Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 86596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“So…she technically never broke up with you?”
“No. She tried to apologize and begged for forgiveness, but was she expecting to come back from being photographed and filmed for national television in the arms of the guy she’d been cheating on me with? He was my client.”
Jesus.
“So what happened with that relationship?”
“He dropped me, obviously.” Eli pauses. “Well. He didn’t do it himself. He was too big of a pussy. He had his manager drop me.”
I get the feeling that he has more to say about the subject, but he lets it drop, his hand digging into the bag of french fries that sits between us. They’re so delicious they don’t need ketchup.
“Well, I’m sorry that you had to run into her tonight. Did she see you there?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think we waited around long enough for her to realize I was in the room.”
“But she would’ve known you were going to be there? I mean, isn’t that your thing? Don’t you attend this event every year?”
“Sometimes. Not always—depends on whether or not some of my rookie clients need hand holding and actually want me to be there with them. I’ve taken a pass on the invite on occasion.”
“Oh, I see. So you probably wouldn’t have gone this year if Tripp hadn’t invited you?”
He shrugs. “Probably not. I’m getting to that age where I appreciate the downtime and would rather stay home and rent a movie—or go to the theater— then rub shoulders and be fake for an entire night.”
“What’s your favorite movie? Do you have one?”
“Eh, I don’t know if I have a favorite movie per se. I like mysteries I have to solve. Documentaries and other shit you would probably find boring.”
“I don’t find that boring at all. In fact, the last show I watched was a docuseries about horrible roommates. Like—horrible. The kind who murder you and take the doorknobs off.”
Eli laughs. “I think I saw that. Did it just come out?”
“Yeah.”
“What is it about con artists and shady shit that we love watching?”
“We’re sick, that’s why. And bored?”
“Are you? Bored?” He swallows the food in his mouth before continuing. “I would say that I don't have the time to be bored, but I wish sometimes that I did.” He leans back, bracing his arms against the car and staring into the night sky. “I think I need to cut back, but I'm not sure how. Sometimes, I feel like I'm on a hamster wheel that won’t slow down.”
“My dad always told me to make hay while the sun was still shining.” I laugh. “So I know what you mean because…while I have the energy to kick some ass, I don't want to slow down, but at the same time, I'm exhausting myself by not taking more time for me. Myself.” My sigh is loud. “I watch my roommate, Posey—you met her. She’s so fun, throwing these cute little parties, and I don't even take the time to mingle when I have a house full of people.” I pick at the bun on my burger. “It's not that I would rather work. It's just that... I don't know. Sometimes being social is hard.”
I realized I just said a lot and feel like I'm babbling.
“I was the same way, especially right after I graduated. I was dating Laura, and she was hyper-motivated, wanting to work at this big law firm downtown before we'd even passed the bar exam. Her goals were always lofty—not that mine weren’t, but as we got older, I realized our goals weren’t the same anymore.” He takes a deep breath. “I think I just realized I probably didn't know her as well as I thought I did. If I knew her at all? Clearly, she had goals that didn't include working anymore.”
“You were today years old when you realized you were two different people? Or that you'd grown apart?” I say it gently. “People grow apart who have been together a long time,” I tell him. “That's why divorce rates are so high. So technically, you could count yourself lucky?”
“I don't know. I feel like maybe I'm too good at my job, and that's what pushed her away. Like, really fucking good at my job. I swear, Keith Dwyer is the first athlete to drop me. Usually, it's the other way around.” He glances over at me. “I'm not trying to brag. It’s just a fact.”
“Listen, it's not your fault she was cheating on you. Sure, maybe the two of you could have spent more time together. But maybe that wouldn't have saved your relationship either. I wouldn't beat yourself up trying to rehash and relive moments you're not going to get back. It's best to move forward.”
“I am moving forward. I literally haven't thought much about her until I saw her tonight.”
In the distance not too far in front of us, a giant jet is gaining speed on the runway, moving faster and faster until the nose tips up and it lifts off the ground. Together, we watch it soar into the sky.