Chapter 8

For once her best friend had not been exaggerating; the players this season were absolutely on fire they were so hot. These guys weren't your typical all American ball players, no they all had an aura that screamed of a deadly danger. It was absolutely freaking hot. All were tall most were dark and there was not a single one of them that wasn't sexy. Now she knew why Nicholas had called this impromptu meeting. They had to completely rethink their publicity campaign from previous years.

Normally they would go with the tradition of showing the public that baseball was still America's favorite pastime and that you could bring the whole family to a game and have a great time. But this year, with the players the team had acquired, the all-American feel of years past was just not there. Hell the only player that even fit the bill of an all American was Steven, but being his sister she had seen Steven's dark side and knew that if they were to change up their campaign he would adapt well.

Sarah sat in the conference room with the Bulldog publicity team and wondered just how they could spin this new team. Flipping through the photos of the players most of her thoughts were of the dirty kind. She pictured Drake in nothing but his baseball pants glistening with sweat. She could picture the new third baseman, Spencer, with his pouty lips capturing hers. She could feel the strong arms of their new center fielder, O'Brien around her waist pulling her close to his muscular chest.

Sarah had to grab her legal note pad off the table and fan herself; she was getting hot just having those thoughts. Thank goodness Steven's picture came up next. Now she could gain control of her not so pure mind. Besides, she thought to herself, as hot as these players were Matt was still a doctor and that's what mattered.

Staring into her brother's blue eyes Sarah was able to finally control her thoughts and decided to move on to the next photo. She took one glance and almost had a heart attack on the spot. Staring back at her was one of the most good looking men she had ever had the pleasure of seeing. The team's new pitcher was gorgeous and apparently she was not the only woman in the room who noticed as Sarah saw Carly mouth the words Oh My God as she too saw the man's picture. Jason Morgan had to have had the most amazing blue eyes and there on his face was just a ghost of a smirk. Sarah was sure she was drooling.

"So as everyone can see," Nicholas Cassidine started, "Our team's image is completely different than any we have ever had. Does anyone have any ideas on how we can get bodies in our stands for this season?"

The room was very quiet, and it seemed as if no one had any ideas. Sarah herself was still very distracted by the picture of the pitcher that she had yet to take her eyes off of. Oh how the dirty thoughts came flooding back to her now and they all involved this man in the picture.

With the quiet stretching on for far more than Nicholas's liking he had to speak again. "Come on people. This is wire you were hired in the first place. Your job is to come up with new ways to make sure our franchise is a success. In order for us to be so we have to put people in the seats and sell tickets. So I ask again, how are we going to do so with the team we have now?" Again the room made no noise, so now Nicholas decided to call out his crack team "Jax?"

The blond Australian looked like a deer in the headlights when his boss called his name. It was obvious Jax had no ideas as far as how to market this team. Jasper Jacks, or Jax to everyone he met, his specialty was merchandise and fan fair events. No one could put on a fan event like this man, but coming up with new and original concepts for a whole season's worth of campaigns was asking just way too much of him.

"Sarah?" Nicholas said moving on to his next deer. She, just like Jax, had nothing to say. Usually given enough time Sarah would have a million ideas, but being here in this room with her mind still occupied with not so pleasant thoughts of most of the team was very ill prepared.

"Am I going to be the one to say it then?" Carly interjected. "Hello," she said holding up the pictures of the players. "These men are hot. So let's do what publicists have been doing for years. Sex sells, so why can't we sell it too?"

Carly sure did have a point. It was a proven fact that sex sold. It was why you could find it in almost every commercial that was on television. And damn if she also wasn't right about the ball players, other than Steven for obvious reasons, Sarah had pictured all of them an in a most compromising of positions.

"Look it's quite simple, we wanna fill those seats, and we have to make all of those men into the object of every woman's dreams." Carly stated.

Jax not convinced of Carly's idea said in protest, "Do you really think that will work? What red blooded American male would want to come watch these sex symbols you're wanting to create? I'm sorry but when I see anything that has a shirtless man the last thing I'm thinking about is wanting whatever it is they're selling. So Carly, tell me how making our players into sex symbols is going to bring in an audience?" He concluded with a challenge.

"The point isn't to bring in the men." Carly said as if it was obvious, "The point is to bring in the women. Women will bring their boyfriends, husbands and family. Who do you think plans when it comes to anything?" she paused for a dramatic effect, "It's the women. Look the player's talent alone will bring in the male demographic we want, but selling that these men are sex symbols will bring in the female demographic we so desperately need."

Sarah had never heard Carly make so much sense about business before. She was absolutely right though. While the team had been successful with ticket sales in the past, they were still lacking a large female demographic of fans. Sure they would get the occasional mom bringing her boys for a game, or the good girlfriend who was willing to sit through nine innings for her boyfriend, but very rarely would they get women to come watch a game, just to come watch a game.

"Carly I think you're on to something" Nicholas said with a huge grin on his face. "We're going to break for lunch, but when we come back I want you all to have a way to make Carly's idea a reality." With that Nicholas turned and walked out of the room, fallowed shortly after by Jax.

Sarah stood and started gathering her things to leave for the break Nicholas had just granted them. "Am I good or am I good?" Carly questioned in a bragging tone.

Simply shaking her head and smiling at her "I have to admit if there was ever a season to bring girls into the stands, this is it. My God these guys are hot."

"Exactly my point," Carly said as she and Sarah headed back to their shared office. "Oh and how can't wait to get to know each and every one of them." Carly gave a wink and had a sly smile on her face. "The real question is who do I start with first?"

That was Carly for you, always thinking about her next date. Sarah had never met someone who was so boy crazy. In the many years that the two women have been friends Sarah could not remember the last time her fiend had had a serious relationship. Carly was always jumping from one guy to the other. Now that Sarah thought about it, maybe that wasn't such a good thing.

Just as they were rounding the corner, the two women caught a glimpse of Dr. Matt talking with Sarah's father. Oh how opportunity was knocking at her door. Putting on the sweetest smile, Sarah walked over to where the two men were talking. Standing on her tiptoes she kissed her father on the cheek, "Hi daddy."

Jeff a little thrown by Sarah's affection was glad for it none the less. It was always nice when his children wanted to be loving, it also meant they usually wanted something. "Sarah," Jeff said to his daughter.

Still with that sweet smile on her face, Sarah turned to Matt, "Hello Dr. Hunter. How are you doing today?"

"Hey Sarah." Matt said in greeting giving her a little wave. "I'm good, just staying busy. I was actually just telling your dad how glad I am to have Elizabeth working with me this season."

Sarah felt her smile falter; of course he would be talking about Elizabeth. Sarah was sure that Lizzie was doing everything in her power to steal Matt away. How could she be related to such a snake? Still Sarah couldn't let Matt see just how much her sister's backstabbing bothered her. No she still had to keep that sweet smile on her face and pretend that her sister was the second coming. "That's our Lizzie, always willing to lend a helping hand. Isn't she just the sweetest?"

"Yeah she really is," Matt replied. Turning back to Jeff he then said, "Thanks again Mr. Webber about this afternoon and sorry for the screw up."

Jeff extending his hand out to Matt to shake replied, "Not a problem. I'm just glad we could get this worked out. I would hate for something like this to have ruined our season before it even started."

Matt shaking his hand said, "I agree. I'll see you later though Mr. Webber. Bye Sarah."

"Bye Matt." Sarah said with a genuine smile. Still it was sad to watch her future husband walk away. If only he would hurry up and ask her on a date. Of course with Lizzie swooping in and trying to make herself readily available to Matt,

As Sarah reentered he office Carly swooped in to get the dirt, seeing as how Sarah had a scowl on her face. "So what did the good doctor have to say?"

Closing the door Sarah turned back to her friend and let her temper explode. "He had the nerve to sit there and tell my father how great Lizzie was. Can you believe her? I gotta give her credit though; I mean it only took her a morning to snake her way in there."

"I don't know why you're letting her get away with it." Carly said only fueling Sarah's fire.

Letting out a heavy sigh and catching a glimpse of Zander leaning against Steven's truck, Sarah put her wicked smile on. "Oh trust me Carly, I'm not." Without another word to her friend Sarah swung open the door and power walked it out to the parking lot.

So Lizzie thought she could steal her boyfriend? Let's see how much Lizzie liked it when she didn't have her little punk boyfriend. Again putting on her sweet smile and sliding next to Zander she said, "Hey Zander."