Crunch Time releases in four days and I though I'd offer ...
Crunch Time releases in four days and I though I'd offer you an excerpt. This story was inspired by a dinner I had with a pair of professional football players. I hope you enjoy it.
Blurb: When George Higgins agrees to help a soon-to-be-former professional football player rehearse for a guest appearance on a talk show, he doesn’t expect anything to come of it. To his surprise, Darren White shows up on time and actually makes an effort to learn from George. But Darren has definite problems; he can barely read and sounds awful when he speaks. Luckily, George is a teacher and Darren’s motivated. It’s crunch time: the first rehearsal for Talking Sports is looming, and Darren and George will have to work together if they want Darren’s guest appearance—and their budding relationship—to turn into a full-time gig.
This story can be purchased March 16 from Dreamspinner Press
Excerpt:
“What do you want from me?” George thought he could see where this was going and he didn’t like it—not one bit.
“I wanted to ask you if you’d work with him. The kid needs help and he’ll pay you for your time. I don’t know if it’s possible to help him at all, but I don’t want him to fail, and without help, he will.” George could see that Lonnie was sincere. He really did want to help the kid, no matter what he’d said earlier.
But George wanted no part of this.
“Lonnie, I….” George had every intention of telling Lonnie “No, thank you” when the door opened and a tall, broad-shouldered man wearing jeans and a T-shirt walked into the room, cutting him off. “Jesus Christ,” George muttered under his breath, as a pair of the deepest blue eyes he’d ever seen met his gaze, and the words died on his lips. The other man, obviously Darren, slouched in a chair across the table from him, leaning back in his chair.
“So whatcha want, Lonnie?” He mumbled so badly George barely understood him. “I got stuff to do, ya know.”
Lonnie swiveled in the chair. “Do you want that job at Channel 4?”
“I don’t need it. I’m gonna be playing ball again soon,” Darren said, or something to that effect. George couldn’t be sure; the man’s speech seemed as slouchy as the rest of him.
“No, you’re not.” George could hear the raw edge of Lonnie’s temper. “You are probably never going to play football again and you need to face that. So, I’m going to ask one more time, do you want that interview at Channel 4 or not? I pulled strings to get it for you and I can un-pull them just as fast.”
The feet of Darren’s chair hit the floor and he looked at Lonnie as though he was ready to kill him. “I have to play ball. I can’t do nothin’ else.”
Lonnie’s face softened. “That’s what we’re going to help you with. George here is a teacher, a very good teacher, and he’s going to work with you so you can do well on the show next month.”
George shifted in his chair. “Lonnie.” He looked over at Darren. “I haven’t agreed to anything yet.” He kept looking at Darren, fascinated with the man, even though he had no intention of going through with this scheme of Lonnie’s. Darren obviously wasn’t interested in learning anything. George suspected he’d gotten everything in life he’d ever wanted by flashing those deep blue eyes.
“I know you haven’t.” Lonnie looked at Darren. “So what do you want?”
Darren shrugged. “I’ll give it a shot.”
Lonnie’s gaze turned to George. “Well, I won’t.” George turned away and stood up, walking stiffly toward the door. “He doesn’t want to learn anything, Lonnie. All he wants is what he’s always gotten: a free ride because of who he is.”
“I can learn. I ain’t dumb!” Darren stood up, fire blazing in his eyes, chest puffed out.
George took a few steps closer. “Then act like it! You may not be dumb, to use your word, but no one could tell from the way you speak.” George stepped closer, telling himself he wasn’t going to be intimidated by the much taller wall of muscle glaring down at him. “Or the way you carry yourself.” George turned and walked back toward the door, looking at the stunned expression on Lonnie’s face. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the gym,” he said to Lonnie before pushing open the conference room door.
