Free First Position by Prescott Lane Page B

what she was saying.  He banged his pen against his head and closed his office door with his foot.
     
    “That fucking blows.”  Mason plopped on the bed.
    “We still have Seattle.  Maybe they will both want you, and we can get them into a bidding war.”  Steven rambled on about strategy and possible incentives and whether it made sense to pro-rate any bonus he may receive or not, all while shuffling through his binders and comparing Mason’s proposed salary and career statistics with those of other NFL quarterbacks.
    Mason traced his fingers along the wrinkles of the hotel bed sheets, as his brother droned on.  The clock was ticking, and Emory would be in the lobby soon.  He wanted to get off the phone, fast.
    “Am I boring you, fuck brain?”
    “Very much.”
    “You have something more important to do?”
    “Actually, yeah.”
    Steven slammed a binder shut.  “What the hell is that?” 
    “I’m meeting Em in a few minutes.”  Mason rose up from the bed and put on some clothes.
    Steven sat up straight in his chair.  “Um, meeting Emory is more important that the rest of your career?”
    “Yep.” 
    “For the love of God.”  Steven shut another binder, as Olivia yelled to him again.  He clenched his fists, shaking them to the heavens.
    “I put football in front of Em once, and I’m not about to do it again.”  Mason took a deep breath.  ”You should know that.  I need her back.  That’s most important, not football.  Football would just be a bonus.”
    Steven leaned back in his chair and tossed his pen on his desk, knowing his brother was hopeless.  “Are you going to tell her about the offer?”
    “No.  I’m going to wait.  I don’t want it getting in the way.   Don’t want her feeling any pressure about it.”
    Olivia continued to yell something.  Steven cracked a smile and laughed; it was better than crying.  “Look, dude, Olivia is going crazy, so I’ve got to go.”
    “That was her?  I’ve been hearing some strange background noise.  Can’t believe all that was coming out of little Olivia.”
    “Yeah, I think it’s the hormones or something.  And I think she needs food.”  Steven stood up from his chair.  “Do what you need to do.  I’m your agent but also your brother.  It’s about time you realized life doesn’t always happen on a football field.”
     
    *               *              *
     
    Emory’s day passed quickly.  She had a shoot with a young mother pregnant with twins, then slaved in front of her computer to crop and edit her last several sessions.  She hated the technical aspect of her work; her background in the arts, in dance, didn’t translate to computer proficiency.  It was spending time with her little clients that she enjoyed.  She texted Wesley about her meeting with Mason.
    She was having second thoughts, worrying about getting involved with a married man, especially one who’d left her before.  She feared Mason wanted nothing more than a good time, for a short time, and she wasn’t prepared to share the secrets she carried.   She also knew he would be in Seattle the next day.   I need to shut this down .   But her mind was at war with itself.   It felt so good to be with him again, to touch him, to feel his warm, soft lips on hers.
     
    *              *              *
     
     
    Mason stood in the hotel lobby, watching other guests check in at the front desk.  He saw the hotel bartender, Clive, walking towards the Atrium Bar to begin his shift, and gave him a nod.  Mason sat down in a chair and fidgeted with some hotel brochures to pass the time, then decided it was more appropriate to stand and wait for Emory.  Mason’s breath caught, as he spotted her coming through the glass turnstile doors.  They smiled at each other, and he walked towards her, wrapping his good arm around her, lifting her slightly off the floor, followed by an awkward moment of silence.
    Her