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“Going into his senior year of high school. Shattered several records by the end of his junior year. Is an all-time leading career rusher in varsity history.” I pop a bite of steak into my mouth. “Seems like he’s going places and will need a great agent to take him there.”
A competitive twinkle opens in Nora’s eyes. I could stare at her like this all day. “Seems like he will indeed.”
“Speaking of great agents. We never talked about thatendorsement deal you got for me with Dapper.” I pause. “It’s unreal. How did you get them to fork over that much money?”
Her grin—the one so many people underestimate because it comes from a watermelon-pink mouth—turns downright cunning. “Simple. They were asking for my A-list celebrity athlete to star in their commercial and wear their suits to every major function for the next year. They needed to pay like it.”
“Yeah, but Bill never landed deals like this for quite that much money.”
“Bill was a nincompoop,” she says plainly, making me laugh. “Honestly, Derek, I looked at half of your deals and they all should have been negotiated for a higher payout. Bill needed to grow some ovaries and fight for his client.”
Mark my words, Nora is going to take over the sports agency world—and I’m just lucky to have gotten in with her from the beginning.
“Back to Demetris.” I lean back, crossing my arms. “Everyone is going to be after him. Including Nicole. What’s your plan?”
She narrows her eyes and points a fork at me. “Wouldn’t you like to know. Unfortunately for you, I don’t discuss clients or future clients with my current roster. So put your magnifying glass away, Sherlock.”
“Mm. That’s fine. I’ll have fun trying to get the answers from you later, Ginger Snap.”
Her cheeks turn the same shade of pink as her top, but she doesn’t look away. “Bypassing that salacious comment. How do you know about Demetris?”
I shrug. “I like to keep up with notable high school and college players just in case they ever end up on my team.” It’s happened twice. One of those high school players being Collin Abbot, the guywho very well might take my job this year. “I know veteran players don’t normally pay much attention to the rookies—or if they do, it’s mainly for hazing. But I’ve always preferred to take a different approach.”
“Which is?” she asks.
Suddenly I feel exposed talking about myself. I’ve never liked it much. But especially not when it’s something personal like this. But for Nora, I will. “I like to help them adjust and show them the ropes from the beginning because you never know when one of our starters might get injured and the rookie suddenly becomes a vital part of the team. Also…I don’t know…I just enjoy it.”
I pause and adjust my pant legs just to give myself something to do. But Nora the menace doesn’t say anything. She just watches me with a smile.
“Don’t tell me that you suddenly have nothing to say?” I ask sarcastically.
“Oh I have plenty to say! But I know that there’s more, and I plan to stay quiet until you say it all.”
I roll my eyes and groan. She taps her foot against my leg under the table, eliciting currents that roll up my shins and thighs and settle low in my stomach. “Fine. I guess I’ve been thinking about our conversation yesterday and letting myself really consider what will happen if I get cut. And then I realized that even if I’m not a Shark anymore, I don’t ever want to fully let football go. It’s a part of who I am—but maybe there’s another avenue I could approach. I think I’d make a good…coach.” I wince. “Is that ridiculous? I don’t even know if I could find a coaching job. I just…” My voice fades out.
“Why would that be anything other than super incredibly amazing? I think you’d make a wonderful coach. And I also think it’ll make an excellent option for you when you’re in your forties anddecide to retire from the Sharks.” Her smile is a sharp, sweet dagger. “Because I’m willing to bet you anything, my top client—”
“Your only client.”
“—That you’re going to come back stronger than ever. So quit your fretting, because I’m a hotshot agent and I know what I’m talking about.” I wish everyone else shared her faith in my abilities.
Truth be told, I’m afraid I’m going to get out there on the field, hear the haunting echo of my bone snapping in half, and freeze up. I’m afraid that maybe this really is the end for me. But at least that fear doesn’t come with quite as much panic as it used to. I have some options…
“Okay, I’m done talking about me. Are you going to visit Demetris when we get back?”
“Why are you so worried about this?” she asks with a curious smile.
I shrug. “I guess I just…I’ve already gotten in the way of your career enough. I want to support you going forward.”
She looks at me now like a person in a museum studying an abstract painting and trying to find the hidden meaning behind it. And then a soft smile curves her mouth as she pierces a bit of potato onto her fork. “Don’t worry. I’ve got everything in hand, and I do plan to pay Demetris a visit.”
“Good.”
“Just not until Nicole does first.”
I frown and sit forward again. “Why?”
That challenging glint that sets my body on fire hits her eyes. The one that most people miss because they’re too distracted by her bright clothes and innocent demeanor. Those people are fools. I was a fool for thinking I could ever orbit around Nora without falling into her gravitational pull.She owns me.
