Dolphins in Miami. After a few years in Miami, I received a better offer from Buffalo and then eventually, the Tide was looking for a GM. I threw my hat in the ring, and I received a call from the Tide. I came out here, interviewed, and next thing I knew, I had an offer.”
“Sounds like you’ve led a charmed life.”
He shrugged, digging in for another helping, loading his plate high before responding. “I don’t know about charmed. I think my name hit the Tide’s radar at the right time.”
“Are you a believer in fate?” she asked, curious. In her experience, most men took complete responsibility for their accomplishments. Employers hired them because they were the best fit for the position. They scored the game winning goal because they’d practiced it a thousand times before. They were high achievers because of their efforts, not because serendipity or destiny had any hand in their accomplishments.
He cocked his head before replying. “I don’t know. Maybe. Was I fated to come to work for the Tide? I don’t know. All I know is that the timing and the fit were right. It was the perfect storm of factors at the right time. The team didn’t have a lot of money to expend on a more seasoned, proven general manager and I hungered to prove myself at the top level.”
“Is the Tide a top level team?”
“Yes and no. We’re a strong team and becoming stronger every season. What I meant by ‘top level’ was that I was anxious to be the top executive for an NFL team,” he clarified.
“Tired of being an assistant?”
He nodded. “Exactly. The whole point with being an assistant is to gain the critical skills necessary to run your own team someday. If you’re a perennial assistant who is never offered a GM job, then you’re not doing something right.”
“Do you know Michael Santiago?”
He angled his head and narrowed his eyes at her. “Of course I know him. He’s one of the starting defensive ends. Why do you ask?”
She took a final sip of her wine before answering. “No particular reason. It’s just that a good friend of mine is dating him. Mary, a woman I work with.”
“Dating?” David’s skepticism was delivered coolly with a whole boatload of judgment behind his words, causing her spine to straighten and her resolve to harden.
“Yes, dating. Is that hard to believe?”
“Only if you believe in Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, sweetheart.” He rose and began clearing the table which left her no choice but to follow him into the kitchen.
“Why? Because Mary isn’t a porn star with a huge rack of fake boobs and an IQ the equivalent of your shoe size?” She was outraged, not only on Mary’s behalf, but on behalf of all womankind. She never should have let her guard down with Shalvington. He was as much a jerk as she remembered. He’d proven the guy he was throughout the entire year she’d known him. Why on earth had she ever thought he’d changed? Why was she so willing to believe that maybe there was a different guy behind the iron mask he wore?
Served her right for letting her guard down, even temporarily.
§ § §
After placing their dishes in the sink, David turned towards her before delivering his response. God, he loved it when she was pissed off, all angry fire directed at him. He, who only tangled with submissive females, was hardening with each increasing second. Although he didn’t think Calleigh would appreciate his erection at this particular juncture in their fledgling relationship.
“Mary is a beautiful, loving woman and any man, including Michael Santiago, would be lucky to have her,” she thundered, visibly outraged by his remarks.
“This isn’t about your friend, Calleigh. It’s about him. Santiago. NFL MVPs don’t date average women. They date Victoria Secret models. Actresses. Porn stars. Pop singers. Average chicks? Come on. It’s a fucking fairy tale. Maybe he’s fucking her, but he’ll never marry her,” he opined, not wanting to hurt
“Sounds like you’ve led a charmed life.”
He shrugged, digging in for another helping, loading his plate high before responding. “I don’t know about charmed. I think my name hit the Tide’s radar at the right time.”
“Are you a believer in fate?” she asked, curious. In her experience, most men took complete responsibility for their accomplishments. Employers hired them because they were the best fit for the position. They scored the game winning goal because they’d practiced it a thousand times before. They were high achievers because of their efforts, not because serendipity or destiny had any hand in their accomplishments.
He cocked his head before replying. “I don’t know. Maybe. Was I fated to come to work for the Tide? I don’t know. All I know is that the timing and the fit were right. It was the perfect storm of factors at the right time. The team didn’t have a lot of money to expend on a more seasoned, proven general manager and I hungered to prove myself at the top level.”
“Is the Tide a top level team?”
“Yes and no. We’re a strong team and becoming stronger every season. What I meant by ‘top level’ was that I was anxious to be the top executive for an NFL team,” he clarified.
“Tired of being an assistant?”
He nodded. “Exactly. The whole point with being an assistant is to gain the critical skills necessary to run your own team someday. If you’re a perennial assistant who is never offered a GM job, then you’re not doing something right.”
“Do you know Michael Santiago?”
He angled his head and narrowed his eyes at her. “Of course I know him. He’s one of the starting defensive ends. Why do you ask?”
She took a final sip of her wine before answering. “No particular reason. It’s just that a good friend of mine is dating him. Mary, a woman I work with.”
“Dating?” David’s skepticism was delivered coolly with a whole boatload of judgment behind his words, causing her spine to straighten and her resolve to harden.
“Yes, dating. Is that hard to believe?”
“Only if you believe in Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, sweetheart.” He rose and began clearing the table which left her no choice but to follow him into the kitchen.
“Why? Because Mary isn’t a porn star with a huge rack of fake boobs and an IQ the equivalent of your shoe size?” She was outraged, not only on Mary’s behalf, but on behalf of all womankind. She never should have let her guard down with Shalvington. He was as much a jerk as she remembered. He’d proven the guy he was throughout the entire year she’d known him. Why on earth had she ever thought he’d changed? Why was she so willing to believe that maybe there was a different guy behind the iron mask he wore?
Served her right for letting her guard down, even temporarily.
§ § §
After placing their dishes in the sink, David turned towards her before delivering his response. God, he loved it when she was pissed off, all angry fire directed at him. He, who only tangled with submissive females, was hardening with each increasing second. Although he didn’t think Calleigh would appreciate his erection at this particular juncture in their fledgling relationship.
“Mary is a beautiful, loving woman and any man, including Michael Santiago, would be lucky to have her,” she thundered, visibly outraged by his remarks.
“This isn’t about your friend, Calleigh. It’s about him. Santiago. NFL MVPs don’t date average women. They date Victoria Secret models. Actresses. Porn stars. Pop singers. Average chicks? Come on. It’s a fucking fairy tale. Maybe he’s fucking her, but he’ll never marry her,” he opined, not wanting to hurt
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