At first, we talked about ordinary things: the weather, the gym decorations, and how the Buick’s radio seemed determined to play country music. Georgia laughed when the station changed again. Then she asked how long I had worked for her father. I told her about the warehouse, my mother, and Janelle’s shoes. I hadn’t planned on sharing so much, but she listened without interrupting. Eventually, she said her father often talked about me. According to him, I was the only person at the warehouse who fixed problems before making excuses. I shrugged and told her I simply did what needed to be done. She looked at me carefully and replied that this was exactly what her father always said.

Before I could ask whether Sheldon had mentioned Castellano’s order, we arrived at the school. The parking lot was packed with polished cars and teenagers taking photographs. Georgia stopped beside the entrance and turned toward me. “Brent, there’s something you should know.” Her voice suddenly sounded different. She explained that her father hadn’t chosen me by accident, and it wasn’t even for her sake. Sheldon had been watching how I worked for months, noticing how I handled pressure, treated people, and behaved when nobody was paying attention. I felt my collar tighten. When I asked whether I’d done something wrong, she answered, “No. That’s the problem.” Then her phone buzzed. A message from Sheldon appeared: “Remember our agreement. Don’t make things too easy for him.”