Parker seemed to notice it, too. “I’m going to screw this up. These people are on a whole different level. Their playground and mine are not the same.”
“It is the same. You’re all after the same clientele, and that clientele has been joining youen masse. Tell that feeling that you’re going to screw this up to go fuck itself. You’re not screwing anything up today.”
“If only it were that easy,” he mumbled. “There’s a reason I haven’t gone after the big boys before. I’m not in their league.”
“Yes, you are.” I considered hitting the emergency stop button. We were getting too close to the ding signaling it was time for us to exit the safety of this box, and Parker was firmly locked in a downward mental spiral.
He was fidgeting again, tugging at his clothes and smoothing them out before reaching up to adjust something else.Fuck.
“Think about it,” I said, making a last-ditch attempt at talking him out of his head. “You kick the big boys’ asses on a tri-weekly basis. I’ve seen you in that workout group with Logan Lewis and Cyrus Coning. Those guys are some of the biggest boys in the city, and they all look up to you. They believe in you so much that they allow you to put them through their paces several times a week.”
“That’s different,” he grumbled. “They’re my friends.”
“So what? They’re under no obligation to come to you. You can’t tell me that you don’t think they believe in your system. Hell, think about who put the two of us together. Nash Harris is a legend who regularly bullies the world’s biggest studios into not only using his clients but giving them what they want. And that’s just for the actors he represents.”
“Nash was born to be one of the biggest fish in every pond he swims in,” he said. “Besides, it’s not like name-dropping is going to get me a deal. Even if it could, I wouldn’t do it. It’s tacky. The fact that they work out at my gym doesn’t mean the system is any good.”
Double fuck.I knew he was right. It was well documented that his brother was connected to those men. From the outside, it might look like they were only there because of that, and while I knew it wasn’t true, that they really believed in him to get them results, it didn’t matter.
Especially not to him in his current state of mind.I needed to do something to stop his head from going around in circles of self-doubt.But what?
Between this morning at our office, the car ride here, and downstairs in the lobby, I’d given him every pep talk I could think of. I’d reiterated every point I thought might make a difference, and yet, here we were.
We were a few stories below the one we were going to, and he was more nervous than ever. Without thinking or second-guessing myself, I pushed up on my toes, grabbed his head, turned it to me, and kissed him.
It was stupid, but it was the only idea I had left to yank him out of that spiral. And it worked.It fucking worked.
As I released his mouth, he blinked rapidly and stared at me, but before he could say anything or even begin to go back to the negativity, the doors slid open. A receptionist was waiting for us on the other side, tablet in hand and a polite smile on her face.
“This way please,” she said as soon as we joined her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Welcome.”
She spun around and strode off at a brisk pace, making me wonder if we were late. A quick glance at my watch told me that I hadn’t miscalculated our timing. We still had a few minutes before we were set to begin.
When we entered the conference room, she made our introductions and took off, leaving me to realize that almost everyone was already there. On the one hand, it was a good thing. It meant Parker wouldn’t have time for his mind to spin out of control again, but on the other, it also meant that the time I had to prepare him was officially up.
“Ms. Atkins,” one of the younger men in the room said as he came up to us. He was attractive in a very typical, corporate way, blond hair neatly styled and jaw shaven clean. “John Campbell. It’s so good to finally meet you in person. I’m told you’ve been taking point for your team and that you’ve been doing an incredible job.”
After he pumped my hand, he let his fingers linger against my palm and his gaze dropped to take me in.Oh, dear Lord, not this again.
Immediately glancing over to make sure Parker wasn’t noticing any of this, my stomach sank when I saw his narrowed eyes glued to the man. He was all-out scowling at him, drinking in everything from his hand still in mine to his gaze dragging over me.
Crap. Why is there always that one guy in a conference room who has to check out any female participant in a meeting?
Of course, I still had to be polite. If I told him off before we got started, I’d ruin Parker’s chances. “It’s nice to meet you, too. This is Parker Holmes. The brains and the brawn behind the operation. He’s a man of many talents.”
Hopefully, talking Parker up would serve the dual purpose of reminding him what was at stake as well as bringing John’s attention to the place it should’ve been. It didn’t work on either score. John shook with Parker, but he was still staring at me while Parker scowled at him.
Balls.
“A man of many talents, huh?” John said, his lips spreading into a lascivious grin. “Some say the same about me.”
As always, I laughed off the comment in a light, definitely not condescending way, and from Parker’s perspective, I could see how it might seem that I was interested in this man. But there was nothing I could do about it now.
“I’m sure you are,” I replied. “Everyone on your board seems to wear many different hats. Your combined knowledge and skills are certainly impressive.”
“We have many impressive qualities,” he agreed, but the subtext was clear. “If you’d like, I could give you a private tour of our humble headquarters as soon as we’re done here.”
I smiled. “Let’s see how time treats us today. We’re very busy and I’m sure you are as well.”