As promised, I doubled my numbers in four days. Highlights from my show have been trending on Twitter daily. And although Jimmy Kimmel’s Unnecessary Censorships focused on TV spots, I was the first radio host to make his weekly recap and an honorable mention in his opening dialogue.
The one thing that hadn’t happened was a repeat call from Apple. Every night as the last few minutes of airtime ticked down, I found myself annoyed she didn’t call… and even more annoyed that I was annoyed she didn’t call.
Haven said I should be fucking stoked that it was me who drove my numbers up. Yet, part of me felt if it hadn’t been Apple’s call on Monday night, would listeners have tuned in every night since to hear a repeat of her call? Or worse yet, to hear if she would get the shock jock to admit to some salacious secret that didn’t exist? Then there was the argument that made me a fraud. How could I give advice for any far-fetched situation if my own sex life was pretty tame?
Top all that off with the confusing as fuck reality that I couldn’t stop hearing her voice, picturing what she wore or where she lay while she talked to me.
By Wednesday I went as far as blaming my lack of a sex life as the reason I obsessed over a complete stranger. That could be the only explanation for my stupidity. It was obvious my brain couldn’t function properly from lack of sex as well as the freezing cold temperatures I was forced to endure in New York.
The last orgasm I had with a woman was the day I left L.A. Joyce Malvern was a tenacious Hollywood agent who had no interest in a relationship. We met at an awards show, and she spent the night trying to convince me to sign on with her, or fuck her. If I decided to sign on, then fucking her was off the table. I had no interest in an agent, and took option two. It worked. It was perfect for both of us. The downside was that Haven hated her. In spite of that, our arrangement lasted for almost a year.
We spent the night before I flew to New York doing all the dirty things we liked to do. A sushi dinner led to sixty-nine in her bed, fucking in her shower, and a blowjob in the airport parking lot. Her goal, to send me off satisfied with a promise to fly to New York if I needed her for any reason.
With every day that passed, I hated New York more and more. I needed a hook-up in the worst way. Haven would kill me when she found out I was contemplating asking Joyce to come to New York for an emergency visit. But, a comfortable hook-up would do me good in more ways than one. No effort needed, no charming a stranger. Even Haven couldn’t argue there was a lot to be said for familiarity in a strange city.
After tonight’s show, the crew would be heading to Old Man Gaffney’s for their Friday night ritual, and I would be joining them. The truth behind why I would also be attending had little to do with chumming around and building relationships with my team. Part of me hoped the petite blonde would be there, and a bigger part of me hoped I could get to know her on a personal level.
There was nothing I loved more than a challenge. If I saw her tonight, I wouldn’t play on that I suspected it was her who called. Nope. Instead, I’d use the coincidental encounter to my advantage.
Haven was the one person I confided in my theory that Apple was Abby. She heard the caller and agreed I needed to ride this one and make things interesting. She also agreed not to let on that I suspected it was Abby, and just to keep everyone guessing.
“If she thinks she is anonymous to you, she’ll be more forthright with opening up.”
I glanced at my watch bored with being in this touch base meeting. It wasn’t the same roomful of suits that I met with before I started at Galaxy. This time just Natalie, Daryl, Paul and myself were present. I had a few hours before tonight’s show, and I wanted to get some questions prepped to ask the callers. Things were going very well, and as far as I was concerned this meeting was a waste of my time.
Natalie ticked off the items on her list that she wanted to discuss with Paul, one being a few appearances I was scheduled for at a local business as well as a guest-spot on another Galaxy station. It seemed the recent bone of contention was whether I should be bringing dates or not. Paul seemed to think having a pretty woman on my arm would help my persona on the air. Nat felt it would contradict my romantic reputation if I had a different woman at each event.
What-the-fuck-ever.
It wouldn’t matter what any of them felt because I did what I pleased. Sometimes I preferred to go alone. Other times having a confidante to help the evening be less boring was a must.
I wasn’t listening until Paul suddenly said, “Vaughn what’s on your schedule that will wow those listeners?”
“I don’t like to discuss my outline with anyone. Sorry, Paul.”
“I can’t even get him to share it with me,” Natalie quipped. “I do have to admit it is more fun going in every night not having a clue what he’s going to come up with.”
“Seems scary as hell, but it is workin.’ Keep it up, Vaughn.” Paul threw me a smile, and not the arrogant or condescending smile he normally sported… for the first time since meeting him his smile was genuine.
“I’ll do my best. I appreciate you not fighting Natalie on my methods this week.”
“You have to bear with us, Vaughn. This is unchartered territory for Galaxy. You can’t fault us for treading lightly. But… thanks to you we are learning to take risks.” He lifted a hand in a Boy Scout salute. “No more fighting.”
“Thank you,” I said all the while wondering if the kick-start we had week two was because of my so-called methods and not because of a phone call from a mysterious woman named Apple.
“You do what you need to do keep those numbers where they are.”
Ah… but that was the fucking question of the day.
Could I?
As I moved my gaze to Natalie’s face, her grin widened. “Well, the other thing we need to discuss is the Galaxy Ball tomorrow night.”
Ugh.
Fucking hell.
I had forgotten about that damn thing, and I didn’t bother to display my lack of enthusiasm. “It’s a tradition, Vaughn. One you’re now part of. Your name and face will bring in a lot of money for our cause,” Natalie reminded me.
The so-called cause was the reason I agreed to being auctioned off at this fucking ball. Fine, it wasn’t like I had a choice since Galaxy was sure to include my participation in my contract. Paul Turner, being adopted himself, donated millions of dollars toward Turner House, an organization he founded ten years ago for orphans. Haven was super impressed with the direction of my new boss’s charitable works.
Daryl cleared his throat to interrupt. “I have a great idea to drive his value up.”
I lifted a brow at his word choice. “Value?”
“Yeah,” he said on a hard nod. “Picture this. So, their bid will get them a romantic dinner and a private session with the sex therapist. What if they were also led to believe getting to first base, second, or maybe even all the way home was also a possibility with Vaughn Lair?” he asked in a deep baritone radio voice.
“And how will that increase my value?”
“We elude to more than just…” He moved his fingers in an annoying curling motion. “Dinner and Therapy.”
“That’s illegal, Daryl,” Natalie said in an exasperated tone.
“No, it’s not.”
“They’re bidding for sex with Vaughn? Yes it is.”
“No sex. We’ll let them think it has to do with sex, but in fact it’s a date at a baseball game.” Three sets of eyes focused on his nodding head. “It’s brilliant.”
“Anything else?” Paul asked, ignoring the jackass and his stupid idea.
“Nope, that’s all we have,” Natalie responded for us.
“Okay. Have a great show tonight, Vaughn. I’ll see you at the ball tomorrow, everyone.”
Paul left the conference room, leaving me with my two key players, one of which I contemplated firing.
“Seriously?”
“What? The team who brings in the most money gets a paid vacation. I’m just trying to help you, dude.”
“Yeah, it’s me you’re trying to help.” I stood and walked toward the door. “I’ll meet you in the studio.”
My cell buzzed in my pocket just as I hit my office. “Hey,” I said when I answered Haven’s call.
“So? How did it go?”
“Paul conceded.”
“Told you he would. How could he not? He has no clue how to run what you’re bringing to Galaxy.”
“As long as I keep bringing it.”
“What is wrong with you? Do you need me to come there to smack you? You are bringing it. That chick hasn’t called all week.”
Haven knew I felt it was Apple’s call that uncorked the excitement the show needed. “Yeah, we’ll see. Anyway, I need a favor.”
“Shoot.”
“Meet me at Old Man Gaffney’s tonight. If she’s there, you’re going to become her new BFF.” The silence that stretched was expected. Haven hated crowded, loud bars. “Hello?”
“I have a date tonight.”
“Elliott?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him.” I didn’t wait for her to finish her groan before adding, “Settled. I’ll see you tonight after the show.”
I hung up the call as her last words, “Vaughn Lair, I hate you,” filtered over the line.
With ten minutes left on the clock, that elusive name and blurb popped up on my call screen. Natalie saw it at the exact same time I did and pointed to it with raised brows. “So, we have time for one more call,” she said over her microphone.
Even though a tiny thrill shot through me over seeing her on my call list, it was curiosity that had me clicking on her name.
“You’re on with Vaughn. How can I help you get off, Apple?”
“Oh, my list is long,” she breathed into the phone. “Hi, Vaughn. Thanks for taking my call.”
“My pleasure. I was wondering if you were going to call back.”
“Sorry, I’ve been very busy,” she said with a sigh but then said nothing else. Silence stretched between us. Dead air while on the radio was a producer’s nightmare, yet during the few seconds of muteness you could hear the electricity zipping through the phone line.
It took longer than expected before Natalie rolled a hand in a silent, move it along.
“How can I help you tonight?”
“Need I remind you of our last conversation, Vaughn?”
“No, I remember. You want a secret.”
“Are you ready to share, put yourself in the listener’s shoes and open up?”
Her voice was smooth as silk, and the insinuation behind her question almost caused me to blurt out voyeurism was my thing, but I wasn’t going to make this easy on her.
“I guess I’m curious why you need this from me.”
“For some reason I just do. It reminds me of a book I read.” She paused for a moment before asking, “Are we out of time?”
“No. We have a few minutes. Continue.”
“In this book, a woman stood on a subway platform heading to work and just minding her business. A train pulled in, but it was so crowded, she decided to wait for the next one. Right before it pulled out, her eyes landed on a man staring at her from inside the train. In the way his chocolate brown eyes drilled right into hers caused her nipples to pebble. She clenched her thighs beneath her skirt as her pussy pulsed from that one look.”
Natalie shifted beside me just as I saw Daryl slap a frustrated hand over his eyes through the plate glass window.
Apple dragged in an audible breath. Fuck, this was good radio.
“And?” I asked, in a tone just above a whisper.
“And, in the amount of time it took for passengers to embark, disembark, and for the announcement to sound that the doors were closing, this woman practically came from this stranger staring at her.”
“Insta-love, insta-lust. Is that what you’re trying to understand? Have you experienced this spark you are describing with me?”
“Not exactly. In the book, he was just as caught up in her as she was in him. In my situation it was one-sided.”
“Yes, you mentioned during your last call you saw me somewhere. You never answered my question if we spoke or not. Did we?”
“Briefly. Yet, during that minute my world stopped spinning.”
Natalie’s confused expression turned to concern. I watched her scribble on a piece of paper—wacko, abort!
Shit. It had to be Abby.
And if this was indeed true, what was I getting myself into by encouraging her? In spite of that, I couldn’t bring myself to hang up. There was a vulnerable quality to the woman and that added to the intrigue.
“So you said in your situation it was one-sided. You noticed me, but I didn’t notice you, correct?”
“Something like that.”
“Okay, then I’m not understanding the connection between this book that stayed with you and our chance encounter.”
“In the book that stranger consumed the woman’s every thought for years. She moved through her life the way one was expected to—dated, married, had kids. But she never forgot that man she saw in the subway that day, until she ran into him again. And when she did it flipped her life upside down. Can a sudden unexpected one-time connection be that powerful?”
“Sure. Anything is possible. But need I remind you it was a fictional book.”
“I can assure you what I experienced when I first saw you wasn’t fictional, Vaughn.”
“That’s all the time we have tonight.” Natalie cut into our conversation without apology.
Apple chuckled on her end of the call. “I guess that means I’m done. We’ll talk again. Have fun at the Galaxy ball tomorrow. I bought a ticket, but I’m not sure if I’m going or not. Whoever bids on you is one lucky lady.”
Before I could respond, she hung up and ended the call.
A few seconds of dead air had Natalie flailing her arms, motioning me to get on with closing comments. In a trance, I read through the sponsors for the night and closed the show with my standard departing line.
“This is Dr. Vaughn Lair. Remember to fuck with all your heart, and fuck like your life depends on it. Good night.”
No sooner did the On Air light dim than Natalie barked, “Vaughn. You need to stop encouraging her!”
“Oh stop. She’s harmless,” I said, removing my headphones.
“They make horror movies from this content. Today she has a harmless infatuation; tomorrow she’s cooking your rabbit. Are you insane?”
“You’re being ridiculous. It makes great radio.”
Daryl walked in while laughing. “This is getting so fucking good! The shock jock has a stalker.”
Ignoring him, Natalie persisted. “Vaughn. She’s going to the ball! This is scary.”
I grabbed my folder and chuckled at her. “Nah, this is fascinating,” I retorted before walking out of the studio.