“You can call me Daniel if you like. I’m not your teacher anymore.”
I screw my nose up, and he laughs. “It’s weird,” I admit.
“You’ll get used to it.” He chuckles. “So how’s life? How was college?”
I don’t want to explain the whole drama to him, so I tell him it was good, and I graduated with a sports science degree.
“That’s awesome. Are you working in town?”
“Actually, I’m going it alone,” I admit. It’s the first time I’ve spoken about my business to someone outside my comfort zone. “I plan to be an independent physical therapist.”
His eyes grow wide and a huge smile erupts. I remember he always got a huge smile when struck with a great idea. “I think our meeting was fate, Sloane. I’ve got a little wiggle room in the school’s budget this year,which is a damn miracle. Anyway, our football team is the best we’ve ever had. Same goes for track and the basketball teams. Holcroft is kicking ass at sports, and we’ve got some amazing young athletes. Kids who will go far if they want, and I know a handful of them who are very serious. They want to go pro and are putting in the work.”
I let him talk because I’m not sure where he’s going with this.
“Come work for Holcroft,” he says. “You’ll remain an independent contractor which means you get to set your rate. We get an ex-star cheerleader working on the next generation’s super sports stars! What do you think?”
I think I’m speechless.
He reaches inside his jacket and pulls out his card. I take it automatically, still unable to answer.
“Think it over, come up with some questions and then call me. We’ve still got plenty of time to get it set up before the new school year starts.”
“This…” I manage to splutter.
“This is a great opportunity for us both. Seriously, Sloane, you would fit in so well with the team because you already know half of them.”
“But…Mr. Port—Daniel, I haven’t had any clients yet. My business is still in the developmental stage.”
“Okay, so work out what you need to do before calling me.”
“I’ve managed to secure some mentoring,” I blurt because my head feels jumbled with everything that’s happening.
“Great! See, already working on solutions. Plus, it would be a great way to pad out your portfolio for further down the line.”
His upbeat attitude is infectious. “I’ll work it out,” I declare. “Expect a call soon, Daniel.”
I’ve no idea where this sudden burst of confidence is coming from, but I’m going to work with it.
He gives me another beaming smile. “Take care, Sloane. You’ve always had a can-do attitude. I know this is going to be great!” He gives my shoulder a friendly squeeze before gliding off toward the checkout, beaming like he’d just recruited Tom Brady to his JV squad.
My hands are shaking, and it’s not even from stress, more like a swarm of electrified bees swarming under my skin. This is…huge. Potentially life changing. Also terrifying. But mostly huge.
The next aisle is the frozen foods section, and for a moment I seize up in front of the glass doors, vision blurred by the rows of identical burrito boxes. I made it throughlast night with Eden without a single panic attack…what’s one more challenge in the grand scheme? I can do this. I am doing this. Right now.
I text Eden immediately, because I know she’ll freak out with me in the best way.
You
Something wild just happened! Will update after groceries. <3
Eden
Can’t wait. <3
By the time I unload everything at home and arrange the snacks into appropriately Eden-themed sections of my pantry my hands have stopped vibrating. I’m still full of adrenaline but it’s the productive kind, not the body going into shock after a bad trauma kind. I feel like I could take on the world. I feel assured, like my life isn’t just a series of disasters strung together by brief moments of calm. There might actually be a plan shaping up.
It took me longer than expected to clean and tidy the house after my shopping trip. Which is why Jenna is waiting at the coffee shop, already halfway through a piece of pie and a large iced latte when I finally arrive.
