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“I don’t know, Crick. I just don’t know.” He places his warm lips against my forehead in an act of kindness and support and adds, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Chapter One
Cricket
Present Day
“This is Cricket Hill forGood Morning, San Francisco, reminding you all to have a safe weekend,” I say, smiling at the camera in front of me. The moment the red light turns off, I sag in my seat, relieved to be done with the craziness of this workweek.
“And we’re off,” our producer, Cory, says. “Great job, everyone.”
The usual round of chatter fills the studio as we finish this morning’s news broadcast. I sigh deeply and relax in my chair, anxious to get my earpiece out and this makeup off my face.
“Great job, Cricket,” Todd, my co-host coos beside me. Todd is your typical pretty boy who thinks all women fall at his feet in orgasmic joy.
“Thanks,” I mumble, ready to get away from Todd and his advances. I know what’s coming next, and I always do my best to heed it before it happens.
“Big plans this weekend?” he asks, jumping up and essentially blocking my exit, as he leans a hip against the desk.
“Yep. Catching a flight home,” I remind him, removing my mic and battery pack from my suit and setting it on the desktop.
“Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot you’re heading home. Homecoming, right?” He offers me a big smile, one that says he knows more than I offered him last week. I had merely told him I was heading home for a visit. How he found out it’s homecoming weekend is beyond me. Actually, no that’s not true. The only person I’d classify a friend at work is the makeup artist, Penny, and she probably told him. One smile thrown her way and she’s practically dropping to her knees or peeling off her panties. Penny has a weakness for my cocky co-host, and all it would take is a few smiles or maybe a late-night sexcapade promise and my friend would accidentally spill all the details about my trip.
Blinded by the promise of penis.
Exhaling, I give him a tight smile. “Yep, homecoming weekend.”
“That’ll be fun, right? You show up and remind everyone of how much of a success you are,” he croons, brushing a strand of long, dark hair off my shoulder. “Do you know what would make it even better?” he asks, taking a step forward and into my personal space.
Reflexively, I step back. “No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” I mumble, already knowing I’m not going to like his suggestion.
“If you showed up with a boyfriend. You know, one who’s a little more famous and more well-known than you?”
I have to fight the eye roll hard. It’s right there, ready to be unleashed, but I somehow manage to reel it in. “Uh, no thanks, Todd,” I reply, stepping around him and heading toward my dressing room.
“Hear me out, Cricket,” he says, catching up with me and escorting me down the hall. “Ratings are through the roof right now, and there’s that big online group on social media who are pushing for us to be together.”
Probably started by him…
“Anyway, you show up with me on your arm and you’ll be the bell of the homecoming ball. Plus, think of the photo op,” he adds, grinning from ear to ear. “If you play your cards right, I might even kiss you goodnight.” Then, he waggles his eyebrows suggestively, and my coffee from before the broadcast almost comes back up.
“Oh, uh, yeah, that’s not necessary,” I assure him as I reach my door. Todd stands there, anxiously awaiting the invitation to come in, but it never comes. “Anyway, I need to get going. I have a flight to catch,” I add quickly before slipping through my doorway like a ninja on speed, and exhale loudly when I’m bathed in the blissful silence of my closet-sized dressing room.
Until…
“The offer stands, Cricket,” Todd says through the door. “If you get there and realize you need me, I’m just a call away. I’m sure Cory would give me some time off to come rescue you, especially if there’s paparazzi nearby to catch our exchanges. Ratings galore!”
“No thanks, Todd. I’m good,” I state loudly. Then, I reach for the lock and make sure my can’t-take-a-hint co-host doesn’t come barging in.
Finally, I’m alone and drop into my chair. Todd is a nice guy and all, even though he’s slept with nearly every woman in the building, but he’s not my type. I don’t want the egotistical man who finds photo ops around every corner. Not the guy who “accidentally” lets his penis fall into other vaginas when he’s working late. (I’ve heard all about his late-night booty calls.) Not the one who sees women as arm candy to help boost ratings when you’re seen at a mayoral luncheon or a charity dinner.
If I wanted that, I’d date Harris again.
Or worse, Danny.
Shaking off the images of both exes, I head over to my luggage and double-check that I have everything. I grab the small bag from my counter that Penny left me and shove it in the open suitcase. I’d been fine with just a swipe of a hazelnut eye shadow and mascara, but when Penny heard about it, she threw a fit. Five minutes later, I had a small travel bag filled with enough product to keep me dolled up for the next three years. As she was applying my makeup for today’s show, she even taught me how to do it myself.
I’ve never been a big one for wearing it. In college, sure, but since then, I was always the girl behind the scenes. You don’t need makeup to stare at television monitors at six in the morning and talk to the producer through the headset. Even when the co-host position was thrown in my lap, I didn’t see the need for all that makeup. I leave it to Penny for the show and stick to the basics outside of it. It’s how I like it.
