In The Pocket (Sample - First 5 Chapters)

1 Worth It

I took the stairs two at a time, straightening my blazer and shouldering my bag as I went. When I reached the door of apartment 302, I pounded on the outside until it opened. One of my oldest friends, Tyler Montgomery, stood in the threshold, a dubious smile on his face.

"Where are my keys?" I grumbled, swiping a stray strand of hair from my glossed lips as I did.

"Good morning to you too, Miss Rollins, don't you look dapper," Tyler greeted me with a smile and a playful tone but I simply rolled my eyes.

"I don't have time for this, Ty. Keys."

"Alright," he relented, stepping inside and leaving the door open for me as he went to retrieve my belongings. I checked my watch as he crossed the room, "I thought you said I could drive the civic while my rover's in the shop."

"I did. A week ago. But now I need my car, Ty. It's my first day and I can't be late so-"

"Wait!" another voice called out and Nick Jones, another old college friend and Tyler's roommate, jumped up from his place on the couch just in time to catch the keys in midair that Tyler had tossed my way, "First day, that's today?"

I sighed as the boys both broke out into matching grins.

"Take me with you," Nick said.

"What? Are you insane? You want me to bring a guest on my first day?" I responded but he just nodded and stared at me expectantly.

"Look, Emily pulled a lot of strings to get me this job and-"

"Strings?" Tyler huffed. "You're overqualified. If anything, they got a deal. I bet you're the only PR person who's a licensed attorney."

"Season tickets then," Nick ignored Tyler, continuing his negotiations as I lunged for my car keys and he held them over his head.

"I'm not in PR," I groaned, "I'm in Player Relations, not Public Relations."

"Yeah but... shortened... it's still PR."

"Player Relations," Nick repeated, glancing over at Tyler with a nod, "Yeah. PR."

"Nick!" I shouted, losing patience and precious time.

"One single game ticket," he tried.

I narrowed my eyes and countered, "One single preseason game ticket."

He and Tyler exchanged a glance and then he nodded and tossed me the keys. I snatched them from out of the air and ran for the door. They shouted simultaneous good lucks after me but I merely stuck my middle finger up behind me as I ran down the stairs to my car on the street below. I tossed my briefcase in and hopped in the driver's side before speeding off toward the Los Angeles Chargers compound.

I peeled into the parking lot and parked my car in the spot reserved for me. Then I emerged, heels tapping aggressively against the asphalt as I made my way through the front doors and to my office on the other side of the compound. I had to take some dark hidden staircase that came out just on the other side of the players' locker rooms, precisely where my office was located. I entered through the clear glass doors into a large open room. There were five occupied desks on either side of me. My team was already hard at work. Some were on the phone, others typing away at their laptops, but all of them looked up and gave me a smile or a wave as I passed. I smiled back as I approached the pristine white desk in front of my office at the back and glanced down at my assistant.

"Good morning Brad," I said kindly.

"Good morning, Miss Rollins," he leapt from his seat and followed me as I entered my office, setting my briefcase down on my desk and sitting down in my chair, "It's so nice to finally be working with you. The team you've hired are all here, as you can see, but for it to be your first official day-"