18. Omiri #2
A few seconds later there were visuals on the screen showing mock ups of the commercial with a family standing next to the SUV.
Right after, a commercial played with a family showing a father holding their daughter, showing love and buckling her into the car seat in the back before he opened the passenger door to let his wife in.
They kissed before he winked, rounded the vehicle, and got in.
The cameras moved to the inside with them enjoying the luxury of the vehicle, turning the air and radio on and adjusting the seats.
They looked like money and so did the SUV. I had to admit them shits were nice.
“Of course that family will be yours.” I nodded in understanding.
“Our goal is to run a campaign that focuses on balancing the professional excellence you have as a two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP with your family life with Makari and Avianna,” Calvin explained before Kelly continued.
“For every journey, you dominate.”
“Oh that’s cute.” Makari spoke for the first time and I chuckled because she was all in. I could see it in her eyes.
“We would do a photoshoot with the three of you, maybe at your home…”
“Nah, not at our house. You can use a rental.” I shut that down quick as hell and Kelly nodded.
“Understood. Everything can be staged for your protection and privacy but we would love a true authentic family moment.”
“With Avi?” Makari frowned.
“Yes, with Avi if you’re agreeable to that,” Calvin said.
“That’s up to you. If you don’t want her in the ad, we understand.”
“No, it’s fine,” Makari agreed.
“You sure? I’m cool with whatever you decide.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I turned to Kelly. “We’ll include her but both Avi and Makari get their own payout. Three separate contracts that ensure they will get residuals.”
“We can do that.” Kelly jotted down some notes. “We’re looking at a one day shoot for the campaign and then one day filming the commercials.”
“Compensation?”
Kelly lifted a folder which she extended across the table. I had Avi so I motioned for Makari to take it. She flipped it open and I leaned over, checking the numbers. Six point three million for two days’ work. I fucked with it.
“You good with that?” I asked Makari and she snorted a laugh.
“You’re joking, right?”
“Nah, I’m asking what you think. This is about all of us.”
“I have no idea what they should pay you for your face but that’s a lot for a few pictures and a commercial.”
I chuckled and Kelly added, “I assure you, it’s very generous. His face is in high demand.”
“My body too apparently because that’s the only thing she cares about.”
Makari’s small ass fist landed against my thigh and I laughed.
“It looks good but add in what you’re willing to offer them and send it to Sovoya. If you want all three of us, you need to increase that number.”
“Absolutely. I’ll get that to her by the end of the day, and also, we would like to gift Ms. Phoenix a custom GLS. The best endorsements come from actual use. It would be amazing to have Ms. Phoenix and baby Avi seen in one of our vehicles.”
“That’s not necessary,” Makari said with her eyes shooting up to me, looking for help. She was so new to how this worked; she didn’t know what the hell to think.
“That works. Black with peanut butter interior. I’ll let her pick whatever else she wants.”
Makari frowned hard as hell but I winked and turned back to Kelly who nodded and smiled. “Wonderful. We’ll have it customized and delivered by the end of next week.”
By the time we wrapped, Avi was up and fussy so I handed her off to Makari and thanked everyone while she took her outside.
Kelly and Calvin both did their final roundup and expressed how happy they were to be working with us before I dipped out and met Makari in the hallway.
“You just accepted a very expensive truck on my behalf”
“Because you weren’t going to say yes and they love doing shit like that. It’s a part of the deal.”
“I know but?—”
“Were you gonna accept it?”
She rolled her eyes and I kissed her cheek. “Exactly. It’s a done deal.”
“You’re still buying me a GWagon. That GLS is their dime, not yours.”
“Bruh, I’m gonna buy you that damn truck but watch you drive the one they’re giving you more because them shits are terrible.”
“They’re pretty though.” When we made it to the car and I took Avi from her, she sighed. “This is a lot. It’s weird, people just giving you stuff.”
“They’re not giving us anything. It’s all about buying our image, time, and my name. It’s business.”
“I know but I’m still trying to get used to this.”
“That was light work, so I hope you’re not going to give me shit about all the other stuff on deck.”
“Nope, I told you I’m picking my battles for now. If you want to lace me, I will be laced.”
I shut the door to the back seat and backed Makari against the side of the car, pressing my body to hers before I caged her in with my hands on the roof. “If I lace you, you have to lace me. Black, thin, and easy to remove.”
She grinned. “I guess I can handle that.”
I kissed her and stepped away to open her door, adjusting my dick. She could hold it but I might not be able to or we were gonna need that damn SUV to accommodate all the babies I was going to bless her pretty ass with.
“Where are we going?” As soon as I passed the exit that would take us back to the house, Makari had her eyes on me, frowning. I didn’t know how in the hell I was supposed to ever argue with this woman and not fuck her into resolution because she was cute as hell when balling up her damn face.
“Aquarium.”
“Aquarium? Why?”
“Because they have shit to do there and I figured Avi might like it. Hell, your ass will probably like it more than she does based on how you crashed out about the movie I took y’all to.”
She smiled cute as hell and I knew I was tripping because the way she smiled made me want to fuck her too. There wasn’t anything about this woman I didn’t like and that was a problem.
“How is this supposed to work?”
“We show up and look at fish.”
“You know what I mean, smart ass. I’m sure there are a lot of people with the same idea and I’m not exactly overjoyed about being caught up in another headline; so I hope you did your lil thing.”
“My lil thing?”
She smiled big as hell. “I would never disrespect you like that, so stop looking crazy. Your thing is very much not little. I meant the ‘pulling rank and leaning into your privilege’ thing.”
“Yeah, I hooked some shit up for us.”
“Okay then, this should be fun.”
We pulled up to the aquarium and parked in a private lot where Ced was waiting. We got Avi out and situated in her stroller and headed to the door. We met KP just inside. “All clear. They have a guide waiting. The staff has been notified to ensure they stay out of the way and give you guys space.”
“’Preciate that.” He nodded then spoke to Makari.
“We’ll shadow you from a distance.”
We waited for the guide assigned to us and I almost requested a new one when she wouldn’t stop grinning in my damn face. I think it was more the hype of who I was than her really wanting to fuck with me because she pulled it together and focused on Avi and Makari.
“We’re so excited to have you with us today. My name is Alison and I’ll be taking you around the aquarium through our private access areas so you can enjoy the day and bypass the crowds.”
“But we still get to see everything, right?”
When I laughed under my breath, Makari shot me a warning glare.
“Yes, absolutely, you’ll get to experience everything. Is there anywhere specific you would like to start?”
Makari shook her head. “No, I’ll let you handle the logistics.”
“Okay then Hayes family, let’s get started.
” She beamed and motioned for us to follow her.
We began with the touch pools which were shallow tanks with starfish and stingrays.
I held Avi while she splashed her hands in the water, smiling while she tried to dive in.
It probably looked like a big ass bathtub to her.
After that, we hit up the tropical tunnel which had my baby blinking and swatting at the glass.
“You see the colors, pretty girl? You like that, don’t you?” I held her closer and she went wild, babbling and kicking like she wanted to be in there with them.
Makari looked just as engaged because she damn near had her face pressed against the glass. I walked up behind her and hooked an arm around her waist while she leaned back against me.
“You and Avi both look like y’all are trying to be in there with them damn fish.”
She tilted her head back and smiled. “It’s pretty but, no. I’m good right here.”
“Yeah you are.” I kissed her neck and pulled her closer.
“We have the sharks next.”
We reached a glass elevator that made it look like we were inside one of the tanks and headed down another walkway until we reached the shark tunnel that basically cut through their largest tank.
We were surrounded by the fish above us and on both sides.
This one was a little darker and Avi wasn’t feeling it because she was clinging to me with her head on my shoulder.
“Um, how thick is that?” Makari jerked back when one of the sharks rushed us and took off swimming over our heads.
“We’re safe, I promise.” Alison chimed in.
Makari’s scary ass walked up to the glass and put her hands on it but almost tripped over her feet when another shark swam up and thumped against the tank.
“Okay, I’m done with this. What’s next?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “I think we’re done here.”
“Oh, alright then, how about the penguins? They’re a little less scary.”
“I’m not scared.” Makari cut her eyes at Alison, making me laugh.
“Bruh, you almost broke your damn neck when that shark rushed you.”
She grinned. “Because it had no business rushing me.”
On the way I decided to bring up something that had been on my mind for a couple weeks, hoping with the environment Makari wouldn’t spaz on me.
“I wanted to run something by you.”
“Is it going to ruin my day? Because I’m having a really good day.”