Love from Left Field (27 page)

So be it
. She pushed off the wall and headed for her office, calling Maggie to find some boxes.

*

“Tell me it
isn’t true?” Cole demanded as he stormed in his office. “What the hell is going on around here? First Lucas, now you.”

Miranda looked up from packing. “I gave him an ultimatum. He called it.”

Cole shook his head. “And you convinced me to stay. Forget it. I can’t stay now.”

Miranda sighed. “You can’t quit. You’re about the only one he’ll listen to. Maybe with me gone and Lucas, he’ll consider your ideas. And you can still make some of the changes on the sly. You did that before. Please stay, Cole. The Knights need you.”

Cole sunk into a chair and rubbed his neck. “He’s imploding, Miranda. He fired his daughter for crissake. His daughter!”

She grinned. “I know. I’m his daughter, remember? And he didn’t fire me. I quit.”

Cole looked up, hope rising. “Do you think he’ll change his mind? Hire you back?”

“You know my father. He’ll never admit he was wrong. No, I’ll have to find a new job.” Reality dawned and she sat heavily in her office chair. “Oh, my God. I have to find a new job. Where do I start?”

Cole chuckled. “You’re just realizing that now? You didn’t think this through, did you?”

She glared at him. “I was trying to help all of you.”

“How did that work out? Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Seriously, what’s next?”

She stood and threw one last picture frame in the box. “Do the best you can. Try to help him, please.”

And she made an exit worthy of her best pageant days.

T
he elevator doors
opened and Lucas stood inside, shocked to see the woman he had been looking for, standing there with a box of stuff in her arms. Not knowing what to say, there was too much he wanted to say, he went with the first thing that came to mind.

“I thought I was the one who was supposed to clean out my desk.”

He immediately regretted it when he saw her eyes, icy cold with a light sheen of something in there, as if she were barely holding things together. He grabbed the box and, after a token resistance, she gave it up.

“What happened?”

“Not your concern.” She clipped each word as if with a knife. “You can move into my office now, or just plan your redecorating. I won’t be needing it anymore.”

He laid the box on a chair near the elevator and reached for her. She evaded him neatly, hugging her arms around her waist. The sight of the pain etched on her face cut him to the bone and he dropped his hands, burying them in his pockets.

“I never meant for this to happen.”

She arched a brow. “Really?”

“Really.” He sighed. “Okay, I wanted to punish Seamus but you and the Knights weren’t supposed to be caught up in this mess.”

“At least you’re not blaming Roger.” She sniffed.

“I didn’t know his plans, but that’s no excuse.”

“When did he tell you?” Her words were soft, broken.

“April,” he admitted. “But I never agreed.”

“And that should excuse you?”

“What did you want me to do, Miranda? If I told you, would you have believed me?”

“Maybe,” she cried, then her shoulders drooped. “Or not. I don’t know. Lucas, I can’t do this. Please. Just leave me alone, and stop calling.”

“Miranda,” he began but she held up her hand.

“No, it’s over. I need some time, space. Good luck helping the Knights, or whatever your next step is.” She pressed the button, picked up her box and walked into the elevator, effectively ending any chance he had with her.

*

“Are you fucking
stupid or just mean?” Lucas burst into Seamus’s office, Ruth running after him. “What the hell were you thinking, firing Miranda? She’s the best thing that ever happened to this team?”

Seamus looked up, unconcerned about the eruption. “Ruth, please close the door on your way out.” He barely spared Lucas a look. “I didn’t fire her. She resigned.”

“Semantics. She wouldn’t have resigned unless you pushed her. What happened?”

Seamus smirked at him. “I get the idea you had something to do with that. Something about making deals to take over as president for some new investors?”

Lucas colored but held his calm. “That had nothing to do with Miranda and everything to do with your mismanagement of the team.”

“Either way, it’s of no concern to you. I spoke with Roger and you’re done here. We no longer require your services. Be gone by the end of the day or I’ll have security escort you out. And they won’t be gentle.”

“You’re either the stupidest man alive or the worst businessman I ever saw. Miranda is the best part of this team. She cares about the people and worked hard to try to save it for you. You don’t deserve her.”

Seamus slammed his hands on his desk and rose to his feet. “Don’t you judge me. You don’t deserve her either.”

“I never said I did,” Lucas said quietly. “I know now why she tried to help you. I feel sorry for you. You’re going to lose everything that matters to you – your team, your status, your money. But you’ve already lost the best thing that you ever had. Miranda.”

He turned to leave. “I’ll be gone by the end of the day. But your troubles won’t go away so easily.”

A
fter speaking with
Roger, Lucas packed up his meager belongings from the office. Normally, it wouldn’t have taken him any time. He rarely put anything personal in his office. Much quicker to leave, no ties, no connections. However, the Knights were different. He packed his Knights coffee mug, a picture of him dressed as the mascot with the kids on Opening Day, and a picture of him with Miranda on Opening Day. He could probably leave the Knights merchandise here; he wasn’t an employee. He wasn’t part of the family. But he placed them in the box anyway, painful though they were.

He glanced up and saw Cole Hammonds in the doorway, looking uncomfortable.

“Are you here to make sure I leave and take nothing?”

Cole advanced in the room and closed the door behind him. “No. I just wanted to say I’m sorry for how things went down. I wasn’t a big fan but you stayed pretty true to your word.”

“Buttering me up for when I take over as president? I can tell you, that isn’t happening. Not here at least.”

A ghost of a smile crossed Cole’s lips. “I knew you wouldn’t stay here, not after everything that happened.”

“Then you’re the only one.” He hefted the box. “Look, if you ever decide to leave the Knights, let me know. I may know a few people.”

Cole opened the door. “Thanks. I doubt my contract will be renewed.”

“You had a good plan. Trust your instincts.” He paused. “Tell everyone goodbye. I’d prefer to slip away quietly.”

Cole nodded and closed the door behind him.

Lucas headed down the hallway. He had one last task to do before leaving forever. He had to let go of the past.

*

It was after
hours and most of the staff had left for the day. Since the team was traveling, the offices were quiet and he was alone in the hallway. He laid the box on the floor and stared up at the picture of his father. The expected stab of anger and regret was gone as he looked at the man he had worshiped growing up, the man he felt he had let down many years ago.

“I tried, Dad. It just wasn’t meant to be. I did my best. I’m sorry.” He sighed.

What was he waiting for? A response?

“He loved you.”

Lucas jumped, startled at the voice coming from right next to him. He whirled around, half expecting to see no one there. Instead, Seamus Callahan stood there, hands clasped behind his back also studying Jacob Wainright’s picture.

“He was a good man, your father. He cared about the people here and knew how to handle everyone. I was more the three-hundred-pound linebacker at a ladies’ tea, steamrolling over everyone and everything around me.”

Lucas just stared at the older man, not really sure what to say. A part of him wanted to leave, but an inner voice told him to stay, so he waited and just listened.

Seamus rocked back on his heels. “He never wanted you trapped by this team. He was hoping you’d love it like he did, but he knew you had to spread your wings, figure out your own future.”

Lucas cleared his throat. “My brother and sister hated sports. Mom tolerated it for my dad’s sake. I was the only one who ever came to the office regularly with him. Then I told him I didn’t want to work for him, or the Knights. I don’t even remember what I wanted to do. Stupid.”

Seamus gave a small laugh. “Your father was disappointed but thought you’d come around. Then, when he was diagnosed with cancer, he came to me and asked me to buy him out. He didn’t want to leave a lodestone around your family’s neck. He wanted you to be able to go to college, find your path and be happy. Same with your brother and sister.” He turned to Lucas. “I didn’t steal the team from your family.”

Lucas nodded. “I think I always knew that but it was easier to blame you than admit that I’m the reason my father gave up his dream.”

Seamus frowned. “The team wasn’t his dream. His family was. Something I never quite understood until recently.” He sighed. “I’ve made many mistakes in my life, most of them in the past few weeks with Miranda.”

“You sure did. She was the best thing that ever happened to you or the Knights.”

“And to you,” Seamus added, softly. “We both blew it with her, didn’t we?”

Lucas nodded, not trusting himself to speak past the lump in his throat.

“I’ve been looking at the numbers again and she did a good job, didn’t she?”

Lucas nodded. “She saved your ass.”

“And I set us back.” Seamus walked a few steps down the hall and sat on a bench designed for visitors. “My wife stopped by and read me the riot act. Something about trying to kill myself, destroying our marriage and some other stuff. My doctor thinks I need to step back, that my time has come and gone.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I’m tired, Wainright. These days are killing me. I just hate being out of control, like my heart is dictating my life.”

Lucas sat on the bench next to him. “Maybe it’s time to make room for the next generation.”

“Do you think she’d come back? Take over the team?”

Lucas shrugged. “Maybe, if the situation was right. She loves the Knights. She’s good for them.”

“What about you? Where will you go?”

Lucas laughed. “As far away from here as possible. My ghosts are buried. I’m headed to Seattle.”

Seamus nodded, hands braced on his knees. “I have an idea. It might work, but I’ll need your help. Can I count on you?”

“You’re not afraid that I’ll steal the team?”

Seamus shook his head. “You had all the chances to do that. Instead, you tried to help Miranda. No, you may be the only one who can help me now. Help Miranda. Are you in?”

Lucas nodded. “I don’t need to be in Seattle for a few weeks.”

“Good. Let’s get started.”

Lucas followed his former enemy into the owner’s office to make plans for their redemption.

M
iranda blinked her
eyes, gritty from salt and lack of sleep. Since she had resigned a week ago, she had sequestered herself in her condo, barely eating and not answering the phone or door. She mostly stared at the television, not really seeing anything but not able to sleep and escape her reality. But last night, somewhere around two in the morning, she had finally slept until something woke her up.