“Is Rob Lowe short for ‘Robert Lower?’”

The sentence fell into the swimming pool of ambient neon distraction, startling Claudia Jones up from the depths of her phone.

“What’s this?”

The man who’d posed the question was one Chad Roseman, the Senior Vice President of Local Engagement and Activation with Portland Hearts of Pine. The two of them were over at Roy’s Big Diner in Biddeford, Maine. 

Claudia was a graduate of Florida State and was initially annoyed she had been pulled away from the gym to go gladhand the locals, but she also understood that — if she was going to be the next Ollie — she’d have to start putting in work now. 

“Is Rob Lowe short for ‘Robert Lower?’”

So he had said it. Was it to cheer the both of them up? She looked outside. Protestors. Police officers. Camera crews. Chalk on the road: THIS IS BLOOD.

“We shouldn’t have to wait for PR to —“ She gestured her hand outside. The phone buzzed with an update from the match.

“It’s an international story now, Claudia. We can’t just …”

Claudia got up and left the restaurant.