Clarissa and the Cowboy: An opposites-attract romance by Alix Nichols

Author:Alix Nichols [Nichols, Alix]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-07-05T16:00:00+00:00

3

Lucas

“Here.” Isabelle hands me a manila folder.

I glance at Leanne and Eric, both of whom have been singing Isabelle’s praises nonstop for the last couple of weeks.

They shrug as if to say they have no clue what’s inside.

I open the folder and pull out a stapled printout. “What is this?”

“Just some ideas I jotted down last night.” Isabelle smiles. “I don’t plan to work for you guys, but I want you to have this and share it with whomever you end up hiring to be your publicist.”

Leanne takes the document from me and leafs through it slowly. I skim the subheadings. Where to look for corporate sponsors… Who might be interested and how to get them to a yes… Ideas for commercials… How to use the Easyfundraising app… Tips on attracting celebrity backers…

I cock my head and stare into Isabelle’s big brown eyes. “So, you wrote this last night, just like that, even though you don’t want to work for the club?”

“Yeah, well… I do care about water polo.” She shifts nervously and points to the document. “It’s not a big deal. Just some ideas to get you started.”

I survey her.

Isabelle had been a good friend of mine, I’m told, but we were on the outs when I was attacked.

Is that why she’s so generous with her expertise? Does she feel guilty for something? Has she realized in retrospect that whatever it was I’d said or done to cause our falling out was insignificant?

I must find a way to ask her.

“Thank you for this,” Leanne says to her. “We do get some funding from the city of Paris and some from the Swimming Federation. But it’s far from enough.”

Isabelle nods.

“The good news is our men’s team won silver at the Pro A championships last season,” I say. “Surely that’s something you—or whoever we end up hiring—can use, right?”

“Absolutely.” Isabelle’s eyes light up, and she stops fidgeting. “That victory can be tapped in so many ways! Promoting the club is one avenue, promoting the sport to make it easier to attract talent and sponsorship is another. And it shouldn’t be difficult to land contracts for all kinds of commercials—anything from deodorants to beer to car insurance.”

I arch an eyebrow. “You think you could do that?”

“Of course,” she says. “Any publicist with a half-decent address book can.”

Leanne and I exchange meaningful looks.

“Martin had a hard time,” Eric says.

Isabelle furrows her brow. “But that was before you won the medal, wasn’t it?”

I’m sure she knows Martin got fired and why, but she doesn’t hit the man while he’s down.

Well done.

Everything about Isabelle is incredibly reassuring. She could approach you with the craziest investment scheme, and you’d still give her your money because your gut tells you she won’t con you.

It must be something about the way she isn’t trying to mystify her work or to suggest we’re doomed without her magic touch. Her winsome smile helps, too. Add to it her fruity voice and easy manner, her friendly face and even her trim, athletic figure, and you have someone you want to down a beer with as soon as business is done.

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