Page 74 of Sweet Redemption
“Yes, Mr. Jerald . . . This is Serena Kingston. I’m not sure if you remember me—”
“Of course I remember you, Kingston. I was disappointed when Doc said you weren’t coming back. We miss you on the field. You were a damn fine soccer player and the kind of leader on the field everyone hates to lose. I’ve been expecting your call.”
“You have?” I ask, pressing a hip against the glass.
“I have. I was told you might be interested.”
Is this man speaking in riddles or have I just finally hit max capacity for confusion this weekend? “Interested?”
“In buying the team.”
Holy. Shit.
“Buying the team,” I repeat, knowing there’s no way I heard him right.
“Is there a problem with our connection, Serena? Do you need me to call you back on a different line?”
“No,” I say quickly. “I’m waiting for a hockey game to start and dealing with a few different things at the moment. I apologize.” There. That sounded professional and hopefully less like I’m freaking the fuck out. “I hadn’t realized you were looking to sell the Emerald City FC, Mr. Jerald.”
“Kingston, I’m looking to sell you my soccer club. I think that should put us on a first-name basis,” he chuckles, and I sit down as his words truly hit me for the first time, then grab my pen and planner. “Do you think the club might be something you’re interested in?”
My stomach flips with something that feels an awful lot like excitement.
It’s not like it’s something I’ve ever considered before, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued. “Why are you looking to sell, Ty?”
“The team doesn’t own the stadium. The city of Seattle does. Apparently, they have big plans that start with demolishing it, and I’m not in a position to rebuild somewhere else.” He sighs, and I suddenly wish we were having this conversation face-to-face. “I’m an old man, Serena. If it were twenty years ago, I would have figured this out. But at this point in my life, I’ve fought the battles I want to fight. Do you know what I mean?”
“I do,” I answer with the kind of confidence that comes after watching your father struggle with his own mortality this past year.
“I thought you might. I also thought, with your family’s connections to the city of Philadelphia and professional sports, you included, that you might be the perfect person to take Emerald City to the next level.”
“By moving it to Philadelphia,” I murmur as I try to follow along. “You want me to buy the team and move it to Philly?”
“Yes, I do.”
The rest of the night feels like a whirlwind I’m caught in the center of. My head is spinning by the time the team jet takes off after the Revolution’s win, and the flight attendant stops by my seat. “Would you like anything to drink, Ms. Kingston?”
“Could I get a glass of ginger ale, please?”
“Of course.” She smiles and drops a cocktail napkin on my tray before she walks away.
Getting comfortable, I kick off my shoes, pull my sweater around my shoulders, and grab my phone from my purse. In the chaos of the night, I haven’t had a chance to check my messages.
Two from Dad, one from Liv, and one from Teagan.
Radio silence from Aurora and Saylor.
Traitors.
Serena
You could have warned me.
Saylor
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Aurora
