holding a take-out tray of coffee.
“‘Morning,” she said with a sunny smile, wiggling one of the two cups free with her fingertips and handing it to him. “You take it black, right?”
He marveled at the fact that without even knowing, she’d replaced something he barely had a moment to miss. Now that was the kind of partner to keep around. “That’s awfully nice of you, sugar, thank you.” He took the cup and held the door wide open.
* * * *
Dayna unloaded her bags in the jocks’ prep office and took her spot in the co-host chair that was now rightfully hers to occupy. She picked through the weekend error reports and staff memos in the inbox, then settled in with one of the newspapers.
“So, let’s go with the plan to do a game at seven-twenty and at eight-fifteen,” he said, turning on the radio to monitor what was currently going out on the air. “And we can wing a call-in at quarter to every hour.”
“You think that’s going to be enough listener interaction for Bonnie?”
“I’d rather we roll with things as they come up instead of sounding like we’re trying too hard, you know? Plus people still expect us to squeeze in a tune or two.”
“Sure,” she said, yawning.
“Still getting used to morning shift, hmm?”
“Either that or the fact that I live with an imbecile who thinks nothing of having a party at midnight, knowing full well I had to get up early.” She pulled apart the paper and went for the lifestyle section. “You live with anyone, Tack?”
“Me? God, no.” He shook his head. “And I like it that way because of what you just said. Not many people understand the kind of hours you need for this job. I’m cool knowing the rest of the world will never be in sync with my sleep patterns.”
She warmed to the idea of Tack being fast asleep, a gentle giant all curled up snug and cozy. It made her want to crawl back to bed. It made her want to close her eyes, nestle in close to his big, burly chest and let him spoon her all the way to dreamland.
“Right?”
“Huh?”
“I said, maybe you should find a different living arrangement.”
She smiled. “I wish. But I’m stuck until I can get a couple of paychecks under my belt. Or my fairy godmother holds up an armored truck.”
He took a sip of coffee and cleared his throat. “I could lend you a few bucks until you get back on your feet.”
She waved her hand. “I mean, thanks for the offer, but I’m not going to start our new partnership off like that. Money should never come between friends.”
“Well, maybe you could talk to Bonnie about giving you an advance. Or see if the station can do a contra deal with a local hotel and get you a room?”
CJ’s accusations of coattail riding jangled around in her head. “No, I can stick things out for a few more weeks. I want to do this on my own.”
“I respect that. But if this guy is keeping you up all night…” His voice trailed off. “Or maybe you like the fact that he’s still able to pull your pigtails?”
“Bite your tongue! CJ is going to rue the day he dropped me,” she snarled before relenting with a wicked smile. “And I sure as hell will not give him the satisfaction of driving me out of that house before I’m good and ready to go.”
Tack chuckled. “In case I forget, remind me to always stay on your good side.”
Wanting to wring CJ from her mind, she turned her focus back to the paper, zeroing in on the daily horoscopes. “What’s your sign, cowboy?”
“Leo,” he said.
She glanced up, examining his on-the-prowl eyes and the tuft of sandy blonde mane curling out the back of his cap. “I can see that. Leos are very sexual creatures.”
A grin spread across his face. “What makes you think I’m so sexual?”
“Oh, please. You ooze sex.” She rolled her eyes, pretending to appear unaffected by all he was oozing right then. “It says, ‘Your generous spirit can’t be held back today, and even if you don’t have much to give, you
“‘Morning,” she said with a sunny smile, wiggling one of the two cups free with her fingertips and handing it to him. “You take it black, right?”
He marveled at the fact that without even knowing, she’d replaced something he barely had a moment to miss. Now that was the kind of partner to keep around. “That’s awfully nice of you, sugar, thank you.” He took the cup and held the door wide open.
* * * *
Dayna unloaded her bags in the jocks’ prep office and took her spot in the co-host chair that was now rightfully hers to occupy. She picked through the weekend error reports and staff memos in the inbox, then settled in with one of the newspapers.
“So, let’s go with the plan to do a game at seven-twenty and at eight-fifteen,” he said, turning on the radio to monitor what was currently going out on the air. “And we can wing a call-in at quarter to every hour.”
“You think that’s going to be enough listener interaction for Bonnie?”
“I’d rather we roll with things as they come up instead of sounding like we’re trying too hard, you know? Plus people still expect us to squeeze in a tune or two.”
“Sure,” she said, yawning.
“Still getting used to morning shift, hmm?”
“Either that or the fact that I live with an imbecile who thinks nothing of having a party at midnight, knowing full well I had to get up early.” She pulled apart the paper and went for the lifestyle section. “You live with anyone, Tack?”
“Me? God, no.” He shook his head. “And I like it that way because of what you just said. Not many people understand the kind of hours you need for this job. I’m cool knowing the rest of the world will never be in sync with my sleep patterns.”
She warmed to the idea of Tack being fast asleep, a gentle giant all curled up snug and cozy. It made her want to crawl back to bed. It made her want to close her eyes, nestle in close to his big, burly chest and let him spoon her all the way to dreamland.
“Right?”
“Huh?”
“I said, maybe you should find a different living arrangement.”
She smiled. “I wish. But I’m stuck until I can get a couple of paychecks under my belt. Or my fairy godmother holds up an armored truck.”
He took a sip of coffee and cleared his throat. “I could lend you a few bucks until you get back on your feet.”
She waved her hand. “I mean, thanks for the offer, but I’m not going to start our new partnership off like that. Money should never come between friends.”
“Well, maybe you could talk to Bonnie about giving you an advance. Or see if the station can do a contra deal with a local hotel and get you a room?”
CJ’s accusations of coattail riding jangled around in her head. “No, I can stick things out for a few more weeks. I want to do this on my own.”
“I respect that. But if this guy is keeping you up all night…” His voice trailed off. “Or maybe you like the fact that he’s still able to pull your pigtails?”
“Bite your tongue! CJ is going to rue the day he dropped me,” she snarled before relenting with a wicked smile. “And I sure as hell will not give him the satisfaction of driving me out of that house before I’m good and ready to go.”
Tack chuckled. “In case I forget, remind me to always stay on your good side.”
Wanting to wring CJ from her mind, she turned her focus back to the paper, zeroing in on the daily horoscopes. “What’s your sign, cowboy?”
“Leo,” he said.
She glanced up, examining his on-the-prowl eyes and the tuft of sandy blonde mane curling out the back of his cap. “I can see that. Leos are very sexual creatures.”
A grin spread across his face. “What makes you think I’m so sexual?”
“Oh, please. You ooze sex.” She rolled her eyes, pretending to appear unaffected by all he was oozing right then. “It says, ‘Your generous spirit can’t be held back today, and even if you don’t have much to give, you
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