TACKLED BY FATE

Chapter 3 - Las Vegas

Ezra POV

I am a nervewreck. After working hard, training and being the best college QB last season, I was invited to the major league draft. My manager, Stuart Johnson, one of my father's best friends, is like a Jerry Mcguire of modern times. He knows how to work his magic, and he has been promoting me to one of the best teams in the league, the LA Panthers…

Last season they went to the Super Bowl, surpassing their major rival The Golden Dragons. I am super excited, it is a multi-million dollar contract and I can't wait to prove my worth to the team. This is a dream come true. The negotiation is a done deal, and I will have to move from Iowa, my hometown, to Los Angeles… I am here, in Vegas, just for the ride and hoping to get some endorsement contracts… Stuarts said that's where the big bucks are made.

Stuart told me that when you are drafted the way I was, by a major team, and the contracts are signed, my appearance at the draft weekend is just for the fun of it. Fun in Vegas sounded appealing, especially when my best friend Teddy Martinez was also signed and drafted by the Panthers… we were the two reinforcements and newcomers to the team, and we had to mingle with the other players.

We arrived at the hotel, and Stuart led me to my suit. It was something out of a f*****g magazine. I was brought up in country land, away from luxury, and I made my way all the way here through hard work… I don't care about the glitz and glamour of the whole industry… for me, it is all about the game. When I am out there on the field… the adrenaline is everything for me.

“Are you listening to me?” Stuarts took me out of my daydreaming and I looked at him with a blank expression.

“I was saying that you may rest for a while, but at 1 pm then I need you and Teddy to be ready to come with me to talk to some sponsors…” He said and I nodded… “Then after that, you can do whatever, but don't forget about the welcoming party at 8… your suit is already ready…” Stuart said, and I nodded.

“Got it… be ready at 1 and then show up at 8 in a penguin suit…” I said and he rolled his eyes. I was an easy-going guy, but I hated suits… I loved my jeans, shirts and sneakers… sports pants were preferable… I am a country guy… don't blame my upbringing…

Stuart left, and then a knock on my door made me stand up to open the f*****g door… “Man, this place is unbelievable…” Teddy said, slumping on top of my bed, messing up the perfectly arranged bed.

“Remove your f*****g dirty feet from my bed…” I said and he laughed…

“Can you believe it? We've made it…” He said and I sighed. Yeah, the last thing I promised my mother was that I would fulfill my dreams, and my biggest dream of that time was to become a professional football player… this one was for mom… for sure…

“Yeah… it feels so surreal…” I said and he nodded.

“So, are we going to hook up with some babes?” Teddy wiggled his eyebrows, and I rolled my eyes. If I was all in for the game, Teddy played well for the p***y… Man, he is such a man-w***e…

“Please, don't get me tangled in your s**t…” I said and he laughed…

“You know… what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…” He said the typical phrase everyone repeats to let go of their inhibitions while staying in Sin City…

“Yeah, I know… I just don't want our little adventure to be plastered all over the tabloids…” I said and his shoulders slumped…

“You're right, all eyes are going to be all over us… the newcomers, the fresh meat, the brand-new players for the Panthers…” He said and I chuckled.

Teddy and I have played football together ever since I have a memory. I was a natural QB, but Teddy was also a notorious offense… and together we were lethal… so it was natural that The Panthers wanted the Wonder-Country Duo… as the college press named us.

We got here early, and while Stuart lobbied around, we ordered room service and watched a movie. At 12:30 we decided to take a shower and dress up for the 1 pm round with the sponsors… We agreed on meeting back in my suite 15 minutes earlier, so we could meet Stuart together down in the lobby.

At 1 pm, we met with Stuart, and we made our way to the convention area… as soon as we walked in, the multitude of flashes blinded us, while Teddy smiled. I was sure I looked like a scared deer caught in flashlights… I was not expecting this kind of attention. It took me a minute, and then I followed Teddy's example and gave smiles to the photographers…

Stuart chuckled… “It is a completely different thing…” He said and I slowly nodded. I have no idea how celebrities do it. I had been exposed to that for a minute and I already hated it. While Teddy seemed to love it to the core.

Stuart led us to a table where the directors of marketing for a well-known brand of sports drinks were there… They greeted us, and they started offering things… A 5-year contract with the opening to shoot several commercials for the brand. We would be spotted only drinking that while training or doing exercise. Our role model image must be maintained, and we must be away from scandals and questionable conduct. Stuart thanked them and another set of people walked up and talked to us. Everyone offered something… and the endorsements were from a variety of products: power drinks, gym gear, clothing, training shoes and even condoms… The last one made Teddy laugh, and immediately yell ´I'm IN!´

Of course, it was a joke and Stuart told everyone to wait to hear from us. He is the cool head in this, and I am sure that following his lead and experience will be worth it.

“Alright guys, you have some hefty offers… so how do you feel about the conditions?” He asked and we started discussing each contract. Teddy and I were sure that we were not troublemakers, but somehow losing a contract for a slip was too much… and so we went about how to approach all of our concerns…

“Alright, we have been at this for two hours… take a break, we can finish tomorrow… and be ready by 8 sharp… with your tux on…” Stuart said and I sighed… Yeah, I hated that penguin suit.

As soon as Stuart left, Teddy looked at me… “Ez, this is so unbelievable, and despite my previous comment… I don't think I want to do condom commercials…” He said and I laughed… He was a quirky fellow, one that I loved as a brother.

We got ready and made our way to the gala. The Panthers greeted us, and right there we met Osvaldo Jones, our captain, Gael Williams, defense; Henry Taylor, a team legend and now our offense coach; Harrison Miller and Owen Smith, center and guard.

“Welcome to our team...” Henry said and introduced us to the group…

I don't know about Teddy, but I was starstruck… this was certainly my dream come true… “So, how does it feel to be here as this year's rookie and certainly the new fresh-meet for the ladies…” Osvaldo asked and I lifted my eyebrows…

“I am here to play, man… I hate this suit and I don't give a s**t about the rest…” I said, not feeling up to the teasing… he lifted his hands, and shrugged…

“Look, it is inevitable… you are the new hit thing… and all of us old timers are already hitched…” He said and Gael nodded…

Suddenly, a group of ladies walked towards us… “Hi guys, you must be the newbies…” One of the women said. All of them were cute and well-dressed and groomed…

“Ezra, Teddy… let me introduce you to the best part of this team... Our ladies…” Osvaldo said, while wrapping his arm around the waist of the lady that greeted us earlier.

“Let's start in order, right here, my wife Pam Jones… the lovely lady in the green dress is Sylvia Williams, Gael's fiancé; our baby's godmother, Josie Taylor, Henry's wife; and the double menace, Irina Miller and Sasha Smith… twin sisters married to Harrison and Owen…” Osvaldo finished…

Teddy and I greeted them with a handshake… “Nice to meet you all…” We said. The team was great and the ladies were so kind and friendly. It was a fun group, that felt more like a family than teammates.

The place was full of people, and suddenly I saw a very flashy looking woman… “Who is that one?” I blurted out and Pam looked behind her…

“Oh dear Lord… the devil is here…” Pam chuckled, “You had better stay as far away from that woman…” She warned.

I squinted my eyes… I was certainly not interested in the woman wearing an electric blue sequined dress, with exposed shoulders and big hair styled in the most Southern Bell way. Big earrings and lots of rings… If she was shorter I could pass her as Dolly Parton… Nope, I was not interested in that, what caught my attention was the beautiful dove dressed in white that was being dragged around by the electric blue woman…

“She is Georgette Pratt… the second wife of Robert Pratt, owner of our lifelong rivals…” Harrison was kind enough to answer the question…

“So she is with the Dragons…” I said and they nodded…

“Yeah, most of the players are great, we are friends behind closed doors with them… she managed their PR and her son, Bobby Jr, is a nasty bastard…” This time Gael was kind enough to fill me in with the gossip.

“Oh! You got that one right… the i***t once spanked me, while I was pregnant with our firstborn…” Sasha said, making me gasp, that is utterly disrespectful. While Owen smirked, “Yeah, but I am sure the broken nose and jaw I gave him would remind him to keep his paws away from my wife…”

My eyes trailed to the gorgeous woman that followed Georgette… It was Sylvia the one that voiced out what I was feeling about the entire thing… “That poor girl… I have no idea who she is, or what she is doing with the devil,”

“The pained expression…” Irina said and I slowly nodded…

After that, we fell into a comfortable chatter… but my eyes kept trailing around the poor girl being dragged around and passed between players and reporters, sponsor and so on… “Man, stop staring…” Teddy brought me back, and I shook my head…

“I like her…” I said and he gasped. He was a man-w***e, while I was the opposite… with only one serious girlfriend on my roster, I was the voice of reason, the one that wanted to find true love and hold onto it.

“That is big…” Teddy mumbled, and I nodded… not really caring about confessing my desire to my best friend…

I saw the girl in white walking towards the bar… I have seen her go there several times… and this time her steps were shaky… “I have to meet her…” I said, standing up fast and, without thinking, I headed towards the open bar.