Alonso
“We’re sad to announce that Karry Draper will be leaving us at the end of the month.” Mr. Andrews smiled as he held out his hand to Karry at the budget meeting. “Karry, you’ve been a part of the Action News family for twenty years. I can’t imagine this place without you.”
A round of applause for Karry began and I watched as she wiped tears carefully under her eyes. I didn’t understand why women did that. Why not just wipe your whole eye? I looked to Piper and wondered if she did the same thing.
Standing, Karry addressed the room. “Mike and I have decided to retire early. And since our daughter is in Nashville, we’re heading that way. I will miss you all terribly.”
Mr. Andrews leaned into the table. “This means we’ll have an opening for an anchor. We like to promote from within, but we’re open to bringing in someone from the outside as well. It’s an exciting time at Action News. Now, let’s get rolling for the day.”
Budget meetings were a necessary evil. Nobody liked them, but everybody went. And emails were just too slow or easy to miss, so in person they were, every day. Stories on politics, a shooting, an unfortunate drowning. Sadly, things that made the news had become mundane for me. I hadn’t been surprised by a murder in years.
“Piper, what are you working on?”
My attention turned back to Piper who sat beside me. She straightened and tucked her hair behind her ear. It was adorable the way she did that every time before she began to talk. Why was I noticing this? I was supposed to be a life-long bachelor, why was I thinking I could fall in love with her?
“Yesterday we spoke with a woman who is a professional bridesmaid. We should have it ready for tonight.” She turned toward me with a raised eyebrow.
Right, we’re at work. Nodding, I confirmed. “Yes, I should have it ready within an hour of sitting down.”
Mr. Andrews jotted it down on his legal pad. “Great. I also want you to run out to the Soup Kitchen. A local Girl Scout troop is volunteering there. Quick feel-good piece.”
We nodded in unison and the agenda moved on.
As we left the meeting, Piper fell in step beside me. “If you want to finish that bridesmaid package, I’ll call the soup kitchen and the Girl Scout person and arrange to go out there.” She waved a paper with a phone number on it.
“Perfect. Give me about an hour.” My mind was already on the next step of editing as I stepped away from Piper and toward my edit bay.
Maria stopped me before I got too far. “AO, would you do me a favor?”
My mind on my footage, I bounced from one foot to the other. “Um, sure?”
“Can you put together a package for me so I can apply for the anchor position? And would you recommend me?” She batted her eyelashes and adjusted her shirt so her cleavage was well in view.
I had worked with Maria for two years but didn’t know her well. Of course, I had noticed her flirting in recent months but I hadn’t thought much of it. “I’m a little busy, Maria. Can’t Rex do it for you?”
“You’re way better than Rex.” She pressed against me ever so slightly. “Please?”
It was easier to just go along with it for now. With a sigh, I held my hands up in surrender. “Do you have the footage you want? I can take a look. But probably not today.”
She squealed. “Oh, thank you, AO. You’re the best. I’ll bring it by your desk later.” With that, she scurried away on impossibly high heels.
Within an hour, I had a visually appealing, if not a little boring, package for Piper on the bridesmaid. I texted her that it was ready for her voice over and seconds later she appeared in my doorway.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll knock this out and we can leave for the soup kitchen.” She plopped down in Rex’s chair and pulled a set of headphones in front of her.
“Perfect. Hey, Maria wants me to edit a package for her to apply for anchor.” I cued up the video as I told her what Maria said. I wondered if she thought Maria would be good as anchor.
“Well, I would agree that you’re a better editor than Rex, but isn’t that a little underhanded?” Piper fiddled with the headphone wire as she looked at me, her dark eyes searching my own.
“It kind of feels that way, yeah. And she wants a recommendation.” I sat back in my chair and put my hands behind my head.
Piper stiffened. “You’re not going to give her one are you?”
“I don’t know her that well and we haven’t worked together much at all. You don’t think I should give her one?”
“I mean, you’re going to give me a recommendation, aren’t you? I realize I’m newer here, but I’ve been doing this longer than Maria has.” Piper blinked several times as she spoke and a stray piece of glitter sparkled with the movement.
Sitting up, warmth crept through my body. Did Piper want the job? Then she wouldn’t be with me every day. The thought didn’t sit well with me. I liked working with Piper. We had good chemistry and I realized the potential for more chemistry. Perhaps if we weren’t working side by side every day, it would make it easier for us to go out socially. Or give me room to breathe so I could get over this crush and stop fantasizing about what her lips taste like.
“I don’t know, Piper.” It was a non-committal answer and a cop-out, but it was the truth. “Record your V. O. and I’ll be back in a few minutes.” With that, I stood and left the room.
We got in the car to head to the local soup kitchen and Piper’s door slam did not escape my notice. She crossed her arms as she sat back and huffed.
“What put you in a mood?”
She turned to me and glared. “You did. You don’t think I deserve to be an anchor?” Anger showed plainly on her face, but I could see the hurt behind it. Her eyes were glossy and her lower lip poked out.
“I didn’t say that, Piper.” I pulled out onto the main road, glad to not have to look her in the eye.
“You didn’t have to. Go ahead and recommend Maria. She’s got the hots for you and I’m sure she would ‘reward’ you for a recommendation.”
I nearly slammed on the brakes at that comment. “Piper, seriously? Do you think I would do that? Clearly, you don’t know me as well as I thought.” I shook my head, glad I was now sitting at a red light. “One, I value my job and take it seriously. I know I like to have fun, but I won’t recommend Maria for a chance to roll in the hay with her. Second, I won’t be guilted into recommending you just because you’re my partner and you think it’s expected. I didn’t even have time to think about it before you both were demanding I put in a word for you. At this point, Campbell, I’m out of the equation.”
It was silent as we drove to the soup kitchen. Once there, Piper began her tongue-twister warm-ups. They had been endearing the last time I heard them, but now they were just grating my nerves.
How could she assume I would automatically give her the recommendation? Then again, helping her get this position would help me get her out of my head. I had no desire for commitment in my adult life and she had me questioning that. Removing her from my day-to-day life would surely remove any foolish notions that I needed her in my arms. So what if she was smart, sexy, great with Maggie, and one of the kindest people I had ever met? Well, kind to everyone except me.
We worked seamlessly and silently for the next hour as we did the story on the soup kitchen and an adorable group of Girl Scouts. One of them even had Down Syndrome, a little redhead with bright blue eyes. Piper and I were both drawn to her and she looked at Piper as if she were a movie star instead of a field reporter. Piper’s patience and obvious care for the girl broke down the bitterness I felt.
She’d be a great mom one day. I stopped in my routine and pondered that thought. Why did I care if Piper Campbell would be a great mother one day? I wouldn’t be there to see it. That thought made me feel a little sad. Perhaps I would see it on the periphery, as a co-worker. Piper and whatever man was lucky enough to get her, with their children at the company picnic. With her looks and my coloring, our children would be much better looking than any from some other guy.
Whoa. Where did that thought come from? My heart pounded furiously and my palms were sweaty. I could see what our children would look like in my mind. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. I needed to get her the anchor job so I could get her and these thoughts out of my mind.
“Alonso? Why did you stop?” Piper’s annoyed voice snapped me out of my imaginings.
I was standing in the doorway with my equipment halfway taken apart, a camera hanging precariously in my hand. “Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought.” I carefully placed the camera on the ground. “Piper, if you want a recommendation for anchor, I’ll give it to you. I’ll type it up tonight and send it to Tyrell and Andrews.”
Now it was her turn to stop mid-stride. Pink tinged her cheeks for a moment before she jumped up and down. “Oh, Alonso, really? I could never thank you enough.” Then she bound over to me and wrapped her arms around me.
The little Girl Scout made a kissing noise. “Is he your boyfriend?” Looking over, her little red eyebrows waggled up and down in our direction. She reminded me so much of Maggie. I bet she could get away with a lot of sass at home, just like Maggie did.
The tight squeeze released and Piper quickly stepped away. “Oh, no, Bailey. He’s just a co-worker who agreed to help me with something.”
Bailey stepped closer to Piper and motioned for her to come closer. Piper leaned over. With one cupped hand, Bailey attempted to whisper in Piper’s ear, but everyone within twenty feet could hear her. “He should be your boyfriend. He’s really cute.”
The adult in charge of the girls finally stepped in. “Bailey, stop that. Leave Ms. Campbell alone.” She held out her hand and Bailey obediently went to her side and took her hand. “I’m so sorry.”
Back at the studio, I sought out Maria to tell her I would not be able to give her a recommendation. “I think you’re great at what you do, but you know Piper is my partner and I told her I would write one for her. If you really need help with your package, I can see if I have time, but I really think you need to ask Rex or Dooley.”
With a nod, Maria swallowed hard. “I totally understand. I’m disappointed, but that’s okay. The right person will be chosen for the job.”
“That’s a great way of looking at it.” I patted her hand and said goodbye, heading back to my edit bay to work on the soup kitchen package.
A few minutes before eleven, both Piper’s stories were ready and loaded to run. If she wanted the anchor job, this was a good day for Mr. Andrews to be watching her work. Both stories were excellent and Piper seemed to be on fire in front of the camera. With my work done, I stayed at my desk and wrote the recommendation for her. With it emailed over to Mr. Andrews and Tyrell, I began to pack up just as the bridesmaid piece began to air.
Hm, that’s not the package I made earlier. I swallowed hard and blinked several times as I stared at the screen.
Oh no. Not again.