“Of course I mean it.” She looked at me, really looked at me, and I understood. “I always want you around. Don’t you know that?”
My swollen heart felt ready to burst. “I do now. And yes, I want to go!”
“Settled, then. You’re coming.” She smiled and her eyes danced with happiness. “Look out, Denver.”
“They’re not gonna know what hit ’em.”
It shouldn’t have been too difficult to convince Kristin to give me a couple of days off, or better yet, let me attend the conference on behalf of the station. But I was aware that I’d waited pretty late to put in my request.
“So, how would you feel about me attending the PSJ conference this year?” I asked her. We’d been chatting casually in her office that morning before the day took off and we’d not have time to connect again. It had become our new informal routine, a checking in with each other.
She shifted her lips to the side, taking in my query. “Does this have anything to do with Carrie’s speech?”
We had too many people in common for me to try and sidestep the implication. She had to know we were seeing each other. Emory and Lucy were best friends. I grinned, acquiescing. “Sure. It definitely motivates me to want to be there. It’s also a great opportunity to learn, mingle, rub elbows.”
She pursed her lips in thought. “I want you to talk to Tam about it.” Apparently, this was a bigger ask than I’d realized, and I’d have to go up the ladder. “In fact, let’s talk to him together right now.”
She stood and walked past me down the hall to Tam’s office. I followed, curious and now a little intimidated. We found him making strides on his new treadmill desk. He raised a hand when we entered and slowed his pace. “Hey.”
Kristin walked all the way into the office and closed the door behind us. “Skyler is interested in attending the PSJ conference in Denver this year. Interesting, huh?”
That had his attention. In fact, he stopped the treadmill function altogether. His brow furrowed. “No, no, no. You can’t do that.”
My heart sank. “Well, if you don’t want me to attend on behalf of the station, could I request those days off and go on my own time?”
Tam tented his fingers on his desk and Kristin looked on. “You could. That’s one option.”
Okay, good. This could still work out.
“Another is you stay here and anchor the five and ten while Carrie’s away.”
Silence. Holy hell and a half. “You want me to anchor. Why?” My brain was struggling to stay in the race and hadn’t caught up to my mouth or the room.
Kristin stepped in. “We’re always looking to groom new talent, and our audiences have taken a liking to you. It’s a great chance for some anchor experience, too.”
“You test well,” Tam said and took a giant bite of a full-sized carrot like Bugs Bunny himself. “Really well. And you’re new and fresh. What do you say?”
I grappled. This was a chance that didn’t come around every day. Ever, actually. “Well, there’s no way I can say no to that.” I looked from Kristin to Tam. “Is there?”
Tam looked confused. “It would surprise me if you did.”
“It’s a pretty big deal,” Kristin added.
Excitement bubbled and overtook every other plan I had. I’d miss going on the trip with Carrie, but she was someone who would understand the gravity of this opportunity. Plus, we would have more trips ahead of us. I’d happily plan one myself.
“I’d love to fill in,” I said decisively.
“Great.” Tam turned his treadmill back on and got to walking. “We’ll get you a few rehearsals and talk about camerawork. Nothing too difficult. You’re a pro.”
I nodded from my spot somewhere in the stratosphere. “Okay, thank you.” I paused. “Is this because I got punched?”
Kristin laughed. “No. Definitely not.”
Tam looked thoughtful. “It probably didn’t hurt. Any attention is good attention, right? I mean, as long as you’re not a criminal. Don’t do crime.”
His dry delivery left me unsure of how serious he was being. “Not forecasted for any, so…”
“That’s what I want to hear.” He looked to Kristin. “You got this?”
“I do.”
“Great.” We were excused. He went back to his TVs, carrots, and treadmill. I was confident he never slept. Or cried.
Once we were alone in the hallway, Kristin turned to me with a warm smile. “Proud of the work you’re doing, Skyler. Keep it up, okay?”
I surely grew two inches in that moment. This was my boss, and she thought I was doing okay. She was proud of me. But it didn’t stop there. I called Carrie from my desk minutes later. She wasn’t due to the station for another couple of hours, but there was no way I was going to be able to wait that long with this news leaping up and down from within like an impatient kid at the candy counter.
“Skyler, wow. They’re putting you in the big chair?”
“The big chair.”
“Do you know how huge a deal that is? We have reporters who’ve been with us for years, decades, who’ve not seen the anchor seat.”
I shook my head and smacked a hand across my forehead. “I wish I knew why they’re taking the leap. They said I test well.”
“Well, everyone loves you. It’s true.” She got quiet. “I guess this means no weekend away together.”
“That’s the sad part.”
“You know what? That’s okay. This is important for you, and you should do it. You are, right?”
“As long as you’re in agreement, I planned to.”
“Are you kidding? I’m dating the hot new substitute anchor of the nightly news. Let me fan myself.”
I laughed. “Now you know how I feel daily.”
“We have to celebrate.”
“No.”
“Yes. I’m taking you out this weekend.” We both had it off and, other than Jack’s, had not done any formal nights out. Mainly just the two of us at her place or mine. This felt like a new, exciting step. “Alejandro’s?”
“Oh, you really want to be fancy. We’re going to eat nice food among the friendly people of San Diego.”
“I really feel like we should. I want to spoil you and stare at you in dim lighting while the world looks on.”