Chapter Three
Noelle waited for Caitlin’s signal, then leaned closer to her microphone. “Welcome back to Noelle Knows. I’ve been teasing a major announcement for the last two hours. Many of you have posted guesses on Facebook and Twitter, but no one got it right. Now’s the time for the big reveal, so let’s get to it. I have a mystery guest joining me in the studio. Say hello, mystery guest.”
“Hello,” Tate in an amused tone.
He’d only spoken one word, but it slid like melted chocolate all the way through her body. Noelle stiffened her shoulders. So what? A great voice was almost a prerequisite for a radio talk-show host. So what if she’d found herself staring at her palm at random times throughout the day like she could still feel his hand pressed against hers? If she wanted to be Miss Mary Sunshine, her reactions proved her hormones, which Caitlin claimed were in a deep freeze since Noelle’s engagement had crashed and burned, could be defrosted. Not that it mattered. Tate was so not her type.
“Noelle?” he prompted.
Oh. Right. On the radio. Live.
“If you’re a regular listener to WTLK, my mystery guest isn’t a mystery,” she said. “He’s not a guest, either. For the rest of the month, I’ll be sharing this hour and the next with none other than Tate Grayson. Welcome, Tate. Happy to have you here.”
“Happy to be here,” he answered, humor filling his tone. Good. He was playing his part. “Some of you have asked if we had planned to call into each other’s show a few days ago. The answer is no, but we realized we could make radio magic if we joined forces.”
Noelle nodded, smiling. “Magic. I like it.”
Tate chuckled. “We’re not sure how this is going to work, but we’re excited to find out.”
“We know we’re not the only ones affected by this change. You listen to our respective shows for our discussions on relationships and sports. We’ll still talk about those topics, but we’ll be getting the other’s perspective during these two hours.”
“Should be…how do I put it? Lively.” His amber eyes sparkled like he was actually having a good time.
Noelle felt her smile stretching wider. “Yep. Lively. Good word choice.”
Her eyes, of their own accord, slid down his body. A red T-shirt skimmed his chest and arms, hinting at the muscles underneath and complimenting his chestnut skin. A shiver of awareness swept through her body. Not good. Her gaze, desperately searching for another target, landed on her computer screen. “Let’s hear what you think. Give us a call at 214-555-WTLK. Let’s go to Carly in Arlington.”
“I’m curious to see how it’s going to work out between y’all,” Carly said. “I listen to both of your shows and you definitely have different perspectives on life.”
“Don’t I know it?” Tate said in a long-suffering voice.
“I can’t wait to hear your first fight. It’s going to be epic.”
“Thanks, Carly,” Tate said dryly. “We live to entertain.”
Noelle laughed, surprised she was enjoying his sarcastic wit. “Thanks, Carly. Next up is Derek in Mesquite.”
“No offense, but this sounds dumb,” the man said. “Man, you’re Tate the Great. You have the latest scoops in the sports world. I know that’s what I’m going to get, and that’s what I want. I don’t want to hear you talk about love and feelings. Why are you doing this?”
Hmm, interesting. Tate on the hot seat. From what she could tell, his listeners worshipped him and rarely disagreed with him. Noelle rested her cheek on her fist and waited to see how he handled this one.
“I understand where you’re coming from, but I like to think of myself as a Renaissance man,” Tate answered.
It took everything she had in her not to roll her eyes, but if they were going to survive the next few weeks, she had to remember to play nice.
“I have layers,” Tate continued. “You have layers. You should give Noelle and me a chance. You never know. You might pick up some tips to help with your lady. You do have a lady, right?”
“Oh, you know this.” Derek laughed.
Just like that, he was putty in Tate’s hands. Smooth, as always.
Ten minutes later, right before they returned from a commercial break, Noelle took a deep breath and sent up a silent prayer. They’d programmed the first segment well, so there hadn’t been much opportunity for discord, but that stretch was over.
“It’s game time,” Tate said.
Crap. Sports metaphors already? She’d hoped to avoid those for as long as possible. She sent him what she hoped was a self-assured smile and reached for her headphones. Tate grabbed for his, too. They slipped them on and turned toward each other. Her gaze latched on to the wide chest in front of her. Dangerous territory. Up her eyes went.
Only to land on his full lips.
“Ready to do this?” he asked.
Before today, she’d never noticed how small the studio was. Tate was only one man, but he seemed to take up enough space for two.
And his smell. She’d noticed it when they’d run into each other outside the elevator. She usually wasn’t one for men’s cologne, finding it too overpowering. But his scent, whatever it was, tickled her nose in a tantalizing manner. It was subtle, manly, and seemed to enhance his natural scent. A pleasurable tingle raced down her back as she caught another hint of it.
“Sure,” she said, moving to the right, seeking some Tate-less air.
They waited while Bobby counted down to the end of the break. At his signal, she adjusted her mic and got down to business. “Hi, it’s Noelle and Tate. Let’s talk about compromise in relationships, something Tate and I have been learning a lot about over the past few days.”
“I don’t like compromise.” Tate shifted toward her, bringing another hit of his signature scent with him.
Which she was going to ignore. Starting now. “What’s wrong with compromise, Tate?”
“In my experience, when a woman trots out the word compromise, she really wants her man to do what she says.”
She rolled her eyes. She didn’t even try to stop herself this time. Was he serious? “I disagree. I think if we’re honest, both men and women want their way, but we should be mature enough to know that’s not always going to happen, which is where compromise enters the conversation. To have a healthy relationship, each partner must realize that compromise is okay and that it must be genuine. Look for the best solution for both of you. If you’re genuinely opposed to the solution, speak up in a respectful way. Giving in and then sulking benefits neither party. As long-time listeners know, I advocate the three Cs: cool, commitment, and communication. If you follow the three Cs, compromise is the next logical step in a healthy relationship.”
“You talk a good game, Dr. Noelle, but reality doesn’t match the ideal situation you’ve laid out. Speaking of your three Cs…”
“Yes?”
“I heard you discussing them yesterday.”
“And?” Noelle lifted an eyebrow in an attempt to prove to him—and herself—that she wasn’t concerned about what he was about to say.
Tate crossed his arms and offered up a smug smile. “And I came up with my own.”
“I can’t wait to hear them.”
“Be careful what you wish for. You might learn something. My three Cs are chill, cling-off, and change.”
Foreboding skittered down her spine. “Please elaborate.”
“Chill. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Don’t let her fool you into thinking you can’t live without her because you can. Cling-off is kind of like bug repellant. Don’t let her cling. Only be available as much as necessary. Don’t give her false hope that she’s going to be picking out a wedding dress any time soon. If you follow those two words, it makes change all the easier. When things get boring, bam you’re off, your emotions unattached. Better yet, she won’t be able to claim you made promises you didn’t keep.”
At some point during his speech, her mouth had dropped open. She snapped it shut and stared at him, finding words impossible to come by, which wasn’t good considering her livelihood depended on her speaking. He looked so satisfied with himself. Curious, she tilted her head to the side and asked the first question that sprang to mind. “Why are you afraid of commitment?”
His handsome face went blank. “I’m not afraid of commitment. I just don’t see the point in it.”
Noelle leaned forward, genuine concern driving her. “I’m hearing some pain in your voice. Want to talk about it?”
“The only pain I’m feeling is a result of you trying to psychoanalyze me.” Tate turned to his computer, breaking eye contact. “What do the listeners have to say? Whose three Cs are more accurate? Is compromise a scam or reality for relationships? In other words, who’s right, Noelle or me? Shannon in Addison, you’re on.”
“I think you’re right, Noelle,” Shannon said. “I try to get my boyfriend to understand that compromise is good, but he pouts like a child, like I’m trying to take his binky away.”
“Come on, Shannon,” Tate interjected. “It’s not that simple. If we asked your boyfriend, I’m sure his version of the story would be different.”
“I don’t see how.” Frustration rang through her voice.
“How do you approach him? Are you already in a bad mood, which probably puts him on the defensive? Are you asking him to do something impossible or something you know he genuinely objects to?”
“No.” This time Shannon sounded a little less sure.
Tate raised his eyebrows and sent Noelle an I-told-you-so look.
But she wasn’t ready to concede to the sports lover. “Tate brings up a good point, Shannon. There are at least two sides to every story. Would you mind if we called your boyfriend and got his side?”
“Uhh…I guess that would be okay.”
“Great. We’re going to put you on hold and get your number off air while we go to a commercial break. This is Noelle with Tate Grayson. We’ll be right back.”
Hearing the music, she nodded to Caitlin, who picked up Shannon’s line. Satisfied the caller was being taken care of, she turned to her cohost, who lounged in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest.
“This should be good,” he said. “I can’t wait to hear what he says. I’m sure it’s the complete opposite of what Shannon told us.”
“Maybe. But when we go back on the air, no ganging up on her or automatically taking his side.”
He held up his hands. “Hey, I know, I know.”
She winced. “Sorry. I know I can be a little…”
“Bossy?”
A chuckle bubbled up out of her chest. “Okay, yes, I can be bossy sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
“Okay, a lot of times. But I’m working on it.”
His good-natured grin had her responding in kind. The lighthearted moment of accord felt good. She had to admit it was nice to have a partner to spar with. She was having fun, a luxury she rarely allowed herself. They were having fun, if Tate’s smile could be believed.
When Bobby loudly snapped his fingers and pointed to the clock, Noelle jerked her gaze away from Tate. Right. The commercial break was over. How long had they been sitting there, grinning at each other like fools, oblivious to everyone and everything else around them?
She leaned closer to her microphone. “This is Noelle Butler, back with Tate Grayson. Thanks for joining us on this crazy adventure we’re calling the TAN Show. During the last segment, we were joined by Shannon, who’s having some trouble communicating with her boyfriend, Mike. Mike joins us on the phone now. Hi, Mike, how are you doing?”
“I’m fine, just trying to figure out why you’re calling me.”
“Mike, this is Tate Grayson.”
“Sweet. I listen to your show all the time.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. Your girlfriend, Shannon, who is also on the line, called us because you two are having some issues.”
“Are you for real? Why’d you do that, Shannon?”
“Because I love Noelle,” Shannon said. “She gives the best advice. I know you like Tate, so I figured why not? Like I told them, every time we get into an argument, you start acting like a child instead of communicating like the twenty-seven-year-old you are.”
“I don’t believe this,” Mike said, his voice rising. “I don’t act like a child. You’re spoiled and want your way all the time.”
“Okay,” Noelle interrupted. “Enough with the insults. Tate and I want to help.”
“If I’m going to be honest, Mike, it sounds like you’re done,” Tate said.
Noelle glared at her interfering cohost, but he just shrugged a shoulder.
Mike sighed. “No, I’m not. I want to be with her.”
“Then y’all need to get it together,” Tate said.
“For once, I agree with my colleague,” Noelle said. “Mike, how do you react when Shannon brings up an issue?”
“I tense up. I know it’s going to be this big thing, and I’d rather not argue.”
“Do you think she’s asking for the impossible?”
Mike sighed. “Probably not. But I can’t even get to that point. She’s all worked up before I know what the problem is.”
“I like to work things out in my head first,” Shannon interrupted. “I don’t understand why that’s a problem.”
“It’s not necessarily,” Noelle said. “Mike, you said earlier that she’s used to getting her way. What kind of things are you arguing about?”
“Little things mostly, like where we go to dinner or if we should renew the lease on our apartment or find somewhere else to live, but they add up,” he said. “Last night, she got mad because I didn’t display the proper enthusiasm about a vacation to New York.”
“Well, we have to make a decision,” Shannon huffed. “Why can’t he make a decision?”
“Because I’m not sure I want to go to New York. I like staying home.”
“We stay home all the time.”
“And have fun doing it.”
“But why can’t we have fun doing something else?”
Mike released another sigh. “See? Everything is a debate. Everything used to be so easy between us. Now…I don’t know.”
“You and Shannon aren’t on the same page,” Tate said. “People in healthy relationships are.”
Noelle’s mouth dropped open. More wisdom. Maybe she hadn’t given him enough credit. “Agreed. What do you suggest they do, Tate?”
“Relationships should be fun. When they’re not anymore, then you need to break up.”
Noelle held back a sigh. There was the cynical Tate who worked her last nerve.
“You want us to break up?” Shannon sounded more than a little miffed.
“Only if that’s what you want, but I do think you need to figure it out,” Tate said.
“Noelle, what do you think?
“I agree with Tate.”
“You do?” Shannon cried out.
“To a certain extent,” Noelle said, injecting a soothing note into her voice. “You and Mike have lost your way with each other, but I think you still have time to rediscover each other.”
“While I think you need to discover what else is out there,” Tate said.
“Well, you two disagree, so what we are supposed to do?” Mike asked, his voice filled with suspicion and annoyance.
Excellent question. Noelle and Tate stared at each other for several seconds. Then it came to her in a flash. What Mike and Shannon needed was perspective. To get out of their rut and actually see each other again. Maybe even through new eyes to figure out what they wanted.
“What if Tate and I devise a series of relationship outings for you?” she said.
Tate nodded and gave her a thumbs-up. “Good idea. Mine will show you what else is out there.”
“While mine will remind you why you got together and stayed together,” Noelle said, working hard to keep her rising excitement out of her voice. She didn’t want to scare them.
“We can check in with you periodically to see where you stand,” Tate said. “The listeners can weigh in, too, but, ultimately, whether you stay together is up to you. Are you in?”
Mike sucked in a breath. “I don’t know. What do you think, Shannon?”
“I guess we can try,” she said. “It’s not like we’ve found a solution on our own.”
“You’re right. Might as well. But, hey, what do you two get out of this?” Mike said.
Noelle looked at her cohost. The light of battle had entered his eyes. No doubt he thought this was his chance to prove that relationships were foolhardy.
But he didn’t know who he was messing with. Her competitive instincts had been roused when she was a seven-year-old Girl Scout and overheard Kim Scott bragging that she’d “sell way more cookies than that boring, too-afraid-to-talk Noelle.” That little snot Kim had been shocked when Noelle was named the troop’s top cookie-seller. Even more so when Noelle repeated the feat the next two years. Still one of her proudest achievements. Oh, yeah. Tate was in for a world of hurt.
She let a grin spread across her face. “I think we can come up with something, can’t we, Tate?”
“Without a doubt,” he said with an arrogant grin of his own.
Noelle held out her hand. “Deal?”
He took it. “Deal.”