Crossing my arms across my chest defensively, I looked at the guy, whose face was completely stoic, then turned to address Danny. “I don’t get why you think a kid, that’s only a couple of years older than me, can manage my career better than you. And why an American?”

“Heath? You wanna answer that question?” Danny said.

Heath’s stance mirrored my own as he tried selling himself to me. “I’ve been boxing since I was sixteen and promoting for almost ten years, eight years of which I’ve been contracted to one of the most premier sports agencies in the US. I hold several amateur boxing titles and I have a business degree from UCLA.”

Okay, so his résumé was pretty impressive, but fancy degrees didn’t do anything for me. “Boxing isn’t just a sport for me. It’s a fucking religion. And the team I’ve got around me now? They’re not just a team. There’s no freeloaders or fair-weather players here. Every one of these boys is fucking family. Now you swan in here and expect me to let you into my family and trust you with my future. Well excuse-the-fuck out of me for being so skeptical.”

“I’m not asking you to welcome me with open arms. Just give me a chance. If you do that, I’ll show you what I have to offer,” he replied.

“What can you do for me that Danny can’t?” I asked pointedly.

“Honestly? Everything. Danny, I respect the hell out of you. What you’ve done, not just with Con’s career, but for all the kids is amazing. But neither of you know anything about contracts, fee negotiation, promotion, merchandising…” He trailed off. “You don’t have the connections to set up international and title fights, but I do.”

“If you’re so fucking awesome, why d’you leave your fancy job in the States?” I asked.

“My sister,” he replied. “She got an internship at a company in the UK. My parents separated a couple years ago, and I didn’t like the idea of her being on her own so far away, so I moved here.”

Em chose just that moment to start her evening of bookkeeping for Danny. It killed me that she was still waitressing as well, but as long as we were saving for our own place, she refused to give it up.

“I’m so sorry. Am I interrupting something?” Em asked.

Danny smiled and beckoned her in as he poured her a coffee.

“Sunshine, this fella here is Heath Earnshaw. He’s going to be Con’s new manager,” Danny informed her.

“Ah. Nice to meet you,” she said to him, shaking his hand. “I’m Emily O’Connell, Con’s wife.” Earnshaw looked a little surprised, like maybe we looked too young to be married, but my chest puffed up with pride. With her corkscrew curly, wild blond hair, pale, soft skin, and petite frame that showed off killer curves, she was stunning. Her appearance wasn’t what made her beautiful though. Warmth, kindness, and compassion poured out of my wife. She lit up any room she was in, and the fact that she had no idea how wonderful she was made her even more beautiful.

Earnshaw composed himself enough to give her a broad grin. Fuck him and his all-American white smile.

“I take it your mother was a big Bronte fan then?” she said.

“Wuthering Heights was her favorite book, but with a surname like Earnshaw, it would be a missed opportunity to call me anything else,” he joked. Great, so they were making references to a book I’d never read, and I felt even more stupid and uneducated. If I hadn’t heard of Bronte, I wouldn’t even have known it was a book. I stood sullenly, though I did uncross my arms to pull Em’s back into my front, then wrapped them firmly around her waist. I needed to stake my claim in case this guy started getting any ideas. I gave her a quick rundown of his background, and I silently willed her to be on my side.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Heath, why take this job? Don’t get me wrong, I think this is the best place in the world to work, but your background is corporate. With all your transatlantic contracts, surely London sports agencies would snap you up.”

“Honestly,” he said, relaxing to lean against the desk, “I’m sick of spreading my time among too many clients to meet targets. I want to be part of something special and I’m prepared to take a pay cut to see that happen. I’ve been following Con’s career for quite a while. Danny’s given me the most intensive interview I’ve ever had, and he’s prepared to give me a go. I’d like for Con to give me a real chance to show him what I can do for his career.”

Em and I both turned to look at Danny. “Don’t you two look at me like that. I’ve said my piece, Con. Whether you use Heath or not, he’s here to stay. I’ll be your coach but I’m done as manager.”

I looked at Em for her advice. Smiling she said, “I feel like I’ve just met Jerry Maguire.”

* * *

Em leaned against the desk, and I sat on her chair, resting my forehead against her stomach. She ran her hands gently through my hair like I knew she would, and instantly I felt better.

“What don’t you like about him?” she asked me.

“He’s not one of us Em, I don’t trust anyone outside the family,” I replied.

“You trusted me once. All of you welcomed me with open arms, and I wasn’t family,” she pointed out.

“You were always family. I just needed to persuade you to make it legal.”

“Okay. That aside, what else?”

“He’s barely older than me. What does he know about boxing that Danny doesn’t?” I questioned.

“There’s nothing Danny doesn’t know about boxing. But, baby, Danny’s an old man. He’s a fish out of water with promoting and managing, and he’s told you as much. Age and experience aren’t necessarily the same thing either. Danny’s been bookkeeping longer than I’ve been alive, and he trusts my work. You don’t need to trust Heath. Trust Danny. Because I guarantee you, there’s no way he would have recruited this guy and put your future career in his hands if he didn’t see something in him.”

I knew that what she was saying made sense, and she was right. I trusted Danny, and that meant giving this kid a chance. Didn’t mean I’d have to like it though. Lifting my head, I pulled her down to sit in my lap. Nuzzling her hair aside with my nose, I gently kissed my way down her jaw. I felt her shiver all the way through to my bones. “Okay, Sunshine. If you think this is a good idea, we’ll give it a go,” I said with a sigh.