I had a knot in my stomach thinking he might ask me to step down and put someone with more experience in my place to run the team. It was hard to be taken seriously as an executive at twenty-nine. Especially considering I was a woman in a very male-centric field, and people thought everything was handed to me because Damien Wales was my father. It was the opposite of what people thought. I had sacrificed any type of personal life to show my dedication.
Since I was a little girl, I’d been determined to prove them wrong. I would be successful and run my father’s company one day.
I opened the door to see my dad sitting at the conference table. He gave me the loving smile he’d been greeting me with my entire life. Before he had a chance to say anything, I stated my case. “Hey, Dad. I know this is a mess, but give me a chance to fix things. There’s a reason I haven’t acted yet.”
His smile didn’t dim, but he nodded. “Fair enough.”
Some of my tension eased. Not that I’d expected that he wouldn’t hear me out, but I had been prepared for the worst.
As I stepped into the room, I heard Coach Bailey’s thunderous voice coming from down the hallway.
“This better be good. I was in the middle of something. You can’t just call me on a whim when you feel like talking about something. I’ve got a team to run.”
My dad’s eyes widened, and I winced.
Yeah, I’ve let things spin out of control.
I squared my shoulders as we waited for him to reach the conference room. It was past time our head coach met Kendall Wales, the general manager.
He stormed into the room and stopped short, his face filled with shock. “Mr. Wales, I had no idea you were here. How was your trip?”
Well, that was a change in tone. My dad’s response was clipped, his voice cold as ice. “Unexpected.”
The one word spoke volumes. I gestured toward the table. “If you’d take a seat, we’d like to have a word with you.”
Coach Bailey adjusted his pants in a way that drove me crazy. He yanked them up an inch or two, but moments later, they settled right back down to their original location. Sometimes I thought that was a thing all coaches learned to do in school. Belts were made to hold pants up, there was no need to move them.
I folded my hands on the table and crossed my ankles. This morning, I’d worn a black power suit and put my blond hair in a chignon. Businesslike and classy. “Coach Bailey, I assume you’ve seen the morning news?”
His eyes darted to Dad, who remained silent. I was sure Dad was staring at the coach with that unwavering glare that made most people quake in their boots. Coach Bailey turned back to me, cleared his throat, and scratched his graying beard. “I have. The guys were initiating the new players, letting off steam before the fall season starts. A rite of passage, if you will.”
Over the last two weeks, that had been his answer to every unacceptable thing the players did. I took a deep breath and stared at him. It was my moment to put my foot down. Initially, I had planned to go over everything with Dad, but ultimately, it was my team to run.
I cocked my head to the side. “I don’t see how running through the streets almost naked, pouring soap in the town fountain, and relieving oneself in said fountain constitutes ‘letting off steam.’ Can you explain that to me?”
He chuckled at my description before catching himself, apparently remembering who was in the room with us. “I’ll talk with the boys.”
That was the other response I’d received whenever I’d tried to address something. I shook my head. “For the last two weeks, I’ve heard ‘I’ll talk with the team’ or ‘a right of passage’ multiple times. Those are no longer acceptable answers.”
His chubby cheeks turned bright red. “Well, that’s the only answer I’ve got.”
I opened the leather folder and pulled out a piece of paper. “Coach Bailey, your services are no longer required. We’re buying out the rest of your contract as per the agreement you made when Wales Enterprises purchased this team. Your termination is effective immediately.”
He stood and slapped his palms on the table. “Wales, are you going to let this happen? I’ve been part of this team for ten years. I was part of the negotiation. I’m the best damn thing you’ve got going for this team. She knows nothing about sports or how this team should run.”
How the hell would he know? I stood, placed my hands on the table, and leaned forward. He wasn’t the first asshole I’d had to deal with during a business negotiation. “If you had read your contract thoroughly, which I arranged, you would have seen the buyout clause. Jethro will take your badge and will supervise as you pack your belongings. You have thirty minutes.”
It was petty, but watching his face turn re