"What?"
"A bowl of cereal."
* * *
"Maybe that wasn't sucha good idea," Josie said as we headed downstairs. The hotel connected to the conference center through a sky bridge, which was convenient. I looked at her in concern.
"I mean," Josie clarified, "I hope I didn't take all of your mojo. You need some to spare for the presentation."
I pulled her into a niche and kissed her. "I always have more in reserve."
After doing the sound check, I waited backstage with Josie, Tara, Adrian, and Anke while we watched as people filed into the large hall.
"Ready?" Josie asked as she adjusted my suit. I didn't think I would ever tire of having Josie fuss over me. "You got this!" she said, clapping her hands. "Who's the best? You're the best!"
"What are you doing?" I asked in confusion.
"Hyping you up!" she exclaimed. "You need to have a ton of energy, and you won't eat sugar, which is the best booster there is!"
"Funny," I said. "My brother swears by bulletproof coffee."
"Which brother?"
"Several of them actually," I said. One of the stagehands motioned to me.
I walked out on stage and looked back, just a quick glance. Josie was making a heart sign with her hands. My heart jumped, and it wasn't just from the adrenaline.
My presentation was short. Josie had worked to keep it under ten minutes. Then Owen and Parker joined me onstage, and we did a roundtable discussion about the product with one of the conference hosts. I led it so that I could steer the conversation to the relevant points we were supposed to hit.
That was also Josie's idea. She said it would be more engaging than a forty-five-minute presentation. After taking several audience questions, our hour and fifteen minutes were up. The audience filed out slowly to go to lunch while Owen, Parker, and I went backstage.
"That was fantastic!" Josie crowed, pumping her fist. "The audience was super engaged."
"I'm so glad that's over," Parker said, loosening his tie.
"Please," I snorted. "You enjoyed it."
"I'm just glad you sounded interesting for once and I didn't have to stand up there under one of those vomit-inducing PowerPoints," my younger brother shot back. "I'm going back to the booth. I'm sure people will have questions, and I want to make sure that there are no rumors or misinformation."
"You have a lunch with the hospital heads," Anke reminded me and Owen.
The lunch went well. The hospital administrators put us through the wringer with questions, but Josie's pamphlets, website, and other collateral were helpful in explaining the concepts.
"Stop by our offices anytime to see the labs, or we can send someone out to give a presentation to your people," I said after thanking one president of a large regional healthcare system.
I was never a big people person. Archer was the one who always was gregarious and fun and extroverted, but I felt great today. I knew it had a lot to do with Josie. I couldn't wait to see her.
I saw her from afar as I headed back to the booth with Owen.
"You got lucky with her," Owen said gruffly.
"She's great!" I said. I couldn't help but smile when I thought of her.
"Don't screw it up," he warned.
"Please," I snorted. "As if."
"You should buy her something nice for helping us out," Owen said. "There was no way we would have been able to get another firm on such short notice."
