Worth the Trade (More Than A Game) (27 page)

“I know that the Goliaths need Santiago and he needs the Goliaths.”

“What about what you need?”

“I need to know the team is in good hands.” She would carry the memory of Marco’s hands with her forever. Wherever she ended up.

“And you need to know that the man you love is taken care of.” He reached over and patted her hand. “But what are you planning on doing?”

“I thought I’d travel for a while. Go someplace that doesn’t have baseball. Paris maybe.”

“Paris? You want to give up your team and go to Paris?”

“I hear they have art museums and culture and fine dining.”

“You’re running away.” He shook his head. “You had one confrontation with a mean-spirited reporter and you’re just going to run away?”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“So explain it to me. I’m an old man, I don’t understand you kids these days.” He narrowed his gaze. “Back in my day when a man and a woman fell in love they found a way to be together. They didn’t go running off to Paris when things got scary. They got married.”

“Well, things were simpler back then. You didn’t have to worry about how your career affected Helen’s or vice versa. I know the odds were against me in the first place to truly be accepted in the league.” Hunter blinked back the tears she couldn’t afford to let fall. She couldn’t tell him about the bet. Couldn’t tell him how she’d almost ruined everything because of her stupid pride. “And rather than fight that, I’d prefer to walk away on my terms. Knowing that my team is going to thrive without me. I trust you to do the right thing. I trust you to continue the tradition my father started.”

“But he started it for you.”

“This is what I need.” Hunter couldn’t back down. “I need you to buy the Goliaths and I need to know that Marco will be in left field for the foreseeable future.”

“And what does Marco want?”

“He wants a long-term deal. He wants to stop moving from team to team and finish his career with a sense of accomplishment. He fits in well here. The fans love him. He brings an energy and excitement to the game every time he steps onto the field. I think once he’s settled, his numbers will only go up. You saw what happened when he got comfortable, his at-bats became much more productive.”

“He started playing better when he started spending time with you.”

“You knew?”

“Of course. I saw it at that barbecue. The sparks between the two of you were flying all over the place that day. It was only a matter of time before you two kids ended up together.”

“Yes. It was inevitable. I just wish I’d had the foresight to sign him to a long term contract before it became a conflict of interest.”

“So you’re going to give up your team so he can sign with the club.”

“It’s the only way.”

“So this trip to Paris, will it be a honeymoon?”

“No. I can’t be with him until his contract is finalized. I’m leaving as soon as the final game is played. That way no one can accuse him of negotiating outside of the structure of organized baseball.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”

“Yes. So please, take this contract home, look it over. Show it to Helen and your attorneys and we’ll get it signed and notarized. But I don’t want to announce anything until after the playoffs. I don’t want to cause any more disruption than I already have.”

“Are you sure there isn’t a way for you to keep the team and keep Marco?”

“There isn’t any way I can keep either. But I can walk away knowing they’ll both be okay.” She picked up the contract and placed it in his hands. She patted her father’s partner on the shoulder and left the conference room.

* * * *

Marco wasn’t surprised to see his agent waiting for him after the game. L.A. was just a short flight from Phoenix. He must have called from the airport.

“Marco we need to talk.”

“Yeah. I know.” He’d screwed up. He should have kept his relationship with Hunter private a little longer. Like until the season ended. But he couldn’t help it. After all these years in the big leagues, he finally had something to celebrate and she was the person he wanted to celebrate with.

“You’ve made my job very difficult, you know that.”

“I’m sure you can handle the challenge.” Marco wasn’t in the mood to be chewed out by his agent. Not when he hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d fallen in love. It wasn’t the end of the world.

“It is going to be one hell of a challenge, finding a team willing to sign you.”

“I already told you, the only team I’m interested in is the Goliaths.” He wasn’t leaving San Francisco. He wasn’t leaving Hunter.

“Not going to happen.”

“Look, if you can’t make the deal, then you can find yourself another client.” Marco didn’t know how else to make his position any more clear. “I’m staying in San Francisco.”

“So you have been
negotiating
on your own.” He said the word like it was something dirty. “And what exactly did she promise you during these
negotiations
?”

“We haven’t discussed my contract. We’ve done nothing that goes against the current bargaining agreement. We haven’t broken any rules.” He’d reread his contract carefully. There was no explicit clause that stated a ballplayer couldn’t have a personal relationship with an owner or anyone in the front office.

“Maybe not technically. But some would consider your conduct detrimental to the best interest of baseball.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Marco was furious now. “If baseball wanted to regulate players’ sex lives, they would have gotten rid of groupies a hundred years ago.”

“Sex with groupies isn’t a problem. Sex with the woman who pays your salary is.”

“Now there’s something really wrong with that statement.”

“That may be true, but the fact of the matter is, I can’t negotiate a contract with someone you’re sleeping with.”

“Then I guess we’re done here.” Marco crossed his arms over his chest. “You can let yourself out.”

“Look, I can make some phone calls, see if anyone’s willing to bite, but you crossed a line here.” His agent shook his head, like he thought Marco had brought shame upon the entire baseball world. It wasn’t like he’d been involved with a married woman, or an underage girl. He hadn’t hooked up with a drunk stranger who couldn’t be sure about just how consensual the sex was.

“You don’t get it, do you? I am not going to leave Hunter behind. I can’t.” Marco felt like he might as well be talking to the brick wall out in left field. “I love her. And I’m pretty sure she loves me.”

Pretty sure. But he wasn’t certain they would be able to work everything out. His agent acted like he’d screwed himself by getting involved with Hunter. Maybe he had, but he’d screwed Hunter even more. He knew it was wrong, but she’d be looked down upon by her fellow owners. Any future trades she’d make would be questioned. Maybe not to her face, but they’d nudge each other behind her back, wondering if she was getting a guy for his playing ability or his sex-appeal.

He dropped his head against his locker. Let out a string of curses in English and Spanish. This should be the high point of his career. He was on the verge of his first run at the playoffs. They had a team that could go all the way. He wanted nothing more than to be able to celebrate the accomplishment with Hunter.

Instead he’d fired his agent, and was now wondering if this was going to be his last season as a professional baseball player.

Well, if it was going to be his last season, he’d better make the most of it.

Chapter 19

The Goliaths won four of their last six games. After dropping the first two games to Arizona, they came back to finish the season strong and ready for the playoffs. They won the division series in four games against Atlanta before beating Cincinnati in game six of the Championship Series.

They were heading for the World Series. The ballpark was rocking from the celebration. Champagne was sprayed everywhere, but the players had figured out to don ski goggles to protect their eyes from the stinging spray. Hopefully they’d have one more celebration, because Marco wasn’t quite satisfied.

Hunter had stayed away from the clubhouse since the division clinching game. It killed him to think it was his fault she wasn’t here to celebrate. It was as much her victory as any of the players. She watched the games from her usual spot, but as soon as the last pitch was thrown, she’d quietly exit the ballpark, avoiding reporters and fans.

They still met up after the games, but the closer they got to the big game, the more distant she’d become. They still made love, but she withdrew almost immediately after. He wanted to believe it was because as soon as the series ended, so would his contract. And she refused to talk about it, not wanting to violate any free agency rules.

A podium had been set up in the infield. League officials were getting ready to announce the series MVP award. It was between Marco and Bryce, but either way, Hunter should have been there to be a part of the ceremony. But as he scanned the crowed, Marco knew she’d already slipped away. The team’s manager conferred with the suits from the commissioner’s office and the crowd settled down in anticipation of the announcement.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the Fox reporter had stepped up to the podium and spoke to the now hushed ballpark. “Here to announce the winner of this year’s National League Championship MVP, Mr. Allen Cambridge.”

“I’m proud to present this award to a man who exemplifies what it means to be the most valuable player. Twelve hits, seven RBIs, and three home runs over the course of the series. Not to mention his outstanding glove work in an outfield he’d played in for only two months.”

The crowd erupted into chants of “Marco! Marco! Marco!”

“As you’ve guessed, this year’s MVP goes to Marco Santiago.”

He approached the podium, accepted his award, and addressed the crowd.

“Thank you. Thank you very much, although I think you could have given this award to any of the other twenty-four guys on this team. Still, I’m honored.” Since he couldn’t be heard above the roar, he ended his speech and shook hands with the presenter, his manager, and after tipping his cap and holding his trophy up for the fans, he made his way back to the clubhouse.

He was trying to figure out a way to fit the darn thing in his locker when the Fox reporter approached him.

“You didn’t have a lot to say up there.” She smiled and thrust a microphone in his face. “Is there something you’d like to add?”

“Look, I appreciated the award, but our work isn’t finished yet. We still have a tough opponent in Texas, and I want to turn my focus on winning the next series.”

“I noticed that Hunter Collins was absent from the celebration.” She smiled not-so-sweetly. “I’ve heard rumors there’s a bit of a shake-up amongst the ownership group. Clayton Barry is out, and I was wondering if you had any inside information.”

“Nope. This is the first I’ve heard of it.” He wanted to tell her the reason Hunter wasn’t there was because of people like her who couldn’t keep their nose out of her personal business. But he kept his mouth shut.

“Come on, with your relationship with Miss Collins, surely you must know something.”

“When I’m on the field, I’m focused on baseball. One hundred percent. Hunter takes her job just as seriously. When we’re together, we don’t discuss business. When I’m with her… Nothing else matters.”

Marco gave a quick nod to the camera before turning and walking away.

He didn’t even try to shower at the ballpark with all the champagne spraying still going on, so he grabbed a cab to Hunter’s house. He let himself in with the key she’d given him weeks ago. But she didn’t come rushing to the door like he’d hoped.

She wasn’t in the family room, or the kitchen. He headed upstairs to the master bedroom, where they’d been sleeping for the past several weeks. Instead, he found her in her childhood room. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, with her arms wrapped around a well-loved, one-eyed teddy bear.

“Hunter.” He pushed through the partially open door and put his arms around her. “Oh baby, what’s the matter?”

“He should be here for this.” She tried to wipe her tears but there were too many of them.

“Your father?” Marco held her, rocked her against him until the sobs subsided. “I’m sorry. So sorry he’s not here for you. But he would have been so proud of you. You know that, don’t you?”