The Big Time

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

TROY CLUTCHED HIS ROLLED-UP bathing suit and pulled back the curtain to watch and wait. A heavy beam of late-day sun spilled through the glass, warming his cheek.

"You're not just running out there and taking off like a rocket, mister," his mom said. "He can come in and say hello and talk about some ground rules. This isn't a train station; it's our home."

Troy rolled his eyes. "Mom, please don't start with the ground rules."

"Don't you start, Troy," she said from her spot on the couch next to Seth. "You're twelve."

"How could I forget," Troy said, grumbling and turning his attention back to the window.

Over his shoulder, the clock on the wall wouldn't seem to move its hands. When the orange Porsche finally purred into the dirt patch, Troy swept aside the curtain. He pressed his face and hand against the warm glass. Troy's dad didn't even hesitate. He hopped out and vaulted up the steps in jeans, cowboy boots, and a silky button-down shirt. He pounded the door with three short, heavy knocks and stood there with his hair a wild tangle from the windy ride in the convertible.

"I'll get it," his mom said, pushing past Troy and swinging open the door.

"Drew," she said sarcastically, "what a surprise."

Troy's dad stepped inside, smoothed his hair, and wiped his feet.

"Good to see you, Tessa," he said, shaking her hand before he waved to Seth on the couch. "Seth."

He clasped Troy by the hand like a gladiator-instead of offering a formal shake-and pulled into a one-armed hug, clapping him on the back like a team-mate.

"My man," his father said, and Troy beamed with pride.

"Drew," Troy's mom said, her hands going to her hips, "your 'man' has school tomorrow. I know you want to get to know each other a little, but he needs to be home by ten and-"

"Ten?" Troy said, raising his voice.

Drew held up a hand, silencing Troy. Then, in a somber voice, he said, "Of course, Tessa. I appreciate the opportunity here. You've obviously done a great job raising Troy. I'm happy to play by your rules."

Troy watched his mom's face relax. She nodded and said, "Thank you."

"And I don't want a free ride on this either," Drew said to her with serious eyes. "I expect that part of our arrangement will mean me helping support Troy-food, clothes, college when it's time, including the expenses you've already had."

Troy's mom opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes flickered at him and she closed it instead. Troy couldn't keep from grinning.

"Well," Drew said, rubbing his hands together as if warming them at a fire, "lots to do and not much time. Let me get him going and-"

"Going where, by the way?" Troy's mom asked.

"Chops for a steak," Drew said.

"But the bathing suit?" Troy's mom said.

"For a swim."

"Drew, I know it's warm out for November, but you're not jumping off any railroad bridges or anything crazy like that, right?" his mom asked.

"Me?" he said.

"Like the old days, remember?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.

She turned to Troy and said, "If there was water, your father would be in it, even if he had to jump off a bridge to get there. If we were at the beach in Biloxi, he'd swim out a mile and back just to prove he could. Once he jumped out of a raft down the Alabama River and met us at the dock."

"No rapids," he said, laughing lightly. "Strictly indoor swimming, but I want to surprise him about where. Okay?"

"Sure," Troy's mom said, and he thought she might have even smiled a bit. "And, Drew, I know you and Troy have spoken about having you represent him, but I want you to work through me on that."

"Mom," Troy said, "Mr. Marchiano said-"

"I'm your mom," she said, cutting him off. "If you want Drew to work on this deal, he'll be working on it through me or not at all."

Troy grumbled until his father said, "That makes perfect sense."

"It does?" Troy asked, looking up at him.

"Hey," Drew said, his smile flashing, "I'm your dad, but she's your mom, Troy. You gotta listen to her."

Troy's mom tilted her head, gazed at his father, and said, "Thank you, Drew."

"You sound surprised, Tessa," Drew said. "If I was so bad, Troy wouldn't even be here, would he?"

Troy's mom shrugged and said, "I guess not. You two have fun."

Troy and his dad waved good-bye to Seth. Troy kissed his mom, and they were off, with the top down.

Wind screamed past Troy's ears as his father sped down Route 400 against the grain of the commuters all leaving the city at the end of the workday.

"It's fast!" Troy shouted.

"You like it?" his father asked, glancing at him, downshifting, swerving into another lane, and surging ahead with even more power and speed.

"I liked the way you handled my mom," Troy shouted.

His father nodded and grinned and said, "Plenty of practice."

"How long did you guys go out?"

"Two years," his father said, his voice cutting through the wind.

"Pretty serious, huh?" Troy said.

"Serious enough to know how to work right around her," Drew said.

"What do you mean?" Troy shouted, a feeling of uncertainty creeping into the thrill of the wind and speed.

"She says I work through her," his dad said with a shrug. "That's fine. She can say what she likes, but you and I know that I'm running this deal. I already got Seth Cole lined up to interview you. You know who that is?"

"Seth Cole? The owner of the Jets?" Troy said. "Everyone knows him; he's superrich."

"The perfect team for you," Drew said. "Seth Cole knows how to win, and he doesn't care how much it costs."

"An interview?" Troy asked.

"To show him what you can do," Drew said, still shouting. "When he sees what you can do, we might have a deal before we leave New York."

"New York?" Troy said, his heart skipping all over the place.

His dad nodded and said, "The big time, for real. New York is the center of the world."

"How do we get there?" Troy asked.

"Seth Cole's got a Global 5000. A big private jet. It'll be here for us in the morning."

"But school," Troy said.

His dad waved a hand as if dismissing the question.

Troy digested that in silence until his dad exited the highway and pulled to a stop on the street beside the Georgia Aquarium. The sun had disappeared behind the buildings, and the early evening air had begun to cool.

"This is it," his dad said, slipping out of the car. "Bring your suit."

"What?" Troy said, fumbling with the handle. "You can't swim in an aquarium."

"Most people can't," his father said. "But we aren't most people, are we?"