Page 12 of Offsides

“Let’s just cut the shit, shall we, Theo?” The sound of his voice saying her name made Theo’s heart skip a beat. She swallowed hard, steeling her gaze on him. She was a professional. She could handle whatever it was he had to say. “What is it that you really want? What did you spend seven hundred and fifty dollars to ask me? Because I’m pretty fucking sure it wasn’t about Beau.”

It sure fucking wasn’t…

Theo sucked in a breath, putting on her TV face. It was the smile that she knew made viewers tune in every week. The one that had won over the hundreds of people she’d interviewed over the years.

“I want full access to the Rising. I want to cover the team as you prepare for the Fremont Cup and then throughout the tournament. Exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to cover practice, games, interview players, the whole nine.”

“No.”

“Cowboy, listen to me. The Rising have a real shot at winning the Fremont Cup—”

“I am aware,” he cut her off.

“Just think how amazing it would be to have all that documented. To have a special run, prime time, showing off your success. Just think of what that would do to ticket sales,” she pitched.

“Ticket sales are just fine.” He raised his hand, signaling to a sandy-haired waiter. “Link, can I please get my sandwich to go?”

“Sure,” the waiter said. “Both your orders?”

“Nope, just mine. I’ll pick it up at the bar. But give Theo here whatever she wants. She can order the whole damn menu for all I care. Just create a tab and let me know the damage tomorrow.”

The waiter nodded and swiftly turned to go.

“Where are you going?” Theo asked, feeling the anger rise within her. He was walking out on their “date”? How dare he. She wasn’t done with her questions. Not that he’d answered a single one so far. “We’re not done here.”

Sliding out of the booth, Cowboy turned to her, giving her a smirk that could melt all the panties in Texas.

“In the words of a rather famous Georgia man, ‘frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.’”

Chapter Five

The soft sounds of two distinct southern accents wafted down the hall of the Atlanta Rising training center as Cowboy made his way to the conference room. It was hard to tell exactly what they were discussing, but the few words he could hear let him know that Felicity’s younger brother, Dalton, President and co-owner of Southland Holdings, was in there with her. A laugh rang out, first from Felicity, followed by her brother, and Cowboy couldn’t help but smile at the sound.

The two had taken over Southland Holdings after their father, a man known simply by his nickname of Big D, passed away a few months back. Ignoring a small bit of drama when Felicity and Gunnar’s secret relationship was outed, the whole thing had gone rather smoothly, at least in Cowboy’s opinion. Especially considering what had apparently been a complicated history between the siblings and their father leading up to it. Cowboy knew a thing or two about complicated families and how easily they can be torn apart, so seeing the Sutherlands like this was a good thing.

It also helped take his mind off last night. Walking out on Theo like that had not been his proudest moment. Far from it. He was not an angry, uptight person. The exact opposite actually. He made it a point to be happy. Living his life to the fullest and making the most of every day was something he’d always strived to do. It was a promise he’d made to someone long ago. And that promise was what had kept him going no matter what.

Theo and her broken record of questions had gotten to him though. Or maybe it was the way she couldn’t take a joke. Admittedly, he had set her up with the buns thing, but it was funny. Everyone who went to Bunz needed to experience it, at least once. He’d thought it would help loosen her up and get them started off on a lighter note. Instead, it had shoved that stick farther up her ass. Which had only meant she—and her questions—had gotten under his skin even more. And she was already under there pretty good.

Didn’t change that he was horribly embarrassed over the way he had snapped at her. Or that he had walked out on her. He’d acted like an ass, and the guilt from it was starting to gnaw at him.

“Those are happy sounds,” he said, walking into the conference room and taking his usual seat. “And I like happy bosses.”

“I was just showing Tripp the video of me attempting so do some dance that Lulu made me try last night,” Felicity responded, referring to her brother by his family nickname. “What our little sister does not seem to comprehend is that I’m not quite as coordinated as she is.”

“She did the same thing to Zara. Difference is, my fiancée can dance.”

“Effie can dance,” Gunnar said, entering the room. “She just needs the right inspiration.”

“TMI! TMI!” Dalton said, throwing his hands over his ears. “I’m happy you two found each other, but I don’t need details.”

Felicity swatted at him, a scowl on her face, and Dalton dodged out of the way just in time to avoid contact. Cowboy let out a laugh. This is how meetings should start, with everyone happy and joking around.

“Is it just the four of us?” Dalton asked as the group settled down.

“Yes. I am pretty confident in the direction I want to go with the candidates for the president role, but want your opinions before I present it to the board to vote. Plus, I have a few updates from Saxony about the Unified team.”

“I think Keaton Alexander is the way to go,” Gunnar said. “And not just because Isaac Peters spent half the time hitting on you. I think Keaton is the better fit overall.”