“What about the fact you’re romantically involved with him?” A woman in the front barked out.
“No comment,” Kendall said. She heard several more reporters shouting questions about how both teams reacted to their relationship, etcetera. She gave those in the auditorium a nod. “Thanks, everyone. If we have further information, we’ll let you know.” She walked off of the small stage, pushed through the door leading to the corridor outside of her office, and took a deep breath for the first time in an hour.
“Ms. Tracy,” the Miners’ owner said from behind her. “I’d like to see you in the conference room, please.”
“Of course,” she said.
The team’s employees were going back to work all around her. She was surprised and gratified to get a few pats on the back, some handshakes, and “Good job, Kendall” from more than one of them. They all had no control over what the media would report on the issues facing the team, but she’d done her best to put a good face on it.
Kendall reached out for the conference room doorknob. The director of player personnel, Rod Carpenter’s, hand closed over it first. He glared at her.
“Hello,” she said to him.
“Hello to you, Ms. Tracy,” he said. “It was nice working with you.”
Her hand froze in mid-air. She stared at him. “Excuse me?”
“You’re about to be fired.” Rod’s smile was smug. “I’m sure you’ll catch on somewhere else.”
She bit back the name she’d like to call him. She heaved a sigh, shoved the door open, and walked through it. The department heads were filing in. The owner gestured for her to sit in the chair at the head of the table. It was a bit of a surprise, but she accepted it. It took a few minutes for everyone to be seated, and the owner got to his feet.
“When I walked into the building today, Kendall, I was considering buying your contract out and urging you to go to another team. The transition has been rough. I know you took this job because we were in a tight spot.” He tapped his fingertips on the table in front of him. “It wasn’t your first choice, either. I have been impressed, though, at your handling of situations the team has needed to face for a while now. I believe your actions today and your comments during today’s press conference defused a pretty explosive situation. That being said, I’d like you to stay on as GM. I’m happy to negotiate a mutually satisfactory salary and benefits package commensurate with your responsibilities, and you can make your own decisions as far as staff and assets.”
The room was silent. He stuck out his hand. “Will you accept?”
Chapter Sixteen
* * *
KENDALL STARED UP at him in shock. Either he was spooked over having nobody at all to run the team if she took one of the three offers she currently had on the table, or he’d heard from his lawyers, and it wasn’t good news. Mr. Curtis had never seemed especially supportive. She knew the other guys she worked with were probably bending his ear to hire one of them.
The other guys at the table were all staring at her too. Most looked disgusted. Sydney grinned at her. “Well, boss?” she said.
“I’m not taking the job unless you’re still here,” Kendall said to Sydney. The owner’s hand was still outstretched to her. “I have conditions,” she told him.
Mr. Curtis lowered his hand. “So we’ll need to talk a little before you can shake my hand and tell me you’ll stay.”
“Will I have the ability to make decisions about team and front office personnel without interference?”
“Yes.”
“I can hire and fire as I see fit,” Kendall said.
“Yes. It’s in the job description of a GM to do so.”
“Okay, then. Since I still hold the title, I’d like to start now.” Kendall grabbed her phone out of her pocket and sent the Miners’ network administrator a text:
Please disable Rod Carpenter’s Internet access/security passes ASAP. Text me when you’re finished.
“I’d like Sydney to stay, and I’m going to make it worth her while to do so.”
“I approve,” the owner said. The other guys at the table were still silent. One was fiddling with his phone. Kendall would almost bet her house he was currently accepting an offer from another team. “Anything else?”
Her phone chirped with an incoming text from the IT guy:
Done. Anything else?
She texted back:
Not right now. Thank you.
“I’d like to dismiss everyone from this meeting but Rod Carpenter and Mr. Curtis.”
“I have things to do,” Rod said. “I can’t sit here all day—”