wide receivers are thirty-three or older.
That means this contract will more than likely take me to the end of my career.
Over fifteen million a year plus endorsements and bonuses.
It’s a lot of money…especially for doing something I fucking love to do in the place I fucking love to do it.
I sign on the line without hesitation.
I knew what Jimmy was negotiating with Steve, and to be honest, I would’ve played for less than eighty-seven million.
That’s a hell of a lot of money.
But part of Jimmy’s job is to get me the most money he can, and I wonder how much higher the Aces would’ve gone to keep me.
I wasn’t willing to risk it.
My wife wants to stay here in Vegas. My daughter does, too. They come first, but we’ve talked about this at length over the last few weeks, and I’m sure this is what the three of us want. I get to play here for potentially the rest of my career, and then I get to retire and stay here in Vegas…the land of opportunity and entertainment and—for me, at least—love.
What a fucking dream.
Jack stands in his black Vegas Aces polo shirt and khaki pants, and he sticks his hand out across the desk. I stand, too, and I set my hand in his to offer a firm shake back.
It’s a done deal.
“The team will look different next year, but one familiar face will still help lead us to victory,” Steve says when he shakes my hand.
He’s not wrong. The team will look different next year.
It’s the next generation of the Vegas Aces.
Over the last few weeks, more players have announced their retirement.
Ben Olson is retiring to spend more time with his wife and two kids. She’s pregnant with their third, and he wants to be there for every moment. He owns a chain of health clubs, and he’s excited to put more of his time and energy into watching them grow.
Josh Nolan is retiring, too. Even though his retirement means I’ll likely be starting the seventeen games this season—barring any unforeseen circumstances, of course—I’m still sad to see him go. He’s like a brother to me, but he wants to be healthy for his young family, too. His wife is also expecting another baby, and I don’t blame him for wanting to be there with them. He and Luke are best friends, and both men have talked about taking on a larger role with the coaching staff. I’m curious to see if that’ll happen or not, and I’m also curious what that will mean in terms of spending more time with his family. Coaching is much like playing—with the constant meetings and travel, anyway.
These men have been star players for the Aces for years, and it’ll be a brand-new dynamic without them. They’re all staying in Vegas, though, so they won’t be far. They’ll still come to games, but they’ll get to sit and watch instead of being out on the field.
The future is uncertain and unclear for the team, but I’m excited to be coming back. I’m ready to put in the work to build another winning team, and I know whoever stands shoulder to shoulder with me on the field will feel the exact same way.
We have a celebratory drink in Jack’s office before I head home to my wife and daughter…except my wife is at the bookstore and my daughter is at school.
Once everyone’s home, though…we celebrate. Harper blasts Imagine Dragons as Victoria starts up the stove for our favorite homemade chicken fajitas, and we dance while we cook together, slicing and dicing and chopping as we stop to sing into a wooden spoon or to twirl and dip each other as we dance around the kitchen. It’s full of loud laughter and warmth, and my heart feels full.
This whole thing may have started on quite the fumble, but with a little forward progress, we made it to where we are now: a house filled with laughter and love all because of this beautiful little family.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154 (Reading here)
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157