"A ratings expert, Charlie?" Will demanded, storming into Charlie Skinner's office.
Mackenzie was right behind him, "You're bringing a ratings analyst in? Seriously, Charlie?"
Charlie chuckled and took a sip of his bourbon.
Will and Mac were giving him incredulous looks of disapproval.
"The show's ratings are fine!" Will insisted.
Charlie took another sip of bourbon and nodded, "The ratings are excellent."
"So why the hell are you bringing a ratings expert in?" Mackenzie asked.
"It's a favor for an," Charlie paused. "An old friend."
"Are our jobs in jeopardy?" Will asked.
Charlie shook his head. "The daughter of this friend of mine needed a job. The ratings are fine. Your jobs are safe. I'm just helping my friend's daughter get some money together."
"Well, who is she anyway?" Will asked, still annoyed.
"Her name is Katherine Adams. She's one of the best in the business," Charlie said.
"And who's your friend?" Mackenzie asked.
Charlie frowned, "I can't reveal that."
Will and Mac gave more incredulous looks and sighs.
"She's arriving tomorrow night around five-thirty, right before the six o'clock rundown. I expect everyone to welcome her with open arms," Charlie said.
Mac sighed, "Fine."
Will gave Charlie a disgruntled nod before he and Mac exited Charlie's office.
Jim Harper took another sip from his whiskey and ginger ale. He was sitting alone in a random dive bar that was up the street from the AWM offices. He couldn't face going to Hang Chew's with the rest of the gang tonight. It had been a long and frustrating day, both in terms of his work life and his personal life. Hallie had dumped him that day; the long distance stuff just wasn't cutting it and Maggie was beginning to finally move on from her Africa ordeal and she had started dating guy from ACN's marketing department.
"Is this seat taken?"
Jim was broken away from his thoughts. He looked to his left and he saw a beautiful 5'11 blonde women gesturing to the barstool beside him. She was wearing a royal blue dress that Jim now knew, thanks to Maggie, was called a bandage dress. She was tall and leggy with plump lips and she had the biggest, most gorgeous brown eyes Jim had ever seen. Jim figured she was in her late twenties, around the same age as him.
"Go ahead," Jim said.
"Thanks," the woman said.
She extended her hand out, "I'm Kate."
"Jim."
Jim shook hands with her.
"So what brings you to a dive like this?" Jim asked.
"I could ask you the same thing," Kate said.
"Touché," Jim said.
Kate smirked.
Something about her smirk looked familiar to Jim but he couldn't place where he'd seen it before.
"I'm starting a new job tomorrow," Kate mused.
"And that's why you came here?" Jim asked.
Kate nodded, "Enjoying my last few hours of freedom. "
The bartender placed a cosmopolitan in front of her.
"How about you? What's your story?" Kate asked.
"My girlfriend dumped me today," Jim admitted.
"Ohh, ouch!" Kate said, wincing.
Jim shrugged, "What can you do?"
Kate smiled a little. "How about I buy you another drink then?"
Jim smiled for what felt like the first time that day. He liked Kate. "Sure."
Kate smiled back and ordered Jim another whiskey and ginger ale.
A couple hours later and more than a few drinks later, Jim and Kate were making out outside the bar while they tried to hail a cab. Casual, mindless sex with a stranger wasn't really Jim's thing and he knew the alcohol was clouding his judgement but something that he couldn't describe attracted him to Kate. He figured one little one night stand wouldn't hurt. He deserved to have some fun.
After a few minutes of trying, Kate managed to hail a cab and told the driver her address.
Kate bit her lip, "There is something you should know before we continue."
"What?" Jim asked.
"I'm living with my mom for now," Kate admitted. "It's a really long story. But my mom will probably be asleep by now. We don't have to try to be quiet or anything. She's usually had her nightly bottle of Chardonnay by now—"
Jim silenced her with a kiss.
* * *
Jim squinted. Sunlight poured in through the bedroom window.
Wait. This isn't my bedroom, Jim realized as he noticed the pink walls and the posters on the walls of 90s teen idols.
He felt a warm body beside him and heard her quiet shallow breathing. The events of last night came flooding back to him. He had met a woman, Kate, that night at a bar and had gone with her to the penthouse apartment that she shared with her mother. He and Kate had made drunken, passionate love that night. But now it was back to reality. Jim's head pounded and his vision was a little blurry. He reached for his watch on Kate's nightstand.
6:43 AM. He had just enough time to go home to his own apartment to shower and change before his workday started. As he was reaching for his pants that were on the floor beside Kate's bed, he accidentally knocked over a picture frame that she had on her nightstand.
"Shit!" he quietly cursed, picking up the frame. Luckily it hadn't broken. As he put the picture back on the nightstand he had to do a double take. He recognized the people in the picture with Kate. Reese Lansing was to her left and Leona Lansing to her right. It appeared to be a photo of a high school or college graduation. As Jim's vision returned back to normal, he noticed other things in Kate's room. She had a collage of pictures taped to one bedroom wall. Pictures of her as a little girl, pictures of her with Reese, with Leona, with a man who Jim assumed was her father.
Wait, Jim thought. This can't be happening. This really can't be happening.
The realization hit Jim like a ton of bricks. He had slept with Leona Lansing's daughter.
To Be Continued...
