the Big Time (2010) by Tim Green Page B

you can help me, right?” Troy asked. “I mean, you want to, right?”
    His father tightened the grip on Troy’s shoulder andsaid, “Of course I want to, and I’m the perfect person to do it, with everything I’ve seen, knowing sports, knowing the entertainment industry.
    â€œBut there’s just one problem.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
    â€œ I DOUBT YOUR MOTHER will let me help,” Drew said.
    â€œWhy wouldn’t she?” Troy asked, searching his father’s face in the shadows.
    â€œYou see the way she thinks of me,” Drew said. “It’s hard for people to blame themselves, and anyway, I’m sure Seth Halloway is going to push you to use his agent.”
    â€œHe actually mentioned it already,” Troy said under his breath.
    â€œSee?” Drew said. “That’s how these things work. Clients know if they do their agent a favor, they get a favor back. That’s one of the things I’m worried about for you. You don’t know how long this is going to last, and you need a long-term deal that gets you the most you can possibly get.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, ‘last’?” Troy asked.
    â€œYou see patterns that let you predict the outcome,” his father said. “The way I see it, it’s all about tendencies. Well, people can break tendencies. Go against the pattern.”
    Troy thought for a minute, then said, “But if they go against one pattern, wouldn’t that just make another pattern?”
    â€œIn theory,” Drew said. “But what if they just randomize the play calling?”
    â€œWell,” Troy said, “they might end up running a quarterback sneak on third and twelve. That wouldn’t make sense, right?”
    â€œI understand that,” Drew said. “Look, I don’t know all the possibilities. I’m just saying that, right now, you’re worth a lot of money, and I’d like to make sure that you get it. I don’t want to see you pawned off to some agent just because he knows Seth Halloway.”
    â€œWell, Seth’s not my dad. He’s my friend, but not my dad. Why can’t you just do the deal for me?” Troy said, his heart galloping now. “You’re a lawyer, and lawyers are even better than agents, right?”
    â€œBelieve me, I’d love to,” Drew said.
    â€œGreat,” Troy said. “Perfect.”
    â€œI’m telling you, Troy,” Drew said, shaking his head. “She’s not going to go for it. If I am going to help, we’ll have to be smart about it.”
    â€œWe can do that,” Troy said. “You file the papers youneed to tomorrow and then she has to let me see you. That’s the deal.”
    â€œI thought you said if I told her I’d sue her she’d let you see me,” Drew said.
    â€œWell,” Troy said, “she kind of figured out that I tipped you off. She wants to make sure you follow through.”
    â€œThat’s easy,” Drew said. “I can draw up the papers in the morning.”
    â€œThen I can tell her that I want you to do the deal for me,” Troy said, his voice rising up toward the stars. “She can’t say no. It’s my deal. I’m the football genius, right? What do you think?”
    â€œI think that if we’re going to have a chance,” his father said, patting Troy’s shoulder and then standing up, “then we’d better get you back. I like your plan. It’s smart. So, let’s not give her an excuse to stop us before we even get started.”
    They walked back down the tracks, and Troy assured his father he could get the ladder back on his own. Troy watched him climb up to the top of the wall and give him a salute before crouching down and lowering himself over the other side. Troy heard his father drop to the earth with a thud, and he flattened his hands against the cool concrete wall, sad to be alone.
    â€œYou