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“Yeah, maybe.” I shrugged. “I guess I haven’t thought about it that much.”
“Can I make a suggestion then? You should look for term, not value. You’re already set for life with the money you’ve made. Just play as long as you can.”
(FYI:Termrefers to the number of years on the contract, whereasvaluerefers to how much money a player is paid. In other words, Johnny was telling me to sign the contract offering the most years instead of the most money.)
“I’d say you want to sign a contract for three more years atleast. You can play until you’re forty, don’t you think?” He reached over the table and squeezed my bicep. “The way you keep in shape, it should be no problem.”
I chuckled. “Y’know, Johnny, I think you’re more excited about this next contract than I am.”
“You’re damned right I am,” he laughed. “I’ll take all the excuses I can get to fly down to Vegas every now and then.”
“Point taken.”
“Besides, you know I’ve always lived vicariously through you. I don’t want your career to end, big fella. The day you hang up your skates and call it a career,poof,that’s it. It’s not just over for you—it’s over for me, too.” He tilted his pint glass back and took a heavy pull. “I’ve got nothing else to live for.”
I reared back. “What the fuck, Johnny? Don’t talk like that.”
“It’s true, you know.”
“Bullshit. You’ve got a lot to live for. You’ve got a lovely wife and daughter—”
“Who hate my guts, yeah yeah, I know.” He polished off the rest of his beer. “Y’know, there’s another plus to you signing another contract in Vegas.”
“What’s that?”
“As long as you’re on the road, you’ll need someone to watch your dog.”
I chuckled. “Oh, okay. I get it now. Isthatwhy you’re so excited about my contract? So I can keep tabs on Isabelle for you?”
“Well, I won’t lie. I like having a man on the inside.” He leaned across the table, lowering his voice. “So?”
“So what?”
“How’s Izzy?”
The mere thought of Isabelle made her most recent picture go shooting through my mind’s eye. I winced, remembering how hard I’d blown my load to her just a few short hours ago.
“What do you mean?” I stammered, trying to collect myself.
“What do Imean?” He chuckled. “The fuck’s wrong with you today, Rusty?”
“Nothing,” I said, clearing my throat. “Isabelle seems fine. She’s taking real good care of Minka.”
“Good, good. Does it seem like she’s doing well with her classes?”
Besides dropping out of them, you mean?
I laughed and took a big swig of my own beer. “Johnny, it’s only been a week. I only saw her that once when I had her meet Minka. How should I know?”
“I’m just asking you to get a sense of things, man. Like, should I be worried?”
“I don’t think you have to worry about her at all. She seems like she’s got a good head on her shoulders,” I said. At least when I told him that, I didn’t have to feel like I was lying through my teeth.
He tutted. “Yeah. I mean, sure, she’s book smart. But jeez.”
“What?”
“It’d be a shame if she wasted her smarts. She can be so stubborn, you know?”
