Hammonds, our general manager.”
“You’ve done an excellent job with the charity work. The fan base has grown and your team is known for many groups in the area. Your father should be proud.”
“Like yours?” Miranda asked, one perfectly sculpted brow arched. Then she laughed. “Ignore me. I’m feeling a little…insignificant at the moment.”
“Am I taking your job from you? I had no idea.”
“Oh no, Stacia. I don’t want this position. I’m truly very busy with day to day operations, even if I don’t have significant impact on the team or the bottom line.” Her face brightened. “Never mind me and my poor mood. Let’s talk about your job. It’s for the next few months, until the end of the season.”
“Thanks. That’s perfect. Now is it for the team? Michael was a little vague on the details.”
“No, the team is fine. We need you for one player, a new player who comes with a lot of baggage – bad press, a huge chip on his shoulder, and a lot of negativity. We need you to keep him clean and babysit him until the end of the season.”
Stacia frowned. “You want a babysitter? Why not hire an assistant? I usually clean up the image.”
The elevator doors started to open but Miranda pressed the Door Closed button and then Stop. “My father wants a babysitter. I think we need more. Our reputation was damaged significantly by Eduardo’s indiscretions. My father doesn’t think that matters but I’ve had a lot of groups express concern about the family side of our business. They’re rethinking sponsorships and events here. My father doesn’t think that’s important but you and I know the power of the media and image. This can be devastating. Now we’re bringing in a player with a tarnished past. We can’t be too obvious but he could use some image cleaning.”
She pressed the Start button and the doors opened, while Stacia processed the information. Not an auspicious start to a new job. Conflicting goals. Management not on the same page. Who knew what the job really entailed? It certainly seemed to be a lose-lose for her, not that she had much choice in the matter. It was this job or nothing.
She followed Miranda down the cement hallway, past several small offices. Miranda turned down a small hallway and gestured to an office. “We wanted you close to the players so you could manage any media concerns right away. This is the best office I have right now. It’s not much but it’ll have to do.”
Miranda paused before opening the door. “Stacia, you’ll answer mainly to Cole but you and I can work together on the clean image okay?”
“Miranda, I’m a little uncomfortable with side agendas. It always spells trouble, in my experience.”
Miranda smiled. “It’s not a side agenda. Just an additional element. It won’t cause any issues, trust me. Now check out your office while I grab the player. He’s getting fitted for a uniform.”
Stacia walked into the small office. Miranda was right. It wasn’t much but she didn’t need anything more than the desk, a chair, computer connections. Anything more was really superfluous, especially since the job was only two months, three at the outside. She sat in the metal desk chair and heard the creak of the springs in the old chair. She rocked back and forth, testing the strength. Yeah she’d need a new chair before her back went out. She searched through the drawers and only heard the empty metal rattle, with a spare pen rolling around.
Down the hall, voices echoed, two men and Miranda. Must be her client. She strained to listen.
Her mind went blank and her blood ran cold.
The door opened in that moment and in walked a man in a three-piece suit, clearly a businessman or an agent. Behind him, she saw her worst nightmare.
Jason Friar, her one-night-stand from less than twenty-four hours ago.
Chapter Four
T wo other people crowded into the small office, but Stacia only had eyes for Jason. He watched her through hooded eyes,
“You’ve done an excellent job with the charity work. The fan base has grown and your team is known for many groups in the area. Your father should be proud.”
“Like yours?” Miranda asked, one perfectly sculpted brow arched. Then she laughed. “Ignore me. I’m feeling a little…insignificant at the moment.”
“Am I taking your job from you? I had no idea.”
“Oh no, Stacia. I don’t want this position. I’m truly very busy with day to day operations, even if I don’t have significant impact on the team or the bottom line.” Her face brightened. “Never mind me and my poor mood. Let’s talk about your job. It’s for the next few months, until the end of the season.”
“Thanks. That’s perfect. Now is it for the team? Michael was a little vague on the details.”
“No, the team is fine. We need you for one player, a new player who comes with a lot of baggage – bad press, a huge chip on his shoulder, and a lot of negativity. We need you to keep him clean and babysit him until the end of the season.”
Stacia frowned. “You want a babysitter? Why not hire an assistant? I usually clean up the image.”
The elevator doors started to open but Miranda pressed the Door Closed button and then Stop. “My father wants a babysitter. I think we need more. Our reputation was damaged significantly by Eduardo’s indiscretions. My father doesn’t think that matters but I’ve had a lot of groups express concern about the family side of our business. They’re rethinking sponsorships and events here. My father doesn’t think that’s important but you and I know the power of the media and image. This can be devastating. Now we’re bringing in a player with a tarnished past. We can’t be too obvious but he could use some image cleaning.”
She pressed the Start button and the doors opened, while Stacia processed the information. Not an auspicious start to a new job. Conflicting goals. Management not on the same page. Who knew what the job really entailed? It certainly seemed to be a lose-lose for her, not that she had much choice in the matter. It was this job or nothing.
She followed Miranda down the cement hallway, past several small offices. Miranda turned down a small hallway and gestured to an office. “We wanted you close to the players so you could manage any media concerns right away. This is the best office I have right now. It’s not much but it’ll have to do.”
Miranda paused before opening the door. “Stacia, you’ll answer mainly to Cole but you and I can work together on the clean image okay?”
“Miranda, I’m a little uncomfortable with side agendas. It always spells trouble, in my experience.”
Miranda smiled. “It’s not a side agenda. Just an additional element. It won’t cause any issues, trust me. Now check out your office while I grab the player. He’s getting fitted for a uniform.”
Stacia walked into the small office. Miranda was right. It wasn’t much but she didn’t need anything more than the desk, a chair, computer connections. Anything more was really superfluous, especially since the job was only two months, three at the outside. She sat in the metal desk chair and heard the creak of the springs in the old chair. She rocked back and forth, testing the strength. Yeah she’d need a new chair before her back went out. She searched through the drawers and only heard the empty metal rattle, with a spare pen rolling around.
Down the hall, voices echoed, two men and Miranda. Must be her client. She strained to listen.
Her mind went blank and her blood ran cold.
The door opened in that moment and in walked a man in a three-piece suit, clearly a businessman or an agent. Behind him, she saw her worst nightmare.
Jason Friar, her one-night-stand from less than twenty-four hours ago.
Chapter Four
T wo other people crowded into the small office, but Stacia only had eyes for Jason. He watched her through hooded eyes,
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