by Raina Wilde
“What are you doing here?” Jenna asked. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be back from the family reunion until tomorrow.”
“Excuse me?” Lena threw an incredulous look over her shoulder as they marched toward Jenna’s glass encased office. “I switched my plane tickets as soon as I got the email last night. Did you really think I would miss your first day as S.A.E?”
“I have a lot of work to do before I get the promotion, Lena.”
“Ok, fine. You aren’t S.A.E. Yet. But what kind of best friend would I be if I sent you to the wolves on day one.” Lena shrugged. “ OK. Wolf.”
“It isn’t going to be like that.” Jenna said confidently. She closed the door to her office as if she could close the door on the subject. Unfortunately, Lena persisted.
“No? So, you’re fine?” Lena raised an eyebrow. “It doesn’t bother you at all that you will be working for the love of your life?”
“He isn’t the love of my life.” Jenna protested.
“Fine. He isn’t the love of your life. But he used to be.”
“This is just a professional relationship. I haven’t seen Alex in over five years. Everything that happened in the past is just that, in the past. As far as I am concerned I never have to see him again after New Years Eve.” Jenna was proud of the conviction with which she was able to present the speech. She was absolutely certain that she would be able to remain professionally detached from the situation as long as she did not have to re-examine long buried issues. She just hoped that Alexander Rockwell shared her mindset.
“I hope that’s true.” Lena turned the coffee machine on and waited for two mugs to fill. Then she continued very quietly. “I am just worried about you, Jen. Last time… well, sometimes I wonder if you ever really got over it. I know you’ve moved on and I know you have your life just the way you’ve always wanted, but there hasn’t been anyone since Alex. No matter how many guys ask you out, you haven’t let anyone else even begin to get close.” Walking over to her friend, Lena handed her a steaming mug. “Just tell me the truth, please, because I am only going to ask this once. Is this promotion worth going through all of that again? Is it so important that you can’t just tell them that you aren’t ready.”
Jenna blew on her coffee while she contemplated her answer. There had been a lot of things in her future she had wanted. Most of them disappeared when Alex did. This job was something that had always been there for her. She was not going to let him take this from her as well.
“I want this promotion more than anything and I am ready for it. I mean that with my whole heart, Lena. If I pass up this opportunity I don’t know how long it will be before it comes again. This is my chance. Alexander Rockwell is just a client and I am not going to let him stand in my way.
“OK, Boss-man.” Lena’s entire demeanor reverted to her usual spunky self. “Tell me what to do!”
Jenna laughed.
“First I need you to book a room in the best hotel that has a penthouse open for a few months. That will give us time to find him a permanent residence. Then, I need you to have groceries delivered to the room. Focus mainly on veggies and protein. He is going to need a clean diet if he is training.” Lena scribbled frantically on a small notepad in her hand. “He doesn’t like carrots, but send them anyway because he needs the crunch after a hard workout and we don’t want him resorting to chips. Don’t give me that look.” Jenna laughed, as Lena froze with her mouth open. “Think of it as good recon, we will use my knowledge to do a better job.” She pointed at the notepad to remind Lena to keep writing. “Next, if you could call his trainer, Marco Mandelli, and get a release for his full calendar, sync it with ours and then send it to Bethany in promotions to see if there are any events we can book him for in his free time. If you start with that, while I schedule a signing for this afternoon and call some potential sponsors, I should be able to get to the airport by one-thirty.”
Jenna took a deep breath and checked her watch. This was going to be a piece of cake, she thought.
By the time one o’clock rolled around Jenna had booked meetings with four potential sponsors and a short photo-op at a local youth gym. If they could land two major sponsorships, Alex would not have to worry about any of his general expenses. After that, any minor sponsors would only increase the fighter’s personal income.
Jenna was exhausted after the long hours of phone conversations. While Alex Rockwell was famous and talented enough to garner attention, it would still take all of Jenna’s skill to convince a sponsor to spend millions of dollars on a single athlete. To close the deal Jenna would need Alex to meet with the sponsor and sell himself as a worthy investment.
Unfortunately, Alex was not known for having a positive relationship with his sponsors. The arrogant and self-serving attitude that he had developed in the last four years had estranged him from enough sponsors to make it imperative for Jenna to rebuild his reputation if they were going to land a significant account. It was for this reason that she has scheduled his first public event at a youth gym rather than a raucous sports bar or amateur training facility.
Jenna thought that having even four sponsors willing to discuss a relationship with the temperamental fighter would be considered a success for any agent and she was not about to let Alex miss an opportunity by causing a scene on his first day back.
At the moment Lena walked briskly into Jenna’s office.
“It has all been arranged. I even checked the hotel room, made sure the groceries had been put away properly, and delivered a small binder with lists for local amusements and dining options.” Lena handed over a folder that Jenna knew would contain a more detailed account of what she had accomplished for the day. “He had an opening tomorrow morning so I scheduled a massage in the spa of the hotel. I hope this will improve his mood when you drop the bomb about being nice to the sponsors.”
“You are amazing.” Jenna beamed. “That is exactly what I am going to have to convince him of, and I think a little relaxation might be just what it takes to let me slip under his skin.”
“Hopefully that is all you will be slipping under…” Lena winked, but Jenna could tell that her friend meant the comment in a lighthearted way, so she laughed as well.
Jenna slipped her feet back into the dramatic heels, buttoned the snap on her skirt that she had released in pure ecstasy after a particularly lengthy phone conversation had prevented her from a much needed bathroom break, and shoved the folder in her purse as she breezed past Lena through the glass doorway.
Lena followed Jenna into the elegant office restrooms where Jenna relieved herself and the women refreshed their makeup in preparation for the rest of the day.
“I need to get to the airport before his flight lands…” Jenna began.
“Don’t bother taking your car, you’ll never find parking. I called a driver who should be waiting for you downstairs any moment. He will drive around until the plane lands and pick you both up outside the main entrance. I put it on the company account. Also,” Lena grabbed a travel mug of coffee from her desk, “you’ll need this. Two crèmes, two sugars. Make sure you stop on Lakeshore before you take him to the hotel. He’ll enjoy the city more if he sees the water first.”
Before Lena could continue Jenna had enveloped her in a massive hug.
“What would I do without you?” Jenna released her friend.
Lena gave Jenna a soft pat on her backside as she pushed her towards the elevators.
“Go get ‘em tiger.” She waved. “You make him rue the day he ever thought he could do this without you!”
The elevator doors clicked shut and Jenna felt a smile spread slowly across her face. With Lena at her side, Jenna knew she could handle anything that Alex Rockwell could throw their way.
An hour later Jenna watched through the large glass windows as the plane eased into its assigned gate. For an instant she felt a slight flutter of nervousness. Sliding her hands down her skirt to ensure that each pleat was properly positioned, Jenna
took a deep breath and felt her heart settle into a gentle cadence. She refreshed her lipstick and shouldered an oversized designer day bag that was efficiently stocked with anything that she might need at a moment's notice.
As the passengers began to disembark from the airliner, Jenna held up an elegant cardboard sign with her client’s name printed in large black letters over the white surface. She chuckled to herself as she imagined what Alex might think when he saw it. Clearly, he was aware that she was his agent, having requested her services specifically, but there was also no chance of him having trouble recognizing her. Other than a more sophisticated, and expensive, wardrobe Jenna looked much the same as she had five years ago. OK, so maybe her face was slightly thinner from the ten pounds she had slaved to lose after the holidays last year but that was not enough for anyone, except maybe Lena, to notice.
The sign, she thought, was more of a statement of their arrangement. This was how she would have greeted any client that she had never met before, and Alex would not receive special liberties because they had once been acquainted. More than acquainted if she was being perfectly honest.
As she allowed herself one more self-indulgent giggle, Jenna witness Alex crossing the lobby with a small carry-on tucked under his arm. He made a beeline for her position at the window while cocking a remarkably sexy half-grin that used to make Jenna weak at the knees. Today, it annoyed her.
She had expected him to pause in front of her for a greeting and therefore had not been prepared for him to reach out and pull the sign from her hand and place it dramatically in the waste bin a few feet away. Before she had time to recover Alex had sauntered back, grabbed her shoulders and planted a resolute kiss on her cheek.
She had meant to be grateful that he had not kissed her mouth. However, her brain was misbehaving and all she seemed to recognize was the fact that he smelled absolutely delicious. Whatever cologne he was wearing was something that she had never encountered before. It was spicy and exotic in a way that the old Axe-spray-Alex had never been before.
Luckily, she recovered before he pulled away so she was fairly certain that he had not been privy to her thoughts gone astray.
Jenna placed her hands firmly on his chest, and pushed. She forced herself not to think about any muscles her hands may have felt through his cashmere sweater. What kind of fighter dressed this well? Wasn’t he supposed to be wearing athletic shorts and a cut off T-shirt?
“Mr. Rockwell.” She proffered a hand to shake. “It’s good to see you. If you’ll follow me to the car we can discuss our strategy on the way to your temporary accommodations.”
Alex continued to smile down on her from his towering six-and-a-half-foot height. Even in heels Jenna was lucky if she topped five-foot-ten. His short brown hair looked almost blonde in the sunlight and Jenna noticed that his once lanky frame had filled out nicely with the harsh muscles he’d always wanted. He must have been working very hard, she thought.
“You look great, Jen.” Had his voice gotten deeper? No. She decided. It had simply been too long since she had heard it in person. She decided not to respond. Instead, she checked her watch and gestured toward the door.
As she took a step toward the exit Alex laid a gentle hand on her arm. It had always surprised her how he could be so ferocious in the cage, yet completely tender in any outside situation. She looked at his hand on her arm and then up into his eyes that were searching her face for… something.
“Jenna. Are we going to get a chance to talk?” He asked softly.
Jenna took a deep breath. She had been prepared for this inevitable conversation but not so soon.
“Mr. Rockwell.” She began. “I am more than willing to discuss anything you wish, as often as you wish, in regards to our professional arrangement. However, I am afraid that anything outside of my duties as an agent, and yours as my client, are to remain strictly off limits.” The speech sounded stiff even to her ears but Jenna needed to ensure that he had no chance of wheedling past her iron reserve. She did not want to discuss the past. She would not discuss it. They would both be better off, she thought, if Alex would simply refrain from bringing it up.
Jenna watched as Alex pulled himself back, clearly getting her message. His eyes contracted and she could tell he was sizing her up. Clearly they both had the ability to surprise each other.
Jenna was glad that the driver was taking them to the waters of Lake Michigan before the high-rise hotel that was located amidst the hustle and bustle of the city of Chicago.
Alex had started to fidget after only fifteen minutes in standstill traffic and Jenna thought that he needed a reminder of how much he used to love this city.
Just then driver pulled the car up to one of Chicago’s public beaches. When Jenna opened her door, allowing the cool fall breeze to waft into the vehicle, Alex finally raised his eyes from the clenched fists in his lap. She could tell that he could smell the fresh water. It was something every Chicago resident became acutely aware of whenever they found themselves within a few blocks of the massive body of water. Alex would not have forgotten, Jenna thought, and she found that her assumption was correct.
Alex unfolded himself slowly from the back seat of the vehicle. He gazed over the churning water and took a deep breath. Suddenly, he revealed a uniquely peaceful grin that Jenna could not remember ever having seen on his face before. Alex slipped off his shoes, rolled the legs of his trousers and began walking through the sand without a glance or word to Jenna.
“Alex,” She shouted at his back, “we have a schedule to follow!”
Alex turned around and waved for her to join him.
“Hurry up then, slowpoke.” He called before continuing his trot toward the water's edge.
Jenna was dumbfounded by the pure bliss that she had momentarily seen flicker across his face. Five years ago, though he had been loving and kind in their relationship, Alex had also been surly and insecure in any situation that hadn’t involved the two of them alone. Later, she had witnessed signs of an arrogant and immature celebrity that had emerged for the public eye. Never, Jenna thought, had he ever seemed as completely happy and confident as this very day.
Knowing that it was a bad idea, but unable to stop herself, Jenna slipped her heels off her feet and threw them into the car. Jenna informed the driver that they would only be a minute, and stepped tentatively into the sand.
She came to a stop at Alex’s side where he was watching the last of the summer boaters surging amongst the waves. When she looked back at Alex she realized that he was watching her, once again, with that wicked half smile.
“Double dog.” He raised an eyebrow in challenge as he stated the well-known dare phrase.
“What?” Jenna’s brain was on overdrive. She could not seem to interpret what Alex was saying when he continued to stare at her in that particular way. He threw a pointed gaze at the water that lapped the shore a few feet in front of them. “No way.” She stated firmly.
He took a goading step closer to the water.
“Absolutely not, Alex.”
“Come on, Jen. Live a little. You love the water.” He proffered an upturned hand for her to grasp. She stared at it as if it were a venomous snake.
With trepidation Jenna realized that her plan to utilize personal knowledge of Alex for her own benefit might just be a tool that he could use against her in return.
“Winter is just around the corner.” He flexed his fingers enticingly, still holding them out for her to grasp. “This might be your last chance for months.”
It was a low blow and one he knew she couldn’t resist.
Brushing past him, without so much as a glance at the hand hanging in midair as it skimmed the sleeve of her blouse, Jenna plodded quickly into the water. The sensation of the warm water lapping around her ankles was that of pure, uninhibited ecstasy. She closed her eyes and plunged a little deeper, aware enough to keep the hem of her skirt safely above the water.
She heard a deep sigh beside her and realized that Alex
had followed her movements and was standing only inches away as they shared in this extremely pleasurable moment.
“What has gotten into you?” She whispered incredulously. For the first time Jenna felt the risk of working with Alex. She had prepared herself for the Alex she thought she knew. This was an entirely different person.
“Do you really want to talk about it?” He asked softly.
This time when she looked at him, her hazel eyes searching his of deep blue, she understood his meaning immediately. If she wanted to discuss the change in Alex’s personality she would also have to discuss their past. She could not fathom how the two could be linked after so many years, but a flutter in her gut told her that this was territory she was not willing to enter.
Jenna shook her head. Alex continued to look intensely at her, his eyes searching her face for any sign that belied her resolution to keep him at arm's length. Finally he broke eye contact and gestured back toward the waiting company car.
“I suppose that’s enough fun for the day.” Alex stated the words nonchalantly but Jenna thought she sensed a level of tension in his shoulders that had not been there before. She ducked her head and led the way away from the beach.
The rest of the day passed in a haze of formality that Jenna would have revelled in with any other client. It turned out that Alex was outstanding with the children. He allowed them to climb all over his massive frame, hang from his arms and wrap themselves around his legs. He taught some of the teens basic sparring moves and finished up with an excellent speech on the importance of the martial arts for fitness, mental control, and self-defence, though never violence for the sake of violence.
Jenna could not have asked for a better example of the type of fighter she wanted to sell to sponsors. Her surprise was even more profound considering that she had not yet had the dreaded discussion about the need for a change in his reputation. She knew, from his profile, that this was Alex’s first ever youth engagement and, though necessary, she had been unsure of his reaction to her plan. Never before had the athlete agreed to a public event that was anything less than a major showcase function, but for the first time Jenna felt that he might have actually enjoyed himself while promoting his position as a MMA fighter.