Page 30 of The Final Draft

JULIAN

PRISCILLA: Yes.

Not the yes I’m looking for right now, but I’ll take it. Professor Daniels was right. This writing partner thing is making me put more thought into my character development. Priscilla is good for me. She’s funny, challenging, intriguing. And her honesty has me questioning my delivery to Harper this afternoon. Was it over the top? Priscilla has me reconsidering my approach.

How would Charlotte react to Gavin’s attempt to get her attention? What did Harper think? Did I freak her out? Did I cross a line? Did she get them? Maybe she’s not home? Yeah, that’s why she hasn’t responded to my text. But she has her phone with her because she was talking to her brother earlier. Well, fuck. Maybe it’s me. I tug at my hair and put my head down on my desk. I’m at a loss when it comes to Harper, but I’m not giving up.

I still have a lot to learn about Harper’s background, but I know more than a stranger, thanks to our six degrees of the Decker Connection. I consider what I know. When you lose your parents as a young teenage girl, how does it affect your dating life? Lawson is a solid guy, but how would he influence her dating expectations and experiences? I can only imagine.

I open a new document and write my thoughts out. It’s the best way for me to work out issues. Usually when I do this, it’s about my characters. This time, I’m the main character. Am I coming on too strong? Am I scaring her off? Was the phone too much? Does Harper think the flowers I sent are outrageous?

She told me she liked Peonies, but never said they were her favorite. It was difficult to get her favorite anything. To avoid exclusion, she chooses not to decide. She stays open to possibilities. She doesn’t like one thing. Like at lunch. It was fun to watch her make new combinations, unexpected pairings. So with the flowers, I told the florist to make it unusual. Unique. Like Harper. The florist’s eyes bugged out at the request because she said it would be an over-the-top arrangement. I didn’t care. From my perspective, it’s worth it. Not outrageous. Because I need to see her again tonight. I’m drawn like a moth to a flame. Perspective and motivation.

Another message pops up in the chat.

PRISCILLA: I think we’d make more progress in person. Are you open to that? I’m in NYC. You?

Meet? She’s not wrong. We’d make faster progress working in person. Am I willing to take that risk? She’s signed an NDA, but those are only as strong as the integrity of the person who signed it. I’m asking Harper to take a risk with me. Probably a little hypocritical of me to not take risks too?

JB: I’m in NYC too. I’m willing to meet, but anonymity is essential.

PRISCILLA: We both signed NDAs. You can trust me. This program is important to me, and I won’t do anything to mess it up. Tonight?

Tonight? I check my phone for the hundredth time for a response from Harper. Nothing. I’m still holding out hope.

“Mr. Decker.” Violet appears in my doorway.

I’ve been staring at my screen and practically forgot I’m still in the office. The hum and chatter of The Decker Agency is white noise to me these days.

“What is it, Violet?”

“John Waters scheduled a call with you in two minutes.”

“What’s he want?”

“Mr. McCoy asked me to reach out to him on your behalf about a Havoc player?” She’s so nervous around me that almost everything she says sounds like a question. I think I’m pretty easy to be around. Do I make Harper nervous? She’s got me questioning everything.

Waters must represent Zac Burns. Great. Now I have to figure out quickly how to ask his agent if Zac has a girlfriend. This story better be good because this is seriously petty shit. What the hell am I doing?

My computer comes to life with a video call, and I’m facing a grinning John Waters.

“You trying to poach my goalie, Decker? I thought we called a truce after that Fuller incident years ago,” he chuckles. John reps a majority of the east coast hockey players. He was naïve enough to try to steal Chance from me years ago. The operative word: try.

“I forgave you, but I’ll never let you forget,” I tease. Being a sports agent is lucrative and, typically, there’s a level of competition with agents all vying for the big stars. Rule number one with the Decker Agency: We don’t poach. Ever. We get our clients by reputation alone. Most seasoned athletes come to us because we put them first. Oh, our fees are at the top of the scale because you pay for service.

“What’s up with Zac Burns? He leaving me?”

“Nah, you know goalies are too weird for me.” We both laugh. “Listen, can we have this conversation off the record? It’s more of a personal inquiry.”

His jovial demeanor shifts to serious. “Shit, yeah. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, fine. Ashleigh was interested in him, and I want her to have realistic expectations, you know?”

“I thought your sister was engaged to Cole Davidson.” He’s going to let me take this as far as I want, but he’s questioning it.

“She is.” I shake my head. I don’t need rumors about Ashleigh and Cole going around. It would be detrimental for him with the Liberties, and I won’t have my sister’s name tarnished. Ever. “No, nothing like that. This is for a friend of hers.”

“Well, it’s not like I’m in charge of his social calendar or anything, but he’s a typical hockey player.”

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