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A buzz rings from the phone in the room. “Annie, the clients are here,” Elise from reception says through the intercom.
She smiles at me, straightening her dress. “I’ll be back.”
I say nothing as she walks out of the room. I could compliment her on a job well done thus far, but right now, it’s her plump ass in her tight pencil skirt I’d like to compliment.
Damn it. She needs to go back to work under Teddy, pronto.
I stare at the New York skyline, hands in my pockets, while I wait. You got this. You’re Lorenzo Mancini. The best in this biz.
“Mr. Mancini,” Annie interrupts my mental pep talk, the one I do before every pitch.
I straighten my tie and turn around. I make sure to make eye contact with each of them and give them a big, toothy smile with my newly whitened teeth. Holding my hand, I break the distance. “Nice to see you all again.”
We all shake hands and say our hellos and Billy from the art department joins us before they each find a spot at the table.
“Miss Stewart will be assisting me today, so if you need anything, she’ll be happy to help.” I approach the head of the table as our owner, Mr. Jacobson, pulls out a chair for Annie and she smiles, sitting down.
“I can’t wait to hear what you have for us, Enzo.” Mr. Peterson, the President of Coddle, says.
I nod. This is the first time I’ve been nervous in years.
“First of all, we decided to go a more comedic than heartfelt route. We focused more on dads and the ease…” Once I start the spiel I’ve practiced for the past week, the tension lifts off my shoulders and I’m in the zone. I run my hands over one another, confident in the campaign I put together.
I don’t even have to motion for Miss Stewart to turn off the lights. She must have read my proposal and knew just when to do it.
As I lean against the ledge along the window, watching the short film Billy in creative put together, I’m feeling good. It’s funny and every dad will love it. The last line comes on along the bottom of the screen over an image of a sleeping father and an infant wearing only a diaper… Fatherproof.
The lights slowly come to life so that no one has to blink and see stars. Good thought on Miss Stewart’s part.
Mr. Jacobson gives me a thumbs-up, but I turn my attention to Bill Peterson. He’s the decision-maker.
“Well, it was okay… do you have anything else?” he asks, his attention going to the woman across from him.
I glance at Billy to my right. “We had a few other ideas, but none as great as this one.”
Mr. Peterson’s silence tells me I didn’t hit this out of the park.
“Give us a few days to think it over.” He grabs the binder from the table.
Mr. Jacobson widens his eyes because we both know that if Mr. Peterson leaves, he’ll end up somewhere else.
“Mr. Peterson”—I slide the chair out next to him and take a seat—“clearly you don’t love it.”
He leans back in his seat, steepling his fingers in front of him. “We usually prefer to go the more emotional route, tug at the heartstrings.”
“Isn’t that what all diaper companies do? With something like this, you’ll stand out.” I glance at the woman who was introduced as his daughter earlier. I noticed Mr. Peterson glancing over to her while the video was rolling, gauging her reaction so she must have some say.
“Blair, right?” I ask.
She nods.
Inching my hand up the table, I grab my pen and search for something to write on.
“Here you go.” A pad of paper slides across the table.
I thank Miss Stewart with a nod. She doesn’t smile.
“Give me five words,” I say to Blair.
