“I’m here; I’m just thinking,” I replied as I pulled a coffee mug from the cupboard and set it on the counter. “You sound as if you’re preparing to negotiate a contract rather than start dating.”
“Why don’t we meet for breakfast and talk about it,” she said without elaborating. “How about The Third Coast at nine?”
“Fine, I’ll be there,” I said. I waited a few moments, but before I could say anything more, the line went dead and I heard the dreaded three beeps that meant a dropped call. I thought about calling her back, but nixed that idea when I looked at the clock and realized I’d have to hustle if I was going to make it down to the restaurant on time.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and carried it to the bathroom where I took a quick shower. I wrapped a towel around my waist and took a good look at myself in the mirror trying to decide whether to shave or not. For a moment, I wondered what Payton preferred and then reminded myself that this wasn’t actually going to be a date.
I picked a steel-blue Armani suit out of my closet, but skipped the tie. Better to keep it less formal, I told myself as I slid my feet into a pair of black loafers and assessed my look in the mirror.
“Damn, you look good,” I murmured before I grabbed my phone, wallet, and keys, and headed to the car. I slid into the backseat as Geo said good morning. “Morning, Geo. We’re heading to The Third Coast this morning.”
“Yes, sir,” he said.
It wasn’t long before we pulled up in front of the building on Dearborn. I told Geo that I’d be done by 10 and we’d be heading to the office afterwards as I got out of the car. Normally, I loved this cafe and it’s laid back ambience, but today I felt on edge as I entered the building and descended the few steps into the restaurant.
The place was fairly empty, which was to be expected since most of the building’s residents were 9-5 professionals who reported to the office at seven. As the hostess welcomed me, I saw Payton waving from the far corner. I smiled and walked across the room, wondering how exactly this was going to turn out.
“Good morning,” Payton said as she looked up from the menu she held. She was wearing the female equivalent of my outfit: a grey, pinstripe jacket over a French-blue, silk blouse. Her hair was loose and flowing across her shoulders, and if she was wearing makeup, I couldn’t tell. My brain whirled with the memory of how she’d felt pressed against me, and I realized I needed to quickly sit down. She flashed me a professional smile as she said, “I was just trying to decide between eggs or oatmeal.”
“I always go with eggs when I’m out for breakfast,” I said pulling out the chair and sitting down across from her. “Oatmeal seems like a waste of a chef’s effort.”
“Good point,” she nodded, placing the menu down on the table and meeting my eyes across the table.
“So, you’ve got something to propose?” I asked.
“Ah, no small talk with you,” she smiled as the server stepped up to the table and asked us if we were ready to order breakfast. Once we were finished, Payton looked at me and said, “Why don’t you explain what it is you had in mind when you asked me to date you.”
“I just thought it would be nice to date like normal people,” I said as she caught me off guard.
“Okay, if this is going to work, then you and I can’t bullshit each other,” she said bluntly. “Tell me what it is you want to achieve with this and I’ll tell you what I need.”
“Wow, you’re straightforward,” I said, marveling at her ability to cut to the chase. I wasn’t used to any women aside from Gram being this blunt with me, and I found it more than a little unnerving.
“I figure we both need something, and beating around the bush isn’t going to lead us anywhere productive,” she shrugged. “Why don’t you explain where you were headed when you fed me the line about wanting to get to know each other before we got intimate?”
“God, you are direct,” I said shaking my head. “Fine, I want to date you because it’s good for business. There, happy now?”
“Nice try, Sparky,” she said sarcastically. “Try again.”
“What is wrong with you?” I countered irritated by her dismissive tone. “I’m telling you what I was thinking, and you’re telling me I’m not telling you the truth?”
“Yep, that’s exactly what I’m telling you,” she said without smiling. “Try it again.”
“I want to date you so that I can get the attention of the media and drive up the revenue for the Storm as they work toward their first Super Bowl win,” I explained dryly. “You’re a Halas, so it’s bound to stir up attention and controversy and keep the Storm in the news. Meanwhile, I’m going to be working with a partner to build a whole new business, and use the publicity to drive up the value of the company.”
“Good to know,” she nodded as the server set our plates in front of us. When we finally had everything we needed, Payton looked up at me and said, “Now, was that really so hard?”
“You have no idea,” I muttered as I cut into my omelet and brought the fork to my mouth.
“What’s the new business?”
“I’d rather not talk about it just yet,” I said, closing down discussion of the talent management business. I was willing to be honest with her to a point.
“Look, I know you
have your South Side code of honor and all that tough guy stuff,” she said, immediately putting me on the defense. “But if we’re going to make this work, we’re going to have to trust each other.”
“So, what do you need, Princess?” I asked sarcastically.