Synithia Williams - Full Court Seduction

“Are we waiting on anyone else?” Eric asked, after they greeted everyone and sat in the chairs to Coach Simpson’s left.

Rebecca shook her head. “No, just waiting on you two.”

“Sorry for keeping you all waiting,” Jacobe said.

Rebecca gave him what he guessed was supposed to be a friendly smile. The tightness around her eyes contradicted the action. “You’re actually right on time. We met for a few minutes before you got here to discuss a few things.”

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. “Let me guess—you met early to talk about me.”

Eric held up a hand. “Wait a second, Jacobe. Before you get upset, let’s hear what she has to say. Though I would have liked to have been included in any discussions regarding my client.”

Jacobe would have liked that too. He looked at Rebecca. “What do you have to say?” He didn’t bother to hide his frustration.

He didn’t like being discussed beforehand like he was a threat that needed to be neutralized. Never had. Not when he was sent to the principal’s office in school, or when his mom used to get on the phone with her girlfriends and discuss the latest note sent home from school and all the reasons Jacobe couldn’t be well behaved like other kids.

Rebecca broke into his thoughts. “The league commissioner called this morning.”

Jacobe scoffed. “Already? I guess he couldn’t wait to tell me I’ve messed up. So what is it? A fine? One-game suspension?”

Eric glared at Jacobe. “Let me do the talking.”

Brian jerked forward in his chair. “Try a five-game suspension.”

The words stunned Jacobe into temporary silence. “Five games?” He’d expected to miss a game, maybe two, not five. They were a few weeks away from the play-offs. If the team lost at this time they could miss their chance at being a number-one seed. Worse, they may not make it at all.

“Yes. Five,” Brian said. “Your antics are hurting the team. When the rest of the owners overrode me and brought you here, I knew it would be a problem. You don’t care about this team. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”

“I care about the team.” The words were automatic. Programmed. Though the guys on the team had grown closer to him than any other teammates he’d had since college, he cared mostly about making his way to the play-offs and, ultimately, Phoenix.

“Of course he cares about the team,” Eric said. “He’s done everything to dedicate himself to the team.”

“If he cared about the team he wouldn’t have knocked Rob out.”

“Rob deserved a lot more than being knocked out.”

Coach sighed and leaned his forearms on the table. “What did he say that set you off?”

“Something he shouldn’t have.”

Brian scoffed and tossed his hand toward Jacobe. “See, utter lack of caring about the consequences of your actions.”

Eric held up his hands. “Look, he gets why he shouldn’t have hit him during the game.”

“After would be better?” Brian asked.

After the game Jacobe wouldn’t have hit him just once, but that was beside the point. “I shouldn’t have let my temper get the better of me. I want to take the team to the play-offs just as much as you want to get us there.”

Brian didn’t reply. He just sat back in his seat and crossed his arms. He might hate Jacobe, but they both wanted wins.

Rebecca glanced between Jacobe and Brian. When Brian didn’t say any more, she focused on Jacobe. “Your popularity with the team’s fans is high, but last night there was a lot of chatter on the internet about how you’re not good for the team.”

“You’re winning,” Eric said with a grin. “They’ll get over it.”

She lifted a hand. “That may be true, but Jacobe will be gone for five games. If the team starts to lose, then it’ll be easy to blame your hot temper and lack of focus for the losses.”

“If you’re telling me to play nice, I hear you. No more fighting on the court.”

Rebecca shook her head. “We need more than that.”

“What?”

“We need a plan. Today.”

Eric looked around the table. “You can’t be serious?”

Coach Simpson nodded. “We are. We want Jacobe to remain a Gator, that’s no secret. We also want everyone to see that he’s an asset to the team.” Coach tilted his head slightly in Brian’s direction. The hairs on the back of Jacobe’s neck twitched some more. He eventually wanted to go to Phoenix, but if that didn’t pan out he didn’t need the Gators refusing to sign him next year.

“We’ve finally hit our rhythm as a team,” Coach continued. “If we keep playing like we’re playing we’ve got a shot at the play-offs and, I believe, the title. We’ve built something great here. Let’s keep it going.”

“I hear you, Coach, but I can’t play if I know every time I foul someone I’m going to be called into the conference room and told to behave.”

Brian snorted. “That was a lot more than a foul.”

Rebecca cut in before Jacobe could respond. “That’s why we met before you were here. We all want you to remain a Gator next year.”

Jacobe narrowed his eyes and studied them. Coach and Rebecca eyed him intensely, and Brian looked like he was tired of the entire fiasco. Wariness had his stomach churning.

Eric shifted in his seat. “You keep saying that. Are there plans to drop him?”

Rebecca and Coach both shook their heads and said simultaneously, “You know we want him.”

Brian sat forward and nailed Jacobe with a hard stare. “You’re a free agent next year. We won’t keep a liability.”

“Are you threatening my client?” Eric’s voice turned hard.

Rebecca tried again for the friendly smile. “Of course not. Which is why I’m working on a plan to make you more likable.”

Jacobe’s shoulders tightened. “Excuse me?”

“You aren’t seen out and about doing things in the community. If you take up a project or a cause, people will see that you’re giving back instead of just...”

“Being a distraction and hindrance,” Jacobe finished for her.

He gritted his teeth. Like many other athletes, Jacobe gave to various charitable organizations. Mostly to programs that mentored young boys and gave them direction and support. He gave his money but not his time. He was still getting his own life figured out—how could he possibly make a good mentor?

Eric gave him a reassuring look before turning to Rebecca. “What are you thinking?”

“We’ve come up with a list of organizations that you can be seen with.”

Jacobe shook his head. This was his image problem. He’d find a way to fix it. “I’ve already got an idea.”

Rebecca frowned. “You do?”

“How about protecting the river,” Jacobe said. “It’s a big part of our city. I’ve got a friend who works to protect the St. Johns River and the beach. You can’t deny that seeing me out there saving sea turtles or some stuff like that would make people like me.”

Eric nodded and tapped his finger on the table. “That could work. Being green is in right now.”

He almost laughed. He’d known Danielle back when saving the planet wasn’t just a fad and she was the earth’s number-one champion. “I know it’ll work.”

“Can you set up something with them by the end of the week?”

“I’m sure I can.” He already planned to see Danielle later that day to apologize. He still wanted to sleep with her, but he wouldn’t assume she would readily fall into his bed. That night in college was a once-in-a-lifetime action. He had a feeling that the woman she was today wasn’t going to come to him on a spontaneous whim. He’d have to earn a place in her bed.