She ran five steps ahead of him to the car, and he let her go. He knew better than to think words could convince her he really had changed for good. Like everything else with Madison, it would take time. And infinite patience.
Unless he didn’t take the job. He could stick with the Thunder and the work he was doing there and give up on the idea of television and broadcasting altogether. And be the pitiful face of how to walk away from a career gracefully? he thought with more than a little disgust.
He loved the work they were doing with the organization, and if he could manage to do both things, he’d stay on here. But he was honest enough to admit that the thought of returning to football in some sort of public capacity appealed to him. He couldn’t give that up, even for Madison. He had to believe that wasn’t what she’d want him to do either.
He knew he was a different man now, and no amount of time in front of the camera would change that. It was her turn to change, he thought, with no small amount of frustration.
But he didn’t know if she could alter a lifetime of ingrained negative expectations. And he didn’t know where that would leave them if she couldn’t.
TEN
Alex arrived at the rooftop bar where Riley had suggested they meet to talk. He was surprised she’d pick a bar, given her pregnant state, but it worked for him. The fact that she’d still come when he called meant a lot to him. There was no one else he could talk to about his problems with Madison besides the one woman who knew her almost as well as he did.
He ordered a Patron Reposado, in the mood for something other than scotch tonight, and though he’d assumed Riley would drink an iced tea, he figured he’d wait till she chose herself. Her pregnancy hormones had her eating all sorts of weird shit.
Someone slid into the seat beside him. Not Riley. He glanced at the man and swore. “Really? You?”
Ian shrugged and grinned. “I feel the same way. But my wife can’t be in two places at once. Believe it or not, she thought I could handle you better than I could Madison.”
He wasn’t surprised Madison had called Riley too. “Okay then. A Glenlivet for my … brother,” Alex said to the bartender.
He glanced at Ian, daring him to argue or throw in the word half, but he didn’t. “I get why you walked out on Riley after she landed herself in the hospital,” Alex admitted as the guy behind the bar slid a tumbler toward Ian.
His brother took a long sip. “Can’t say it was one of my finer moments. Looking back, I don’t think it was the right way to handle things.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “What would’ve worked better?” They both knew Riley had been as stubborn in her own beliefs as Madison now was in hers.
“I should have cuffed her to the bed until she saw reason.” Ian lifted his glass. “A little dominance once in a while doesn’t hurt.”
Alex shook his head and grinned. “Probably more than I want to know about your relationship, but I get your point.” He swallowed a gulp, closing his eyes at the soothing burn. “I threatened to take her over my knee,” he muttered.
Ian shrugged. “So do it.”
The other man clearly wasn’t kidding. Alex was definitely considering it. That was a boundary they hadn’t crossed, not that he wasn’t tempted. Not to cause her pain but to give her pleasure.
He cleared his throat. “I need to run something else by you,” he said, figuring it was the right thing to do.
“Go on.”
He went on to outline Rachel’s offer, the lack of details, and the potential conflict with his current job.
“And that explains why Madison called Riley in a panic. She thinks you’re going to end up moving to what? East Coast? West?”
Alex shrugged. “Even if I lived here full time, she’s got other issues that need to be worked out. As for east or west…”
He shrugged. “Testing in New York this week. I’ll find out more then. I don’t think the move is something she’s even considering as the problem. I’d assume it’s a part-time gig anyway. Just during the season. At the very least, I could commute. Hell, if it meant full time, I don’t think I’d take it. Believe it or not, I like being nearby the family.”
“I suppose they all can grow on you,” Ian conceded.
Alex shook his head at his brother’s attitude. This was Ian softening, he thought wryly, and spun his drink between his palms. “Look, I don’t want you to think I’m taking my current job lightly. I wouldn’t bail on you or leave you and Madison in a lurch.”
“I know that,” Ian said, surprising Alex.
“You do?”
Ian leveled him with a long stare that reminded Alex of their father at his sternest. “Do you really think I hired you just because Riley begged me to?” The edge of his mouth curled up in a smirk.
“That’s a trick question. On the one hand, yeah. She’s got you wrapped.” He raised his middle finger and wiggled it around.
“Nice,” Ian muttered.
“On the other hand, no. You’re a shrewd businessman. You do what you think is best for the company.”
Ian lifted his drink in agreement.
“However, you do like to keep your woman happy.”
“I hired you because I knew your work ethic from watching you with the Breakers. I know if you leave, you’ll make sure things here are smooth first.”
“So you wouldn’t hold it against me?” He leaned against the polished wood counter.
Ian shook his head. “I wouldn’t begrudge you an opportunity. I’m not that big of an ass. But I did want to discuss the PR campaign you shot down so quickly.”
Alex’s cheeks burned at the mention of the embarrassing photograph and billboard. “Tell me you’d let them plaster you all over at your lowest, weakest point?”
Ian drummed his fingers on the counter. “I think I’d look at it from a different angle. Or maybe I’d need someone to tell me to do it.”
Alex gestured for another drink. “I’m listening.”
“You’re a known name. People liked watching you play. They recognize your talent.”
Alex stared, having a hard time reconciling the man shooting him compliments with the one who couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him a short while ago.
“Anyone with half a brain knows it took guts to walk away before you became a vegetable or paraplegic from another hit to the head or the wrong vertebra.”