He smiled sheepishly. “That’s how desperate I am. What is it you do?”
“Reiki practitioners guide the body’s natural healing energy toward the places where it is needed to relieve pain and stress.”
“Healing energy, uh huh,” the man said. “I’ve read that many athletes have used it to great success and that Ms. Pomerantz is top level.”
“True on both counts, but like I said, she’s not here.”
He eyed me up and down. “What about you? Are you a Reiki person? Er…specialist?”
“Not quite.”
“But you can do a session?”
“I could,” I said. “But I’m still training.”
“How long have you been training?”
“A few months.”
“What about yoga and meditation?” he said. “Do you do stuff like that?”
“I do both,” I said with a small smile. “Have been for years. But again, sir, I’m really just the receptionist—”
“Awfully pretty, though. Maybe too pretty,” the man muttered to himself, eyeing me up and down.
I stiffened and crossed my arms over the bodice of my flowered sundress. “Excuse me?”
He gave his head a shake. “I’m sorry, just thinking out loud about you and your potential client. I’m Jason Lemieux. Sports agent.”
He offered his hand. I took it warily.
“Daisy Watson.”
“Pleased to meet you, Daisy. I apologize for the strange interrogation. Let me get right to it: I represent tennis star, Sikai Solomon. Ever heard of him?”
“I don’t really follow sports.”
“He’s a professional. Ranked number forty-four in the world.”
“Okay…” I said with a helpless shrug.
Jason chuckled. “It might work better, actually, that you aren’t dazzled by him.”
My hackles went up again, even as my eye caught glint of the gold Rolex on Jason’s tanned wrist and the expensive cut of his polo shirt and pants. The man reeked of money, and it sounded—if I read in between the lines—like he was interviewing me for a job I hadn’t applied for but might actually want.
My potential client?
“I don’t dazzle easily,” I said. “And what, exactly, might work better?”
The man carved a hand through his hair. “I’ll be straight with you Miss Watson. I’m running out of ideas about what to do with Kai. He has the potential to be a Grand Slam champion ten times over. Aside from a mild elbow strain a year ago, he’s in top physical condition. But his head…?” He tapped his temple. “He’s a mess. I don’t know how to help him.”
“He’s a mess, how?”
“Hot tempered on the court. Once something sets him off, it’s game over. I need to calm him down mentally before he implodes altogether. Wait, let me show you what I mean.” Jason leaned over the desk and angled his cellphone—the latest iPhone model—to show me the screen. “Actions speak louder than words.”
He went to the YouTube app and pulled up a video called Sikai Solomon: Highlights and Lowlights
“The first half of this video is Kai at his best,” Jason said. “Having fun. Happy. The second half…” He shook his head. “You’ll see for yourself.”