All In_ Paying to Play(35)

“She told my dad. He has the video-”

“That son of a bitch!” he yells and I bristle at the insult. “He’s lying to you!”

I gasp at the accusation. “No he’s not!”

“Yes he is! How can you not see it, Addy? He lied to me. He told me you wanted out, that you just wanted the money. But I know you, and you don’t give two shits about the money.”

I lower my eyes since that’s not exactly true. It’s not like I’ve thought about it since we started hooking up, and now I don’t want a penny from him.

“Addy? Tell me he was lying. That you could care less about the fucking money.”

“I was going to use it to start my own practice-” I begin explaining, but he explodes.

“Oh my God! It’s fucking true, isn’t it?”

“That was before. Now I don’t want a dime from you.”

“Fuck you and him,” Jake yells. “He’s the only reason I ended up with you instead of Holly in the first fucking place!” Then he storms out of the office.





Chapter Eighteen


Addison

One week later…

My heels echo down the long hallway with each step. It's only forty degrees outside as we get closer to Halloween, but I'm sweating like a pig in my black pinstripe suit. My very snug suit after all the cheesecake I've been binging on every night after work. I may need to invest in a diary to try a different form of therapy. I'm going to need a double dose of New York style after I leave here. This place is a brutal reminder of the asshole I still miss like crazy.

Today's a big day. I'm meeting with Jerry Tucker in the Wildcats' stadium to discuss the incredible opportunity for me to become the team's psychiatrist. They don't currently have one, but a lot of teams are adding them to their medical roster. I'm sure I'm just one of many to be interviewed, and probably only because of my father's insistence. That thought makes my shoulders slump. I want to earn this position, not have it handed to me as a favor.

I step through the owner's office and give the receptionist my name before taking a seat to wait. My knee refuses to quit bouncing, and I'm afraid the buttons of my jacket are going to pop from my new cake gut.

"Dr. James," Jerry says in greeting when his office door swings open. With a cordial smile, he offers me his hand which I stand up and then shake.

"Thank you for meeting with me today, Mr. Tucker," I say as he leads me into the office and shuts the door.

"You're one of our top candidates, Dr. James. I've read your impressive resume, along with your dissertation on brain injuries and their connection to personality changes and disorders. Very insightful."

"I appreciate that, sir."

Once he sits down behind his desk I do the same in the chair across from him.

"To be honest, the position is yours. I just wanted to meet with you and discuss one small concern I had."

"Oh, well sure," I say with an excited smile.

"As I told your father, your...arrangement with Mr. Young may raise concerns with the players, and some may even question the confidentiality of their sessions with you since they're aware of your and Mr. Young's intimate relationship."

Ah, he thinks they may worry I'll run my mouth to Jake. Don't have to worry about that.

"I understand your concern, but as a professional, I strictly adhere to the patient-doctor privilege and would never disclose any confidential information with other individuals. And Mr. Young and I are no longer involved in...an intimate relationship."

"That's what your father assured me of as well," he responds with a nod. "If that's the case, then there's nothing to worry about, is there?"

"No, sir."

"I have to say I'm surprised to hear that news. You seemed to inspire a remarkable change in Mr. Young and his notoriously wild ways."

Not all of his wild ways apparently. Wait a second. If my father has been talking to Jerry, could Jake be right? That he lied to me about Jake cheating on me so we'd end things and I'd get the job with the team?

"So I think all that's left is to work out the details like salary, and tell you about all of the great perks like season tickets for joining our team. I'll have Human Resources contact you about coming back to fill out all their paperwork."

"Sure, that sounds great," I say, standing when he does. My mind is still trying to put all the pieces together. I need to go see my father. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Tucker." I offer him my hand again, which he shakes before I turn to leave.

"Oh and Dr. James?" he stops me before I walk out the door. "If your...situation with Mr. Young changes, your position with us is still safe as long as you're honest with me and assure me that we can all trust your professionalism."