Page 30 of The Game

“Today?” Chris’s eyebrows shoot into his hairline.

“What, before Anna gets here?” I glance around again.

“I’ve got a friend that does graffiti—we could make it really cool with a funky wall,” Chris says, hands flapping.

“That would be an amazing video backdrop.”

“We don’t have to do it all today, necessarily,” Susie adds. “But we do have to move quickly on it for it to help the business.”

“We’ve also got to design the kits,” Chris adds.

“Day after tomorrow?”

“Let me text Anna.”

We might have to sort one or two things at our end. How about the day after tomorrow?

I can come after practice.

Sounds good.

I wave at Susie and Chris. “Okay, guys, we’ve got until the day after tomorrow to do something here. Do whatever you need to do. Let’s see what we can organize in two days.”

Susie grins. “I’m on it, boss. And a dog influencer? That’s a sensible backup plan for when Anna quits professional tennis. She’s a smart lady.”

I grin. “Yeah, I think she is.”

God, I’d never even thought of that. How long can you compete in professional tennis, and what happens afterward? All that work to reach the top, and then you have to give up what you love and find something else, or take a back seat and lose the thrill of the fight, of winning.

It certainly puts my business problems into perspective.

12

ANNA

When my driver drops me off next to a warehouse in Red Hook, I stare up at the old building with its black shutters as surprise burns through me. When I imagined Adam’s company, it was in some hi-tech business park, not this. It’s quiet, with beautiful views out across the water and so deserted I don’t think the paparazzi would ever find it.

How does all this work for him? His office and his staff? We’ve had so little time to talk about any of it, but I’d love to help his business out if I can. He’s said a couple of times that it’s struggling. I’m beginning to understand him a bit better, but I’m totally adrift with his business and what it takes to be successful in his line of work. Perhaps I should talk to Janus.

I head into the entranceway to the building to find a large open area with brick walls surrounding a gray-painted staircase winding upward. There’s no reception and no front desk. Pepper trots along by my feet on her leash, and I eye up an old steel elevator in the corner before heading over and pressing the button. Unit five, Adam said, in the basement.

When I step out of the elevator, Adam is standing in the corridor, an unchecked smile on his face, and Pepper shoots forward as he bends down to give her a tummy rub.

“Welcome to Electronic Man,” he says, long fingers sifting through her fur as I watch his graceful hands.

My eyes dart to his face to find him smiling up at me. “I hope we can help,” I stutter out.

He straightens and gestures to his left, and we head down the corridor past neon light sculptures hanging on the walls between a series of black doors.

“Are you sure you’re okay with doing this?” he says.

“Absolutely. You were so great coming along to that event at the last minute, it’s the least I can do.”

“I’ve realized we haven’t been very organized about this being a shoot: things like makeup, etcetera. Although we’ve got a photographer and some lighting. Susie thinks we can do casual stuff as well as some more official shots.”

“I’m happy with something more informal: Behind the scenes always works well,” I say, stopping by one of the illuminated signs. “Or so they tell me. In fact, we could take a picture here.”

“What?” he says as I grab his arm and hold up my phone to take a selfie in front of the sign.

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