"If I could give you an update, I would, Frank," Cassandra muttered to the computer screen as she read her boss's email. "It would be so much easier if either golden boy Brett Hunter or your good friend Dan would get back to me."

It had been two days since her meeting with Brett. After a rocky start, she’d been confident they’d finished on a good note. Now, Cassandra was wondering if she'd been played and he'd only appeared open to improving his image in an attempt to placate her.

She got up from her desk and walked out of her office. "Melika, have you got Dan Jones’s number? He’s Brett Hunter’s agent."

Her assistant glanced up from her computer screen. "His details should be listed in Brett’s client file. Have you checked there?"

Way to look like a rookie.

"Sorry. I didn't think.” She rolled her eyes, making Melika laugh. "Have you heard from any of our TV contacts about show ideas we could present to Brett?"

She waited as Melika looked through some papers before turning her attention to the computer screen. "Nothing that seems like a good possibility so far. Well…there is this one thing. But I'm not sure it's something that Brett would go for."

"What is it? If it's good for his image, he’ll do it, since he’ll have no choice."

Cassandra had checked in with Frank after her meeting with Brett. Only then did she learn that his agent, Dan, had promised that anything presented to him and Brett would be agreed to, no matter what Brett thought of the idea.

"Well it's more like a charity event where athletes work with kids from the Build Your Dream Foundation to build gardens or playgrounds at their schools. It's a limited reality series, four weeks, and the viewers vote on which team did the best job."

“That sounds perfect.” Excitement filled Cassandra and she couldn’t understand Melika's declaration it wouldn't interest Brett. He said he enjoyed working with kids and it sounded like only basic construction skills would be needed, so nothing too stressful. "What's your hesitation?"

"They've already booked two athletes and only need one more."

"Okay, still seems like a great way to change Brett's image."

"You might not think so when I tell you who else has already signed to do the show."

Melika had never been one to dance around in her explanations. Suddenly, Cassandra’s glow of excitement dimmed.

"Fine, lay it on me. Who are the athletes?"

"Mitch Osborn and Drake Roberts."

Like a pin popping a balloon, Melika's words burst Cassandra’s bubble of enthusiasm. "Shit."

"Exactly."

Cassandra knew all about the scandal surrounding Brett and Mitch Osborn, and Mitch’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, Julia Ashland. Hell, the whole civilized world knew. It probably didn't make a lick of difference that Mitch and Julia were now happily engaged. Mitch still probably resented Brett for being the cause of the break-up between the aquatic world's “Golden Couple” months before the Olympics. And now they really were golden, with both of them winning Gold medals in Rio. In fact, Mitch and Brett had competed in more than one event, with Mitch winning most of them.

On the flipside, this could be a ratings goldmine for the network. Mitch and Brett competing against each other. But what if the rivalry brought out Brett’s bad side? The fact he hadn't bothered to get in touch with her smacked of immaturity. At the age of twenty-five, and as someone who’d competed in world championships and Olympic Games, he should be more reliable and mature.

When she was twenty-five, she'd already gone through a divorce and was finishing up her degree while working her butt off to keep her college costs low. If that didn't make someone grow up quickly, she had no idea what would. Of course, she could've taken Michael for a considerable amount of money in the divorce. But she hadn't. All she'd asked for was enough to buy a decent house so she had a roof over her head when she went back to college, and some money set aside in an emergency fund. A fund she hadn't touched, but was there if she ever needed it.

However, thinking about her past wouldn't solve her present problem.

Cassandra tapped her finger against her lips and let the idea fester for a few moments. "I know it's going to be awkward, but this is the only reasonable show that's popped up on the radar. I say we present it to him. Do you know if the networks are paying for the athletes to participate? If so, I’m going to suggest Brett donate his money to his favorite charity."

"Do you think he'll go for it?"

“He won’t have a choice. I was going to run ideas past Brett first, but I’ll approach Dan and present all the benefits of doing this show.” Confident she was making the right decision, she nodded. “Melika, please call Dan and ask him to come over here for a meeting as soon as possible. Also, contact the network exec you spoke to and tell them we have their third and final athlete. When you say who it is, I think they’re going to jump on it like a starving man on a stack of hot pancakes.”

---

The last time she walked into the conference room to meet Brett Hunter, she’d been angry and annoyed at being put into an uncomfortable situation. This time, anticipation fired through her bloodstream. The network had been super excited when Melika contacted them about Brett being interested in the show. A little white lie, but a necessary one. They’d told her they wanted to hold off announcing who the third participant was until shooting started, so they could capture the reactions of Mitch, Drake and Brett when he walked onto the set the first day.

Their request made Cassandra uncomfortable. She didn’t want to blindside any of them. She tried hard to get them to reconsider, but the executives dug their heels in. If worse came to worst, she would take it up with Frank, although her gut was telling her that even with her boss’s support, the network wouldn’t budge.

Part of her now wished she hadn’t committed Brett, but it wasn’t like any contracts had been signed, since that’s what today’s meeting was all about. Once she had Brett’s agreement, she and Dan, and if needed, Frank, could negotiate the finer points of the deal.

“Good morning, everyone.”

Cassandra walked into the room, her step faltering when she saw Brett standing by the window. He wore a tight fitting black t-shirt, the fabric clinging to his wide shoulders and bulging biceps. He’d teamed it with black jeans that sat low on his hips. His dark hair was slicked back, completing the bad boy image he was well known for.

Geez, she needed to get a grip. The guy was six years younger than her. She’d done the relationship with an athlete before, and it was a road she had no plan to venture down ever again. Besides her past, Brett was a client. She never got involved with clients. The only reasonable explanation for her reaction to him was that it had been a while since she’d been out with a man. Maybe she would take Melika up on her offer to arrange that blind date.

Now definitely wasn’t the time to be thinking about blind dates or sexy, hot swimmers. She had a job to do. One she was damn good at.

She sat at the table and let several seconds tick by as they waited for Brett to join them. “Do you plan to stare out that window for the whole meeting or are you going to be civilized and sit down with the rest of us?”

Oh crap. What the heck possessed her to say that?

A snort of laughter pulled her attention to her left where Brett’s agent, Dan, sat. “I don’t think anyone at Powerz ever had the guts to talk to Brett like that. I’m impressed, Ms. Fielder.”

“And here I thought you supported me, Dan.” Brett paced around the conference table and pulled out the chair next to hers. “You know, that fifteen percent I pay you.”

A delicious shiver trickled down her spine. She expected him to take the seat next to Dan.

Oh boy, she was in serious trouble.

“You know I’ve got your back, Brett. It’s just nice to see someone take you down a peg or two.”

Brett’s forearm muscle tensed, his hand closing in a fist quickly before opening again.

Interesting. Was there an issue between Brett and his agent? If there was, that could be a problem. A problem she didn’t want any part of.

“Why don’t we get down to what we’re here for?” Cassandra mentally crossed her fingers the change of subject worked and she wouldn’t get caught up in an argument between the two men.

“Sure,” Brett said. “The sooner we get this sorted out, the sooner we can all move on.”

His voice was controlled and steady, but he was angry, and she had no idea why. Had she been so lost in thought she hadn’t noticed the tension when she walked into the room? Quite possible. It wouldn’t be the first time she hadn’t been aware of emotions swirling around her. If she had been, she might have picked up on the sexual vibe between her ex-husband and her former best friend.

What was wrong with her today? Her thoughts going off on tangents in all directions, except in the way her mind needed to go. She was never this flighty when it came to meetings, and this wasn’t the one to start being that way. Whatever was going on between Brett and Dan was their issue. It had nothing to do with her. All she had to do was get Brett to agree to do this show and then look at other opportunities to improve his image.

“Right, well the reason we’re here today is to present to you, Brett, a unique opportunity for you to be front and center with the public in a manner that will improve your image.”

“I can’t wait to hear it after that introduction.”

Cassandra didn’t need a sarcasm sign held up to know he wasn’t being sincere. She bit down on her tongue to hold back the angry retort from erupting out of her. Brett was bristlier than a porcupine today.

Please God, give me the strength to last the next few weeks.