August 7, 2015

OFF CAMERA: 08-07-2015

The yellow and green sports memorabilia on the wall was the worst part of the decor in the bar Nessa Wall had chosen, but there didn't seem to be a single one anywhere near Green Bay that didn't have cheese heads and football-related kitsch all over every available surface. She sat at a booth near the back, tapping one fingernail against the screen of her cell phone where it rested against the table, feeling vaguely uneasy as she watched the door for her companion's arrival. Adjusting the scoop neckline of her pale yellow sun dress, she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table, clearly accentuating her cleavage.

She wasn't the only one who was unimpressed and uninterested in all the Packers crap lining the walls. The same could be said for the one she awaited, that being Kyle Kilmeade, SVW's interim CEO. As he made his way in, he took in all the decor and was easily the best dressed guy in the place. And he was only wearing a pair of slacks and a sports coat. He drew a few looks from the regulars, most of which were at the bar. He quickly scanned the room, and found who had invited him. Kyle brushed past a waitress, wiping off his sleeve when it accidentally rubbed against her arm when he passed. Finally making it, he took a seat across from her. His hand stroked his jawline for a moment, glancing around the locale once more. "I always pictured you to hang out somewhere with a little higher .....class, maybe a jazz club even. But here at the Packers Porch, you're full of surprises."

"A piano bar, maybe," she replied, her eyes dropping to her nearly empty glass of wine, "but then someone ruined places like that for me. Either way, thanks for meeting with me on such short notice. I felt like perhaps we needed to have a little chat. And this was the best place for that to happen."

"Well I try to be there for certain members of my roster when they need me...if I like them at least." He offered with a half smile on his face. "What's on your mind, Ness? I'm going to guess by your choice of location and the fact you have no business in this city that I know of, it must be something major."

"It is. Yes. Really quite dire, and I know most folks tend to take what I say with a grain of salt because I tend towards melodrama. But let me ask you something first. If you don't mind, of course?" She picked up her glass of wine and downed it quickly. "You're by and large the most perceptive person I know. Have you noticed anything different about me? Perhaps in the past few months?"

He paused briefly, not the kind of question you answer off the cuff. "Well to be honest, you've been a little different than how I remember. I wasn't really sure what changed, but then I realized you got involved with Stone. And relationships can change people. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. I guess it depends on perspective. Why do you ask?" He quickly asks for a Coke from the waitress as she passes, returning his attention back to the Snarktopus.

"I feel invisible, Kyle. I feel like I stopped mattering the moment the Pride Championship ended up around his waist. I feel... completely unlike my usual self and I think I've finally found the cause." She glanced to her left, into the crowd as a cheer went up from the crowd at the bar who were glued to whatever sporting event was being broadcast.

"I haven't forgotten you at all, but go ahead. What do you think has changed that caused all of this in your life?" He leaned forward, taking the glass brought back to him. "Ignore the riffraff as best you can."

"I just wanted to make it work. For once, I wanted to find the perfect moment, the perfect person and make it last forever. Instead I've turned into a doormat... I'm the next best thing to Lyv Jackson and that honestly makes me want to puke." She picked up the refill of wine that had also arrived without her having to ask, taking another sip before sighing. "He has no idea how miserable I am."

"I'm not expert on relationships by any means, but...shouldn't you be telling him that part? I mean there's not a whole lot I can do to help there, I'm afraid. Besides he and I aren't really friends either, so..." He responded with a shrug. "For what it's worth, I have been told by more than one person who says that title means more to him than any person, including you."

"Oh it does. Obviously. But that brings me to the reason you're here, Kyle. I want out of it and I know if I simply break it off, he'll make my life a living hell. He needs to feel like it's his idea. So, what I'm asking you right now is to help me stage a little scene to drive the point home to Matthew Stone that I can clearly do better."

It took a moment for the idea to sink in as he thought it over. Not long after that, a smile began to form on his face at the idea. "I'm game, Ness. What'd you have in mind? I'd like to think I'm an upgrade, but what's the plan?"

"I'm glad you asked, sweetie," she reached over and touched his hand where it rested on the table. "I want him to think that I'm here tonight simply to hook up with you. I never told him I planned to travel to this cesspool. He thinks I'm in Texas right now, doing PR work for CWF."

"Well I can't say it's the first time I've been part of a plan like this." He answered, patting her hand with his free one. "You got your wish, what do you need me to do?"

"Act like we're on a date... buy me a few drinks. Get cozy... and when we finally leave, we'll leave together. I've booked a room at the same place you're at, so it's not as though the last part will take too much effort." Nessa flashed him a winning smile, "scratch my back now and I will owe you later. You know I'm good for it."

Kyle didn't bother waiting as he called out loud enough to be heard by a few for a rum and Coke, for starters. The waitress nodded in agreement as he smiled back to the Snarktopus. "You got it, I haven't been used to make someone jealous in a while. I've missed it." He added with a grin.

"Well then, Mr. Kilmeade... what's that saying you've been using so much on Twitter lately?" She cocked her head, smirking flirtatiously at him, "ah yes. Make it rain."

As soon as the waitress came with the drink, he ordered another before sliding her his credit card. "That I can do."

Nessa glanced over towards the crowd again, her eyes meeting the man she'd been in contact with earlier before sliding back to Kyle. "Maybe I should move over next to you. It is awfully loud in here, after all... might make for better conversation," she stressed the last word with a wink.

He quickly slid his chair around beside hers at the table, ordering another drink for himself after he did so. "Well if there's anything I strive for...it's to be convincing."

She laughed as though he'd just told the greatest joke in the word, resting her head against his shoulder for a moment. "You smell wonderful," she murmured, leaning in even closer. "I can see why Mika had such a crush on you for so very long."

He gave her a wink after hearing that. "I do try to keep up appearances. Scent is important, after all." He told her, whispering back to her. "A brilliant woman is an aphrodisiac without needing much else."

"Oh you," she giggled, feeling giddy now from the several glasses of wine she'd had before his arrival, "keep saying things like that, and I won't have to pretend. You'll have to beat me off with a stick."

"Darn, here I left the beating stick in my other slacks." He told her. "It's alright though. It's all about convincing, right?" He asked the last question with a hint of subtext before he buried his head against her neck as though he were enjoying himself, which he was. "How am I doing?" He whispered before continuing what he was doing.

Nessa blushed, resting her hand on his thigh as she closed her eyes. "Academy Award level, sweetie. I think you've got this.... and then just leave the rest up to me."

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