“Did you say arm porn?”
I hope I heard my agent, Banner Morales, wrong.
“Uh, yeah,” she replies, and even over the phone I hear her amusement, though she tries to disguise it. “It means—”
“Stop.” I grab my wallet and keys from the dresser and head for the door. “I don’t want to know.”
“Okay, but you are going to the party tonight, right?”
“What party?” I ask, grinning and locking up. “I just got to New York. I kinda want to chill tonight, and you know I hate parties.”
All true.
“Kenan, come on. It’ll be fun. A great way to meet new people in a new city. And a great chance to network.”
“Network?” I ask disparagingly. “It’s like you don’t even know me, B.”
“I know if left to your own devices, you’ll be holed up in that apartment all summer working out in your home gym and listening to jazz.”
Damn. She does know me.
I wait for the elevator to come, grimacing because I don’t want to have this discussion. “I’m leaving for the party now.”
“Oh good.” Banner sounds relieved. “There should be a car downstairs waiting. And heads up, some of the Bodee folks will be there, too.”
“Just a small gathering of friends, huh?” I ask dryly.
“Work is play, and play is work. You know many a deal begins over dinner and a drink.”
“I know, I know.” I step onto the elevator and chuckle. “And I may be going to this party, but I haven’t made up my mind about this arm porn thing.”
“Okay, seriously. He just likes your . . . arms, and thinks you’d be great for this new line of watches he’s designing with Bodee, that activewear company.”
“But I don’t do shit like this. Body armor, tennis shoes, sports drinks—I’m down. But fashion? Me?”
“He’s a fashion designer, but don’t think of it as fashion, per se,” Banner says, using that cajoling tone I’ve heard a thousand times in all the years she’s represented me. “Bodee is on the come-up in sportswear. They’re making moves to increase their market share and compete with the big boys. This partnership with Jean Pierre, who’s a pretty big deal in the fashion industry, by the way, demonstrates they understand the power of cross-marketing.”
“Are you done with your little pitch?”