“You don’t —”
“Kean, just let me do my job. I’ve gotten everything you wanted done and I think we both know it was more than you would’ve asked for if I hadn’t brought up the other job.”
I shut my mouth, jaw tightening. If I was going to be better at whatever the hell I was trying to do, then admitting I was the problem would be a good step.
“You’re right. It was an immature reaction. I’m sorry.”
Kodi’s back straightened and she stared at me with wide eyes. I knew I should expand on the apology, maybe explain that I was hurt by her planning to leave me, that I wanted to go along with her social plans even if it made me cringe, that I liked being around her. But I think she knew all of that. At least to some level.
So I didn’t say anything else.
“Is there anything else you need for the socials?” I asked instead. Kodi blinked at me for a good few seconds before looking down at her phone.
“Well, I guess you could sum up all my notes by remembering to smile.” She looked over her shoulder towards the entrance where folks were buying tickets. “Preorder tickets passed 200 last night, but do you think it’s worth posting one more time?”
“200?” I repeated, jaw dropping.
“Yeah, the manager for Whip Snap told me it broke their records. But one more post might push any holdouts.” She chewed at her lip and I just stared at her in awe. I’d seen all the posts she’d done over the week for this cup, but I hadn’t realized it translated into so many ticket sales.
And she’d done that on top of running all the errands I could think of.
“I could do another video or something.”
“Really?” She gaped at me and I cringed. I was such an asshole, my own employee was shocked when I cooperated with her.
“Yeah. It’s for the kids.” I shrugged.
“Yeah. For sure, um …” She paused looking around the field before waving at someone over my shoulder. “Brooker, get back over here!”
“Does it have to be with him?” I groaned.
“There’re only two professionals per team, it makes sense to make the video with him.”
“He’s annoying.”
“Who is?” Brooker asked as he crashed into me, an arm going around my shoulder.
“You,” I said just as Kodi said, “Nobody.”
“Aw, stop pretending like you don’t love me,” he said, shaking my body.
“I wanna make a story to promo the event. So act like you like each other as friends and not siblings who like picking on each other.”
“Aw, she knows us so well already,” Brooker crooned.
“Will you get off me?”
“No, this is good.” Kodi pulled out her phone from a pocket under the skirt ruffles. “Stay like that and just say somethingalong the lines of you're playing this charity cup today, you can buy tickets at the door, proceeds go to the kids. Got it?”
“Roger that.” Brooker saluted and Kodi held up a thumb, presumably to signal that she was recording.
“Hey guys, if you’re in the Destin area, you should come out and see Kean and me play sand soccer with the kids at Whip Snap. Think our team is gonna win the cup?”
“Of course we will. And …” My jaw worked as I tried to think of how to phrase everything. “And you can still get tickets at the door.”
“And you know if Kean is saying that many words in a row, it’s gotta be for a good cause.” Brooker shook me again and I rolled my eyes.
“All the proceeds go to the kids, to cover coaches, refs, travel, their equipment, stuff like that,” I told the camera.
