“Why the fuck are you invading my privacy?” I snap, grabbing the paper from his hands. “This is none of your business.”
“You’re the one who left it on the table,” he argues.
“That doesn’t give you the right to look at it.”
“It wasn’t on purpose. That enormous number wasn’t easy to ignore.”
“Well, fucking ignore it,” I bark as I fold the credit card bill and shove it in my pocket. Then I return to the stove. Ignoring the mess I made, I take another spoon out of the drawer and pretend the soup needs my undivided attention.
After several minutes, Isaac comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. “Put the spoon down,” he whispers calmly. I pause for several seconds while he waits, never letting go of me. Slowly, I place the spoon on the rest. Isaac gently guides me away from the stove before turning me to face him.
“I’m sorry. You’re right, I shouldn’t have looked at your bill. I can’t change what happened or forget what I saw. Talk to me. Are you in trouble?”
“You just saw a credit card bill for over fifty thousand dollars. What do you think?”
“Is that the only one?”
I swallow hard before answering. “No,” I state simply. Isaac stares at me, waiting for me to say more. I sigh heavily “It’s the highest, but I have three others all around twenty thousand. Plus, my car payment. It’s the only reason I rent my apartment. I couldn’t get approved for a loan to purchase a house.”
“Jesus, Evan, that’s more than a hundred thousand in debt. How did that happen?”
“Well, excuse the fuck out of me for not making fivemilliondollars a year catching a damn ball.”
“Fifteen,” he mumbles.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“Wait. Are you saying you make fifteen million dollars a year?”
“That’s not important.”
I scoff as I push away from Isaac. “You need to go.”
“Fuck, no! We need to talk about this.”
“No, we don’t. I’m drowning under my debt and you’re banking millions. We are not the same.”
“Please let me help you.”
“Absolutely not. I’m not taking money from you.”
“Good because I’m not offering to pay your debt. Iamoffering to help you budget and crawl out of the hole you dug.”
“What do you know about budgeting?”
“I grew up very poor and had to think about every penny Ispent. I worked in high school and gave most of that money to my parents to help pay bills. My first two years in the NFL, I lived in the cheapest place I could find and saved every penny possible until I had enough saved to help my parents and brothers. I pay for Aiden to go to college, and I bought my parents a home, so they could stop renting. I still save a bunch of money every year and share it with my family. When I bought my home, I found something modest. The only reason I chose a gated community is for safety. I don’t need crazy fans or paparazzi following me and invading my personal life. I know how to budget. I can help you.”
“No, you can’t. I’ve been accumulating debt for years. Every time I try to pay shit off, I end up doing great for a couple of months then I find something I can’t live without, and I buy it.”
“What are you buying?” he asks, looking around my minimalist apartment. I have very little furniture, dishes, or décor.”
I drop my head unable to look him in the eyes. He’s never going to understand. This is where our relationship will likely end. He’ll get to see the real me, things I keep hidden from everyone. Isaac reaches over, placing a finger under my chin and slowly lifting my face to his. Then he presses a gentle kiss on my lips before taking my hand and leading me to the couch.
“Please talk to me. I can see the hurt and fear in your eyes. I’m not going to judge you. I love you, Evan, and I want to help you.”
After several minutes, I finally whisper, “Bourbon.” It’s one simple word. Admission of a problem I’ve been hiding for the past six years.