Challenging the Center (Santa Fe Bobcats) by Jeanette Murray

teeth.
    Embarrassment, party of one. Your table is now available.
    “Sorry,” Michael muttered as she stood upright. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out his singing cell phone. “The phone just…”
    “Yeah.” She turned her back on him as he answered in a rough voice. Pull it together, Kelly. Pull yourself together. Who cares that he just rocked the hell out of you? Game face. You’ve got a good game face. Put it on.
    Then his big hand covered her shoulder, and she looked behind her without turning around. Michael’s face was pulled into a grim expression, and she finally tuned in to what he was saying.
    “It wasn’t a big deal, Sawyer. I’m not sure why you’re throwing a fit about it.”
    Sawyer? she mouthed.
    He nodded, then held the phone away and pressed a button to turn on the speaker phone.
    “… but does she stay low? No,” Sawyer droned on. “No, she goes and gets herself involved in showing up a freaking Bobcat. Because that’s the way to look humble and likeable.”
    “Maybe people will like a strong female sports figure. Ever thought of that?” Kat asked, her fists clenching.
    “By the way, you’re on speaker,” Michael added dryly.
    “Jesus and the disciples.” Aggravation bled through the phone line. “Fine. Now that you’re both on the line, let’s go over why Kat’s there in the first place. To learn a little humility.”
    Kat started to argue, but Sawyer just kept on bulldozing.
    “To stay out of the spotlight while we think through her future. To not make any rash decisions while I’m attempting to line up a new sponsor. And instead, she keeps finding herself in these situations where she’s stripping on a freaking bar or humiliating an NFL player.”
    “Sawyer.” Michael’s voice was calm, but it cut through the conversation like a knife. Kat’s vibrating body stilled, waiting. Knowing he was about to agree with their agent. That he was going to call her reckless. Impulsive.
    “Why should she be humble? She kicked Rodman’s ass fair and square. It’s not her fault he lost. And she was just doing a lip-sync battle. You make it sound like she got naked and rolled in Jell-O, for crying out loud.”
    Adrenaline, which had been bubbling in anticipation of a fight, fled her body so quickly she was lightheaded.
    “We agreed she would stay low-key while she was out there, while we reassessed her career options.” Sawyer’s voice managed to contain that perfect balance of culture and bite. He’d never do anything so stupid as yell at his talent… but he’d let them know in a way that nipped that they were treading into dangerous water. “And you agreed to help.”
    “I’m helping,” was all Michael said, then hung up.

    * * *
    M ichael watched as Kat unlocked her apartment door with uncharacteristic slowness. Everything she did seemed to have a blurred edge to it. She laughed hard, walked fast even if it was just down the hall to nowhere, and threw herself into life. But suddenly she was unlocking her own damn apartment door as if there were something on the other side that was going to bite her.
    “Problem with the key?” he asked mildly. She flinched but didn’t look back.
    “No, just… you know. I’m not great with keys. I have a hate-hate relationship with hotel key cards too,” she said with a soft laugh that sounded not at all right. Then the door popped open, and she sighed. “Thanks for letting me work out. See you later.” She didn’t even look at him as she closed the door behind her.
    And that, Michael thought as he opened his own door easily and let it shut behind him, was that. Practice done for the day, mentoring complete, delightful call to his agent over… He was free to do what he wanted with the rest of the day.
    Surveying his apartment, he frowned. Too damn quiet. He could call one of the rooks up to play some Xbox. Or maybe talk to Josh about real estate. He’d mentioned he was going to start investing in some of that pretty soon. Josh