“Greg,” I call out, and he wheels his chair over to my open office door. “Send Dan’s assistant my cell number.”
He’ll call back. I know he will.
The Eagles are a major part of the leverage he wants to use for Ethan Quicke’s negotiations. If we’re not involved, other teams will wonder what we know about him that they don’t. A nagging injury? Toxic personality? Problems off the field? Women? Alcohol? Drugs? Could be anything. Could be nothing. But if we’re out of touch with him after he opted out, everyone will assume it wassomething.
My phone buzzes on my desk.
Dan Wilson.
And then another text.
—We’ll be setting up meetings for Ethan Quicke tomorrow. In person. Have your assistant reach out for details.
In person? Wait . . . doesn’t Ethan Quicke live in . . .
—Enjoy Montana, Miss Sullivan.
Damn it.
I played him.
He played me right back.
Okay, then.
I guess I’m going to Montana.
The boarding area near my gate is completely packed, which feels odd for a flight to Bozeman from New York. Well, New Jersey, actually. The only non-stop today is out of Newark and since it’s literally my first day on the job, I wasn’t going to ask ownership to use the private jet.
I’m gonna save that one for another trip to Japan if I need to. Once Nakamura gets posted and I need to emphasize, once again, just how committed we are to signing him.
But I’m not looking forward to sitting in a coach seat surrounded by what looks like a gathering of every Montana transplant in the tri-state area, almost all of them wearingsomething that declares them a loyalist of either the Montana State Bobcats or the Montana Grizzlies.
Ah.
College football.
How did I forget about college football?
A quick search on my phone confirms it. Montana State at home against Montana.
That’s gotta be a big rivalry.
It does not bode well for Gregory finding me a hotel room, but if anyone can do it, it’s him.
A woman from the airline arrives at the boarding gate and starts her announcements, so I head straight for the line. I might be in coach, but I have priority boarding with every major airline in theUS. Sometimes working for a baseball team feels more like being a professional airline passenger.
“Phew, thought I wasn’t gonna make it.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask, not even turning to look at Charlie Avery. I canfeelhim there just fine, the clean scent of his cologne, with just a hint of spice and citrus to it, lingering ever so slightly in the air after her slid in line behind me. He always smells like he just stepped out of the best shower of his life.
It’s a vast improvement from the usual heavy colognes and body sprays ballplayers tend to soak themselves in.
“I was at the hospital when Gregory was booking your flight. Told him to book two seats.”
“That part I figured out. I meanwhyare you here?”
“You’re going to Montana to talk to Ethan Quicke, right?”
