Chapter 16: Kelley

Chapter 16

Kelley

It’s nothing against me. We’re cool. We’re leaving everything casual, and whatever happened at the cabin with us was pure distraction for me. Him refusing to spend more time with me alone has nothing to do with me. Absolutely nothing.

Nothing.

While we were away, Thad’s parents called a few times, and each time seemed more dramatic than the last. I couldn’t get the full story, but it was always something about money and his brother. It could be that his parents need money for his brother, like maybe medical expenses or something, but he seemed angry at the situation. Not so much at them, but at the context of whatever is wrong.

It’s none of my business and all sounds very melodramatic, and yet, I still can’t accept that Thad not wanting me to give him a ride to his parents’ place has nothing to do with me.

I want to help him the way he helped me, but I can’t if I don’t know what he needs.

Since being in the Catskills and for this whole car ride, I haven’t thought about the internet once. Driving home, by myself with my phone in my possession, I’m worried the desire to look will creep in again, and I’ve just learned how to ignore that.

Maybe I was offering more for me than for him, but he’s made it clear he’s not interested.

So when Brady pulls up to the station, and Thad says, “I’ll see you back at the office,” to Brady and barely looks at me, all I can do is give him an up-nod goodbye as he slips out the back seat.

Goodbyes are stupid and overrated anyway, and it’s not like I’ll never see him again. In the year I’ve been signed to King Sports, I think I’ve crossed paths with him three times.

I watch Thad’s retreating back and realize that a pass by in the office once every four or five months isn’t enough. Getting away from real life, escaping Philly, that’s not the only thing that has helped me these past two weeks. Thad has helped me more than possibly anything else in the last five years by allowing me to be myself. Allowing me to put my trust in him and not once making me doubt that trust—you know, outside the usual amount of paranoia.

I turn to Brady. “Can I ask you something personal?”

“If you want to know why Thad is an ornery jackass, you’ll have to ask him. He doesn’t give anyone much other than being bitter over the baseball thing.”

“That isn’t what I was going to ask, but really? How long have you worked together?” I know more about him than that, and I’ve only spent two weeks with him.

“He’s a first-year intern like myself, though he’s full-time. I’m still studying to get my law degree. He chose to skip that step and go straight to working.”

“You can choose between those?”

“Yep. I’m following in Damon’s footsteps. A law degree isn’t required to be an agent, but it does mean you have a good grasp of contract law, and it means you’ll start out on a higher salary.”

Yet, Thad chose to go full-time, and it sounds like he, or at least his family, has money problems.

“How much does an intern earn?”

Brady scoffs. “You don’t want to know. Seriously, if I wasn’t living in one of my uncle’s houses, I wouldn’t be able to afford rent in the city. Actually, my dads would pay for it if I asked. Let me rephrase: if I wasn’t born into my family and I was like Thad, I wouldn’t survive in New York. ”

“How does Thad manage it?”

Brady purses his lips. “I haven’t thought about it. I figured he went to Olmstead, so he probably has money already.”

A common misconception, as Thad told me.

“Though, now that I think about it, whenever the team goes out for drinks, he never comes. Everyone thinks he’s antisocial and angry at the world, but now I’m wondering if he can’t afford to take a turn ordering a round for everyone.”

“That’s a rule in the office? Even with the interns?” It reminds me of college, where it was the same deal. All these rich kids who had their parents’ credit card, and little ol’ scholarship me, feeling like I was mooching off my friends.

Luckily, being a sporting school, a lot of my teammates were on scholarships, so they understood, but not everyone did.

“It’s not a rule. Just … a courtesy, I guess? Like, when we’re going out, it’s always ‘Teacher’s pet gets first round.’ Guess who teacher’s pet is?”

I smile. “The firm’s owner’s nephew?”

“Exactly. So, why are you asking?”

Uhhhh. “Like you said. Trying to figure out what makes Thad tick.”

“If you get answers, I wouldn’t mind knowing too. He’s like a book with the pages glued together. You get snippets, but the important parts are hidden, and if you try to rip them open, you get a million paper cuts, and it falls apart to the point you can’t read anything anymore.”

“That’s … an oddly specific analogy.”

Brady shrugs. “That’s the impression I get. I probably shouldn’t be bitching about another coworker to a client. Maybe let’s not tell Damon about that.”

“I get the impression sending you and Thad with me on what was technically my vacation wasn’t exactly normal sports-agent-to-client behavior. I think some bitching is warranted. Especially when Thad’s so … so …”

“Like I said, ornery?”

“Yeah,” I agree, but that’s not him at all. He’s private and keeps to himself. He is mad at the world, but I think it’s more than that. It’s like he’s mad at himself for not making it.

I can understand that disappointment. I’m terrified every day that my anxiety will start messing with my career. To get this far and then have to say goodbye, I’d say he has a right to be ornery. I would be a wreck.

By the time we’ve gotten something to eat and reach the King Sports offices where I left my car in their secure parking lot, I’ve decided I’m going to help Thad. How? I have no idea, but my first order of business is to see Damon King and tell him how amazing both his interns were for me on this trip.

So long as I can manage to do that without it sounding like I’ve seen one of their dicks. Or fucked his face. Had his dick inside me. None of those things.

Shit, can I do this?

I think of Thad, of how he’s helped me, and it no longer matters if I can. I have to.

“You coming up to the office or heading right home?” Brady asks as we get all our crap out of the company car.

“I’m coming up. I want to talk to Damon about having you on my team permanently.”

Brady puts his duffle bag over his shoulder. “You don’t have to do that now. I’m still an intern, and?—”

“I want to. I also want to reassure him that he’s raising some great future agents.”

“Including Thad? Or are you ratting him out?”

I snort. “I’m not ratting him out. Yes, he was an ass to me in the beginning, but I think we found common ground.” Each other’s dicks. “And weirdly, his blunt nature helped me a lot too. It’s like he’s the voice of reason I don’t have. The one telling me I’m being dramatic and should be more grateful.”

“Kelley, you are grateful. Just because you question what you have sometimes, it doesn’t mean you’re taking it for granted. He’s an angry guy?—”

“I know I’m grateful. I’m one of the luckiest people in the world to have the career I do. I’ve worked hard for it, yes, but there are a lot of people who work hard and don’t achieve it. On the other side of that though, sometimes I get so far in my head it’s easy to forget how grateful I am. And Thad helped me with that.”

Brady shuts the trunk. “Maybe don’t tell Damon Thad’s form of support is tough love. He might not like it. He’s more of a ‘you have to appease your clients’ kind of agent. Though, he’ll follow that up with ‘even when they’re being unreasonable and childlike.’”

I smile. “He was talking about your dads with that one, wasn’t he?”

“Definitely. He uses them as an example for a lot of agent issues. Them and hockey players. Hockey players are the worst.”

“Good to know.”

“Once, Damon had a file labeled NHL Nightmares, and it was all the hockey scenarios that he’s had to deal with over the years. Like one client, he had a three-way in an alley, knowing there were surveillance cameras. Because he wanted attention from his PR manager.”

“Really?” Who in the fuck is confident enough to pull that off?

“Yup. So Damon and that PR manager had to step in and squash the story. And, to make matters even cuter … or worse, depending on how you look at it, that PR manager ended up marrying that hockey player.”

“What?”

“Yep.”

We ride the elevator to the top floor, where it spits us out at reception.

“Oh, and speak of the devil, here’s that PR manager now.”

I watch as the man I know as Lane Pierce walks by, head in a binder. His dark hair has streaks of gray but has nothing on Damon, who’s turning into a full-on silver-daddy type.

“Hi, Lane.” Brady waves.

Lane lifts his head. “Hey, Brady.”

“Didn’t know you were in New York.”

“Quick visit to go over some things with your uncle.” He spots me. “Kelley. Did we have an appointment? ”

“No. I’m here to see Damon before I head home.”

“Oh, right. The, uh, the thing. Catskills thing.”

“Yeah. The Catskills thing.” Also known as the Kelley can’t be left alone in fear of sending himself into a downward spiral thing.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Lane says. “I just left Damon’s office, so

he’s free if you need him.”

“Thanks,” I say.

Lane keeps walking, and I turn to Brady.

“His husband is a hockey player?”

“Yup. Retired now, but he was supposedly this huge playboy with a bad reputation. Lane whipped him into shape.”

“Why can I not help thinking you mean literally?”

“After all the things I know about Oskar Voyjik, it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s how he did it.”

“I like the way you’re honest with me.”

Brady’s face falls. “Shit. Now I’m gossiping about actual employees that you need to work with. Maybe Uncle Damon’s right. I’m not ready for this job. You shouldn’t ask him to?—”

“I wasn’t being sarcastic. I actually mean it. Yes, Thad has that strong hand, but you … you manage to put me at ease. You’re real with me. And now, when I have to go see Lane, I’ll no longer be intimidated by him because what you said makes him more real. Does that make sense?”

“Just don’t tell my uncle I’m giving you office gossip.”

“Deal.”

On the way to Damon’s office, Damon exits and pauses when he sees us. “You’re back.”

“We are,” I say. “I was actually hoping to talk to you before I head home.”

His eyes narrow, and then he sends a glare at Brady. It’s subtle, like a parent scolding a child who is talking or running around during a serious moment, but he’s pleasant as he turns his attention to me. “Sure. Come on in.”

“It’s all good. I promise. ”

Damon holds out his arm for me to go in first, and then he follows. “How was the trip?” he asks.

“Amazing.”

“Really? The Catskills in December are amazing?” He leads me over to the couches in his office instead of the desk. I get the impression the desk seats are for employees who are in trouble, and these couches are for clients. More comfortable and inviting.

I sit across from him. “That part was fucking freezing, but the trip was good for me. Mentally.”

“Do you think you’re ready for real life to set back in? Public appearances, charity benefits, getting ready for spring training?”

“I hope so. I feel good right now. I don’t have the urge to ruin my positive mindset by reading horrible comments online, and I’m refreshed.”

“Great. So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“There’s a couple of things. The first is that I want you to know that both your interns were great with me while we were away.”

“I should hope so.”

“Brady is really great. I think he’s going to make an amazing agent.”

“Okay.” There are those narrowing eyes again.

“I want him to be my agent. When he’s ready. He said he currently has a client but has to run everything by a senior, and I was hoping he could be the same for me.”

Damon lets out a loud breath. “Thank God. I thought you were going to say something like you slept with him, and then I am legally obligated to tell his dads, and then you’d get an over-the-top visit from them, and it would scare you off, and you’d fire this agency. It would be a big mess.”

“I can see where Brady gets his dramatics from.”

“Brady was dramatic?”

I wave him off. “Nah. Good dramatic. I promise. But yes, I want him to be my agent. I feel like he understands me better than Merek does? Don’t get me wrong, though, Merek is a great agent, and he has scored me some incredible contract deals, but … I’m comfortable with Brady. ”

“That’s no problem at all. I can throw Brady on your account with Merek supervising.”

“Thank you.”

“And the other thing?”

“Huh?”

“You said there were a few things you wanted to talk about?”

The voices in my head are yelling at me not to cross personal lines with Thad. Not to bring attention to him in the office. But I want to help, and he’s not going to let me in, so this is my only option.

“I just wanted to say that Thad also did an excellent job. While he could never be my agent because, well, his delivery of advice isn’t as sugarcoated as I’m used to?—”

“I love how diplomatic you’re being here, but if you have a problem with him?—”

“I don’t,” I cut him off. “I’m just saying his managing style won’t fit me. He’s going to become a great agent for someone who’s stronger than I am.”

“You’re not weak for having anxiety, Kelley.”

“I know. Theoretically. My brain won’t let logic win though. And my point was, is it at all possible for me to give Thad, like, a tip? Or a bonus for doing such a good job while dealing with my breakdowns?”

Damon rubs his chin. “A tip? He’s not a waiter. We take his salary out of the commission you pay us.”

“I know. I …” I have to come up with an excuse, and for some stupid reason, all I can think about is the ridiculous he-saw-a-bear excuse. I can’t use that here. “I don’t want him to feel like he did a poor job because I’ve put Brady on my team and not him. That’s all.”

Damon leans back. “You singing his praises is probably more beneficial to him than money is.”

Coming from a poor family myself, I can guarantee that’s not the case.

“If it’s against company policy or whatever, don’t worry about it. I was just hoping to do something nice for him. He was really good at getting me out of my head and giving me perspective. I think the reason I’ve stopped reaching for my phone from muscle memory is because of him.”

Damon leans back in his seat and thinks about it. “There’s nothing in the company policy that says you can’t.”

“But you’re uncomfortable with it. It’s okay. I get it.”

“I can’t stop you from leaving him something, but it has to come from you and have nothing to do with our firm. I don’t want future agents or staff to think if they suck up to clients—which they should be doing anyway—they get bonuses.”

“Thank you. I’ll do that. I’ll leave it and say it was from me. As a thank-you.”

“No worries at all.”

I stand to leave because I need to find an ATM.

“Can I say …” Damon stops me.

I look back at him.

“You do seem a lot more relaxed.”

Yeah, I can thank Thad for that too.

Orgasms release tension. Who knew?