Page 114 of With Stars in Her Eyes

At first, I had no idea what Jeannie meant, but then the first notes of a song began.

She’d put on “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by the Rolling Stones.

“The sassy old broad isn’t exactly subtle, is she?” I put a hand on my hip and watched Jeannie’s progress down the sidewalk until she was no longer visible.

“Probably not a day in her life.” He rubbed his beard. “You didn’t have to leave the book fair early.”

“Ididn’t.”

He squinted in confusion and then grabbed his phone from the ground beside him. “It’s already seven-thirty?”

“Guess misery and alcohol made the time pass quickly?” I eyed the bottle of Jim Beam beside him. “Emergency locksmith still coming out at eight?”

He nodded.

I scanned the space now that my eyes had adjusted. The place hadn’t been gutted, but his former business partner had taken a lot. “What did your attorney say?”

“I have options. But it’ll probably take a while.”

“Are you finally going to tell me what this has to do with your dad?”

“He gave me this space to use on the condition that I retired.”

“But you’ve had this restaurant for what… four years now?”

He nodded. “Do you remember that game in Atlanta?”

“The one where you got knocked out cold, and I thought… Marshall…” Realization struck me. “Are you okay? Like your brain, is it—”

“Yes. I’ve seen a doctor. Every scan and test came back fine.”

My rush of relief nearly knocked me off my feet. “Thank god.”

“A few years before that my dad found out I’d had some concussions though and had some memory loss too. We got into a huge blowup about it. I said what was I supposed to do if I quit… run a restaurant like I wanted to do when I was eight? And he saidyes. Do that. But I had been an idiot about money early in my career, trusting the wrong people, so I didn’t have the cash. He offered me this. He’d pay for the renovations. But it would be mine.” Marshall gestured to the space. “I just had to retire.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I took the deal with him because I thought it would be easy to retire after getting downgraded to the practice squad. The restaurant was about to open, and then I got a call from my agent. There was an unexpected hole in a roster.”

“And you went back on your word.”

His eyes shut tighter. “Felt guilty, but I got toplaythat season. I’ll never forget that last touchdown.” He made a sound that was half laugh, half sob. “It was the last game I scored a touchdown. The last time I heard the crowd cheering for me.” His eyes were still closed but he was smiling. “It wasn’t even the crowd. It was a beautiful play. It was a tough route, but I found the hole. QB threw this incredible pass.” He held out his hands. “And I caught the motherfucker and ran. Career record for me. They had been saying I couldn’t hack it anymore.” His hands dropped. “I know I should regret it.”

“Regret what?”

“Going back on what I said to Dad.” He ran his fingers in his hair. “But if I hadn’t tried… I would’ve always wondered. But then I got wrecked three plays later. Out for a few weeks.” Helooked down at his hands, which were clenched into fists. “Was never quite the same after. But I’d had that beautiful catch. I’d had that last moment of doing something absolutely electric.”

“But then?”

“Then I got cut completely that time. I said I would retire then, but then there was another call. Practice squad position, but there was reason to hope.” He shook his head.

“Bet your dad had some feelings about that.”

“He was pissed as hell. I think I checked out of managing this place the way I should’ve because it was easier to ignore feeling guilty about going back on my word about retiring if I wasn’there.” Marshall gestured around him.

I nodded.

“I didn’t believe the old man when he told me he thought some shady shit was happening. I accused Dad of having ulterior motives, because he didn’t have any proof at that point.” Marshall scanned the wreck of a space. “And I think… I think I was so pissed my career was ending for real this time I didn’t believe him…”