Page 50 of Wild Love
“I don’t. I told you it was fine, but it looks like you went up to the eleventh floor.” I point to his laptop.
“Yeah, I got really bored. You need a TV.”
I don’t point out the obvious that he could have stayed in his apartment instead of schlepping his laptop back down here. I’m glad to see him.
“Let me help. I can grab whatever you need.”
“You’ve done enough. It was easier taking Charli in and out only going up and down the one flight of stairs.” He stands and grabs his crutches. “We’ll get out of your hair. Hand me that.”
He juts his chin to the laptop.
“How are you going to carry it?”
“Stick it in the back of my jeans.”
“Mav, this is stupid. Just hang out here.” I resist reminding him that it’s technically his place since he paid for it.
“Really? You don’t mind?”
“No. I think I’d like the company. I’m not used to living alone. I’m starving, though.”
I go to the kitchen and look for something to eat. We bought so much food the other night, but I don’t feel like cooking. I grab mini rice cakes and take the bag to the living room.
“You really need a TV,” he says.
“I could show you my plan for your endorsement?”
“I read over your email. It looked good.”
“Well, today, I expanded all of it to give it more Maverick personality.” I pull it up on my laptop, and I talk him through it while we devour the bag of rice cakes.
“I was thinking it would be cool if they named one of the scents after you.”
“I don’t think they’re looking to redo anything.”
“Then one of the scents they’ve already named. You could be Starry Night.”
He chuckles. I go to my purse and bring out a few of the samples. I hold the one in question under his nose.
“Uh-uh,” he says. “That one burns my nose.”
“Okay, what about this one?” I uncap another deodorant and let him sniff.
“I like that one.” He inhales a second time.
“It’s my favorite too.”
“Yeah. What’s it called?”
“Hailstone.”
“That one, but I can’t ask them to rename it. That’d cost money, and they’ve already given me enough.”
“No problem. It was just an idea, but let’s use this scent in all the pictures. It will create a believable and cohesive campaign. Johnny Maverick wears Hailstone.”
“Done. Now can we talk about the TV situation? Specifically, the lack of one in your apartment. I found a steal online. It can be here in an hour.”
“I can’t afford a TV. Besides, this is nice.”
