In the taxi from the airport, he called Winners Inc. and asked for MacNiven.
The man took his damn sweet time answering the phone. “Danny. Lottie said you were going back to London.”
He’d called her that morning and canceled his sessions. He’d thought The Look his dad had was crushing—it had nothing on the disappointment in Lottie’s voice. “Remember when you asked me why I’d never won a World Cup?”
“Yes,” MacNiven drawled curiously.
“I know why.” He frowned out the window. “I didn’t care about it. It wasn’t important. You and Pascal love football. To me it was just a way to get my dad’s approval. You know what makes me happy?”
“What?”
“Making money. I love trading.” He paused. “And I have a feeling being a husband and a dad, agooddad, will make me happy too.”
“Interesting,” MacNiven replied. “And you think you’ll find all that in London?”
“I already found that here in Chicago, which is why I’m not going to London.” He exhaled deeply and went for it. “I was wondering if you guys would help me craft how I want to broach my retirement, since you’ve done it yourself.”
“We’d be happy to.” MacNiven paused. “Does Jules know you’re staying?”
“Not yet, but I’m headed to her office next.” He grinned. “If you’ll tell me where it is.”
He relayed the address to the cab driver, who gave him a salute and told him not to worry. Then he said, “Will you ask Lottie to schedule me for a session later this week?”
“You know in order to clean your house in London, you’re going to have to make a decision,” MacNiven warned.
He nodded. “I already have. That’s next. I wanted to see Lottie because I thought I probably need some pointers on how to be a good husband and father.”
“That sure of Jules, are you?”
“I love her,” he said simply.
“Then I hope you win this one,” MacNiven replied.
He did too. “Gotta go. I’ve got one more call to make before I see Jules.”
Danny hung up and then dialed Kofi’s phone. For a moment he didn’t think Kofi was going to pick up, but then he did. “Hey,” his brother said. “What you want?”
He frowned. Had Kofi always sounded so punky? “The bank called me.”
“I know, man.” Kofi laughed. “That was crazy, right?”
“No, it was stupid.”
“Come on, man. You don’t mind if I have some money.”
He rubbed his forehead. “It’s what you’re doing with the money. And stealing isn’t okay. Why didn’t you just ask me?”
He could almost feel Kofi shrug dismissively. “It’s not like you were here. Dad said it was okay.”
“It wasn’t okay.” He exhaled. “Do you want to go to culinary school?”
“You know Dad says men don’t cook.”
He nodded. “Put him on the phone.”
He heard Kofi yell for their dad, who took his time coming to the phone. “Son, are you coming back to London? We must get you ready for the rest of the season.”
“Dad, you and Kofi, and everyone else, need to move out.”