Page 59 of Breakaway
"Why didn't you come to me?" he says.
"Because I didn't know how to say it. Because by the time I should have told you, it was already too late to figure out how."
"Is it serious?" He’s scrutinizing me.
"Yeah, it’s serious." I look him directly in the eye.
He nods. His hand goes to the back of his neck and stays there.
"Let's go inside," he says. "I want to talk to both of you."
We walk back through the balcony door. Luca is standing now. He has moved to the kitchen. His arms are crossed and his face is blank.
Kyle looks at him. Looks at me. Stands at the counter with the folder between us like a border.
"Luca," Kyle says. "I know about you and Wes."
"Okay," Luca says. He uncrosses his arms. Sets his hands flat on the counter. "So now you know."
"I need to say a few things," Kyle says. "To both of you. First, I am not going to be the person who makes this a problem. I need you both to hear that."
Neither of us speaks.
"Second, I represent both of you. That is a potential conflict I need to figure out. Whether I can keep repping both of you orwhether one of you needs a different agent. That's my problem, not yours. I'll talk to the agency."
"Kyle," Luca says. "We don't want different agents."
"I hear you. And I'll try. But there may be questions I have to sit with and I'm going to give them the time they deserve. Fair?"
"Fair," I say.
"Third." He pauses. He looks at the hallway behind him. "That guest room door was open. I wasn't looking for anything. I walked past it on the way to the bathroom and it was right there. Someone is going to visit this apartment, or ask the wrong question, or see something when you don’t think anyone is watching."
"We know," Luca says.
"So you need a plan. And I don't mean eventually. I mean you need to sit down and decide how this comes out, because it is going to come out, and it should come out on your terms. Not on somebody else's."
The kitchen is quiet.
"We'll figure it out," I say.
"Figure it out soon." He picks up the folder. Taps it once on the counter. Looks at Luca. "You're a good player, Luca. I have never once regretted taking you on, so let’s figure out how to make this work."
"Thank you, Kyle."
"Let’s talk next week."
He grips my shoulder at the door. Firm. He holds it a beat longer than he has in twelve years. Then he is gone.
The door clicks shut. The apartment goes quiet.
Luca exhales. He leans back against the counter and his head tips toward the ceiling.
"Well," he starts. "That could have been worse."
"It could have been worse."
Luca brings his head back down and looks at me. "Are you okay?"
