Now You See Me, Now You Don't!

CELESTE

A few days have passed since that horrible encounter with Jace Makenzie.

I solely focus on my work, getting caught up with all the outstanding projects that were left to me to pick up the pieces on.

I walk into work that Tuesday. John White has gathered my design team and me in the conference room.

Tiffany fills me in a bit, explaining that John always gets stressed out when the company is approached by a big-time client.

This must be one of them.

“All right, team, we have just been approached by Hugo Boss.” John says, making our mouths drop.

Wow. Hugo Boss is big-time all right.

“Hugo Boss has created a whole new collection of products. They have been working with a different advertising firm; however, they weren’t seeing eye or getting along that well. So, they came to us.” John concludes.

“That’s great.”

“Yes, except we are on a major time crunch here. They have a number of products they expect advertising on and the biggest concern is they want us to create and launch a commercial in time to be aired during the Super Bowl.”

“Th-that’s only in a few months,” Travis chimes in.

“Oh, believe me. I know.” John rubs his face in stress.

“They have also chosen a new face for the collection. He’ll represent the company’s products and brand name. So, Celeste, you’ll be working alongside him.”

Knowing that was part of my job description, I agree. “Okay.”

“Who is it?” Travis asks with excitement.

“He’s the hottest NFL player for the Los Angeles Chargers,” John answers casually as he’s worked with numerous people on the celebrity platform, so John isn’t phased at all. Purely business-focused.

“He has an incredibly busy schedule with sports sponsorships along with his demanding training and games. So, Celeste, you’ll be busy trying to fit it all to work around his schedule.”

“Don’t worry, John. I’ll make it work,” I reply confidently, trying not to be phased by the celebrity status of this guy. I want John to see me as professional and poised as he is.

“Oh, here he is now.” John looks out the all-glass conference room toward the reception desk and waves him in.

My body starts to panic as my back is facing the conference room door and I still have no idea who this guy is.

Not that it matters, Celeste. You clearly don’t watch football to know anyone at all on any kind of sports team.

That should make working with them a lot easier since you won’t see them as a celebrity. Right?

I keep telling myself that, yet, I still start to feel more and more nervous.

I take a huge sip of my coffee to calm my nerves before I plan to get out of my seat and professionally shake this big-time person’s hand.

“Oh, he’s even hotter in person.” Tiffany’s eyes bulge wide as she gets the first look.

Okay, Celeste. Put your big girl pants on. Time to be professional. You can do this.

“No Way. This guy is my first pick in my fantasy draft. Holy shit,” Travis spouts getting me to start panicking even more.

Who is this big shot?

Before I can turn around to see, Tiffany starts speaking again.

“It’s…it’s Jace Makenzie.”

What.

My own eyes bulge wide as my throat closes in on me and I accidentally swallow down a huge gulp of coffee.

Choke. Spit. Cough. Die.

Yup. Like a broken water fountain, the coffee goes down my windpipe, instinctively causing me to choke as it sprays out of my mouth…everywhere.

“Oh my God. Celeste. Are you okay?” Everyone looks at me horrified and grossed out as I begin to hack out my lungs and pound my chest.

I’m such an idiot.

“Celeste?” I hear Jace’s voice behind me.

Oh God. I can’t stay there any longer and take the mortification.

I stand up, trying to avoid eye contact with Jace and everyone in the room for that matter as I just book it for the door.

Bam.

Ouch. ~Oh my God.~ ~Kill me now. Kill me now.~ ~Where is the lightning bolt strike when I need it.~

I did not just slam my face straight into the glass wall missing the actual door.

Yes, yes, I did.

Stupid all-glass conference room. Why did they make them like this? It’s not very practical when you’re having a private conference.

Damn, my weak eyeballs. Seriously. I curse the gods.

Moments after I smudge my self-portrait onto the glass wall, I still hear crickets.

I think everyone is trying not to burst out laughing, but I am seriously too embarrassed to look.

I book it out of there and head to the kitchenette down the hall, trying not to cry in the process.

I focus too heavily, trying to scrub off the coffee stain from my white blouse, when I hear his voice behind me again.

“Celeste, are you okay?”

I clear my throat so he can’t hear the tears stuck there.

“I’m fine,” I say, still scrubbing my blouse, completely making it worse in the process.

The stain is still there and now a giant section of my white blouse is soaked and practically see-through.

“Let me look at you. You hit your head pretty hard. You could have a concussion,” Jace says.

I try to ignore him, but he takes my hand and turns my body around to face him. Cupping my cheeks with his hands, he stares right into my eyes.

I can’t keep them focused. I’m so nervous. I’m trying to look everywhere else except at him.

“Do I make you nervous?” Jace asks me straight out.

Yes!

“N-no,” I whisper with a crackly voice.

“Then why won’t you look at me?” he questions.

Okay, suck it up, Celeste.

I tilt my head up and look straight into his eyes that are already locked on mine.

“Okay, now do I look blurry?” Test for a concussion.

“No.”

You look gorgeous in fact.

“Do you have a headache?”

“I guess a little, but my face hurts more.”

His lips twitch into one of his sexy smirky grins that make my knees buckle a little, but he catches me in his grasp.

“Do you feel dizzy or sick?”

I shake my head because for a moment I don’t trust my voice.

“How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three,” I whisper again in a raspy voice.

He sighs, still looking at me, but his eyes have changed from examining me like a doctor to just looking at me.

“Well, Celeste Miller…you seem to always make quite an entrance around me, huh?”

Oh God. I can feel the butterflies bubbling up in my stomach.