Chapter Twelve
Jesse
The man sitting in a button-down shirt with the first two buttons undone, no tie, and slacks that look a little too long on his shorter frame stands when I walk into the restaurant that he’d asked to meet me at.
His hand comes out when I approach, and a large grin spreads across his face that’s a little too cocky for my liking.
Isaac Andrews hasn’t changed that much from when he briefly dated Belle. He’s got stubble on his jaw that he never did before, and there’s a confidence in his firm handshake that definitely didn’t exist in the few times we’ve interacted years ago.
“Hey, man,” he greets, squeezing my hand once before letting go. “I’m glad you decided to meet with me and talk about the offer. Our marketing team has been putting together different ideas for this drink, and we all agree you’d be the perfect face for it.”
It’s been weeks since my agent brought this up to me, and I know Isaac and his team have reached out once or twice more following up.
Part of me wanted to turn them down for their impatience and not think about them again.
I’m in the middle of a busy season, so new marketing deals aren’t exactly a top priority of mine.
Amber is the one who told me to meet with Isaac and see what he wanted to propose.
I never brought this up to Belle because…
well, I don’t know why. Seeing him doesn’t make me feel one way or another.
The pretty-boy charm he exudes is thick, but more cringey than believable.
I doubt Belle would fall for it if I did bring him up and warrant any interest in seeing how he’s doing.
Do I think I have anything to worry about between them?
No. The only man I’m keeping a close eye on is Dane, and I hate that I’m focused on him as it is.
Their mothers are friends. He’s helping her with the store.
It doesn’t have to mean anything. Deep down, though, I know that it’s always a possibility that more could happen.
Would I really prevent Belle from having something with somebody just because I’m a jealous prick? I’d like to think I’m better than that.
I have to break myself out of the thought before I start getting tense. Men like Isaac get off on knowing they can get a reaction from people, and I have no intention of making him feel bigger than he already thinks of himself.
“Core Charge is doing a soft launch this summer and is projected to be a key competitor against drinks like Celsius,” he begins pitching as soon as we sit down.
“With the budget we got from our parent company, we’ve got a lot of great campaigns and commercials lined up.
What we need is a face to go with the name, and an athlete would be the perfect place to start since it’s targeting a healthier market with a need for an energy boost.”
I see where the logic is. “Why me?” I question.
I’ll give the guy credit; he isn’t as much of a bullshitter as I pinned him to be.
“I remember Belle talking about how strict of a regimen you’re on during your seasons.
She said you don’t put anything in your body that isn’t healthy or packed with protein, and a lot of canned energy sources are usually full of chemicals and other shit that nobody wants to ingest. Especially somebody like you. ”
All true things.
“I know Belle and I aren’t…close,” he says carefully.
“We haven’t spoken in a while, so this is probably a big ask.
But I really did think about you and other athletes with this product in mind.
The more my team started brainstorming idea of who we could get and how to promote, the more I began thinking about Belle and all the games she’d take me to. ”
My jaw tics knowing she’s still in his mind at all, even if this is solely to benefit him. She did bring him to a couple of my games during their short stint together and he always had decent things to say when I’d meet them afterwards, but I could tell it wasn’t where he wanted to be.
“I’d have to try the product,” I say, taking the water our waiter poured us and sipping it. “I don’t promote anything I wouldn’t use.”
He dips his head. “That’s fine. I can send you a few different flavors. I can reach out to Belle too and see what flavors she’d like.”
“No,” I say a little too quickly. I rein in it. “It isn’t necessary. Just send a value pack to my address. Belle lives with me. We’ll share them. I’ll have my agent send you the information.”
There’s a flicker of something in his eyes at the news that Belle lives with me. A twinkle that I can’t quite discern, and that I don’t like. “Huh. You don’t say.”
I don’t bother with a reply. When they dated, she’d had her own apartment. It wasn’t until after the fire we started living together, and that was a while after they ended things. I doubt he even reached out to make sure she was okay when that happened.
He tries wiping away the smile but fails when he says, “I guess it’s more common than ever to live with family these days, isn’t it?”
It seems like a pointed comment, and I’m tempted to tell him he could fuck off with his shit. I’m not the one who this partnerships benefits. He must know that when he sees my tight expression, clearing his throat and grabbing amber liquid in a scotch glass he must have ordered before I got here.
“I’ll have somebody get you out a package so you can give us an answer.
If you agree, there are some billboards we reserved for the summer launch in four cities—New York, San Fransico, Chicago, and Miami.
We’re aiming to reach a demographic with healthier habits.
People who are mindful about their diets.
Then we’ll run a couple different TV ads and do some print spreads. ”
How much is their budget? I’m not well versed in advertising, but this doesn’t sound cheap. Especially with the rate I usually get paid to do these gigs.
“You’re not going to make me strip down to my underwear or do something stupid, are you?” I deadpan, knowing how half of these go. It’s always about an athlete’s body, like drinking an energy drink with fourteen grams of protein will get you abs overnight.
Isaac chuckles. “No. I doubt me or the team feel like being emasculated in front of our other coworkers.”
I snort. He’s got a sense of humor which is refreshing. “Good,” is all I say. “I’ll try it and let you and Amber talk about the pay while you drill down the details. If I like the product. I’d be careful, though. That one is a shark.”
Which is exactly what I hired her.
His grin reappears. “I noticed. To be honest, I was surprised she even replied at all. Have a feeling the only reason she did is because I name dropped your stepsister.”
I don’t confirm or deny, and he doesn’t need me to. “Once I get the drinks, I’ll have Amber send you my answer.”
Not bothering to order food or a drink despite his insistence, I stand. He does too, flattening his hand along his shirt and saying, “Can I ask—” He stops himself, pressing his lips together before shaking his head. “You know what? Never mind. I appreciate you talking to me.”
I’m almost tempted to ask him what he wanted to know, but the way he studies me tells me it’s better left unspoken.
It could be tickets he’s looking for. He may not have loved being dragged to my games years ago, but maybe he’s into it now.
Or maybe his fiancée is. Who knows. I’d rather not be asked for things when I’d already be doing him a favor by saying yes to this.
We shake again, my grip tighter when his grip squeezes me again. I’m not sure what power play he’s trying to invoke, but he won’t win.
As I walk out, he calls out, “Tell Belle I said hello.”
My back tenses as I leave the restaurant, ignoring the flirty smile from the hostess on my way out.
Usually, I don’t even see them but she all but stepped in front of me squishing her boobs together with her arms to grab my attention.
I don’t know what she murmured when I told her to have a nice day, but it probably wasn’t a reciprocated answer.
The rest of the day goes by in a blur. I work out at the home gym, reply to some emails and texts, meal prep lunch for the next week, and am just stepping out of the shower when I hear the faintest knock at my bedroom door.
Wrapping a towel around me, I walk over and open it to see Belle standing on the other side. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and they quickly avert to something on the wall.
I laugh lightly. “You can look at me. I’m not naked.”
Her nose scrunches. “You practically are.”
Is she blushing? I hold back a grin as her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink. “Give me a second and I’ll put something on.”
I leave the door cracked open as I dry myself off and slide on a pair of boxers and basketball shorts that I like to lounge around the house in. I run my fingers through my hair and go back to the door where she’s waiting.
“Better?” I ask with a small smile.
She shifts. “Ummhm.”
That doesn’t sound convincing as she rakes her gaze over my bare torso. I don’t mind though. Not when she’s the one looking.
“Everything okay?” I ask. She doesn’t come to my room very often.
She snaps out of it, lifting her gaze. The pink spreads to her ears when she realizes I caught her checking me out. “Y-Yes.” She blinks, wets her lips, and then stands straighter. “Yes. Sorry. I have something to show you.”
Confusion takes over the amusement. “Okay. Why do you look like that?”
She frowns. “Like what?”
I gesture toward her pinched expression. “I don’t know. Like that. Like you’re worried about something.”
Her lips press together. “Well…” She moves from one foot to another, biting down on her thumbnail. She is nervous. “You’ll just have to see for yourself. Its downstairs.”
What the hell is ‘it’? I follow her warily down to the kitchen where there’s a cardboard box on the floor. I stop in front of it and peer down.
Is that…?
I cock my head. “It has one ear.”