Chapter 23
Jennie
I was pulling my cell phone from my pocket before I even fully considered the entirety of my plan. It rang only twice before Teddy answered. "Jennie! How's my favourite badass lawyer turned up and coming NFL executive?" Teddy's cheery voice called out from the other end and I smiled as I leaned back in my seat.
"Teddy, it's been a while. Still the most influential sports agent in California?"
"You flatter me."
"Only when I want something."
"Ah, I should have known. Speak your wish, sweetheart. I just might
grant it."
"I know you've got your hands full with some big-name athletes and I
know that you typically only do NBA players exclusively but..."
"Spit it out, honey."
"How would you feel about spreading your reach to the NFL market?" There was a pause on the other end before he asked, "Who needs me?" "Lisa Manoban."
Another pause.
"I don't know, Jennie," he finally answered with some hesitancy. "I heard
she fired her last agent out of the blue and she's on the outs with her PR manager-"
"That was my fault."
Another pause, this time I was sure it was more from shock than anything else.
"You?" He asked after a moment. "How was it your fault?"
"It's a long story. I'd be happy to tell you when you agree to meet with us."
"Jennie-"
"You owe me, Teddy. I don't usually do work in criminal court but I defended one of your clients just last year, remember?"
"Of course I do. And you're cashing in this favour? For Lisa Manoban?"
I bit my lip. What was that in his tone? Suspicion? "I need my assistant's energy focused on much more important tasks than fielding phone calls from GQ magazine," I lied, hoping it was convincing enough. It must have been because Teddy started laughing on the other end of the line.
"Alright," he said finally. "I'll meet with Manoban. But you're coming with. I haven't seen you since the trial and you're not getting out of reconnecting that easily."
"Excellent. Thank you so much, Teddy. You're a life saver."
"Yeah. Maybe someday we can stop trading favours and just be normal friends like regular people, yeah?"
I laughed, "I'd like that." With that, we said our goodbyes and hung up and I spent the rest of the afternoon hard at work feeling like I'd accomplished at least one important task today. Though, as I waved goodbye to Jimin for the evening and made my way to my car, it dawned on me that I hadn't told Lisa about her potential new agent. Also, there was the fact that I wasn't entirely within my rights to make the call and request I'd made. Though it wasn't like I forged a contract between them. I'd simply arranged a meeting. Still, I needed to tell her as soon as possible. So I pulled my phone from my bag as I tossed it into the passenger's seat and pulled out of the parking lot. Lisa answered a few seconds later.
"Kim, I think of you and you call. Are you reading my mind?" She asked from the other end in greeting and I couldn't help the warmth that spread to my cheeks or the smile that split my lips at the sound of her voice. It had been less than twelve hours since I'd awoken next to her in my bed but it seemed like an eternity apart already.
"You were thinking of me?" I asked before I could help it and then said a silent curse for how much I sounded like an obsessive pre-pubescent.
"Always. Would you like to know what I was thinking?"
My cheeks blazed again as I thought back to the previous phone conversation I'd had with Lisa and how the mere mention of her shower thoughts had ruined an entire date for me. I wasn't so certain I was prepared for her to elaborate more than that so I cleared my throat a little too loudly and answered, "Actually, I had something to talk to you about, Lisa."
"Okay, what's up?" she sounded wary.
"My office has been fielding requests from non-sports related magazines requesting interviews with you. As you know, those would normally be forwarded to your agent but, as you don't currently have one-"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Jennie. I didn't realize they were bombarding you guys too."
"No apologies necessary, Lisa. But still, we need to find you a new agent before Jimin loses his mind and quits on me."
"I've been looking but it's hard to determine who would be a good fit when all any of them want to do is kiss my ass so they can have my name on their roster."
"Well, I know someone."
Lisa hesitated, "You do? So help me God, Kim, if you tell me Mino's been looking to break into the sports market-"
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me at that.
"You think I'd put both of our careers at risk like that?" I asked with a snort and I heard a low chuckle on the other end that reverberated in my rib cage in a way that was best left un-investigated. "No. It's a friend from college. He's already a big name in the industry. Maybe you know him? Teddy Park?"
"Teddy Park?" she spit in shock. "You're friends with Teddy Park?"
"You know him?"
"Of course I do! Some of the guys he represents are big time. But, Jennie,
he's exclusively basketball."
"He may be willing to make an exception."
Only silence greeted me from the other end of the phone. "Lisa?" I asked
into the receiver. "Will you meet with him?"
"Of course, Kim," she answered after a moment. "I mean, what kind of
person would I be if I didn't after you went through all that trouble?"
It wasn't the eager, grateful response that I had been hoping for but it would have to do. For now, I was pulling up to the curb of my favourite Thai food place to pick up some take out for the busy night of work I had
ahead of me.
"You're going to love him, Lisa. I promise," I swore. "I've got to go but
I'll talk to you soon, okay?"
"Sure thing, Kim. Have a good night."
I wished Lisa the same and hung up the call, leaping from my car and
running inside to pick up the order I'd placed that I was already late for. I
