Page 11 of Soft
I winced. The company was nothing but horrible with their beliefs. They attacked queer players and tried to get laws passed to make it harder for everyone.
Paxton snapped his fingers. "That face right there is exactly the one I made when I found out. I mean, my agent knows I'm gay, and he still tried to put me with those homophobic bastards." He shook his head. "Forgive my language. Anyway, I fired him on the spot when I found out, then went about contacting my lawyer to get me out of our agreement. The minute I was free, I knew I wanted to work with you. Had I met you first, I would have tried sooner, but life is life, you know?"
"Yeah, I do know. And I'm glad you're not working with CenterGain. You being gay doesn't cause any problems here. We're very open about our support of queer athletes."
"I know," he said excitedly. "It's part of how I found you. I like to keep my finger on the pulse of things. I never want to be in the wrong or assume anyone's gender or orientation. By the way, what are your pronouns? Your website insinuated it was he/him, but I need to be sure."
I blushed, because it was refreshing to have someone be so proactive with me. I had been circling the sports agent world for so long. I was used to the misogyny and homophobia. Breaking the mold and working with queer athletes, helping them come out and navigate these waters, was always a test.
"I do go by he/him," I replied, after getting myself pulled together. "And yours?"
He beamed, somehow smiling even wider. "He/him as well. Please, continue on. I think I might have interrupted you."
"You didn't interrupt me. I'm mostly getting a feel for you right now. Knowing your reason for wanting to come with me is good. Not good that it happened, but good to know where you stand. And no, I haven't seen the video. I try to stay off social media unless I have to. My team—specifically Cheyenne—is in charge of all of that. She's got a great eye for cinematography. Her videos are next level."
Paxton leaned closer to the camera. "She's the one behind all the video promos? Please tell her I love her because, whew, I could spend hours watching those on repeat. They're inspiring, even for sports I don't play."
I chuckled at that, because Cheyenne leaned into the room and raised her hands as if pumping them up. She gave a silent cheer before disappearing.
"No need to tell her," I said. "She heard. I tend to keep my door open around here in case anyone needs me. So don't say anything you don't want others to hear."
I had no doubt Moseley was perched outside the door out of sight, listening to everything going on. He was curious about Paxton, yes, but he also wanted to know how to do this job. He would be a great candidate to take over if I ever decided to quit or step back.
A thought came to me then. If something was wrong with my vision, something worse than needing glasses, he might have to step up sooner. I might have to overhaul my entire business structure. The thought made me shiver.
Paxton's smile dimmed. "Are you okay?"
I tried to sit up straighter and present myself more professionally. "Yes, sorry about that. Just a passing thought."
His eyes locked on mine and even through a computer screen, I could see how strong of an effect he would have on me. This man was giving Daddy energy. I was helpless to do anything against it.
If he became a client, which I strongly believed he would at this point, I was going to have my hands full. I’d never navigated working with someone I was attracted to, much less someone I wanted to be submissive to. I would definitely have to get in touch with Kenneth and Royce, since they had a dynamic that matched this.
"Enough about me," I said. "What are your goals? I took a look at your stats and watched the videos you sent. You have real talent. I'll admit I don't have a lot of baseball players on my roster, but I'm always open to bringing on more, especially queer players who need proper representation."
Paxton leaned one elbow on the table where he sat, placing his chin in his hand. Those dimples appeared again, and I had to tap my toes to prevent myself from visibly shimmying on camera.
"I want to go pro, obviously. I've had coaches talk to me and other teams kind of hint since they can't outright say they want me. But I also want to be an advocate for people. I want to volunteer when I can and work with kids, because they're awesome. I don't want my life to revolve around my job. I also don't want people to forget that I'm a queer athlete in this league."
"You speak as if you've already been signed on," I pointed out. "That's pretty bold of you."
If I didn't know any better, I would say his eyes twinkled at my comment. "I have had more than one coach privately tell me thatthey're gunning for me in the draft. I don't know if they'll be able to make it happen, but one can wish."
"Well, that makes this a bit difficult, because I'm not quite sure the person I want you to work with will be able to match the incentives and salary options you’ve been told."
He tilted his head. "If you mean Royce Bellport, then I would take pennies on the dollar to work with them. They're an icon. And if I could be a part of Bellport, I would have no issue with making less."
There was no holding back the way my jaw dropped that time.
"I know it sounds completely ludicrous. Most people think I'm delusional for saying such a thing to someone who's expected to try and help me make a lot of money. But I believe honesty is the best policy. At the end of the day, I just want to be in Bellport. Whatever that takes."
I could not have been happier with the conversation we were having. Paxton was everything I looked for in a potential client. He was almost too good to be true.
"Do you have any hidden secrets? Is there something I need to know?" I asked. "Because this is a bit too on the nose in a too-good-to-be-true kind of way."
Paxton dimmed his smile some, but I could tell it wasn't because he was upset. He was focused, determined. I had seen him look like that when he stood to bat. When he spoke, I listened to every word and watched his expression closely.
"You’re taking a risk with me, and I appreciate you even carving out time for this call. What I will say is that I firmly believe in this sport and in your company, and I wouldn’t lie or try topretend to be someone I’m not to get into your good graces. When we meet in person, you’ll see how true that is. You’re welcome to get references from other people if that’s something you need."
