“Would you run for the hills if I said yes?”
Jackie thought about it. “No, but we hadn’t talked about getting married. There is a lot to consider. You’re on the West Coast. I’m on the East.”
“I have a solution for that.”
“Oh yeah? What?”
“Leaving AMW-Elite.”
Jackie’s eyes widened, “Seriously? Antonio, you just got back out to LA.”
“I know, but I realized it’s not fun anymore. Especially without you there next to me. There’s no spark. No challenge. I think I’m going to do this thing on my own.”
Jackie’s heart swelled. “Does that mean you’ll come and work with me?”
“Not so fast,” Antonio chuckled. “I didn’t say all of that. I think, given the circumstances, it’s probably best to not work together. Separate business and personal as much as possible.”
“True,” Jackie chuckled. “I’d be a terrible boss. I’d ride your ass.”
“Shit, I might like that.”
Jackie playfully slapped Antonio’s arm. “Stop it! You know what I mean.
“Okay, be honest. You aren’t upset at the idea of me going out on my own?”
“Nah. I think this is good for you,” Jackie said, sincerely meaning it. “You’ve always been on a team in one way or another. Being on your own is what you need. Even though that means we’re back to competing for clients. We could have another Paco Jimenez situation.”
“I kind of like that,” Antonio said with a hit of mischief in his voice. “Adds some spice to the relationship.”
“Like we need more spice,” Jackie laughed. Once her laughter quieted, she asked, “But what about PJ?”
“Now Jackie,” Antonio warned. “You can’t use managing PJ as an excuse anymore. He’s fine with us. He loves you, Jackie.”
Jackie furrowed her brow. “Seriously? I can’t be his agent if we get married. That would be weird.”
“You’d be like a stepmom-ager. That’s all. Like the Kris Jenner of sports management.”
“First of all, my pixie cut is way flyer than hers,” Jackie said. “And me? A stepmom?” Jackie had never pictured herself as a mom in any capacity. But she’d grown to love PJ deeply—not just as a client but as an extended part of her family.
“Wife,” Antonio corrected. “My wife, first. Stepmom, second. Agent, third.”
Jackie gave Antonio a curious look. “We’ve never talked about marriage, though. Like,reallytalked about it.”
“We’re talking now, aren’t we?”
“Antonio! Be for real!”
Antonio sucked his teeth. “So, what did you think we were doing all this time, baby?”
“I don’t know,” sighed Jackie. “Dating. Having fun?”
“We are entirely too old to be dating for fun. I’m trying to wife you,Junior. Stop playing.”
Jackie squeezed his arm hard, her nails digging into his arm. “I told you not to call me Junior!”
“My bad, ma,” Antonio laughed, wriggling his arm out of her grasp. “But I’m saying, Jack. You know you’re my forever. I love you, Lucky. I fell for you ten years ago, and I’m still falling for you. Every day. Of course I want to marry you.”
Marry me?She repeated the phrase over and over in head. Jackie’s lips parted, then closed.
