Page 11 of Sweet Spot

The first NDA was always a simple boilerplate that covered the basics. I gave it a once over, scrawled my signature across the tablet screen, and hit send. If I decided to take the job there would be more specific nondisclosure agreements to sign. Long ones that my lawyer would scrutinize before any work got started.

But first I had to know what the job was. While I waited for Max to call me back, I changed into my pajamas and poured a glass of wine. My apartment was on the other side of the bay in Ybor City. It was expensive but I could afford it and I liked the convenience that came with it. I could leave for a job at a moment’s notice and not worry about a thing. It put me close to everything and I was able to walk my neighborhood or hop on the trolley.

Ah, the life of a busy single professional.

I bet it was worlds apart from sexy beach bum Isaac’s life. He lived on the water, had a new boat, and walked to his favorite restaurant where he, undoubtedly, made sexy eyes at women all the time.

Although he seemed incredibly sincere asking me on a date a month from now.

A month from now…what on earth took him out of town for that long? Like I was one to talk. I went from a birthday party to my apartment, ready to hop a plane to wherever this mystery job took me, for however long it lasted.

But jobs like mine weren’t normal. Something I was reminded of a moment later when my phone rang.

“Kate you’re a lifesaver.”

“While I appreciate the praise, I doubt I’m actually saving anyone’s life.”

“Oh, but you are. If you don’t fix this I’ll have to kill one of my best friends.” He laughed it off but I heard the genuine irritation riding under the surface. “The client is Eli Stirling.”

My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. “What problems is the Stirling Group having?”

“It’s not there. Eli recently bought the St. Pete Mantas. The baseball team. You know them?”

“Rings a bell,” I laughed. “I drove by the stadium on my way home. Seems to have a lot of banners flying around it about some sort of championship they won.”

Max grumbled. “That’s the crux of the problem. Eli loves the team so much he bought them high. He paid a small fortune that is now very much at risk.”

“How so?” Stirling Group was a mega success story. A very specific kind of success built around the personality of the company’s founder, Eli Stirling. Which…could be a problem if he tried to bring that same structure to a baseball team.

“He got ahead of himself. A little too excited. He’s stepped on everyone’s toes, upended the way everything is done, and is basically trying to reinvent the wheel.”

“He’s taking an already successful team and trying to make it more successful using his methods without considering what was working well and didn’t need changing.”

“Exactly.”

“Why do you care, Max?”

I heard some shuffling while he grumbled some more. “They’re my favorite team, Kate. At first I was excited, you know? A friend of mine bought my team! I would have unprecedented access! But if he keeps this up he’s going to ruin them, the city will turn on him, and I will have to kill him. Please say you can help.”

It was no easy task working with professional sports teams. There were a lot of layers and moving parts. But I did it for Max and, quite frankly, I loved a good challenge. “I’ll meet him.”

“Thank god,” Max sighed. “He’s got an open appointment for you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I set my wine down. There was fast and then there was fast. “It’s Saturday.”

“Spring Training starts this week and I’m starting to think everyone is going to strike if something isn’t done immediately. They’re doing press tomorrow at the stadium before leaving for camp. I’ll be there to help make introductions. Meet me at ten?”

I needed to get to bed if I was meeting a new client in the morning. “Ten it is. And Max? If this blows up in my face I’m blaming you.”

“Ah young one, but look at it from another angle. If you fix this, I’ll be eternally grateful.” Having Max owe me a few favors would be nice. “But even better? You’ll have more job options than you ever thought possible.”

Sunshine Stadium was fairly quiet. There was no game and wouldn’t be for another month. Most of the press was concentrated on the field where some of the players and coaches were giving interviews. From the owner’s suite they looked more like action figures than actual people.

“Dr. Kate James,” Max bowed slightly in my direction before holding a handout to the man beside him, “meet Eli Stirling.” Then he waved us all into our seats.

“I’ll get right to the point,” Eli Stirling said. Eli looked just like he did on television. Tall, lean, sharp eyes, and thinning hair. He was dressed nicely, but somehow the suit seemed a bit rumpled even though I couldn’t identify exactly how. “Max has spoken of you often and with high praise, but the real reason I have you here in front of me is that you were already in town. I need help immediately.”

I sat across from him on a low sofa with a coffee table separating me from Max and Eli in matching chairs. “Meaning I’m your second choice?”

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