Page 50 of Finally Home
Like I expected, I was pulled into a meeting with the board of directors the moment I entered the building. The team’s owner Alexander “Big Al” Scott does a terrible job disguising his distaste for me with his welcoming words.
I’ve met the man a total of four times in four years and not one of those was a positive interaction. He stands at five feet, six inches, and seems to struggle with a Napoleon complex, often using his brutish personality to intimidate anyone taller than him.
Nodding in respect, I take my seat at the large conference table where several other staff members are already seated. Ella is the only other woman here, and my brows furrow. Normally I wouldn’t think anything of it, but a subordinate shouldn’t be included in something like this unless they were directly involved.
Al doesn’t hesitate to jump right in, which thankfully doesn’t give my nerves a chance to break past the stone façade plastered on my face. “It’s been brought to our attention that this past week you were involved in an extremely public display of lewdness,” he says haughtily. “Do you deny this?”
My nostrils flare as I breathe out angrily. He’s making it out to seem like I caused it. “Last week an inappropriate tape was released of me and my now ex-husband. I was not aware the encounter was filmed, nor was I made aware such a video existed. I take my career and professionalism very seriously and unlike my ex-husband, I’ve never once put myself in a position to damage the Siren’s reputation.”
His face gets redder as I continue, and by the end of my explanation, he slams his palms down on the wood table hard enough to rattle the water glasses scattered across it. “ENOUGH!” He roars. “I will not allow you to waltz in here and slander one of my players like this!”
My jaw drops at his words. “Slandering? How in the world could I slander someone who was just divorced for infidelity and has had not one, but two lewd videos leaked in the last month?” I do my best to keep my tone relatively respectful, but it’s damn hard when all I want to do is rage at how unbelievable this conversation has been from the second I walked in here.
He waves me off with a cruel smirk, bringing my attention to a shiny white scar that runs through his upper lip. “It’s a classic he-said-she-said, and unfortunately since you’re in breach of the morality clause in your contract, you’re relieved of your position, effective immediately. Security will escort you to collect your belongings and you’ll surrender all your passwords and access codes to Miss Reyes,” he says gleefully, pointing at Ella.
I raise an eyebrow and glance around the room. “And Derrick? Will he be released for his part in the 'public display of lewdness’ as well? Or am I the only one being vilified here?” I let some of the anger I’ve repressed slip into my tone, and I see pride reflected in the eyes of a couple of the board members. It’s nice to know not every person here thinks ill of me.
Al doesn’t say anything, he just crosses his arms with that infuriating smirk still firmly planted on his pudgy face.
I don’t say a word either as I stand to leave the room, opting for a silent nod instead. I don’t trust myself not to say something that might come back to bite me later. I guess now I know why Ella’s here. She’s been given my job. When Ella didn’t try to contact me before I came in, I had assumed it was because my phone had been shut off for days, but the look on her face as she watches me leave the room is almost…giddy.
It takes less than fifteen minutes to pack up four years of accomplishments and memories, and instead of feeling devastated, my departure is almost bittersweet. I always assumed I’d be leaving the Sirens at some point in my career, but to be dismissed so suddenly, and for something that was out of my control, is hard. It doesn’t matter that I was about to quit anyway.
“Hey, you doing okay?” Ella’s quiet voice reaches my ears, and I nearly flinch before reminding myself she’s been my friend for years. It’s not her fault management chose to handle it this way. Despite the weird smile she had as I left the conference room, surely she’s not happy about my termination.
I brush off the suspicion in my gut and give her a small smile. “I’m alright. It’s crazy because I was actually planning to resign this week before shit hit the fan so I could move back to South Carolina and be with Rhodes.”
Her jaw drops, and I stifle a laugh.
“Oh, surprise! Apparently he’s been in love with me since freshman year of college and just never told me. God, so much has happened in the last month, and I haven’t had a chance to tell you any of it! I texted you a few times but never heard back,” I trail off quietly. I had forgotten with everything that was going on, but honestly, my feelings are hurt that she never once checked in on me or replied to any of my texts while my world was falling apart.
She waves her hand in the air dismissively. “It’s been crazy busy here; I must have forgotten.”
Okay then…maybe she just feels awkward because of the whole being fired thing. Does she think I’d be upset with her? Jeremy walks in before I can ask. His face is a mask of fury until he sees me, and his expression softens. Pulling me into a hug, he kisses the top of my head and groans.
“God, I am so sorry this is what you had to walk into, Cupcake. I had an inkling, but I should’ve fucking guessed Alexander would say some heinous shit like that. Misogynistic ass pig,” he murmurs under his breath.
I crack up, my shoulders shaking under the weight of his beefy arms. “Ass pig?” I ask through my giggles.
I swear to God, the big guy actually blushes. “It’s nothing,” he grumbles, the deep timbre of his words makes his chest rumble under my cheek. “Just something in a book series I read.”
I don’t want to embarrass him when he’s being so sweet, but I vow to scour his house at a later date and find those books. We hear a quiet scoff behind us, and I turn in shock to see Ella with a stormy look on her face. Her pretty brown eyes are dark with anger, but the expression drops the minute she sees us staring.
Pulling from Jeremy’s hold, I grab my lone box of possessions and take a final glance around one of my favorite places in the world. I don’t want to show my sadness here, so I do my best to keep my emotions in check, but it’s hard. I first set foot in this office when I was barely out of college and didn’t know a single person aside from Derrick.
Seattle is where I found the guys that became my family, where I started my career, and where I finally realized my worth as a person and a romantic partner. The Wren standing here today would never settle for less when it comes to the people in her life—whether that’s a romantic partner, a friend, or a family member.
I turn to smile at Ella, but she returns it with a grimace. My stomach drops, and I’m worried our friendship won’t survive this.
I bring her in for a tight hug, frowning when she leaves her arms by her sides, refusing to return the embrace. “You’ll come to visit sometime, won’t you? I’ll be here as much as I can to see you and the guys. Though I have to say it’ll be weird when I have to get a visitor’s pass to come up here.”
“You can’t be up here even with a visitor’s pass. It’s employees only.” Her words come out quick and harsh. I step back in shock at her tone, but she has that weird grimace-smile cemented in place again. Offering her a brittle smile of my own, I nod slowly and exchange a concerned look with Jeremy.
“Right, of course. Um…I guess I’ll see you around then? Text me if you’re ever in Charleston and wanna grab lunch or something.”
As I talk, I notice her expression shift into her usual bright, happy one as she looks behind me. I turn around and see a small group of players just outside the door in what looks to be a heated discussion. Ella backs up and fluffs her hair, barely sparing me a glance. “Wonderful to catch up, but some of us actually have to work,” she snarks on her way out of the glass-walled office.
I follow her out, more confused than ever, but I’m distracted by the group of men who nearly tackle me in their haste to get in a hug. Several deep voices speak at the same time and too fast for me to really make out what any of them are saying, but Jeremy shouts and they all quiet down.