Page 20 of How to Prevent a Fumble

Yes.

No. I’m not doing that. I’m his assistant. I knew this was going to come with the job. That doesn’t mean I can’t kick his ass.

He’s a week away from training camp, and I’m crossing my fingers this was his last hurrah.

“I’ll be there soon.”

“You’re really the best, you know that right?” he asks as he climbs into my Ford. It sways with his weight, creaking a little.

“Don’t fuck with me Leo, you’re in deep shit.”

He rolls his eyes, leaning back in his seat. I turn my car on, and when he hears the loud roar of the engine, his eyes grow wide. “What was that?”

“That was my car starting, dumbass,” I sigh, pulling out of the long driveway of the large house he was at.

“I don’t think I’ve heard a car this loud.”

“When was the last time you were in a car that costs any less than a hundred grand?”

He thinks for a minute.

“If you have to think that long, it was too long ago. Shut up and sit tight.”

He smirks. “I’m a big fan of tight.”

“Leo what does that evenmean?”He bites his lip, his eyes glassy as he folds the brim of his baseball hat inward just atouch, trying hard not to giggle. The man is trying not togiggle.Over the wordtight.

Why am I doing this to myself?

Instead of answering me, he starts fiddling with the music, attempting to change the station.

“It’s a CD dumbass,” I mutter, turning on my blinker.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why don’t you just connect it to your phone?”

“Leo this car is from 1999, for one. Two, some people just like CDs, okay?”

If I happen to bethisannoying when I’m drunk, I’m not sure I want to ever take another sip.

“You know?—”

But I’ve had enough.

“No, Leo, I don’t know. You’re supposed to be staying low, remember? This entire summer you’ve been getting into trouble. You have so much, you know that? And you’re risking everything. The team has a zero-tolerance policy, you know that right? One wrong move, or you’re somewhere you shouldn’t be and get caught up in something bad, and you’re off the team.”

He rolls his eyes before looking out the window. “Yes mommy,” he snarks, slamming his back into the seat.

I’m going to chose to ignore that.

“I don’t know what’s been going on with you for the last couple months, but something’s got to change, Leo.”

The rest of the drive was silent.

7

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