that other team?”
“You know the Providence Bruins, but you don’t know the Mississippi River Kings?”
“Never heard of them and neither have ninety-nine point nine percent of the viewers in Northern Mississippi. I’m telling you—nobody cares.”
He ran a hand through his hair and scrubbed it back and forth. “Well, it’s the best I’ve got. Minor league hockey and baseball are the only things even close to professional sports in this crazy state. We can’t fill an entire eight-minute sports segment with Mississippi State and Ole Miss football highlights.”
“If you want anybody to watch—you might consider it. I’m not sure you’ve quite yet grasped the level of fanatical devotion we Southerners have to our college football.”
He laughed. “I’m starting to. I actually had a caller last weekend who accused me of being a closet Ole Miss fan, which was funny considering I also got a couple calls from people claiming I was biased toward State. As if I care one way or the other. But let’s back up a minute—how do you recognize the P-Bruins, being that you’re a college-football-loving Southerner and all?”
“Oh, I went to Brown—the P-Bruins arena was a few blocks from campus.”
Aric sat forward in his chair. “You’re kidding me. I went to Emerson in Boston. We used to go down to Providence to hang out on weekends sometimes. We were probably there at the same time. What year did you graduate?”
“I… um, started there.” I took a step back. The conversation had taken an uneasy turn. “But I transferred. I graduated from Mississippi State.”
“What happened at Brown? Flunk out?” His tone was light, teasing.
No, just failed in every other way. “I… it just wasn’t for me. Too far from home. Um, I’d better get ready for the news meeting.” I turned from Aric’s baffled expression and retreated to the other side of the newsroom. I’d talk to him later about the voice stuff and working together. Maybe.
“Heidi.” Aric had followed me to my desk. “I’m sorry. I think I did it again. I can’t seem to stop saying the wrong thing to you.”
“No. You didn’t—don’t worry about it. I’m sure everyone assumed the same thing when I transferred. Actually the school part was the easiest thing about going away to school.”
His brows lifted. “So what was the hardest part?”
I wrinkled my nose and hesitated. “It’s complicated. I doubt you’d understand.”
“I might surprise you. You should try me.”
I looked up into his soft expression. He really wanted to know. You should try me. I shivered in the newsroom’s over-air-conditioned environment. How could I explain what happened to him , of all people? It was too humiliating. And with the similarities he and Josh shared, he might even find it funny. I opened my mouth to tell Aric “no” once again, but I didn’t get the chance.
“Hey y’all,” Colleen called out loudly as she sashayed into the newsroom in yet another of her perfectly-put-together designer outfits and hair that was miraculously unaffected by the humidity.
Her timing couldn’t have been better, and for once, I was actually glad to see her. At least for a few seconds, until she opened her mouth again. “Well, there he is, Mr. Hardbody himself. How was the rest of your workout?” She approached us and stopped very close to Aric, aligning herself beside him, smiling up at him adoringly.
“It was good. Hi Colleen.” Aric looked down at her with a chuckle and warm recognition on his face.
“I see no introductions are necessary.” I glanced between the two of them, reading the easy familiarity that seemed to have developed out of nowhere.
“Oh no,” she cooed, wrapping a long-taloned hand around Aric’s bicep and pulling herself close to his side. “Aric and I are old friends, aren’t we? We met at the gym yesterday, and he helped me with my hamstring curl technique. You may put my trainer out of a job.” She rolled her eyes
“You know the Providence Bruins, but you don’t know the Mississippi River Kings?”
“Never heard of them and neither have ninety-nine point nine percent of the viewers in Northern Mississippi. I’m telling you—nobody cares.”
He ran a hand through his hair and scrubbed it back and forth. “Well, it’s the best I’ve got. Minor league hockey and baseball are the only things even close to professional sports in this crazy state. We can’t fill an entire eight-minute sports segment with Mississippi State and Ole Miss football highlights.”
“If you want anybody to watch—you might consider it. I’m not sure you’ve quite yet grasped the level of fanatical devotion we Southerners have to our college football.”
He laughed. “I’m starting to. I actually had a caller last weekend who accused me of being a closet Ole Miss fan, which was funny considering I also got a couple calls from people claiming I was biased toward State. As if I care one way or the other. But let’s back up a minute—how do you recognize the P-Bruins, being that you’re a college-football-loving Southerner and all?”
“Oh, I went to Brown—the P-Bruins arena was a few blocks from campus.”
Aric sat forward in his chair. “You’re kidding me. I went to Emerson in Boston. We used to go down to Providence to hang out on weekends sometimes. We were probably there at the same time. What year did you graduate?”
“I… um, started there.” I took a step back. The conversation had taken an uneasy turn. “But I transferred. I graduated from Mississippi State.”
“What happened at Brown? Flunk out?” His tone was light, teasing.
No, just failed in every other way. “I… it just wasn’t for me. Too far from home. Um, I’d better get ready for the news meeting.” I turned from Aric’s baffled expression and retreated to the other side of the newsroom. I’d talk to him later about the voice stuff and working together. Maybe.
“Heidi.” Aric had followed me to my desk. “I’m sorry. I think I did it again. I can’t seem to stop saying the wrong thing to you.”
“No. You didn’t—don’t worry about it. I’m sure everyone assumed the same thing when I transferred. Actually the school part was the easiest thing about going away to school.”
His brows lifted. “So what was the hardest part?”
I wrinkled my nose and hesitated. “It’s complicated. I doubt you’d understand.”
“I might surprise you. You should try me.”
I looked up into his soft expression. He really wanted to know. You should try me. I shivered in the newsroom’s over-air-conditioned environment. How could I explain what happened to him , of all people? It was too humiliating. And with the similarities he and Josh shared, he might even find it funny. I opened my mouth to tell Aric “no” once again, but I didn’t get the chance.
“Hey y’all,” Colleen called out loudly as she sashayed into the newsroom in yet another of her perfectly-put-together designer outfits and hair that was miraculously unaffected by the humidity.
Her timing couldn’t have been better, and for once, I was actually glad to see her. At least for a few seconds, until she opened her mouth again. “Well, there he is, Mr. Hardbody himself. How was the rest of your workout?” She approached us and stopped very close to Aric, aligning herself beside him, smiling up at him adoringly.
“It was good. Hi Colleen.” Aric looked down at her with a chuckle and warm recognition on his face.
“I see no introductions are necessary.” I glanced between the two of them, reading the easy familiarity that seemed to have developed out of nowhere.
“Oh no,” she cooed, wrapping a long-taloned hand around Aric’s bicep and pulling herself close to his side. “Aric and I are old friends, aren’t we? We met at the gym yesterday, and he helped me with my hamstring curl technique. You may put my trainer out of a job.” She rolled her eyes
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