Page 30 of The Prince and the Puck
“Well, I think the plan has changed.” I walked toward a couple of the arena seats and we sat down without either of us suggesting it.
“Well, if you come up with something better, I think that’s great.” He was smiling his usual wide smile, but there was something in his eyes that worried me. He didn’t look excited about the idea I was about to tell him—or, really, about anything.
“Declan, is everything okay?”
Something shifted across his face, but I couldn’t read it. I only knew there was something on his mind—something he wasn’t telling me.
“Yeah,” Declan said. “It’s great.” He smiled even wider then, but the smile was as false as the jewels in the tiara the Queenwore when she traveled outside the palace. “Tell me your idea, Lizzy.”
“Well, it’s about butts.”
Declan’s smile dropped from his face, then reappeared—more genuine than before. He started laughing, and I realized I didn’t have the same charisma Joey did when she’d first come up with the idea. It didn’t sound the same coming from me at all. It was going to be difficult to sell this idea.
“Did you say the new idea is about butts?” Declan could barely get the words out, he was laughing so hard.
“No—I mean, yes, I did say that, but it isn’t what I meant.” I gathered myself, straightening my shoulders, tensing my spine. I was a woman who could single-handedly take down three guys in a hand-to-hand fight. Why was I having a hard time explaining the idea of a calendar? “Let me try again.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Declan said, still smiling.
“I’m thinking we should do a calendar,” I said, speaking slowly and trying to start with the basics.
“A calendar?” His face was unreadable. I couldn’t tell if he thought this was a great idea or a terrible one.
“Right, but it would be like a ‘Wombat of the Month’ kind of thing—like the ones they do at fire stations.”
“Fire stations?” Declan did not seem familiar with the concept of the of-the-month calendar.
“Right, so sometimes, I guess, firefighters pose in somewhat provocative ways for calendars. Then they sell those calendars to raise money for charitable causes. Or maybe just for the firehouse? I don’t really know.”
“Provocative, you say?” He was grinning now.
“Right. So for the Wombats, we would focus on… well, on your butts.”
Declan burst out laughing again, and I knew I still hadn’t done this great idea justice. I started explaining—loudly, talkingover his laughter—until I finally got the full extent of Joey’s idea out.
“And by the way, this was Joey’s idea,” I added, just in case Declan thought it was a fantastic idea, but also in case he thought it was the worst one he’d ever heard.
“Got it. And would we also be raising money for a charitable cause?”
“Oh yes, I forgot that part. And that’s maybe even the best part.”
“Yes, charity is a good idea.”
“Right, so—we’re going to adopt a wombat.”
The look on Declan’s face told me I had failed again at selling this idea. His smile was bright, his eyes were dancing, and if nothing else, I had at least distracted him from whatever had been bothering him when we first sat down.
“Lizzy, I don’t want to burst your bubble, but I don’t think adopting a wombat is something you can just stroll into PetSmart and do.”
I knew that. Why didn’t I start with that?
“Right, no, I know. But there’s a wombat at an exotic animal rescue in West Virginia. Or Virginia. Or somewhere. And Joey works with animals, right? So she talked to them, and they’ve agreed to let us adopt Wilma the Wombat as the team mascot.”
“Wilma the Wombat. I love it.” And I loved the way he was looking at me. It gave me confidence to continue, and made me feel warm all over.
I went on to explain to Declan the connection between the wombat and the whole butt thing, which I still hadn’t really managed to convey properly. But once I got it all out, he understood—and thought the whole thing was amazing.
“Lizzy, this is brilliant. Pure genius. This is PR gold.”
