Page 84 of Dare to Love
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Madison paced the confines of her boss’s office in the Miami Thunder stadium. Ian Dare was intimidating on a good day. A day that would be defined as one where everyone agreed with Ian. Today wasn’t one of those days.
She’d been working with the Thunder for the past month, having given up social work for a hospital in exchange for starting up an exciting, groundbreaking program with the hometown football team.
She glanced at Ian, not happy with his most recent proclamation. “When I took this position, we agreed this program would change lives, right?” Madison asked.
Ian straightened his tie and met her gaze with those steely gray eyes. “It will. We’ll be the first football team to institute mandatory postcareer education. The Thunder will make sure its players are capable of a successful physical, psychological, and social transition into the real world when their careers end. I don’t care if it’s one year into their contract or ten.”
She nodded. She would be in charge of getting the program up and running, her schooling and work history in social work and psychology providing the perfect background. She’d also thought she’d have a say in whoever came on board to work with her.
Apparently not.
She folded her arms across her chest. “So tell me how bringing the playboy athlete on board gels with those goals?” Then, realizing she spoke of his half brother, she cleared her throat. “No insult intended.”
“None taken.” The corner of Ian’s mouth lifted in a wry grin.
Dark-haired, buttoned-up men weren’t her type, but she’d have to be dead not to notice that Ian was one very sexy man and Riley was one very lucky woman.
“I’m aware you and Alex have... history,” Ian said.
“That’s a delicate way of expressing it.” Ian already knew she and Alex had history.
Madison wouldn’t be surprised if Riley had filled him in on the ugly ending. They shared everything.
Madison had met Riley in her former position as a social worker for domestic abuse victims at the hospital. She’d briefly been Riley’s therapist and had ended up being her closest friend. She knew why Riley never kept Ian in the dark and respected it.
“You’re a professional. If you set your mind to something, I have no doubt you can handle working with Alex,” Ian said.
Madison raised her eyebrows. “Do not try to win me over with platitudes and compliments.”
“Are you saying you can’t work with him?” Ian asked.
Madison laughed. “You must really be used to people you can bullshit. Now you’re trying to challenge me into accepting him.”
He grinned, stunning her. “Is it working?”
“What do you think?” Madison let out a heavy sigh.
She was a pro at protecting herself from hurt and abandonment, and as a result, she chose the men she let into her life carefully. They couldn’t get to her on any level except sexually. No chance of being hurt when things ended. From the second she’d laid eyes on Alex standing by Riley’s hospital bed, she’d pegged his type. Cocky and full of himself. She’d bruised his ego when she hadn’t let on that she’d recognized the infamous womanizing quarterback. Why should she? The battered female in the bed had been her only concern despite his sexy good looks.
But months later, when they’d begun their fling—she refused to call it a relationship now—Madison had warned herself that all she was to him wasa game. And yet she’d allowed her hormones, his charm, and their mutual chemistry to override common sense.
She’d let her heart betray her. And she’d paid for that in spades, she thought, remembering the days of hurt and pain after he’d callously tossed her out of his hospital room, never to be heard from again.
“Who better to co-chair this program than someone whose career has been sidelined by unexpected injury?” Ian’s deep voice broke into her thoughts.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe someone who takes life seriously?” she spat.
But his injuryhadbeen serious, she knew. She could still hear the crack of his helmet against the ground in the instant replay.
Ian cleared his throat. “He’s lost without football. He needs direction. And he’s in a unique position to bring perspective to the players you’ll be trying to reach. He’d be the perfect person to talk to the league when we’re ready to try to convince them to make this type of program mandatory for all teams.”
Madison studied Ian closely. His jaw was set tight, his eyes narrowed. Being close to Riley gave her insight into the man. And she knew that before meeting Riley, Ian had wanted nothing to do with his half sibling. He’d resented his father’sotherfamily, especially Alex.
“Who are you trying to convince this is the right move? Me? Or yourself?” Madison asked. Ian stiffened, and she knew she was right. “This is Riley’s idea, isn’t it? She’s worried about Alex, and she asked you to offer him this opportunity.” Disappointment settled heavily in her heart.
“Every time you speak, you convince me you’re the right woman to spearhead this effort. You’re intuitive. And you’re correct.”