Page 66 of Fight from the Heart

“This is Theresa McTigue, Jacob’s agent.” My heart races at the thought his agent is calling me.

“Is everything alright?” I hate that my first concern is something happened to Jacob directly. I’ve already lived through that night of concern when his Corvette kissed a tree. He could have died that night, and it caught up to me days later when I buried my father. Jacob could have died that same night.

“I understand you’ve quit, Jacob, but I was wondering if you could do us a huge favor.” I immediately did not like the sound of things. I’d been doing Jacob’s bidding for too long.

“Did something happen to him?” I question, frustration filling my voice more than concern. Obviously, something happened to him. I wonder if his agent knows about Mandi.

“Typically, I wouldn’t discuss a client’s personal life with someone outside our agency, but Jacob is special to me, and I know how important you are to him as well. He’s been admitted to alcohol treatment for thirty days.”

My breath catches. “Is he okay?”

“He will be. By now, you know of the scandal with that ridiculous woman. Our legal team is investigating, but in the meantime, Jacob fell apart. He threatened to quit writing, and I had to intervene. He’s our star.” She’d said the same thing when I met her at our meeting last week. Had it only been a week? I’d lived another life in the past few days. I wasn’t feeling well again, and I attributed it all to stress.

“I’m so sorry, but I’m so glad he reached out to you for help.” I wish he’d reached out to me, but perhaps I couldn’t help him. Maybe I’d been part of the problem. I rarely mentioned my concerns for his drinking until recently. Maybe I’ve let it pass for too long.

“He didn’t have a choice. After calling me drunk, threatening to quit, I went to his apartment. I’ve never seen him like this.” I don’t know how well she knows her client or how often she’s seen him outside the business setting, but it’s apparent she cares about him and knows enough about him to call Mandi ridiculous.

“But he okay?”

“He will be.”

We both sit in silence a second.

“So what can I do for you?”

“We’d like you to keep up his social media accounts. Continue to run his reader group. Just the usual without anything unusual, and we’ll try to keep the Mandi thing out of the press as long as we can. You’ll continue to be compensated, of course.”

I take a deep breath. “You know, Ms. McTigue, I don’t really do it for the money.”

“It’s Theresa, and I know,” she says, letting the words soak in. “That’s why I’m asking you to continue doing it, even though you told Jacob you quit.”

Ah, observant woman.

“Don’t give up on him yet, Pam.”

The words strike their mark as it’s what Jacob’s been asking me over and over again lately.

+ + +

“You quit working for Jacob?” Ella’s startled voice surprises me through the phone.

“I had to, Ella.” Behind the desperation, I want her to understand. However, apparently, I’m still working for him. My voice drops, softening when I ask, “Have you spoken with him?”

“No. Outside interaction isn’t allowed.” Silence fills the phone a second. “He needs you.”

“He doesn’t need me.” He needs the treatment he’s getting, and I’m so happy he’s finally getting help.

“He does, Pam,” Ella whines. “You’re the longest relationship he’s had and the truest friend.”

“We had a business relationship, and we crossed a line that shouldn’t have been crossed.” It’s best for my heart to think of it in these terms. We made a mistake. I fault myself for giving into him. Unavailable man, his Irish trainer called him.

“He’s in love with you.”

I sigh. “Even if that were true, he has Mandi,” I remind her.

“Something isn’t adding up there. Why hadn’t she said something before?” She exhales in frustration.

“Don’t you want him?” Ella’s voice falls. She knows how I feel. Hell, everyone’s been telling me for years how I feel about him.