Page 90 of Holding On

"So you don't know anything about this new guy?"

"No, but I'm guessing he's rich. She has expensive taste and needs someone to buy her stuff."

"Does she work?"

"I'm not sure. Like I said, I don't let Mike tell me about her so I really don't know much about what she's been up to the past few years. Before she left us, she started getting involved in event planning, like helping with weddings, so maybe she's still doing that."

"So what do you think will happen tomorrow?"

"I don't know. I'm afraid to find out."

"I wouldn't worry about it."

"You wouldn't?"

"If she asks for something and you don't want to agree to it, then don't. It's as simple as that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I smile at him. "So you're really going with me?"

"If you need me, I'm there."

"What if people come up to you and start asking questions?"

"You do what you did earlier. You get rid of them. Thanks for doing that, by the way. That guy would've stayed there for ten minutes if you hadn't gotten rid of him."

"Okay, it's a deal. You keep me from yelling at my mom and I'll keep your crazy fans away."

"Except for one." He pulls me on top of him. "I want to keep this fan as close as possible."

"Who said I'm a fan? I don't like football, remember?"

"You will. I'll teach you about it and make you watch some of my old games. By the time we're done, you'll love it as much as I do."

"I thought you didn't like it anymore."

"It's not that I don't like it. I love it. I love the game, and the competition, and the challenge of it. What I don't like is being told what to do. I don't like people planning out my future for me."

"Then tell someone. Tell your coach. Tell your parents."

"I can't. They'd tell me I'm being ungrateful. Not using my God-given talent and all that shit. My dad would probably send me to a shrink, thinking I've lost my mind."

"Just because you don't want to play football?"

"It's not just football. It's the pros. We're talking millions of dollars, even more if you add in the endorsements."

"The money shouldn't matter. Your family already has plenty of money."

"If you met my dad, he'd tell you you can never have enough money. And it's not just about the money. It's about the fame and the opportunities you have when you play pro ball. The people you're introduced to. The connections you make. It's about a lot more than just football."

"But if you don't care about those things, then why do it?"

"I don't know." His voice trails off and he seems distant. I think he's talked enough for tonight. I've noticed he shuts down when he doesn't want to talk, and it seems like that just happened.

"You want to watch a movie?" I start to get up.

"Let's watch right here." He pulls me down beside him and grabs the remote and turns on the TV. "I want just to stay here the rest of the night, and maybe not leave until we have to go to brunch tomorrow."

I reach up and kiss him. "Sounds good, but I do need to go home in the morning and change. I didn't bring nice clothes and brunch is at that fancy hotel downtown."

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