Shattered Ice

Charming her

*Caleb*

I stroll into her small office fresh from the shower, trying to ignore that my heart racing a little faster than usual. I can’t help it; I’m excited about this meeting. Not just because of the community event we’re planning, but because I get to see Ginnie again. The way she’d looked at me earlier, cheeks flushed and that playful huff escaping her lips… it’s enough to make a guy feel like he’s got a winning hand and I really like winning.

As I push the door open, I’m greeted by the sight of her sitting at the desk, surrounded by a flurry of papers, her brow furrowed in concentration. She’s got her dark hair pulled back into a messy bun, black rimmed glasses resting on her nose… something about her says; class… and still I can’t help but think she looks like a sexy librarian… intelligent, captivating, and just a little bit mischievous. She is as different as she could get from most of the women I hang around… maybe that is what I like.

“Hey, Ginnie,” I say, sauntering in with my usual swagger… I mean there is no reason to give away my feelings, right? “I hope you’ve been saving some of those brilliant ideas for me.”

She looks up, her expression shifting from focused to playful in an instant. “Well, I was hoping you’d come in with a few ideas of your own, Mr. Mackinnon.” She raises an eyebrow, a challenge hanging in the air.

“Touché,” I reply, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, trying to appear nonchalant while my heart races. “But let’s be honest, I’m mostly here for the charm, not the ideas.”

“Right,” she smirks, the corners of her lips curving up. “Because that’s what our community needs… the patented Caleb Mackinnon charm. I’m sure the sponsors will just throw money at us if you flash that smile or check some kids into a sand dune.”

I step closer, closing the distance between us. “Oh, come on. You know it works.” I flash her my most disarming grin, the one that usually gets me out of tight spots. “Besides, I’m not just a pretty face. I have some solid ideas, too.”

“Solid ideas?” She laughs, shaking her head. “I’m intrigued. Do share.”

“Alright,” I say, taking a seat across from her, enjoying the way her eyes light up with curiosity. “Picture this: a beach volleyball tournament, as I mentioned earlier. We get the fans involved, throw in some local businesses for sponsorship, and maybe even a celebrity match, some guys from the team against local celebrities, to draw more attention.”

Her eyes widen with excitement. “That could work! We could partner with local shops for prizes and get some media coverage…. At least local, maybe statewide.”

“Exactly,” I say, leaning in a little closer, my tone turning playful. “And just imagine me, shirtless, diving for the ball. That’s bound to attract some sponsors.. or women. I’ll even let you play on my team.”

She rolls her eyes, but I can see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “Sure, if you can keep the ball from hitting you in the face.”

“Hey now,” I say, feigning offense. “I’ll have you know I’m a top athlete. I’ve been known to take a dive or two.”

“Right,” she replies, crossing her arms, feigning skepticism. “And with dive you mean throwing yourself down to get a penalty, right.”

“Very funny… I am not a soccer player… in hockey we don‘t cry.” I can’t help but chuckle, enjoying this back-and-forth banter. “But seriously, I think we could do something great together. The fans would love it. And you’d get to bask in my glow.”

“Your glow?” She raises an eyebrow, her expression a mix of disbelief and amusement. “You do realize you’re not the main attraction here, right?”

“Come on,” I say, leaning back in my chair, confidence radiating from me. “Of course I am… I’m practically a walking highlight reel.”

“More like a walking ego,” she shoots back, but I can see the laughter dancing in her eyes. “But you might have a point about the event. It could be really fun.”

“See? I knew you’d come around.” I lean forward, locking my gaze onto hers. “Plus, I’d be doing it with you. That’s definitely a win-win.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Mackinnon,” she retorts, but there’s a softness in her tone that tells me she’s enjoying this as much as I am.

“Maybe it’ll get me somewhere.” I wink, enjoying the way her cheeks flush again. “We’ll just have to see how this plays out.”

“Alright, Mr. Charm,” she says, scribbling down notes. “Let’s get serious for a moment. We need to figure out the logistics for this tournament. When would it happen? How would we promote it?”

“Easy,” I reply, my mind racing with possibilities. “We could do it in a month, give us enough time to promote it properly and it would be right before the start of the season. Social media blitz, local radio spots, maybe even a feature in the local paper. We’ll make a big deal out of it.”

She nods, her focus shifting back to the task at hand. “That could work. And if we can get a few local influencers involved, we’ll definitely reach a wider audience.”

“Influencers?” I lean back, crossing my arms again. “Are you telling me I need to share the spotlight?”

She chuckles, shaking her head. “Only if you want to reach the younger crowd. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to highlight your good side. You are bringing Butterscotch right?”

“Is he my only good side? I’m hurt.” I feign a dramatic gasp, pressing a hand to my chest. “I thought all of me was good.”

“Modesty is clearly not one of your strengths.” She shoots me a teasing look. “Alright, let’s get to work. I’ll draft a proposal and we can go over it together later. Maybe I’ll even let you charm me into approving it.”

“Charm you? I thought you were already charmed.” I wink again, fueling the playful banter between us.

“Keep dreaming, Mackinnon. But I might just let you have this one.” She smirks, and I can’t help but feel a rush of excitement at the thought of working with her… I might even behave… for a bit.

As we dive into the details, I realise I actually want to know stuff about her… where she is from, her favorite pizza…does she sleep naked, you know the essentials.