Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Game Of Love

By Momma2Fan

Chapter 02:

Reporters and Recruiters

BPOV

‘Charles Swan Leaves Ball Club to Teenage Daughter.’

‘Daughter Inherits Mariners.’

‘Eric Wedge Quits.’

The headlines screamed at me. I was sitting at my desk in my office at Safeco, reading all the rubbish that was being printed. The final paper in front of me held the most damaging report. Of course it also added fuel to the fire that was going to be Eric Wedge. I hit the intercom and asked Shelly Cope to get Marcus Decimus on the line. Ten minutes later I was on the phone with the attorney.

“Marcus, have you seen the paper?…Well what can we do to him?…He signed the agreement, so he knew the consequences if he slandered me…Great…Thanks, Marcus…Let me know.” I ended the call and went back to looking at the resumes that had been sent in looking to fill the open manager’s job.

I had been going over the applicants when a knock sounded at my door. Without looking up I yelled for the person to come in. “Yeah!”

“Hey, Bella.” Emmett said as he came in the room. “Whatcha workin’ on?”

“I’m looking over these fucking resumes and trying to find the best candidate to fill the manager’s job. Argh! How the hell did dad do this, Em?”

Emmett came over, sat on the edge of my desk and pulled my chin up so I met his gaze. “He just did. He did whatever he could for the good of the team. I know you will too. Hell, Bells, why don’t you manage the team?”

“No, Emmett. I’m dealing with enough shit from the press because of my age, gender and owning this team. I really don’t think we need any more negative publicity.” I sighed and got up and walked over to the large picture window. I think I was trying to take on to much too soon. “I miss him, Em.”

“Oh, Bella. Of course you do, honey. It’s only been a couple of weeks. Give it time. Talk to Carlisle, hell, talk to Edward. He knows a lot of people in this sport. He may know of someone we haven’t thought of yet. I gotta go. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks.” I continued to stare out into the gray sky of Seattle. Could I even ask Edward for help? I had been avoiding him since he held me the day of the will reading. He probably thought I was a stupid kid. Here I was nineteen, running a ball club and lusting after one of the players.

Turning from the window, I grabbed my jacket and hurried out of the office. I entered the elevator and jabbed the button for the first floor. Nothing would have prepared me for the flashbulbs that greeted me the moment I opened the door and stepped outside. The press was waiting for me, ready to pounce, like a lion stalking its prey.

“Miss Swan…”

“Bella…”

“Isabella…”

My name was shouted over and over, as I tried to get to my car, amid the camera flashes. “No comment.” I kept saying, over and over, to no avail. I was trapped.

“Back off you vultures. She’s just a kid.”

A pair of arms grabbed me and led me back inside. I looked up into the eyes of my savior and was greeted by my dream, which quickly became a nightmare. Just a kid!

EPOV

I had just come up from the locker room, when I saw Bella trapped by reporters. Shit. I knew she was going to need some help. I immediately went over and grabbed her by the arms, telling the vultures to leave her alone. I think I even said she was just a kid. I think that was actually more for me than it was for them.

I have known Bella since she was eleven years old. I’ll never forget the first time I met this flat chested kid, who followed me everywhere. I, being seventeen, thought she was annoying. Little did I know what she would come to mean to me.

I graduated high school the same year I met her, and then left for college. Charlie had wanted me to come play ball immediately, but I wanted to have something to fall back on in case something happened to end my career. God forbid. So when I came back the summer after my freshman year, Bella was getting closer to thirteen and starting to change.

She was hanging out with Rosalie Hale and Alice Brandon and my two best friends were hanging around like love sick fools. I thought it was gross, I mean they were just kids. Or so I thought. Bella had always been a little older than her years, so I wasn’t surprised with some of the conversations we had. When I left to go back to school, I promised to email and call her. Bella became one of my best friends and I could talk to her about anything. Except, I later found out, girls.

I found out from Alice that Bella always got upset when I mentioned the dates I had, so I quit talking about them. When I came home the summer before my senior year in college I really noticed the change in her. She had filled out and now looked great in her bikini. She also had plenty of admirers who were vying for her attention. To say I was jealous would have been an understatement and that scared me. I was only twenty, I didn’t want to feel these feelings, and definitely not for a fifteen year old girl. I avoided her all summer and then went back to school.

When I graduated with a degree in Accounting and Business management, Charlie immediately signed me. Between traveling, games and practices, I didn’t see Bella much except when she was on summer break and would hang out at the stadium. I had a hard time concentrating when she was around, which was not a good thing. I was glad when she decided to get a summer job and didn’t spend so much time around. By the time the season ended she was in college and I knew I wouldn’t have to see her for a while. I never dreamed the next time I saw her would be the day we buried her father.

Watching Bella grieve for Charlie was painful. The day the lawyer read the will and told us Charlie had left her the team, we weren’t surprised. Bella knew as much about the game as any of us. In some cases more. Eric’s reaction wasn’t a shock either, he was a fool. Now I was curious as to whom she would find to replace him. I had some ideas, but I would wait for her to come to me.

I was confused when she wrenched her arm free of me. All I was doing was getting her away from the reporters hounding her, right? 

“I’m not a child, Edward, I can fend for myself. Thanks.” Bella snapped.

Huh? “Bella, I know you’re not a child. I was just trying to help.”

“Really? ‘Leave her alone, she’s just a kid.’ Your words, Edward.”

I ran my hand through my hair, “Fuck.” I looked up and saw something in her eyes I couldn’t decipher. Pain? Fear? Longing? I wasn’t sure. “I’m sorry, Bella. I didn’t mean that, I just wanted them to leave you alone. Truce?”

Bella sighed. “We’re not at war. I was actually going to call you. Do you have a minute?”

“Yeah, sure.” I followed her to the elevator. She pressed the button for her office and we spent the short ride in silence. After we stopped she went straight to her office. Apparently, I was supposed to join her. “What’s up?”

“I need some help and Emmett said you might have some advice for me.” She picked up a bunch of papers from the desk and came around to show them to me. “What are your opinions on these two men here?”

I looked at the resumés she handed me and realized I knew both men. One was a total prick and definitely not someone who would build moral. The other was an old college buddy whose career was cut short by an injury. “What do you want to know?”

“I can read anything on paper, but that doesn’t give me a feel for the person. I know you know them or at least of them. This one was in school at the same time you were. Come on, Edward, help a girl out here. It benefits you as well.”

“Fine, okay. This guy, Aro Vilini, is a real prick. He was a good ball player a long time ago, but when he got in the face of the wrong ump, his career was over. He never adjusted and treats all other players like they owe him something. Sam, on the other hand, is great. He had a great career ahead of him until he blew out his knee our junior year. He never let it get him down though. He became a batting coach for our team and helped us all improve. He could work wonders with some of the guys on this team. I will warn you though, he would want to rebuild the entire coaching staff, with the exception of the pitching coaches.”

“I would have no problem with that. I just wonder how he would feel about working for a woman. Especially one that isn’t out of her teens.” She looked over at me and I knew what was coming. “How do you feel about this?”

“About what? Charlie leaving the organization to you?” She nodded. “I can’t say as I am surprised. Your dad taught you to love the game, Bella. I’m sure he knew what he was doing.”

Bella nodded her head and hid behind her hair. She always did that when she was embarrassed.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Nothing.” She turned and walked to the window.

I walked slowly over to her. I place a hand gently on her chin and forced her to look at me. “Come on, Bella, you never had to hide from me. What’s wrong?”

The tears that had been building in her eyes slowly spilled over. “What if I can’t do this? There are so many people counting on me, I don’t want to let anyone down.”

I gently wiped away her tears with my thumbs. “Bella, honey, you’re going to be just fine. Just remember, you’re not alone. You have so many shoulders to lean on. You are going to do great. Just remember that. Okay?” She nodded and I pulled her to my chest, hugging her to my body. She sighed and wrapped her arms around my waist, needing the comfort I could provide.

I just wished I was providing her with more than comfort. I wanted to give her my love, because in that moment I knew I loved her unconditionally. I just couldn’t tell her. She didn’t need anything else on her plate. Maybe someday.