I am so sorry for the lack of new chapters. I had this HUGE anatomy test
that I needed to study for.
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" Mimi?" Jack called
" Yes?" she looked up innocently.
" What's up?"
She struggled for an answer, but ultimately caved.
" Chloe's boyfriend dumped her."
Chloe sucked in her breath. Here it comes. Some scheme or ploy to turn her personal tragedy into a Jack's marketing Bonanza.
To her surprise, instead of pouncing, Jack looked at her, then at Brady, assessing them both. Finally, he pinned her with a stare. " So," he barked, " you're single again." " So it would seem." " Interesting." Jack lingered over the word. Vo one in the room so much as murmured while they watched him with rapt attention. Brady's expression darkened and Chloe found herself wondering if he would honor her " request" for silence. She didn't put whole a lot of faith in his discretion.
He gave her hard time about everything. He'd made jokes on the air the time she rushed out of the bathroom with her skirt hem caught in her panty hose. Teased her mercilessly the time she interviewed the mayor with her unbuttoned. It was all part of their on-air relationship. He was the joker straight man. The laurel to hardy.
Which was all well and good on the radio, but she wasn't comfortable trusting wild man Brady with her personal knowledge that she was doomed to my-boyfriend's-an-irresponsible-jerk single motherhood. Glancing in his direction, she saw not teasing gleam she's expected but a frown. An all-out scowl really.
Before she could ponder on his uncharacteristic expression, Jack reclaimed her attention. " Chloe, my girl, the listeners love you" She sat up a little straighter. " Thank you" * I think* " They sympathize with you. Men and women alike. You are the darling of the morning airways."
*Uh-oh* " And you've just been brutally dumped. The man you loved, the man you trusted, has crushed your fragile heart." This. " You're wounded. You're hurt." .Did not. " Your ego lies in ruin." .Sound good. " It's perfect!" " I don't know that I would use the word 'ruin,'" she protested. Jack pegged her with a demanding look. "Sir" She'd tacked on the "sir" in the hope of placating him. it didn't work. " Tomorrow you will." " I will?" Did he really expect her to go on the air and talk about being dumped by her boyfriend? Of course, he did. She was his pet deejay. She always followed through on his ideas and he's rarely been wrong. But this?
" this tragedy is what the morning show needs. Listeners will tune in everyday to hear the ongoing saga of your broken heart. To hear your-" he paused dramatically, hands outstretched."-love letters." " but, sir, I don't get any love letters." She could only hope Brady would not mention Kevin, the divorcee, who emailed her with alarming regularity. " But you will! Starting tomorrow you'll be buried in them." His tone reached the levels of revival preacher. " You're wounded and heartbroken. The listeners will rally around you, lending you support, helping you rebuild shattered dignity. They're there for you in your time in need. And soon a new Chloe will rise like a phoenix from ashes of personal tragedy. And you'll owe it all to the listeners' love letters."
" Why would they send me letters?" she was afraid she already knew. " Because each day you'll read through the letters and pick one the best one. You'll read the lucky man's letter on the air"
Chloe sucked in her breath. Here it comes. Some scheme or ploy to turn her personal tragedy into a Jack's marketing Bonanza.
To her surprise, instead of pouncing, Jack looked at her, then at Brady, assessing them both. Finally, he pinned her with a stare. " So," he barked, " you're single again." " So it would seem." " Interesting." Jack lingered over the word. Vo one in the room so much as murmured while they watched him with rapt attention. Brady's expression darkened and Chloe found herself wondering if he would honor her " request" for silence. She didn't put whole a lot of faith in his discretion.
He gave her hard time about everything. He'd made jokes on the air the time she rushed out of the bathroom with her skirt hem caught in her panty hose. Teased her mercilessly the time she interviewed the mayor with her unbuttoned. It was all part of their on-air relationship. He was the joker straight man. The laurel to hardy.
Which was all well and good on the radio, but she wasn't comfortable trusting wild man Brady with her personal knowledge that she was doomed to my-boyfriend's-an-irresponsible-jerk single motherhood. Glancing in his direction, she saw not teasing gleam she's expected but a frown. An all-out scowl really.
Before she could ponder on his uncharacteristic expression, Jack reclaimed her attention. " Chloe, my girl, the listeners love you" She sat up a little straighter. " Thank you" * I think* " They sympathize with you. Men and women alike. You are the darling of the morning airways."
*Uh-oh* " And you've just been brutally dumped. The man you loved, the man you trusted, has crushed your fragile heart." This. " You're wounded. You're hurt." .Did not. " Your ego lies in ruin." .Sound good. " It's perfect!" " I don't know that I would use the word 'ruin,'" she protested. Jack pegged her with a demanding look. "Sir" She'd tacked on the "sir" in the hope of placating him. it didn't work. " Tomorrow you will." " I will?" Did he really expect her to go on the air and talk about being dumped by her boyfriend? Of course, he did. She was his pet deejay. She always followed through on his ideas and he's rarely been wrong. But this?
" this tragedy is what the morning show needs. Listeners will tune in everyday to hear the ongoing saga of your broken heart. To hear your-" he paused dramatically, hands outstretched."-love letters." " but, sir, I don't get any love letters." She could only hope Brady would not mention Kevin, the divorcee, who emailed her with alarming regularity. " But you will! Starting tomorrow you'll be buried in them." His tone reached the levels of revival preacher. " You're wounded and heartbroken. The listeners will rally around you, lending you support, helping you rebuild shattered dignity. They're there for you in your time in need. And soon a new Chloe will rise like a phoenix from ashes of personal tragedy. And you'll owe it all to the listeners' love letters."
" Why would they send me letters?" she was afraid she already knew. " Because each day you'll read through the letters and pick one the best one. You'll read the lucky man's letter on the air"