A Bouquet of Love by Janice Thompson Page A

didn’t even realize he knew how to turn it on, let alone use it.
    Turned out he didn’t.
    He glanced our way and grunted. “Cassia, come and help me.” He gestured to the spot on the sofa next to him. “We need a plan.”
    I took a seat and took the laptop in hand. “A plan? For what?”
    â€œI need to get on the internet and research advertising tips. Maybe come up with a slogan, a new way to promote the business. Something we can use in the commercial I’m writing.”
    Mama took a seat in the recliner on the opposite side of the living room, and against my better judgment, I focused on the laptop, scrolling from one site to another. We examined other restaurants’ marketing strategies, but most seemed impractical for Super-Gyros. Too elaborate. Too costly.
    One thing did seem doable, though, so I pointed it out. “It seems like they all have celebrity endorsements.” I pointed at one site that featured a pro football player. “Customers show up because they trust the word of the endorser.”
    â€œExactly. That’s what we need.” Babbas leaned back against the sofa, his eyes narrowing. “Someone big. A name that everyone recognizes.”
    â€œWe don’t know any famous football players,” I said. “Or basketball, for that matter. So we’ll have to come at this from a different angle.”
    â€œRight. The sports thing doesn’t really work, anyway.” My father released a slow breath. “Maybe what we need—or who we need—is someone from Hollywood.”
    â€œHollywood?” Mama and I spoke in unison.
    â€œYes. Hollywood has produced all sorts of superheroes over the years. Superman. Spiderman. A million more. Why not use Hollywood to promote Super-Gyros? It’s the perfect idea!” Babbas rubbed his hands together and his voice tookon a joyous tone. “I’ve got it! The answer was right under our noses the whole time. We have connections.”
    â€œWe do?” I asked.
    â€œYes.” He looked at me, his eyes now gleaming. “Your cousin Athena knows people.”
    â€œAthena?” My cousin might be an award-winning sitcom writer, but I doubted she would hand over the contact information for her Hollywood co-workers. No way.
    â€œShe knows famous people because of her job,” Babbas said. “Maybe she could get what’s-her-name from the sitcom to help us out. What’s that one lady’s name again? The blonde? Or maybe that fellow who plays the part of her husband. He might be good. I could see him as a superhero, couldn’t you?”
    Babbas began to list others from the sitcom, but he’d lost me completely. I still couldn’t get past the idea that he thought my cousin might be willing to connect us with these people.
    â€œBrock Benson!” From across the room, Mama’s voice roused me from my ponderings. “If you want to get people’s attention, that’s who you need. Brock Benson.”
    â€œB-Brock Benson?” I quivered like gelatin as I spoke the name of my favorite TV and movie star. “How would we get him here?”
    â€œWe will call Athena and invite her to come to Texas for a visit.” Babbas stood and paced the room. “Once she comes we will mention—in a subtle way, of course—that we would like to meet with Brock to discuss a plan.”
    Like my father had a subtle bone in his body.
    â€œWhen he arrives we will show him the commercial idea and ask him to star in it.”
    â€œSounds dreamy, but we can’t pay him,” Mama said. “That’sa problem. A big star like Brock Benson will expect to be paid a lot of money.”
    â€œOf course we can pay him,” Babbas argued. “We’ll offer him a lifetime supply of sandwiches. No one in his right mind would turn that down.”
    â€œBut if he’s friends with Athena, then he probably gets all of the gyros he wants