“Cohost.”
“Whatever. Just keep in mind you need to be here at five fifteen in the morning for a little show-prep, so we’re ready to go on the air at six.”
Lori stared at me. “Excuse me . . . five fifteen?”
I grinned. “Welcome to mornings on the radio. I know you’re used to doing the night show and staying up until the wee hours of one or two. But if you can’t handle it . . .”
Lori sat up straight. “I’ll be here at five fifteen on the dot. Besides, I need to download any of my go-to songs that aren’t in your music library.”
“We have over a hundred thousand songs in our database,” Kyle said. “You shouldn’t have a problem finding what you’re looking for.”
“Good to know.”
“Wait . . .” I turned to Kyle. “You’re not going to let her play that horrendous music on my show, are you?”
“Our show.”
Kyle nodded. “Of course. I told you I want you both to be yourselves. Completely.”
Lori gave him a seated curtsy. “Thank you.”
“Uh-oh . . .” I clutched my stomach.
Lori bent down. “Are you okay?”
I sat back up and turned to her. “Just the thought of Air Supply or Michael Bublé playing in my headphones is making me physically ill.”
She smirked. “Now you know how I feel every time you open your mouth.”
“Yes!” Kyle pumped his fist in the air, enjoying this way too much. “Please save those zingers for the show tomorrow!” He laughed and slapped the top of the desk. “I’m brilliant.”
Kyle was the only one laughing.
I wasn’t enjoying this one bit, but I didn’t have a choice at the moment. I needed to come up with a way to get the ratings up without Lori being part of it.
In the meantime, I was going to make her time on the air with me as uncomfortable as possible until she quit.
Chapter Six
LORI
The next day, I walked into the building of my new employer with my mocha, ready for the first morning show with Ben. I was pretty sure it was the first time in my entire life that I had gotten up before five for anything, if you didn’t count having to pee in the middle of the night.
I really had no idea what to expect, but nothing could be worse or more humiliating than your boyfriend breaking up with you on the air.
Glancing around the station, I couldn’t find Ben, but did see Ray, the board operator who Kyle had told me about. Ray took meter readings and babysat the syndicated shows that ran from midnight until our show started at six in the morning. I told him to let Ben know I’d be in the production studio.
I sat down at the computer and searched the music library, curious about what they had available for me. Kyle was right; they had everything I needed. I could easily find many of my favorite artists to play for listeners. Whitney Houston, Bryan Adams, Billy Joel, Celine Dion, and Lionel Ritchie, for starters.
The door swung open and Ben stepped inside the studio. “You’re here.”
He sounded surprised, like there was a possibility I wasn’t going to show up.
I swung around in my chair and took a sip of my mocha. “What were you hoping for? That I would take a wrong turn and end up in Mexico?”
The station was only twenty minutes from the border.
Ben shrugged. “I know a great taqueria in Tijuana. If you leave now you can beat most of the morning commute.”
“Trying to get rid of me already? Nice try. Let’s try to make the best of this situation and also try not to kill each other. Looks like I’m going to be stuck with you.”
“Or I’m going to be stuck with you.” He eyed my drink. “Let me guess, a mocha?”
I nodded. “My favorite.” He watched me in silence as I put the cup to my mouth and took another sip. I swallowed and set the drink down, wondering why he was still staring. “What?”
Ben shrugged. “I don’t suppose you brought a second mocha for me.”
“Sorry.”
He shrugged and held up his mug. “This station coffee isn’t bad, but a mocha is a mocha. And it’s nice when someone buys you a drink. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I sighed. “If you’re on your best behavior this morning, maybe tomorrow I’ll give the dog a bone.”
He chuckled. “Good one.”
At just about the top of the hour, Ben and I were both sitting in front of our microphones across from each other in the main studio, ready for our first show together.
Just like at the other radio station, our producer—Jim—was in the studio directly across from our studio, watching us through the glass window. He had already prescreened three callers to put on the air and I could see their info and what they wanted to talk about on the computer screen in front of me.
Ben and I each had our own monitor and microphone.
I glanced at the clock in front of me.
Showtime.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Ben slid on his headphones and pressed the microphone button. “It’s another beautiful day in San Diego! Are you ready for another three hours of Dr. Tough Love? I certainly am. And we do have a few lines open at the moment. Give me a call and let me know what’s on your mind. I’m here for you, whatever your woes may be.”
I jumped in. “Woes? Seriously? Who uses that word anymore?”
He glanced over at me and arched an eyebrow, probably not expecting me to feel so comfortable on my first day. I had just as much experience on the radio as he did, meaning I brought just as much to the table. I had no plans on being a sidekick, if that was what he was thinking.
Ben chuckled. “In case you haven’t noticed, we have a special guest on the show this morning. Please welcome Lori Martin.”
“Thank you. It’s good to be—”
“Lori’s claim to fame is playing silly love songs, but now she’s my sidekick—”
“Cohost.”
“To give the female perspective on—”
“Everything since the male perspective is not even close to reality.”
He stared at me.
“Shall we take our first call of the morning?” I smiled.
Ben reached over toward the phone lines on the control board. “Yes—let’s take a call.” He pressed line one. “Matthew, you’re on the air with Dr. Tough Love.”
“And Lori Martin,” I said.
“Good morning,” Matthew said. “I’m having a problem with my girlfriend.”
I leaned into the microphone. “Sorry to hear that. Tell us all about your woes.”
Ben narrowed his eyes at me, but I didn’t respond.
“She gave our Hamilton tickets away to her sister,” Matthew continued. “I’ve been waiting two years to see the show and paid a ton of money for those tickets.”
“Did she tell you why she gave them away?” Ben asked.
“Yeah and the reason is crap, if you ask me. Her sister went through a bad breakup and my girlfriend said she needed some cheering up.”
“Well, I think it’s good to look at the positive side of things,” I said. “Your girlfriend cares about people and family. She loves her sister and wants to make her feel better.”