Champagne Brunch: The Stiletto Sisters Series

by Ainsley St Claire

  I try not to show my irritation with her. She’s stunning, with jade green eyes, black hair, and plush lips guys really seem to go for. She’s also a triplet, which gets some guys going, though she and her sisters aren’t that way.

  “No, I came with friends,” he says.

  “Well, that’s too bad. We could have had a lot of fun.” She licks her lips to tell him exactly what she’s talking about.

  Axel smiles.

  Trinity kisses both my cheeks. “Tonight was fabulous. I think you have some great men participating. I’ll let you know how my dates go, and I promise to use the app a lot.” She winks at me and waves goodbye.

  When I turn back, I’m surprised to find Axel still standing with me. “Sorry about that.”

  He widens his stance. “It’s okay. I do plan on downloading the app. But that was an easy out.”

  “It’s okay if it isn’t your thing or you’re seeing someone.”

  He shakes his head. “I’m not seeing anyone. And if I didn’t download the app, I wouldn’t be able to see you again.”

  I look down, and I’m sure I’m turning fifty shades of red. “You could always ask Nate and Lilly for my number.”

  “Nate’s technically the boss to my player, and I’d much rather get it from the source so if she isn’t interested, she can tell me and doesn’t feel obligated.”

  “I’m interested.” I say with a smile. I write my cell number down and hand him my Flirt business card. “Let me know.”

  “You’re the CEO and founder of Flirt?”

  “Yes. I wrote the initial algorithm the app is built on.”

  “I like smart women.” He smiles. “I’ll be in touch and perhaps we can have dinner. The Prospectors are on the road this week. Maybe we can find a place to watch the game on Thursday night?”

  I was thinking of flying down with Nate to meet up with a friend from college who enjoys the game, but that might be a bit overwhelming for a first date. “That sounds like a lot of fun,” I tell him.

  “Great. I’ll get it set up.”

  He waves and moves toward the door just as Nate and Lilly walk over.

  “Well?” Lilly asks.

  “We’re going to watch the Prospectors game on Thursday somewhere in town.”

  Nate is all teeth. “He’s a good guy. I don’t think he’s a player. He gets hit on a lot, but I never see him with anyone.”

  “That doesn’t mean he’s not a player,” I remind him. “It just means he doesn’t pee where he eats.”

  “I like him for you,” Lilly says as she watches him walk out. “He’s got a great ass, too.”

  “Hey,” Nate says, giving her a cocked eyebrow.

  “I said for her. I’m not sharing you, so I have to find my friends boyfriends. That way you don’t mind when we go out.”

  “I’ll still mind,” Nate pouts. “But I do like Axel. He’s not a typical agent. He’s laid back and definitely the coolest guy in the room. What do you think?” He raises his eyebrows at me.

  “We’ll see.”

  “He picked up the check for dinner at Birdsong. We were all blown away,” Lilly says.

  I nod. When you make the top-money lists like Nate does, you tend to always be the one picking up the check.

  As the last of my guests leave to take the party elsewhere, I gather my things. I can see I missed a call from my sister, Ava. It’s after three tomorrow afternoon in Shanghai, so I call her back as Peter drives me home.

  “Hey you!” I say when she answers. “Are you just waking up?”

  “I’m not a vampire. I just thought I’d call and hear how your launch went tonight.”

  “Not bad, actually. They fooled me, and we had about four thousand people come—”

  “That’s great, isn’t it?”

  I blow out a breath of air. “We’ll see.”

  “Did you meet anyone?” she presses.

  “I don’t know. Maybe? I have a date on Thursday night.”

  “Really? That sounds promising. Does he know who you are?”

  “Well, he knows I’m the CEO and founder of Flirt.”

  “When will you tell him who you really are?”

  “I try to keep my secret Wonder Woman identity to myself. I’m going to enjoy it for a while.”

  “You’re funny. I’m sorry that fucker, Justin, made you feel like you deserve less. Once this new guy realizes that despite being one of the top three richest women in the US, you have a magic vagina, and you’re an amazing person, too, he won’t know what hit him.”

  “Magic vagina? I don’t have rabbits coming out of it,” I tease, a bit embarrassed.

  “Well, you did something that kept Justin coming back.”

  “I guess the magic must have worn off, because he dumped me.”

  “You know it’s because he had imposter syndrome. I bet he had a little penis, didn’t he?”

  “I don’t know.” I’m not about to admit I wasn’t exactly skilled in that area. I’ll never hear the end of it. “I don’t have your vast experience.”

  “Meow!”

  I giggle. “I miss you. When are you coming to visit?”

  “I’m on tour for the next three months, but after that. I promise.” My sister went to China to learn Mandarin and met one of China’s wealthiest industrialists while singing karaoke. He propelled her into becoming a massive Chinese pop star. She gets hounded wherever she goes—even by people who live here.

  “Okay, but I’m holding you to that,” I tell her.

  “I miss you, too.”

  Once Peter drops me at home, I walk upstairs and try to search for Axel online. I find over a dozen photos, each with a different model or cheerleader on his arm. There are also a few of him with his clients, accepting awards. He always looks professional—in a suit or at least business casual. He’s listed as one of the top fifty sports agents in the country, but I notice he only has ten or so clients. I also note that he’s negotiated more than five billion dollars in contracts over the last year alone. They’ll pay out over the next three to six years—with a ten-percent fee for him.

  I blow out a deep breath. Wow. I’m impressed.

  I see an article about him in Surfer magazine. He reps Marco Hammond, and the article notes that Axel was once on the surf tour. I search for older pictures of him, and I find a young version who’s not quite eighteen. I know if I’d met him at that time, I would have been just as smitten as I am today. I wonder if his stomach is still that toned… Those lines at his hips that point to his magic wand make me salivate.

  A little while later, as I lie in bed, I try to think about what I’m going to wear for our date. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard. Then I move immediately into worrying he may not call or text after all. Somehow I’m always setting myself up for disappointment.

  Chapter 5

  Axel

  Mia handwrote her cell number on her business card. I turn it over in my hand, looking at it. I liked her self-deprecating humor as she addressed the crowd, and I was drawn to her right away. It’s hard to meet someone who interests my brain and my second brain, so I know I should pay attention.

  Since I moved to San Francisco, I’ve met plenty of women, but they always seem to go from zero to sixty. They’re mostly interested in the money I make. I only attended the event because Nate Lancaster—well, his fiancée—asked. I didn’t expect to do more than make an appearance and slip out the back.

  But all that changed when they introduced me to Mia. She’s tall, with the body of a dancer, and she was in a very sexy dress—slit up both sides and showing a lot of leg. Her black hair and golden eyes drew me in, and then to learn she likes baseball and statistics? I was in serious like.

  I haven’t been interested in anyone in a while. When Suzanne and I talked before I left LA, she hinted that she wanted a ring before she came with me, and I wasn’t going to do that. I didn’t know what I ultimately wanted, but I knew I didn’t want to be engaged to her right now, or maybe ever. But
we still could have had fun exploring a new city. Sure, her family was in LA, but she worked from home and could have done her job from here.

  I suppose it’s good that she decided to stay behind. The sex had started out good, but before I left it had dwindled to okay. We each had our own lives and interests. I didn’t see it at the time, but I guess we were just doing what was comfortable.

  I look at Mia’s card again. Very tasteful. I know where I want to meet her to watch the game. There’s a nice bar and grill across the street from the stadium that gets a good baseball crowd when the team is away. I decide to take the plunge.

  Me: This is Axel Remington. I’m not sure if you remember me. We talked at your Flirt event about meeting to watch the Prospectors play this week. Would you be interested in meeting me at MoMo’s for the game tomorrow?

  I put my phone aside and focus on the issues I’m having with one of my minor league players’ contracts. He’s been working on the accuracy of his fastball after an injury, and we got him a great pitching coach. They’re talking about moving him up to the majors. Then I need to look at film on four outstanding high school players who were in the The National Classics Series—the high school baseball playoffs—and I got a note from a buddy of mine saying he wants me to check out one of his players at UCLA.

  Before I know it, I look up and it’s midafternoon. How did the day get away? I find my phone and see that Mia texted me back.

  Mia: How could I forget a man who loves baseball at least as much as I do? MoMo’s sounds great. Meet you there at five and we can see the pregame?

  I like that she wants to meet for the pregame. I would have gone even without her. Pregame gives a feel for how the teams are playing on game day and any injuries. It’s a must for any real baseball fan.

  Me: Looking forward to it. See you then.

  I find myself smiling. I haven’t been this eager to spend time with a woman in a long time. I look at my watch. The Prospectors should be at practice, so I head over to the ballpark in a rideshare to see how it’s going.

  When I arrive, the pitching coach waves me over behind home plate to see the radar gun they have in position, though I remain out of the players’ line of sight. Jeremy is throwing some impressive fastballs. My stomach tightens as the screen flashes 110.6 miles per hour. The next ball is 110.1. He’s throwing two miles an hour faster than Nolan Ryan’s fastest pitch record during an actual game.

  “If he can throw like that in tomorrow’s game, he’s going to break some big records,” George, the GM, says from behind me.

  “How many has he done at that speed?”

  “He’s been at that speed most of the week. We’re trying not to make too big of a deal about it,” the pitching coach says.

  “That’s going to kill the San Diego Tarantulas,” I say. “But I almost wish he’d break the record for the home crowd.”

  “At this rate, I don’t think it’ll be an issue.” He spits tobacco into his cup. “You heading down to San Diego for the game tomorrow?”

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t planning on it, but I just might if he’s going to be pitching a record breaker.” I hate to break the date I just made… Crap.

  My cell phone rings, but I don’t recognize the number. I almost don’t answer. “Hello?”

  “Axel, this is Nate Lancaster. I’m up here in the owners’ box. Do you have a minute?”

  I look up and wave. “Sure. I’ll be right up.”

  Jeremy walks over. “Hey, boss.”

  “You’re looking pretty good out there,” I tell him.

  “Thanks. You up for pizza tonight? I’ll buy.”

  I smile at him. “If you’re buying, I’ll be there. You want to meet at my place?”

  “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all. Is everything okay?”

  “I think so. It’s just a little weird knowing that the cameras record me when I’m home.”

  “It’s for your protection,” I remind him.

  “I know. But what if someone hacks into the feed and takes pictures of me in my boxers at the one moment my dick falls out?”

  I can’t hold back my laugh. “You’ve given this a lot of thought. But I get it. We can meet at my place.” I point up into the stands. “I’ve been summoned to the owners’ box. See you at my place when you get done here.”

  “You’re good with Crispin and Jake, too?”

  “Always.”

  He finishes his water and walks back to the mound as I head upstairs.

  When I step into the box, I can hear Nate on the phone. He points me to a table that has some snacks and a large bowl of ice with drinks in it. I reach for a bottle of water and try not to listen to him. He’s talking about strokes. At first I think he’s talking about his golf game, and then I realize he’s talking about the kind of strokes dealing with blood flow to the brain.

  “My next meeting is here,” he eventually says. “I’ll follow up with you next week, and let me be clear—I want to get testing started. Let me know if you want to participate.”

  Once he hangs up, Nate looks over at me. “Sorry about that. My newest venture.”

  “No problem.”

  He rubs his hands together, eyes wide. “Can you believe how well Jeremy is throwing? We’re hoping he’s going to break the record tomorrow.”

  I nod. “I’m really excited for him.”

  “I called Mia to see if she wanted to fly down with me to the game, and she mentioned you guys had plans over at MoMo’s.”

  I feel like I should be careful here. I’m not sure what he’s getting at. “We do. Is that okay?”

  “Absolutely. Mia’s the biggest baseball fan I know outside the league. I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but if you guys want to fly down with me to San Diego for the series, there’s room on my plane. I’ll have a few of my other friends along, who Mia knows, but also Thomas Luck. Thomas’s trying to convince me to put pressure on George to play Raymond more.”

  I shake my head. Thomas Luck is Jonas Raymond’s agent. “Does that work?”

  “Shit, no. I’ve told him he needs to deal with George, but as strong as Jeremy is playing, I thought he should be there when he breaks the league record. Maybe then he’ll get why Jonas isn’t our star pitcher, despite what he likes to tell me.”

  I smile. It’s a subtle way to get him to back off. “I’ll make sure that works for Mia, but I’d love to be there.”

  Nate offers his hand. “Great. Let me know. We’ll probably take off about one. Bring an overnight bag, and I’ll make sure there are rooms for you and for Mia—separate ones, of course—at the team hotel. The number I called you from is my personal cell. You can text me once you confirm with Mia.”

  Nate and I chat for a few more minutes about the Prospectors and what they’re doing. He seems to think the three players I rep are key to making everything happen. I certainly appreciate his perspective. Once we’re done, I walk out of the owners’ box and make my way out to catch a rideshare home. The entire ride, I debate whether I should text or call Mia. You can’t tell if there’s any emotion in a text.

  Once I get home, I decide I need to call. Mia answers on the first ring.

  “Caroline, I told you, I’m not going to bring it up—”

  “Hi,” I interrupt. “Sorry, I’m definitely not Caroline. This is Axel. Were you expecting a call?”

  She laughs, and it sends a jolt to my cock. “I’m sorry. My friend Caroline wants me to do something, and we just hung up. It’s like her to call back again and needle me. I really am sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. She’s just very persistent.”

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. My sister can be the same way.” I’m pacing in my condo. “Sorry to bother you. But I was at the park during practice today—”

  “I heard Jeremy has been pitching consistently over one hundred and ten. That’s incredible. That would make him a shoo-in for the Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year if he can throw that during a game.”

  “Maybe. I w
ould love that for him. He’s such a good kid.”

  “I’m guessing you want to postpone our date and head down to San Diego for the game.”

  “Well, I thought we might just change the location. How does Tarantula Stadium sound to you? Nate Lancaster has offered us a ride in his private plane.” Something occurs to me. “I know private planes can be scary, so if you prefer a larger plane, I can make reservations on a commercial flight for first class—whatever you’re comfortable with.”

  There’s silence for a moment when I finally take a breath. But when Mia speaks, there’s a smile in her voice.

  “I’m fine traveling with Nate,” she says. “I’ve traveled with him and Lilly before. They’re very generous about that.”

  “Okay. Do you think you might be able to take part of tomorrow and Friday off? There’s another game on Friday. I know Jeremy won’t be playing, but Nate suggested he’d get us rooms at the team’s hotel. We can enjoy the second game and probably time with Jeremy, since the press will overwhelm him.”

  “Sure,” she says. “That would be a lot of fun.”

  “Great. I’ll find out where we need to go, and I can pick you up—if you’re okay giving me your home address.”

  “I don’t mind, but I’ll probably go into the office that morning early. That way I won’t feel quite so bad about taking the afternoon and Friday off, since we’ve just launched.”

  “Of course. I forget that people work in offices here. I work from home with my dog to keep me company.”

  “You have a dog?”

  “Yes, he’s a greyhound rescue.”

  She gasps. “I love greyhounds. What will he do while you’re out of town?”

  “Actually, one of my neighbors enjoys taking him out. SoBe is quite the chick-magnet, and he likes the attention. He’s seventy-five years old and chats up all these younger women.”

  Mia laughs, and it sounds positively sultry. “I think I understand. I hope I get to meet him. What did you say his name was?”

  “His racing name was So Be It, but I call him SoBe. He’s what they call a tuxedo greyhound—all black with a white chest and front paws.”