Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Good Lord, he looked good. Too damn good.
“Uh.” I cleared my throat. “How have you been, Deke?”
“Wouldn’t you want to know that via email, Davina?” He raised a brow, mouth twitching. The waitress appeared and took his order first, and I was glad for the distraction, but as soon as she left, his eyes were locked on me again.
“Davina’s company makes some of the best body butters. All the ingredients are organic. Right, Davina?” Chester asked.
I whipped my head to look at my investor and nodded. “That’s right.”
“I just love that,” Kyla said. “And Javier, I want you to know that I always source the best ingredients possible. Little Aleesa here already loves our bubble bath, right?”
Javier nodded. “She does.”
“So, imagine a whole collection created for a bath-and-bedtime routine, with your name featured on it. I know you don’t want her advertised too much, and I completely respect that, so I talked to my publicist about your concerns, and she had some really great ideas. One of them was to take pictures or footage of you and Aleesa but with her back to the camera the entire time. We could hide her face, which we think would draw more interest to the consumers.”
“Well, the whole world has seen her face, so I don’t think that really matters,” Javier said, huffing a laugh. He shifted in his chair, glancing at Aleesa, who was watching something on an iPad in a purple case.
“Oh—um, yes. That is true.” Kyla put on a smile, but there was unease swirling in her eyes. It was clear she was thinking of something else to say.
Kyla was new to this world, and though she seemed to be confident right now, I could tell when I shook her hand that her nerves were fried. I remembered being just like her when I first started, thinking I was a fraud, thinking I wasn’t worthy as a Black woman in a world as daring as this one. I couldn’t let her drown.
“Javier, I think what Kyla is trying to say is Aleesa would be safe. You two will be our top priority throughout whatever the process is. It can be daunting to have your child advertised on screen and especially online. I get it. You don’t want the publicity to go sideways or for it to become overwhelming for either of you. It’s one thing for people to see her and be in awe on the courtside, but it’s a completely different thing when her image would be put directly in people’s faces. But you love Bubbles and Swaddles products, right? And you love Kyla’s cause?”
“I do,” Javier agreed.
“I say start small.” I gestured to Kyla. “Right, Kyla?”
“Yes, absolutely,” she said, bobbing her head rapidly.
“I, for one, am very excited to be collaborating with Kyla, and if you ask Deke, here, I think he would agree we had a great time working together on our collaboration too.” Though I didn’t want to, I shifted my gaze to the other basketball player at the table, who snorted a laugh into his drink.
“Wait . . . you two have worked together?” Javier asked, looking between us with narrowed eyes.
“Oh, yeah, man,” Deke answered before I could. “She’s the woman who endorsed me for her skin care company. It’s been great working with her and being just friends and all.”
Okay. Seriously?
“Oop.” Octavia pulled her lips in and looked anywhere but at me, while I glared a hole into the side of her head. As my sister, she was not supposed to instigate this.
“I see,” Javier said, shifting his eyes between us as if he was connecting a few dots.
“Anyway, I think this’ll be great, Javier,” I went on, returning my attention to the Argentinean player. “And I do agree with Kyla about the pictures and footage. Perhaps we can start with Aleesa’s facial profile or show images of just her eyebrows and up when it comes to the shampoo. You’d be more of the highlight, and I’m sure you’re aware of this already, but women love when they see a father caring for his kids in ads. The women are already celebrating you for being such a great father and putting her first. This could further that image, if it’s something you’d like to pursue. All I know is that regardless of what you decide, there will be no loss for you and your baby girl.”
“So, you’re officially on board then, Davina?” Chester asked. He may as well have had dollar signs in place of his eyeballs.
I smiled at him, then looked at Kyla. “I am.”
Chester clasped his hands together.
Kyla let out a sigh of relief. “That is so great to hear, Davina. Thank you. And Javier, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to champion you and Aleesa. I’m all about loyalty, trust me.”