Thankfully, when we get outside, our car is waiting for us. The black limo is meant to entice me to sign on the dotted line. They could’ve sent Mopeds and I would’ve been happy. For the most part, I’m simple. I like nice things but I’m not out wearing Louis Vuitton shoes. I still like my Adidas. You won’t find me wearing a Gucci belt because the one I have from Nike is perfect. Eli often has to remind me that I have a bank account that many would die for. I call it retirement. Golf is hard on the body. My back aches all the time, my hips are sore, and my shoulder feels like it’s going to rip off some days. I love the game and don’t want to stop anytime soon.
The drive to the restaurant is fifteen minutes, tops. A total waste of money with the limo, but the air-conditioned ride is a nice one.
“Right this way, Mr. Jennings.” The doorman holds the door open to one of the nicest restaurants in Charleston—The Fig Tree. When my manager told me this is where I was meeting these sponsors, I balked. I don’t like their food. Not in the sense that I’m out eating fancy meals every night. I love barbecue, fried chicken, and buttermilk biscuits. What I don’t like are foods I can’t pronounce, have trees growing out of the top of them because someone told the chef in culinary school that putting twigs in food is a good thing, and I absolutely will never understand why these fancy ass restaurants do not give you sizable portions. It’s almost like they’re telling their customers they all need to lose some weight. When I go out to eat, I want to eat. I want to sit and enjoy my meal, have a good conversation, and maybe order dessert. I don’t want stuffy, overpriced food that leaves me wondering what’s on my plate.
Eli is now in business mode. He approaches the podium and tells the host who we are there to meet. We’re led to our table where the representative for Boisterous Headphones stands and reaches his hand out to shake mine. “Mr. Jennings, we’re so happy you could take some time while on vacation to join us.”
I shake his hand. “No problem. Happy to be here.”
He then turns to Eli. “And you must be Eli Cunningham.”
Introductions are had and we take our seats. Within seconds, my water glass is filled, and Eli is ordering a cocktail. I don’t drink during business meetings. I like to keep my wits about me and my head clear.
We make small talk until our food comes and once my steak is put down in front of me, the company gets down to business. They want me to shoot a couple commercials, wear their headphones when I’m out, post a couple images on social media with them on, and they’ll pay me two million for the year.
Sign. Me. Up!
After dinner, when all the handshakes and pats on the back are done, Eli and I take our leave. Overall, the dinner was painless. In the limo, I make a call to my manager to let her know she should expect some paperwork in the next few days and to go ahead and arrange a few paparazzi shots so these headphone guys are happy right off the bat.
“I’m going to head up,” I tell Eli when we get back to the hotel. I’m not tired, but I don’t really feel like chatting it up with people in the bar. As soon as I get to my floor, my phone dings with a text from Eli telling me Leah is in the bar, and just like that my mood has changed. I head back down and take a seat in the corner so I can watch her. My obsession with her makes me a stalker, but I can’t help it. She’s fucking gorgeous and doesn’t even have to try.
Tonight, she’s wearing a yellow sundress, which accents her tanned skin. Her back is showing and each time she moves, her shoulder blades pop and for some reason I find that to be the sexiest fucking thing ever. When the waitress comes to my table, I order a scotch on the rocks and ask her to make sure Leah has a fresh drink. That’s when she drops the bomb that the man sitting next to Leah has been buying her drinks all night long.
Nope, this isn’t going to work for me. Only, there isn’t anything I can do without looking like an ass because there’s someone on the other side of Leah, so I’m forced to wait, and I really hate waiting when I get an idea. Instead, I watch them like a hawk and constantly motion for the waitress to come over. I pepper her with questions about the guy Leah’s with and she tells me they didn’t come in together and it looks like he’s trying to pick her up.