Page 106 of Red Zone
“Come in!”
Her voice is brisk as always, but when I step inside, Megan is smiling. That alone throws me.
She waves me toward a chair across from her desk. “Shut the door, Lyla. Have a seat.”
I do as I’m told, clutching my notebook like a shield.
“I’ll get right to it,” she says, folding her hands on the desk in front of her. “You’ve been doing excellent work this semester. Not just competent—exceptional. The way you handled Carter’s initial branding review? Clean. Creative. Professional. And Madison’s mentioned more than once how reliable you’ve been at games.”
I blink, startled at the praise, and feel heat rise in my cheeks. “Thank you, Ms. Talbot. That really means a lot.”
She nods once, sharp and decisive.
“Which is why,” she continues. “I think you’re ready for something bigger. I’d like you to take over managing actual NIL deals. Not just strategy. Not just content planning. You’d be the point of contact and lead rep for three athletes we’ve already identified as priorities this year.”
My heart stutters.
“Three?” I echo.
Megan slides a neat little stack of folders across the desk toward me. “You’ll still work under me, of course. But I want you handling everything day-to-day—negotiations, brand approvals, crisis management if needed.”
I glance at the folders, my pulse picking up as I read the names typed on the tabs:
Carter Hayes.Grayson Bennett. Savannah Cole.
My brows draw together at that last one, and Megan seems to read the question on my face before I ask it.
“The third is a gymnast,” she explains. “Savannah Cole. You may have seen the news already—a private video of her was leaked over the weekend. It’s a mess. Her family wants someone who can rebuild her reputation and keep her head above water while we clean it up. I think you’re the perfect fit. Seeing what you’ve been able to accomplish with Hayes has proven that.”
I look back up at her, my throat dry.
“You think…I can handle all that?” I ask quietly.
Her lips twitch, just barely—what might even qualify as a smile in Megan Talbot terms.
“I wouldn’t be offering it to you if I didn’t.”
For a second, all I can do is stare at the folders. My chest is tight, but not in the panicked way it usually is. This is…something else.
Bigger. Scarier.
But also—something that feels a little like pride.
And when I glance back up, Megan’s already watching me, expectant.
“Well?” she prompts. “Can I tell them you’ll take it?”
I swallow hard. Then nod.
“Yes,” I say, steadier than I feel. “I’ll take it.”
The second I step out of Megan’s office, the folders clutched tight to my chest, my legs feel like they’re made of lead.
The hallway is quiet. Too quiet. Like the whole building is waiting to see what I’ll do with this.
I should be thrilled. Excited. Grateful.
And I am. But mostly I feel like I might throw up.
