Chapter Twenty-One

Brad

My day at the beach was supposed to help me forget about New York. It didn’t work. I was cranky as hell, and everything and everyone was pissing me off. Mia had thrown a serious wrench into my life plans. Every time I thought about her kicking me out of her bed, my mind jumped right to the part where I was in her bed, inside her. I knew she wanted me. Maybe I could settle for some cross-country affair. Jump on a plane, jump on her, then jump back home.

“Dammit!” I groaned as the elevator doors slid open. The older woman riding up with me glared. “Sorry. I, uh, just remembered I left the stove on,” I mumbled.

Being back home wasn’t what I’d planned it to be. I’d had the idea I was going to be coming home an engaged man, but I wasn’t. Not even close. Mia was one stubborn woman. I could tell she cared about me, and I had apologized about a hundred times for what had happened in the past. It just wasn’t enough. I thought I had adequately groveled. Apparently not, considering I was sitting in LA all alone. She’d been so pissed. I hadn’t expected that at all. I had thought I might have to convince her, but I hadn’t expected a flat-out no without a discussion, especially after we’d had such a great time together.

I checked my phone, but there was still no message from her. I had sent her several, hoping to get a response. She had cut me out of her life, but my mind refused to accept defeat. I felt like shit as I walked into the station. I wasn’t in the mood to do my usual show. I just didn’t have it in me. I didn’t have a guest today, which meant it was all me. I had a show all planned, but it did not appeal to me now, not in my current mood.

Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. It was easy to fake a good mood when no one could see you. I didn’t have to smile or look like I gave a shit. I was a practiced smooth talker. But despite all my training and experience, I couldn’t seem to find the enthusiasm to go through with my normal routine. Tonight, all I wanted to talk about was Mia.

An idea sprang to mind. I could do exactly that. I needed some sound advice. My listeners would tell me what I should do. It would be putting myself out there, but I didn’t care. I was desperate. There was a chance Mia would catch the show as well. It was slim, but it was a chance, and that was all I could hope for.

I settled into the booth, looked at my producer, and grinned. A look of fear cross his face. He knew I was about to go way off script. He shook his head. I winked, telling him it would be okay by giving him a thumbs-up.

“Good evening, listeners. We’re going to do something a little different tonight. We’re turning the tables. Instead of me spewing my words of wisdom, I need some input from all of you. It’s like this, folks: I’ve got girl problems,” I said to start the show.

The producer was shaking his head on the other side of the glass, telling me to stop. But I couldn’t—not now. I had a feeling my loyal listeners would like the chance to know me a little better anyway. I talked a lot about my fitness and health. Why not talk to them about something a bit more personal? Still, that persistent niggle of doubt in the back of my mind was telling me to shut my mouth and stick with the program. I ignored it.

“I need some help, guys. There’s a woman. No, let me clarify. Not a woman, the woman. She just happens to be the most stubborn woman in the world. She loves me. I know that without a doubt. The problem is, she doesn’t know it.”

Within seconds, the switchboard was lighting up, and I hoped it was some good advice coming in. I was grasping at straws at this point and was willing to do just about anything.

The first call was patched through.

“What do you have for me?” I asked, hopeful I was about to be given the key to Mia’s heart.

“She’s just not that into you,” a man’s voice said.

I burst into laughter. “Well, that was blunt.”

The guy had already hung up.

When I looked up at my producer, he was smiling broadly. This was payback. Of all the calls, he had deliberately chosen that one to give me. I flipped him the bird.

“Help me out, guys,” I begged my listeners.

When given the signal to take another call, I steeled myself for more harsh words.

“Be nice,” I said, answering the call.

“Woo her. Show her how much you love her. Guys always think they can steamroll their way into everything,” a woman said on the other end of the phone.

“What do you mean woo?” I asked, genuinely curious.

She laughed. “That’s the problem. You don’t know how to woo.”

“I’m at your mercy,” I said.

My producer was laughing. The switchboard was completely lit up, so clearly my love troubles were very exciting.

The calls ranged from offers to soothe my broken heart to some rather rude suggestions about what I should do. By the end of the show, I wasn’t feeling like I had any really good ideas about how to convince Mia she loved me, but I’d had a lot of good laughs, which had helped lift my mood somewhat. I hoped I had provided some comic relief for the rest of the country. It was only a little embarrassing that they were laughing at me.

I was sitting in my office still thinking about Mia when Jaxon pushed open my door.

“What the hell?” he growled.

“What?” I asked.

“That was embarrassing for me,” he said. “You must be feeling like a complete idiot. Are you drunk?”

I laughed. “I’m desperate, man, not drunk. Maybe I need to be drunk.”

“No shit. That came across loud and clear. You sounded like a lovesick teenager.”

I shrugged a shoulder. I didn’t care that I had lost all my dignity and self-respect. “I’m a lovesick adult. Same thing.”

“You’ll be happy to hear there are about a hundred women who left their names and numbers, all offering to help heal your broken heart. More than one said she would love to accept your proposal,” he said. “How is it you make a fool out of yourself and you still come out smelling like a rose? It’s like you can do no wrong. I think I hate you.”

“Thanks. Unlike you, I’m not going to be satisfied just jumping into bed with some random woman. I want her.”

“That isn’t going to happen, so get over it. You know what I always say: the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”

“You’re an idiot.”

He grinned. “Why her? Why can’t you let her go? Seriously, let’s go out. We’ll have some drinks and I’ll make sure you get laid. You won’t think about Lola at all.”

“Mia,” I corrected.

“Lola, Mia, who cares? You just need a good woman. Then you won’t care anymore either.”

I rubbed my eyes. “I don’t suppose you actually have anything helpful to offer?” I asked, not all that amused.

“No. I don’t think there’s any help for your problem. It’s a problem of your own making. Let it go. Seriously, it’s painful. Like, you woke up one day and decided you wanted to make your life hell. Why? Why can’t you go back to being the old Brad? You had a minor midlife crisis. It’s over. End of story.”

I shrugged. “I don’t like the old Brad. I want to be different. I’m bored, and I need more. It wasn’t a crisis—it was an epiphany.”

“Fine. Let me give you some advice. You’re trying too hard. You came on too strong. Back off a bit. You’ve got to play hard to get. You just put it all out there and you didn’t leave her anything to chase,” he said.

I groaned. “I don’t want to do the whole cat-and-mouse thing. I don’t have time for that. I want her. She’s mine. She’s got to know that,” I insisted.

Jaxon laughed. “This isn’t the dark ages. You can’t call in a pact or offer a dowry or whatever. Let her feel wanted, but, Lord, slow down, man.”

I took a deep breath. He was right. It was a character flaw. When I wanted something, I got it. There was no waiting or negotiating.

“Fine. I’ll back off for now,” I grumbled.

“Good. I’ve got to go. Unlike you, I’m still spreading myself around.” He winked.

Sitting back in my chair, I thought about what Jaxon had said. I would back off, but I wanted to remind her I was still waiting. I decided to go old school. I sent a box of fancy chocolates to her condo with a note apologizing for being so pushy.

I hoped it would be enough to convince her to accept my wooing. I would try a more traditional approach. Obviously, the heavy-handed approach wasn’t going to work.

“You good?” Tina said, stopping by my office on her way out.

“I am.”

“You sure?” she asked with genuine concern.

I laughed. “Geez, I must have sounded pretty rough. Jaxon was concerned as well.”

She shrugged. “You aren’t one to be so open with your private life. I think you really connected with a lot of people tonight. It wasn’t a publicity stunt and wasn’t seen as such. I think you proved you are human, and that makes people feel invested in you. I hope it works out, Brad. I really do.”

“Thanks, Tina. Have a good night.”

By the time I got home, I had come up with a new plan. Mia and I had said a lot the other day, and it was only now that one of her reasons for rejecting me actually sank in. She thought I wanted her to give up her job and move to LA. She didn’t think I would move for her, so I was going to prove her wrong.

I fired up my laptop and did a search for homes in New York. I liked Mia’s condo, but I was serious about settling down and putting down roots. I quickly realized it wasn’t a house I needed to be looking for, though—it was a job. I could technically stay with Mia until we could pick out a place together. Assuming she was going to fall in love with me and my wooing, that was.

I couldn’t move there without a job, and I would go out of my mind without my career. It wasn’t easy to pick up and just move to another station on the other side of the country. I had a decent following in Los Angeles and along the West Coast, but that didn’t mean I would have the same following in New York. It was a cutthroat world. One wrong word and it could all blow up in my face. Showbiz was no joke.

For the first time, I seriously mulled over the satellite offer. It was risky. I wouldn’t have a guaranteed audience. I closed the laptop and leaned back against the couch. I was being irrational, but at least I could admit it. I was willing to give up everything I had for her, and she wouldn’t even give me the time of day.

Was I making a huge mistake? For the first time since I’d remembered the pact, I had doubts. I could be giving up everything, and all for nothing. All I needed was a little hope. If she could give me some kind of sign that she was at least considering my proposal, I would throw caution to the wind and move in at a minute’s notice. It was the rational side of me that kept me from doing just that.