It's Chad's turn to lean forward. "Look, I know that. And you know that, but they don't know that. This is what I need from you," he says, turning his phone to me so that I can see the picture he's brought up.
The picture on Chad's phone is me. Drunk, smiling, and half naked in a hot tub full of half-naked women. I wince, but that was a fun night. "You're just jealous."
"Oh, I'm just married," he snaps back. "And you're quickly becoming a liability. You think Janie likes me having to jet around the country in the middle of the night to be a playboy whisperer for a publicity disaster?"
"Ouch."
"Look, it's not just the Eagles, if you don't clean up your act, I'm dropping you. I have two rookie tight ends on my roster who would kill for the chance I'm handing you. If the Eagles don't feel better about a workout from you soon, I'm dropping you and giving one of them the opportunity."
He runs his fingers through his curly black hair and adjusts his glasses. "Your contract is more money, Jake. It’s a better decision to give you first crack at this thing. Don't let me down, okay?"
My mind is reeling. If Chad drops me, that's basically the end of my career. "What do you want me to do, Chad?"
"Community service? Stay out of trouble? Stability, Jake."
"Hey," I object, "I did a billboard and a meet and greet for a struggling Veterinary Practice. It's right outside."
"That," Chad says, getting excited. "A lot more of that." A flicker of excitement plays behind his eyes, and maybe even something else. Suspicion. Does he think I'm lying?
"Where is this billboard of yours?"
Suddenly, I can't wait to show him that I did, in fact, do something to help the local community. I only did it for Angie, but he doesn't have to know that.
He thinks I just randomly showed up back here after getting cut from the Cardinals and then went to a party where I didn't get wasted after spending the last few days helping out the community.
Chad throws a twenty-dollar bill on the table and follows me out the door.
Luckily, there are several of the billboards sprinkled around town, and one of them is right across the street. I take fifteen steps and then point proudly. I stare at it for the first time. They only went up yesterday. I passed a few driving to the ball but didn't pay much attention since Emma was in the car.
I find myself staring at Angie who is smiling on the billboard, clutching her poodle gently. She looks happy. Then I glance at myself.
I've changed. Older, reckless, empty. Still smiling. On the same billboard as Angie, but certainly not together. The billboard makes it look like we're sitting together on a comfy, sky-blue couch.
On one hand I'm impressed with the technology that can pull this off, and in another way it makes me wish Angie and I were getting along like the old days. Laughing, talking, and yes, sitting on couches together.
Chad takes a picture of the billboard.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Evidence, Jake. You only have two weeks. I'm not hanging around here to babysit you this time. I'm on a plane home. But good news, this is the age of cellphones, so anything you do both good and bad will be out there for all the world to see. Don't let you down."
He turns to leave, but then spins around to frown at the billboard again. "Wait, isn't that the girl on the beach?"
He's pointing at Angie on the billboard.
"What?" I ask.
"The back-together girl. From the beach. The two of you were lying in a compromising position on the beach. But you used to go out or something? Old high school flame?"
"Oh yeah," I say, sorry that's how it's being played out on the internet. Now I know why Angie must be upset. I'm not really any more responsible or less selfish than before. All I've managed to do since I got back was pull her into my screwed-up world because I miss her.
"That's Angie." Then, before I can take it back, before I can stop my mouth, and before my brain has a chance to catch up, "she's the one who got away."
The sheer truth of it shatters me. I hear the emotion in my voice.
So does Chad. He whips his head around from the billboard back to me and studies my face for a moment. "You okay?"
I shrug. "Sure. You know me."
"Well, get it together. You can do this. I believe in you."
He doesn't. Or else he wouldn't be threatening to drop me as a client. But the words are nice to hear and they help despite the situation we both find ourselves in.
"By the way," he says as we both make our way back to the café, "what the hell is with all the pirate stuff here?"
I can only shake my head. He's worried about pirates with the bombshells he just dropped on me.
"Oh well," he says, "enjoy your pirates and your puppies and such. I have a plane to catch, see you soon. Hopefully."
He stops to study my face for a moment. "I can't wait to find out how this goes. A part of me doesn't think you have it in you, but good luck anyway."
As the words fade away in my ears, I hear his car door slam and the engine turn over. He backs up without even checking first and then he's gone. A trail of exhaust leading down an empty road, leaving me standing here in the middle of the parking lot alone with my thoughts.
Chapter 22
Angie
It's Tuesday and that means pirate festival volunteering tonight. I've been looking forward to it all week since I haven't seen Kaylee and Fi.
When I get to the beach, late as usual, I'm greeted
