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“Thank you so much for listening to my presentation today. I’ve got some great ideas and I’m so excited to share them with you. I’d like to start by suggesting that we broaden the scope of charities, because I think we’ve been far too limited up until now.” She flicks a sly glance in my direction and instantly returns her attention to the men.
I settle back in my seat, my smile remaining fixed on my face. Okay then. I had expected Amanda to start with an attack on my campaign, and she didn’t disappoint.
“Like what?” Coach Hartley says, leaning forward, his gaze fixed on Amanda.
She smiles at him as if he’s the most fascinating man on earth. “I have started a list, but haven’t reached out to anyone, because of course I wanted to ensure that it was the direction the Rovers organization wants to go in. I wouldn’t want to force anything down anyone’s throat.”
She flashes a friendly smile in Mason’s direction, and my heart sinks.
Maybe he’s complained to other people about the costumes I’ve selected for him. Maybe Amanda heard about it and is using this to snatch the campaign away from me.
“Here’s a preliminary list, though.” Amanda reaches down and picks up stapled sheets of paper from a stack in front of her.
She hands them out to Mason, Cecelia, Mr. Talman, and Coach Hartley.
Really, Amanda?
Mason flicks a glance at his and then looks up at Amanda. “Looks like you forgot to give one to Rowan.”
Is he trying to rub it in, or is he actually trying to help me? His face is blank now, and I can’t get a read on him at all. I’d hate to play poker with him.
“Oh dear, I’m all out of them.” Amanda’s smile broadens.
“I’ll share mine with her,” Cecelia says. Amanda’s smile fades a little bit. Cecelia gestures at me to sit next to her, and I move into the chair to her right.
I lean down and quickly start skimming over her plan. Reading over the list, something immediately jumps out at me.
She wants Mason to work with a bunch of small local charities. The thing is, Amanda’s mother serves on the boards of all of them—something Amanda never stops bragging about. What she never mentions, though, is that several have been accused of fraud and at least two are currently undergoing financial audits.
If Mason were to work with these charities and basically endorse them by promoting their cause, and then the audits end up uncovering proof of fraud, this will turn a public relations coup into a public relations disaster.
However, now is not the time to bring it up. I can’t undercut Amanda in front of the Rovers team without also undercutting Queensby Publicity, and I feel a surge of frustration. Cecelia has spent her whole life building up her good name, and Amanda’s going to risk dragging it down in the mud—and taking Mason with her.
Amanda continues, her tone excited. “Working with these charities will earn Mason goodwill with the local community, who are the most passionate fans and most consistent attendees at the games. I’ll be right by his side to make sure that everything goes smoothly.”
“I love it,” Coach Hartley says to Amanda’s boobs. Could his smile get any goofier?
“Thank you sooo much, I’m really excited to have the Rovers on board with it.” she trills, flipping her hair.
Argh. How can Cecelia not see this?
I speak up. “Mason’s brand goes far beyond local, though. He’s an international hit, and also, local buyers aren’t the biggest purchasers of his merchandise.”
“She’s right, you know,” Mr. Talman nods, looking down at the list with a frown. “Merchandising is a significant part of our bottom line.” Thank heavens, because he’s the one who signs everyone’s paychecks, including Coach Hartley’s.
Amanda blinks a couple of times, her smile twitching a little, then keeps talking. “In addition to working with these local charities, generous donations will be given in Mason’s name to these specific charities, because this will help to cement his reputation, and the team’s, as philanthropists. These are such good causes and I’m so excited that he’ll be associating his name with theirs.”
“Well, of course, it will be the Rovers who make the ultimate decision as to which direction they’d like to go,” Cecelia says. Whew. Glad she was throwing on the brakes before Amanda went ahead and signed the contracts herself, and gave herself a raise while she was at it. Amanda sure could railroad a meeting.
“Very nice, Amanda. I can see that you’ve put a lot of work into this, which we appreciate. Now I’d like to hear from Rowan,” Cecelia says.
I stand up and brush my hands on my skirt. “I would like us to be involved in other charities outside of hospitals, while staying true to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Branching out too much and having Mason work with a bunch of very different charities runs the risk of making it look as if Mason is doing all this just for the publicity.”
“Because he is,” Paul Hartley says, then throws his head back and brays with laughter at his own wit.
Amanda joins him with a tinkling laugh, as if he just said the funniest thing she’s ever heard.
“That may be the case,” I say calmly, “but it shouldn’t be obvious to anyone beyond this room. The public does not take kindly to good gestures made for selfish reasons. We are just now starting to repair Mason’s reputation, and it wouldn’t take much to make it go back the other way. We don’t want to make it look as if he’s just doing this to benefit his reputation.”
