“Huh?” He looked up and shook his head. “Oh. No. It’s just Dan.” He glanced at the phone again, and then slid it into his pocket. “Bob Barker has to pee. How about a little walk?”
I nodded. “Sounds nice.”
Along our walk around the block, I thought about how my life had pretty much done a one-eighty over the course of just a couple weeks. I went from having the number one radio show at night to the number one show in the morning. I said goodbye to a man who didn’t give a squat about me, and hello to someone who was one of the most generous people I have ever met.
Life was good.
Scratch that—life was great.
Still, I couldn’t help thinking about the mandatory meeting tomorrow.
I was hoping for something good, but then that look on Ben’s face after he had gotten the text from Dan had given me doubts.
There was something he wasn’t telling me.
I could feel it.
I just needed to find out what it was.
Chapter Twenty-Three
LORI
The employees filed into the radio station conference room, some sitting in the chairs that surrounded the enormous table, some standing against the wall, while others sat on the floor. I grabbed the last open seat next to Susan, the woman who hosted the investment program after our show.
The room was filled to capacity since the meeting was for all employees, including everyone in the sales and promotion departments. Even HR and engineering were there.
The mood was serious, somber, many of the employees whispering like they were expecting bad news. I hadn’t heard anything to indicate that it would be bad, but then again I typically left the radio station after I finished the morning show so I never heard any gossip.
Someone whispered that one of the managers was in the hospital.
I sat there quietly, waiting. Clueless.
A few minutes later, Kyle walked into the conference room with Randall, the general manager. Right behind them was a tall man in a gray suit who I assumed must have been Steve.
Randall cleared his throat. “Okay, let’s get started. This won’t be long and I’ll get right to the point. The radio station has been sold.”
I blinked twice.
I wasn’t expecting that.
Everyone sat there in shock.
Then someone said, “We’re screwed.”
Suddenly, I heard sniffling around the room.
Some employees buried their faces in their hands.
People were talking, complaining, and speculating.
It was the worst news possible because the future of every single person in the room was uncertain. Typically when a radio station was sold the new owners changed formats, fired everyone in the house, and started over from scratch. It was very rare that the new radio station would stay exactly the same, as is.
“Just great.” Susan shook her head and covered her face. “I need to update my resume.”
There was a sinking feeling in my stomach, an ache in my chest.
I’m going to lose my job again.
