“I’ve thought about it.”
“About what?”
“About what you said.”
“Mate, you’ll have to be more specific. I say a lot of things.”
“Too many,” I say, taking a sip of my beer.
“What are you talking about?”
“Your idea. Your job offer. Is it still open, by any chance?”
“Have you decided you want to be a babysitter?”
“Fuck off.”
“Jesus, you O’Connors are so easy to wind up.”
“I’m trying to be serious here, and you’re taking the piss.”
“Okay,” he says, raising his hands in surrender. “I’ll try to be serious.”
“I just want to know if the offer’s still open.”
“Maybe…”
“Jamie.”
“You’re lucky. I have friends in high places.”
I shake my head, exasperated.
“I guess I could put in a good word for you. They’ve already done a few interviews, but they haven’t hired anyone yet. They’re still deciding – but, you know, the season starts next week and time’s running out. You need to act now.”
“Do you reckon I can do it?”
Jamie smiles at me. “You can do anything, Nick. But only if you really want it.”
I consider this for a few moments.
“Do you want it?”
“I’m starting to think it might be the right solution.”
“Not just because you have nothing else lined up at the moment?”
“No, that’s not why. I’ve thought about it, and I don’t think I’d mind it. Besides, I miss rugby. I was never able to be the player I wanted to be, but maybe I could become someone else instead,” I say, turning my gaze back to Casey, who’s coming back towards our table.
Jamie leans closer. “You may not have become the player you wanted to be, Nick, but you’ve become the man that everyone knew you were.”
Jamie gets to his feet, leaving me alone with Casey, who’s just reached the table.
“Don’t you want to dance?” she asks me, her head tilted quizzically.
“I’m here for you,” I say, pulling myself to my feet. “Do whatever you want with me.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Oh, I will, O’Connor. You can be sure of that.”
