Page 114 of Payoff Pitch
Reagan then turns to the other woman. She’s unusually tall, but otherwise very much resembles Reagan. “This is our cousin, Jade.”
Jade is holding a can of something. It looks like it has the wordpussyon it, but I must be mistaken.
Jade smiles in a mischievous manner that reminds me of Kam. “Nice to meet you, Bailey Hart. I met your teammate Ripley last year. I heard she gave birth prematurely. I hope she’s doing well.”
I nod. “Thank you. She and the baby seem to be headed in the right direction.”
She notices my line of sight and smirks. “Yes, it’s Pussy Juice. It’s a natural energy drink.” She winks, “I don’t prefer the bitter taste of coffee in the mornings, I like the sweetness of a good Pussy Juice.”
Reagan rolls her eyes. “She drinks it just to get a rise out of people. Ignore her. It tastes like shit.” She shoos the back of her hand at Jade. “Get your Pussy Juice out of my office. I’ll talk to you two later.”
The three of them giggle as Skylar and Jade walk out.
Reagan shakes her head. “Honestly, I think she does it to make all the men in this office uncomfortable. She’s a bit of a button-pusher. She totally gets off on ruffling feathers.”
“She’d probably get along with my sister.”
“Ha. No doubt.” She motions toward one of the sofas. “Please sit.” I do. “Can I have Sheila get you something? Food, drink? Anything but Pussy Juice.”
I smile nervously. “No, I’m good.”
I think she notices my nerves. “Don’t worry, Bailey, this meeting has absolutely nothing to do with your contract with the Anacondas. It’s a side project, and I think you’re the right person for the job.”
I breathe an audible sigh of relief. “Phew. I’ve been on edge since you asked to see me.”
She scrunches her face. “Sorry. I should have said something. Sometimes I forget that people are scared of me.”
“I’m not scared of you, per se, more the power you wield.”
The corners of her mouth raise in amusement. “Touché. Point taken. Anyway, I don’t want to waste your time. Let’s get right to it. Have you been watching college basketball this season? I know you were a great player at one point. I think you even have a few state records in Florida.”
I nod. “I’ve absolutely been watching. What’s happening with women’s basketball right now is very exciting.”
It’s getting more attention than it ever has in the past. There’s a specific player, Sulley O’Shea, who is breaking records and garnering attention never seen before in the sport. Attendance and viewership have been way up over years past. Her jersey is a best seller.
She nods. “I agree. What I’m about to tell you is confidential for the time being. Can I trust that it will stay between the two of us?”
“Of course.”
“The Anacondas have honestly exceeded my expectations. Ihad a few tricks up my sleeve to get things kickstarted, but you ladies won over this town with your grit, great play, and heart. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is for me to be a part of shining a light on women’s sports. Giving you all the opportunity to play professionally for a living is worth every bit of time I have to spend on this.” She smiles. “I’m just lucky that I work with my husband and my son goes to daycare in the building or I’d never see them.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Honestly, I don’t know how you do it all.”
She deadpans, “I don’t get much sleep.”
I let out a laugh. “I bet.”
“I don’t want to stop at softball. I want to bring women’s professional basketball to Philly. I think the timing is ripe. If we move things along quickly and become an expansion team this year, guess who has the first pick in the draft?”
I nod my head up and down in realization. “You’d get Sulley O’Shea.”
She wiggles her eyebrows up and down. “Bingo. The draft is coming up. I’m willing to push this new team along a year earlier than I had planned just to get her. The problem is that Sulley comes from a small town. If we weren’t involved, the first pick was going to a much smaller town than Philly. I’m worried about her willingness to come to a bigger city. I see you as the heart and soul of the Anacondas. You’re probably my favorite player to watch. You’re unassuming. You’re not flashy. You put your head down and give every ounce of yourself to your team. You don’t do it for the glory. I can’t even get you to consider endorsement deals. You’ve got a…small-town heart. From my research into Sulley’s background, it seems like you two are a lot alike. I think you’d be a great liaison for Sulley, both as an Anaconda and a former basketball player. You have common ground. I’m willing to pay you for your time. We can call you a consultant.”
It's not lost on me that Tanner said something similar to meabout being the heart and soul of the team months ago. It’s a really nice feather in my cap.
I take a moment to consider her words and her request. “Wow. I’m flattered by the compliment, but I don’t think I’d feel comfortable taking money for that. What if Sulley found out I was being paid to spend time with her? I’d feel terrible. Why don’t you just tell me when she’s in town, and I’ll reach out to her? It’s more organic that way. I can introduce her to a ton of people and help her feel at home. I don’t need to be paid to do it. It’s the right thing to do.”
She stands and holds out her hand for me to shake, which I do. “You’re a good cat, Bailey Hart. I won’t soon forget this.”