Chapter 4: The Photo Op

"Gavin," Cal said. "What are you doing here?"

"My job."

The man in the navy suit crossed the gym with his hand out for me.

"Gavin Lusk, Ellender Logistics communications."

"You must be Coach Kozak."

"This is going to be great."

I didn't take the hand.

"Turn off the camera," I said.

"We're only getting some B-roll."

"Turn it off."

The younger man looked at Gavin, and Gavin smiled at me.

"Coach, hear me out."

"Cal has donated generously to this gym."

"It's already arranged."

"We just need a clean moment of him handing over the check, some kids around him, maybe a pair of gloves in the shot."

"There's no check."

"I have a copy of the check in my briefcase. It's a beautiful check. It's very large."

"I voided it," I said. "On the first morning."

Gavin's smile held, but his eyes went to Cal.

"You voided it?"

"She did," Cal said.

"Then we'll write another."

"This is a press moment, Cal."

"You know what's coming on the fifteenth."

"The settlement documents get filed, the numbers are going to leak, and we need a story that's already out there when they do."

"A man in a ring, humble, giving back."

"I'm not giving back," Cal said. "I'm mopping."

"You can mop on the weekend. Today you pose."

"Gavin."

"Two million dollars," Gavin said to me, as if I hadn't heard it the first time.

"You turn that down for a pride thing?"

"Look around, Coach."

"Look at your roof."

I looked at my roof.

I looked at the bucket under it, and the skylight with its tape, and the junior class's backpacks piled by the wall.

The doors had swung open again behind him, and the first of the afternoon kids was drifting in for the four o'clock class.

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