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“Can you hire a photographer on such short notice?” asked Elaine worriedly.

“No, I’ve done enough photography in the past for other social media accounts.

I do want you to brainstorm some ideas for a tagline and mission statement for your company, though.

I’ll email you some examples of ones that I think are particularly good.

I’ll write it for you, but you know your product better than anyone else.

If you can come up with a few phrases for me that capture the essence, I’ll be able to massage and refine it.

Try to work in something about that all-day aspect we mentioned before.

How you can do most any activity in Motion Mates. ”

“From your morning workout to the end-of-day kind of thing?” Carol asked.

“Yes. I want customers to see your clothing not merely as workout wear but something that can be worn during everyday activities. Pushing a cart at Target. Picking up library books. Do either of you volunteer at your kids’ schools?”

“I do,” Carol said.

“Would you wear what you have on now when you do your volunteer activities?”

Carol smiled sheepishly. “I do all the time. I don’t take time to dress up to go to school, but I never want to appear like a slob in T-shirt and shorts.”

“That’s what I like about your athleisurewear. It’s not only good for workouts, but it can take you to different places throughout the day. Even volunteering at school. I’d love to get a shot of a group of kids around you and you reading to them.”

Kelby typed up a quick list on her cell of different activities she wanted to photograph tomorrow and the types of people she’d like to use during the shoot wearing Elaine and Carol’s clothing, sending it to the two partners.

“I know this is fast,” she said, “but I really want to hit this quickly. Can you have people in Motion Mates clothing in some of these situations?”

“I guarantee we can do all of this,” Elaine said. “We’ll drop anything else we have going on and focus on this all day and go from there. Would you be interested in trying some of our clothing?”

“It’s exactly what I would wear,” Kelby said enthusiastically. “I also think the pieces are classic. Timeless. That any age woman could wear them and feel comfortable in them.”

“Let me go grab a couple of things for you,” Carol said.

Kelby tried on what Carol brought back. Everything fit perfectly.

“I can get behind any product and find some good in it,” she told the pair. “Wearing this now makes me a true believer, though. I know you’ve been concentrating on women’s wear and have a few items for men, but have you ever thought about expanding into a children’s line?”

The two entrepreneurs looked at one another, slightly startled.

“No. The thought of children never entered our minds,” Elaine admitted. “But I like it. I don’t know of anyone else doing it. It would be a great new market to open up.”

“I like it, too,” Carol said. “Between us, we have five children of varying ages. We can have some samples pulled together and outfit our kids. Not by tomorrow. But soon.”

“No rush on that,” Kelby assured the two.

“It’s just an idea. Right now, I want to focus on our Motion Mates campaign, taking you from sunrise to sunset.

” She smiled. “Your company is going to take off. And when it does, you need to be ready. Not just in manufacturing your current lines but thinking about adding to those lines, as well as incorporating more clothing for men and possibly including children.”

They arranged a time and place to meet tomorrow morning and a quick list of activities Kelby would capture through pictures.

When it came time to leave, she said, “I’ll have the contracts drawn up and sent to you to sign electronically.”

She was grateful Sawyer had agreed to work with her. He had designed a basic template for her contract and could include all her services or an a la carte rendering of them. His prices were quite reasonable, and she was glad to be partnering with him for her new business venture.

Carol hugged her enthusiastically, and Elaine did the same, with Elaine saying, “You really get us. That means everything in the world to us, Kelby. We’re so happy to be working with you.”

She returned their smiles. “And I’m very happy to be able to help brand you and get the word out about your clothing line.”

She took time to change back into her own clothing and practically floated from the building, returning to West’s truck. He saw her coming and got out, meeting her and giving her a kiss.

“How did it go? You were in there longer than you anticipated.”

“It couldn’t have gone better, West. Let’s head to the bistro.”

On the way to her next potential client’s restaurant, Kelby recapped her meeting with Carol and Elaine and some of the ideas they had talked about. They also discussed the different places she intended to photograph them and their friends tomorrow.

“You said they also do menswear?”

“Some. It’s a small part of their current operation. Just a few items, but I’m hoping if Motion Mates catches on, they’ll expand to offering more for men and even children.”

“If you’re looking for models tomorrow, I’d be happy to put something on and pose for you.”

Her jaw dropped. “You would do that for them? West, you still endorse products for millions of dollars. Watches. Liquor. Cars. There’s no way they could pay you much of anything.”

“You believe in them and their product—and I believe in you, Kelby.” Their gazes met. “I’m happy to appear in a few shots. Besides, you’re wanting to raise their profile, aren’t you? What better way than having a Super Bowl champion appear in a few Instagram photos?”

She squealed as he pulled up to a stoplight, grabbing his nape and pulling him to her for a quick, hard kiss.

“This is fantastic. Let me call so they’ll have something in your size ready tomorrow.”

Kelby quickly made the call, saying, “I have a proposition for you.”

“We’ve got you on speakerphone,” Carol said. “What’s going on, Kelby?”

“I have a friend who is happy to appear in some of tomorrow’s pictures, wearing your athleisurewear.” She glanced at West. “He’s very photogenic.”

“Send us his measurements. We’ll be able to outfit him,” Elaine said.

She turned to West and looking at him, said, “He’s six-two. One hundred and eighty pounds.”

He nodded, quickly spouting his measurements, and she passed those along, realizing that his casual knowledge of size meant that he had worked with a tailor, which was why he had always looked so good in the pictures she had come across of him on social media.

“That sounds great,” Carol said. “We look forward to seeing you both tomorrow.”

“Bye,” Kelby said, ending the call.

“I notice you didn’t tell them who your friend was,” West said.

“I decided it would be better as a surprise. I don’t want word leaking out.

While these two housewives are serious about their business, I’m afraid they’d spill the beans to their families, and it would mushroom.

I want the photographs we take tomorrow to not have an entire army of groupies present in the background.

Yes, word will get out, but hopefully, we can move from location to location and save a crowd from gathering. ”

She took his hand. “Thank you, West. This means a lot to me.”

“I want to help you get Social Synergy Creations off the ground and noticed. I have a high enough profile to make that happen. From what you say, Elaine and Carol seem like really nice ladies with a quality product in Motion Mates. They just need a break, and I can give it to them.”

They parked and entered the bistro shortly after eleven, and the owner greeted them enthusiastically, especially after he saw West accompanied Kelby.

She introduced herself and West and said, “I hope you don’t mind if West came along to sample your food, Chef.”

“Sample away,” he said. “To have West Sutherland eat at my establishment? This is the highlight of my cooking career. I’m a huge Cowboys fan. I myself played football, but not the American kind. I was a goalie.”

Kelby had requested having a simple meal before she did her pitch, wanting to taste the food and photograph some of it.

They were led to a private dining room, where several courses came out.

The food was all fresh and tasty, seasoned to perfection.

She took pictures of everything on the table, from the grilled salmon to the chicken Caesar salad to the mini-muffins and onion soup.

She even had a few of the chef’s employees strip off their aprons and sit at the table so that she could get candid shots of them eating and drinking a crisp Moscato.

The staff cleared the dishes, and West said he would wait outside.

“No, stay,” Kelby urged. “I want you to see what I do and contribute any ideas you might have.”

Once more, she called up the pitch on her laptop and walked through it, elaborating on each point, explaining what she could do for the chef’s social media sites and how she could refine his website to appear more elegant.

She displayed different fonts, explaining why they were more appealing than the ones his current website displayed, and discussed using some of the colors from the bistro itself on the website.

By the time she finished, Chef Marceau was eager to become her client.

He studied the mock-up of a few web pages she had done and chose the one he liked best. She even changed his Instagram handle and posted a few of the pictures from the lunch, telling him to keep an eye on his profile and number of follows.

Kelby tagged West in one of the pictures she took and knew that alone would bring in new followers and more customers.

They talked about the contract, and she told him it would be emailed to him so that he could sign virtually, which he liked.

“Thank you for what you will do for Bistro Beauvais, Kelby,” Chef Marceau said.

“I look forward to working with you.” He turned to West. “I am only sorry I will not see you play again, Monsieur Sutherland. Please, come to my humble restaurant anytime you wish. A table will always be waiting for you.”

“I appreciate that, Chef,” West said easily, shaking hands with the man and even posing for a few selfies with the owner before they left.

He took Kelby’s hand as they returned to the truck. “You were amazing. So organized. So creative. People will love working with you.”

“It’s hard to believe I’ve landed two clients today.”

As they got into the truck, she texted Sawyer the details of each so he could draw up the contracts.

“Where to now?” West asked.

“Those were the only people I needed to see today,” she told him. “We have the rest of the day. Tomorrow will be taken up with the photo shoot.”

“What would you like to do then?” he asked. “We could go for a walk in the park since the weather is so nice today. Or you might want to go shopping. I know women plus Dallas equals shopping.”

“No, I have something else in mind.” Kelby worked up her courage. “I’d like to go to my apartment now.”

“Oh, that’s right. We’ve got packing to do.”

“I don’t have packing in mind, West,” she said flirtatiously. “I was hoping now that we finally had a place we could be alone, we might do a little exploring.”

“Oh, it’s called exploring ?” he asked, chuckling softly.

“All I can think about is getting you out of your clothes and touching you everywhere.”

His radiant smile caused her heartbeat to speed up. “Then you better give me directions fast, honey. Because I want to kiss ever naked inch of you.”

Kelby couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay. But no speeding tickets.”

“Scout’s honor,” he promised, crossing his heart.

She had wanted to make love with West from the first moment he kissed her. The thought excited her, but it terrified her at the same time. She hadn’t been with any man since Bax, and their days of lovemaking were far in the past. Kelby only hoped she would be enough for a man like West.

They arrived at her apartment. Before she could open her door, he caught her chin, turning her face up so that their gazes met.

“I don’t want us to rush,” he said huskily. “I want to savor every second with you.”

“I’m rusty,” she admitted.

“Me, too,” he replied. “But we aren’t going to think about any past experiences with anyone else. This is something new. Something between just the two of us. We know we have chemistry. We’re going to take our time. Be thorough. And enjoy being together—with no interruptions.”

His words caused the tension to leave her body. All thoughts of any other man fled. She only wanted to be with West.

“Are you ready to take a leap of faith with me?” he asked.

Kelby gazed at him a long moment before answering. “I think I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life.”