There it is. The sneak attack. Puck to the stomach. You’re nothing without me and my money. My first endorsement deal and I can’t even be excited about it. The company’s just capitalizing on their investment.
“Right. Sure thing. I gotta go, Dad.”
“Me too. I’m about to tee off. I’ll set up the shoot with Hugh.” Without a goodbye, he ends the call.
I slump into the leather cushion and let out a breath. Then, push to my feet and open the box to see what the hell I’m going to be endorsing.
I order pizza for the group and go upstairs, taking an armful of the free products with me. I drop them on the kitchen counter and wave my arms around. “You too can smell like me.”
Heath quirks a brow.
“It’s my first endorsement,” I explain.
He smiles. “Congrats.”
Rauthruss pushes forward and swipes a deodorant, uncaps it, and brings it to his nose to smell. “Maverick,” he reads the label. “This is your family’s brand, yeah?”
I nod. “New male hygiene line. It was unisex and female-geared before now.”
He lifts his shirt and rolls it on his pits.
“Well?” I ask. “How is it?”
He angles his body, and Heath and I lean in and sniff his armpit
“Manly.” Heath backs off with a smirk on his face.
“It kind of smells like coconuts,” I muse.
I grab one of the body sprays and squirt it onto my shirt. It’s not bad. Not great either.
“We’re proud of you, my man,” Heath says. “If I weren’t so hungover from all the partying we’ve done the last couple of weeks, I’d suggest celebrating, but I don’t think my body can take another night of drinking.”
“Let’s do something chill,” I suggest. “Grab the girls, and we’ll watch a movie.”
The guys agree without any protest, and their girlfriends come over as the pizza arrives. Dakota too. She doesn’t look as happy as when I saw her this morning.
When we settle in the living room, I take a seat next to her on the couch. “How was the interview?”
“It was great. Thank you again for connecting us.”
Huh. She said great, but she doesn’t seem very excited.
“So, are we Minnie-soda bound this summer?”
Her laugh is quiet. The movie is starting, and she leans closer and lowers her voice. “No. It didn’t work out.”
“Why not? Did you not like Blythe?”
“Not like her?” Dakota snorts. “I think I fell a little in love with her. Did you know she was on the Forbes thirty under thirty list? She’s incredible. She turned down jobs at a ton of really high-profile places to work for the Wildcats.”
“Okay, so you’ve got a lady boner. And I know she loved you. What’s the problem?”
“Know she loved me?”
“Yep.” There isn’t a doubt in my mind. Dakota is a hard worker. Coach Meyers routinely requests that she does the tours for any hockey recruits. And I told Blythe as much.
She sniffs the air and tilts toward my shirt. “What is that smell? Did you trade Vanilla for… Coconut?”
“Body spray. You like?” I duck my head, bringing our faces close.
“It’s… interesting. Why would you want to smell like suntan lotion?”
I shrug. “What’s the problem with the job, Kota?”
She sighs and sinks back into the couch cushion. Her shoulder rests against mine, and I reposition us so my arm is around her. Our friends are lost in the movie and each other.
“It’s an unpaid internship.”
“Oh.” Shit. I hadn’t thought to ask about the salary. “Is that normal? Are they even allowed to do that?”
“Yeah, it’s more common than you’d think. And I’d do the job for free in a heartbeat, but I can’t afford living expenses here and there. Besides, logistically, it was a stretch. My car probably wouldn’t make the trip to and from in one piece.”
“You could ride with me. Shit, you could stay with me too.”
“I am not living with you.” Her icy blue eyes narrow at me, but her mouth twists into a playful grin.
“Why not? I’m a great roommate. Ask any of the guys.” I jut my chin toward our friends.
“You don’t even live here.”
“I basically do.” I squeeze her shoulder, which brings her farther into my chest. “Come on; it’d be great.”
“I could start my dry cleaning and coffee service for all of your conquests.”
“Conquests?” I arch a brow. I most definitely don’t think of them like that. They’re beautiful, smart women who want to have fun. And I am fun.
“Thank you, but it wasn’t meant to be. I’ll be fine. I have my job at the Hall of Fame, and I have Blythe as a contact now. Maybe next year they’ll have an entry-level position.”
I nod, holding her gaze. She looks away first to the TV. I’m bummed for her. She was so excited this morning. Charli’s on the floor at my feet. I pat my lap, and she jumps up, makes a circle, and lays down. Dakota reaches over and scratches under her chin. Charli wiggles forward so her face is on Dakota’s leg, and that’s how we watch the rest of the movie.
The next morning, I’m packing up the kitchen in my apartment when my agent, Hugh, calls.
I accept the call and put it on speaker. “Talk to me, Hugh.”
He chuckles. “Hey, Johnny. How are you?”
“Good,” I say instinctively. “Packing up my apartment.”
“When are you headed out?”
“This weekend, maybe.”
“Glad to hear it. Listen, I have some paperwork for you on the endorsement deal. I emailed it to you, but I thought I should call. I’m concerned.”
My brows pull together, and I stop packing, pick up my phone, and open the email he mentioned. “Why?”
I scan the contract from Maverick Enterprises. I don’t know much about endorsement deals since this is my first, but nothing sticks out.
“I know this is your family’s company, so I don’t want to overstep…”
“I’m paying you to overstep, my friend.”
“Frankly, Johnny, it’s the lowest sum I’ve ever seen for a pro athlete.”
My gaze drops to the number in question. Fifteen grand for doing nothing?
“I’m a rookie. You said yourself you didn’t expect any big endorsements for me until next year.”
“I did. You’re right. But once you accept your first endorsement, others will look at that and your earnings from it to determine your worth. If you take a lowball offer out of the gate, you’re telling others that this is all it takes to get you.”
“Yeah, but it’s my family’s company.”
“Of course. I understand, but I wouldn’t feel good about you taking the deal if I didn’t caution you first.”
I mull over his words as I consider the number. I may not like how my dad phrased it, but he was right—Maverick Enterprises has been endorsing me for years.
“I don’t care about the money.”