Page 17 of Bad Love

Sounds great, I say. Pick yourbattles.

My concession is a glass from a bottle of ten-dollarmerlot.

I make the jump to Closer work, deciding to scope out the competition for what I’ve started thinking of as Hunter'sRocket.

I don’t know much about the industry, but I’m quickly sucked into its fascinating history. With the exception of a few women who helped advance the industry, most adult product companies are run by men. Whichmeans…

Big penis, bigger penis, biggestpenis.

Okay. Single women know what gets them off. And though I’ve never tried, I’m guessing shoving a tree trunk up your wahoo does not do the trick.I snort and drink morewine.

This is why Daisy started Closer—to bring a female perspective to relationship and intimacy products. That’s what attracted me to it in the first place. Women’s views are underrepresented, in business and the world in general, and I love the idea of helping the world become more inclusive andunderstanding.

Closer deals with everything from dating apps to emotional support animals to lingerie. Still, I don’t have personal experience with the product. But I’ll take Daisy’s advice and treat it like any otherproduct.

Though it might take two glasses of wine to properly research thisone.

My fingers dance over the keyboard as I type in phrases that come to me. Some obvious, somenot.

I learn sex toys have been around for thousands of years. I’d figured there would've been more of a liberation lately. But in fact, in the 1800s and 1900s, people were less inhibited. You can see sex toys advertised in theNew York Times, for goodness’sake.

Okay, they're marketed as health products or maritalaids.

Maybe they would’ve saved my marriage. I stifle a snort. Notlikely.

Within an hour, the wine is almost gone. But my ideas are flowing, and not only do I have ten open tabs on my computer, but I've nearly filled the page with doodles and words and lines andquestions.

Selling a product is different than selling an idea or an app. It's predicated on one important thing—the Rocket II. I can put together the best campaign, but if the product doesn't help sell itself, we're shouting into avoid.

A text comes in from Rena as I write down “HOW GOOD IS THEVIBE???”

Rena:I know you’re probably working rightnow.

Istartto type a protest but delete it, realizing she’sright.

Rena:Here’s some candy tohelp.

Iclick the Instagram link,which takes me to the business account for Hunter’s Cross. It’s not clear what I’m looking at as I scan the grid of bright images full of young, attractive people and beer until Irealize…

In half the photos is a grinning LoganHunter.

Logan Hunter. Hunter’sCross.

It can’t be coincidence. Even I’ve heard of the company. They’re a growing microbrewery with smart marketing and, apparently, greatproducts.

It’s his family’scompany?

Not that itmatters.

I shake my head, typingback.

Kendall:I preferwine.

Rena:Too bad. Beer's lookingfine.

To prove her wrong,I click through a few more pictures. Then hop over to his personalfeed.

Whoa.

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