Keep Coming Back To Love. Christa Maurice
She picked up her drink again. The job would be nice. She’d had to miss a lot of Tyler’s gigs because of work. It would look really good on her college applications. Too bad she was totally unqualified for it. Either Joe was jerking her chain or he wanted an underage horizontal assistant. No, he’d never shown himself to be the type. When they chatted at the store, he was talking to her about his firm and marketing stuff. He had claimed he wanted the viewpoint of a younger person. Market analysis, he called it.
Joe leaned to look her over. “Not necessarily.”
“You remember I’m still underage, right?”
“I’ve lived with that reality for a while now and if you were working for me I couldn’t even flirt with you anymore, but I think having you on staff would make up for it.” He shifted his stance against the bar. “I’ve been watching you build this campaign and it’s inspired. For a total amateur, you have a gift for public relations.”
Inspired? All she’d done was give the guys a cohesive image so their name was on the lips of every girl in a hundred-mile radius. She’d put together a couple of posters with the help of the art teacher at school and she’d rallied friends to make sure those posters went up in logical high traffic areas. Did that constitute a marketing campaign? “But all I did was change the way they looked and put up a few fliers.”
“You did more than that.” He pointed to the stage. “You put together a look for the band that makes them very identifiable. You gave them a brand. I know they’re a bunch of high school kids and they look like pros. And not just that. I’ve heard people talking about them. Not only kids, adults.”
“I didn’t do that.”
“You designed the posters advertising their gigs. You got them hung up in a timely fashion at the right places. You’ve written up the press releases that get them talked about.” He poked her shoulder. “You have made the right connections to get them even more good press. Everybody knows where Touchstone is playing on any given weekend even if they don’t frequent these kinds of clubs.”
Press releases. She’d forgotten about those. “You told me to write press releases. You had to teach me how.”
“I suggested it, but that doesn’t mean you’d actually do it. You’ve got drive. Come work for me and we can point your drive in a useful direction instead of leaving it to sell shirts at the mall.”
Candy chewed her lips. Once or twice, she’d asked Joe questions instead of just listening to what he told her about marketing. That’s how she figured out how to do most of what she’d done for the band. It seemed like the natural thing to do. If she was working for him, she’d see him more often to ask more questions. “Will you help me work on a bigger, better campaign for the band?”
He shook his head, chuckling. “And you think I’m offering you this job because you’re cute. Of course we’ll work on a bigger campaign for the band. What do you say?”
“Are you kidding? Yeah. When do I start?”
“Why don’t we wait until school’s out? You have to give notice at your job.”
Candy threw her arms around his neck. “This is awesome.”
“See, now I’m getting the squealing and jumping up and down.”
Candy pushed away from him. “Oh shut up.”
“Is that any way to talk to your new boss?”
“Was that any way to handle your new employee?”
“I was not handling. I was hugging.”
She shoved his shoulder. “Whatever. I gotta go tell my boyfriend the news.”
“I think he’s busy.”
“I know where to wait until he’s available.” Candy grabbed her Pepsi and headed for the side of the stage. Joe didn’t blow smoke. If he said working for him would be better money than at the store, it would be. Even the same money for less time would be fantastic. Office hours. She wouldn’t have to miss anymore of Tyler’s gigs, which meant she could keep all those other girls away from him. And if Joe was going to help her build a real campaign it would be good for the band. A real professional campaign would get them known outside her hundred-mile radius and make it a lot easier for Mr. Dale to get them a record contract.
The last set wound down, or rather up, as planned and the lights went out. The crowd went nuts, screaming for more. Tyler grabbed her as he came off stage. “How were we?”
“Awesome.” She wrapped her arms around him. He was sweaty and hot. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Joe offered me a job in his office.”
“Joe who?”
“Joe Goldman. From the ad agency. He’s got a gig for you guys too.”
Jason grabbed his arm. “Come on. Encore.”
Tyler jerked away from Jason. “Fuck off, man. I’m busy.”
“Yeah, busy playing a gig.” Jason grabbed for him again.
This time Tyler took a swing at him, but Jason ducked.
“You need to get your ass back on stage or you are so done,” Jason shouted.
“Hey, cut it out.” Brian stepped between them. “Come on, Tyler. It’s three songs and then you can suck face with Candy all you want.”
Tyler didn’t look at him. His gaze was firmly fixed on Candy’s. “Don’t take it.”
“Are you nuts? It’s a real job. He’s going to help me build a real campaign for you guys. He can make you really famous.”
“I don’t want you working for him.”
“Real campaign?” Jason crowded Brian into them. “Like real advertising?”
“Yes. Yes, he said it would be my special project.”
“He just wants to fuck you.” Tyler clenched his fists.
Candy folded her arms. “Well, he’s going about it all wrong. If I’m working for him, he can’t do anything inappropriate or I can sue, and he knows I’m underage anyway. You need to finish the show.”
“Candy.” He reached for her again, but let his hands drop. “I love you.”
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