Page 24 of Losing Faith

“That’s a big car seat.”

“It’s the perfect size for a five-year-old.”

“She’sfive?” His eyes bulge again. “You had a kid attwenty-seven?”

I let out a short breath in annoyance as my brain tries to figure out what’s so hard to grasp about that.

“I can’t imagine having a kid in eight years.” He shakes his head to himself and I don’t tell him to not have a kid because, at this rate, he’s doing the opposite of everything I say. “She was an accident, wasn’t she?”

“Excuse me?” I turn to him now and he puts his hands up in defense.

“I’m just saying.” He shrugs. “I don’t see a ring on your hand, and you’re definitely the marrying type. Considering you’re not with your baby mama makes me think she was an accident.” He shrugs again as he looks out his window, his head laid against the seat.

“At least you only have to worry about her on weekends.”

I feel my eyes narrow as I study him and right about now, I wish those buttons in cars that eject people through the roof were a real thing.

“I don’tonly worry about her on weekends.I have full custody. And just because she wasn’t planned doesn’t mean I didn’t want her.” I shake my head at him. “Twenty-seven isn’t even insanely young to have a kid—you know what? Stop talking about my baby.” I shut him up.

I keep driving, and when I get an email with his name in the subject, I quickly read it at the red light. I let out a scoff at the end of it before tossing him my phone. “I hope this is a lesson learned.”

He scans the email from a brand stating they no longer want to work with him and I can see him shaking his head in my peripheral. “They can’t do this.”

“They can and they did.” I shouldn’t feel as good as I do, but I do. He was really excited to work withLululemonbecause he was apparently attracting more girls, but this is a great punishment after his arrest clearly made the headlines so quickly.

Rome is the hottest topic right now in college baseball around the country. He gets a lot of press, but I’m not one of those believers in bad press being good press. Sure, we love his name getting out there, but not when every single thing that’s said about him has been bad for the lastmonth.

“Can’t you do something to get them back?” he pleads.

“I can.” I shrug. “I’m not going to, though.”

“Why?” he asks as if he wasn’t in handcuffs less than an hour ago and I have no reason to not want to help him.

“Because you don’t deserve it. Get your act together and maybe you won’t lose brand deals.” When I steal a glance at him, he looks pissed, and considering I’m a dad to a kid who had averylong tantrum phase at two years old, I know he’s about to throw a fit.

“Well, you’re my agent and you work for me, so I’m telling you to fix it.”

I let out a scoff at his tone. “And I’m telling you no.”

He lets out a huff in defiance, and when he starts breathing harder, I put on my dad face and try my hardest not to laugh. After a minute of him huffing and puffing, he turns to me.

“Can’t I pay you more to fix this for me?”Brat.

“Your money doesn’t talk to me, kid. Until you get it together and start listening to me, I’m not doing anything for you.”

He crosses his arms before turning to look out his window and I really wish I could take a picture of him and show the girls who want to sleep with this childishboy. The drive to his campus is silent, and when I pull up in front of his dorm, he turns to me.

“I’m sorry I got arrested.” He doesn’t add more, but it’s clear he’s only apologizing because he wants his way. Isabelle has pulled this card way too many times for me to not notice.

“You should be.” I unlock the door for him but he doesn’t step out, instead, he changes the topic, another stunt that isn’t going to work.

“How’s it going with the Red Sox’s contract? Were you able to—”

“They’re not going to offer you more money, kid. We upped the deal twice,” I interrupt with the same thing I’ve been telling him all week. “A one hundred and ten million dollar contract for five years is a great deal.”

He opens his mouth but I beat him to it.

“There’s no news from the Dodgers. I know you want to sign with them, but they don’t want you. They didn’t make any offers. Maybe you shouldlistento me and stay in school. Recruits aren’t going anywhere, but once you sign, you’re less likely to get the team you want as a trade.” I could’ve delivered my words a bit nicer, but I need to pick up my kid from school soon and he doesn’t deserve my good mood after annoying me with his comments about my baby girl.

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