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“Of course, you should come with me. Why wouldn’t you?” I asked before continuing to the bedroom to get dressed.
Heading to Arny’s office, my mind swirled. Was this all happening? It felt surreal. A few months ago, I was sure that I would never play football again. Now, I had offers to play in the NFL. This was amazing!
Parking and hurrying up to the penthouse, I found my agent a little more disheveled than he had been at the Hall of Fame event.
“Have you slept?” I asked him.
“No. And it’s because you don’t goddamn pick up your phone.”
“Sorry about that.”
“And where were you yesterday? I can understand taking a break when it was over. But you didn’t think to check in with me at all?”
“It won’t happen again. Why did you need me here?”
“Because you have to address the media,” he said, annoyed.
“What? Why?”
“When a player is a sensation during a showcase and then isn’t available for meetings with teams afterward, it creates a bit of a stir. In your case, it’s more like a feeding frenzy. You’re a fucking hit, Claude. Everyone wants you,” Arny insisted.
My heart dropped, stunned. Looking around for Merri’s shared excitement, I found him standing meekly in the corner. But I didn’t have the bandwidth to figure out what was going on with him. I had a lot to process.
“What do I do?” I asked, turning back to Arny.
“I’ve arranged for a press conference.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“What am I supposed to say?”
“You know, the usual.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t know, that you’re excited for this opportunity. That you feel you can be a great addition to any team. Talk about how long you’ve been working for this and make up something about your mother. Anything will do. The press eats up that shit.”
Waiting nervously as the reporters gathered, I sat next to Merri. When he didn’t say anything, I took his hand for comfort. He was just tired, right? He didn’t look like he had slept. Had I hurt him the night before? I hadn’t exactly been gentle as I fucked his brains out.
“You okay?” I asked him, squeezing his hand.
“I’m fine,” he said, squeezing back. “I’m here for you,” he added with a sad smile.
Still not sure what was going on with him, I looked away, trying to gather myself. I had not practiced talking to the press. I didn’t know what could happen or what they could ask. This was new territory for me, and I didn’t like being unprepared.
“How does it feel to get so much attention?” the first reporter asked me.
“Like you’re here for the wrong person,” I said, to their laughter.
“We’re not,” he replied. “I hear you’ve already received multiple offers.”
“I heard that too. Did you hear where they’re from?”
“Where are they from?”
“No, I’m asking you. I have no idea,” I admitted, to more laughter.
“My sources say Seattle and Portland. That’s a long way from Tennessee.”
