“I don’t know how much you’ve heard about Ilias’ situation,” Jamie began.
“Some of it.”
Mentirosa.
“After punching Steven,” Ilias started, “I lost the event, the points, and I got suspended for two events.”
Sofia nodded. And for just a moment, when his face darkened, she actually felt a bit sorry for him. If he’d really punched the guy because of what he said about her... well, she was too proud to thank him, but part of her respected him.
“TerraVive’s board didn’t like it,” Jamie continued. “They considered dropping him, which would’ve been horrible for his image, for his future, and for his career.”
“We’ve got a proposal for you. A deal.” Ilias sighed. “I know thatte caigo como el culo, and I don’t even know why.” The brief change to Spanish nearly made her chuckle, because it was so fucking accurate that he annoyed the shit out of her, and just that specific expression in Spanish could describe it. Truth be told, the only reason she couldn’t stand him was that he was too charming for his own good. Better push him away and continue her man hating era. “But I think this might benefit both of us.”
“How?”
What could possibly benefit them both? Even though their element was the ocean, their worlds were completely different. He was an athlete and she was a scientist. Totally different worlds.
“He needs his reputation restored. You need funds for Salacia. Am I wrong?” Jamie said, tone sharp.
“I need a sponsor who believes in me,” Sofia snapped.
“Perfect,” Jamie replied, unfazed. “So, here’s the offer.”
She handed Sofia a folded sheet of paper.
“We give you this amount as a start, plus bonuses in the contract. We sponsor you and Salacia. In exchange, all you have to do is fake a PR relationship with Ilias.”
Sofia blinked. “Fake PR relationship?”
“Yeah. Celebs do it all the time. We’re not that famous, but with our social media reach in the ocean and surf communities, we could do a lot of good for our causes and our careers,” Ilias explained.
“That sounds… weird,” Sofia muttered, still staring at the paper.
“Open it,” Jamie urged.
She unfolded it. Her heart stuttered.€200,000.
She hadneverseen that many zeroes after a 2 in her life.
“You could rent a new boat. Open offices. Hire people. Whatever you need,” Ilias said, voice softer now. “I know it’s not ideal. But it’s money for your project. And a reset for my name.”
“But why me?” she asked, suddenly feeling too small for this conversation. “What do I have that could fix your reputation?”
“You’re a great marine biologist. But more than that, you’re a good person with an amazing social reach and it could help restore Ilias’ image with TerraVive and other sponsors,” Jamie said. “Anyway, TerraVive was already considering sponsoring you.”
Sofia had to fight the scowl tugging at her face. This goddamn woman had spent the entire weekend suggesting the opposite.
“What does TerraVive earn from it?” Sofia asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.
“A PR couple that would wear their clothes, represent them at events, participate in conferences, have a good social media presence and will attract the right gossip,” Jamie explained. “You’ve got a clean image. People respect you. You’ve collaborated with divers, photographers, researchers. You’re solid. And we need someone solid beside Ilias to prove he’s grounded.”
“What can I say? I’m a little rebel,” Ilias added, grinning.
Sofia rolled her eyes.
“Downside is, you’d have to deal with him,” Jamie said.
“Hey. Have you seen me?” Ilias protested. “I’m gorgeous. Smart. Fantastic—”
