Page 30 of Catalyst

“Let me know if you need anything else,” Taylor says, before walking back to the galley.

Picking up the carafe, I pour some coffee into Ellie’s cup and then pour some into my own. Ellie grabs a plate and dishes up a couple of pastries for both of us.

“How long have you been drawing?” I ask. I’ve never seen anyone lose themselves the way Ellie did while she was sketching. It was incredible. It was as if she was in a totally different world from me, a place of her own creation I’d never be able to experience.

“Since I could hold a crayon.” She takes a sip of her coffee. “I obviously had zero talent then, but I loved every moment of putting color to paper. It was the only time I felt sure of myself. I didn’t have to worry about what anyone else thought because I wasn’t doing it for anyone but myself. I still feel that way, even though my techniques have improved.”

“Have you had formal training?”

A haunted look passes across Ellie’s face and is gone just as fast. “I’ve had some training, but never finished the courses.”

Every instinct is telling me not to ask her why, even though the part of me that’s starting to care for her is dying to know the answer. “Well, you are incredibly talented, and I am grateful you showed us what you can do. It’s going to change the future of the company for the better.”

“Wow, that’s incredibly high praise. Thank you.”

“I only say it because I mean it.”

“I know. It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”

Pleased by her assessment of me, I can’t help the smile that breaks across my face. We finish our breakfast, talking about nothing in particular. Inconsequential topics like our predictions for the Raptors’ season and our favorite take-out foods. More than anything, I find myself caught up in Ellie’s enthusiasm for the world. Even when we’re talking about pizza toppings, her zest for life shines through every word. It’s contagious. When the pilot lets us know we’re going to begin our descent into New Orleans, I realize my cheeks hurt from smiling the whole flight.

As we taxi to the hangar, nerves start to build. I can’t let this deal fall through. It’s going to open several doors for Sidelines, allowing us to move into the higher end of sports. I want our company to be known as the end all be all for sporting goods. Whether you’re just learning the sport, or you get paid millions, I want our company to be the first thought in people’s minds. This partnership is the first step in that direction. I just pray to God I don’t fuck it up somehow.

* * *

Laughter rings through the private dining room as Ellie continues to charm Leon, John, and Maverick. They’re the upper echelons of the New Orleans Jaguars, and Ellie has them eating out of the palm of her hand.

She’s been incredible since we landed in New Orleans. Every detail was meticulously planned, and the minute we met Leon, she made it known she wasn’t simply my secretary. She was an asset.

Anytime they had a question or wanted to discuss the final wording of a paragraph, she was ready with the answers. I’ve had to rely on my unwavering control to not grab her and kiss her multiple times throughout the day.

After hours of back-and-forth, we got the contracts signed and our partnership solidified. They invited us out to dinner afterward to celebrate. These dinners are usually filled with more talk of business. With Ellie here, it’s been a lot more entertaining.

“So then I tell him, ‘They had to ban the use of skates as weapons because there were too many deaths on the ice. Can you imagine how hard it is to clean puddles of blood off the rink?’ He looked a little green after that comment,” Ellie says, her eyes bright with humor. The guys are laughing, wiping tears from their eyes. Her story about a first date gone wrong when they went to a sports bar, despite the guy being the furthest thing from a sports fan, has had these men in stitches.

“Please tell me you didn’t go out with him again,” Leon says.

“Of course, not. The moment he said he didn’t think sophisticated women should be seen in a sports bar, I was out. I just thought I should get my money’s worth for getting all dolled up.” Ellie winks.

“Ellie, dear, you are one of a kind. You better hold on to this one with both hands,” John says to me with a knowing gleam in his eyes that says he knows we’re more than boss and secretary.

To be fair, we haven’t been trying to hide it. We’ve kept things strictly professional, but it’s not easy to hold back my affection for her. I’m sure I’ve done an abysmal job of it.

Looking at Ellie, I nod my head in response to John’s advice. Her cheeks are flushed from the laughter, and her blue eyes hold a world of warmth as she looks back at me. I have no idea how I thought I could resist this woman.

“Did you make plans to explore the city tomorrow?” Leon asks.

I raise my eyebrow at Ellie, who planned most of the trip. Lust flashes in her eyes before she masks it. If I were anyone else, I wouldn’t have been able to interpret that heated look, but I know exactly what she wants. I haven’t stopped wanting the exact same thing since she first stepped foot in my office.

“I figured we’d do a walking tour around the cathedral and the French Quarter. Maybe stop at Café du Monde for beignets. I didn’t want to schedule anything in case you gentlemen wanted us to see the stadium in the morning.”

“Brilliant idea. Let’s get that set up for the morning, and then you guys can do your thing afterward,” Maverick suggests. He stayed mostly quiet throughout our meeting, and even during dinner, he deferred to Leon and John for conversation. I can’t tell if he’s holding back due to his age being closer to mine than theirs or if there’s more to the dynamic than meets the eye.

“You’ve been to the stadium already, Adam, haven’t you?” John asks. Maverick deflates a little at his question.

“It’s been a few years since I was last there. You’ve made some updates since then, I’ve heard.”

Maverick describes the changes he’s implemented since he joined the team, and now his lack of input makes sense. His job is to ensure the stadium is running efficiently and profitably. An undertaking, to be fair; however, it’s not the same as running the organization, as Leon and John do. If he doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder, I would be surprised.

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