Off the Air

by L.H. Cosway

  “Still poking your nose in other people’s business,” I tutted.

  Now he glared at me. “You’re a bully. I don’t like bullies.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, get out of my fucking way.”

  His expression oozed smugness. The piece of shit had the nerve to take his time as he gave me a slow perusal up and down. “Tell me, are you trying to compensate for something with all those tattoos?” He glanced disdainfully at my mum’s name that was inked across my knuckles. “Who’s Judy? Don’t tell me you were dumb enough to get a girl’s name tattooed on you?”

  “Ben, maybe you should leave him—"

  Leanne didn’t have time to finish her sentence because I drove my fist into Ben Young’s face. Congratulations on winning Best Actor, you smug fuck. It felt good for a couple of seconds before I was tackled by three security guards and escorted roughly from the room.

  That was the last thing I remembered before I woke in my bed the next morning, head throbbing. My phone buzzed on my nightstand, but I ignored it. I struggled to recall how I’d gotten here, but my memory drew a blank. Trev or James must’ve brought me home. My phone vibrated again and this time I picked it up. My stomach dropped when I saw all the notifications and stories I’d been tagged in.

  Running on Air Star Callum Davidson punches Actor Ben Young at TV Choice Awards.

  There were at least a dozen headlines, each one worse than the last.

  Ben Young to Have Callum Davidson Charged for Assault.

  I’ll admit that one made me panic. Why the hell had I let my temper get the best of me? I tried to remember the events of last night more clearly, but all I could see was Leanne’s shocked and upset face after I’d hit him. Guilt and regret roiled inside me. I wanted to puke.

  I was such a fucking idiot.

  For over three years I’d been trying to win Leanne’s trust, convince her that we could be something great if she let it. It dawned on me all at once that I’d been going about it all the wrong way. She was never going to trust me after last night.

  But I refused to let this be the end of us. I just needed to make amends.

  No, I needed to change, grow up, be a mature adult.

  It was simple yet profound. I couldn’t just keep telling Leanne we should be together. I needed to show her why we should be together. And the only way to do that was through my own actions and behaviour. Behaviour that didn’t involve punching smug actors in the face when they tried to come at me.

  Speaking of which, I swallowed my pride and pulled up my lawyer’s number. I needed to convince Ben Young not to press charges. Yep, this was going to hurt like a mother, but I’d do it if it meant showing Leanne I could be the bigger person.

  Bringing the phone to my ear, I pressed ‘call’.

  Three

  Leanne

  Present

  I arrived for my 9 a.m. meeting five minutes early and Cal was already there. He stood outside the building holding two takeaway coffee cups. I’d expected him to blow the meeting off and have Neil reschedule at a more reasonable hour, but no, there he was, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. He must’ve really stuck to his two-drink rule last night.

  I wished I could say the same. I’d gone home early, crawled into my pj’s and drank a whole bottle of wine before falling asleep. Red wine sent me into a blissfully dreamless sleep, but it wasn’t so great for hangovers. I currently wore my hood up to avoid the glaring light of the sun.

  “You look like you could use this.” Cal held out one of the coffees.

  I gave a nondescript grunt and took the offered beverage. He chuckled at my grouchiness, and I sipped the coffee, pleasantly surprised that he got my usual order right. Black with a drop of milk, no sugar. Cal was one of those people who remembered the small details.

  I felt uneasy after our heart-to-heart last night and couldn’t decide how to be with him. When I gave him attitude, he kept his distance. But as soon as I showed a bit of softness, he snuck right under my deceptively flimsy skin.

  On the surface it looked thick, but on closer inspection, it was thin as paper.

  “You’re a ray of fucking sunshine today, Leanne,” he commented wryly as we entered the building and stepped onto the lift.

  I gave him a sour smile. “Aren’t I, though?”

  More chuckling from him. His chipper mood started to grate on me.

  Our agent, Tanya Sanders, was waiting for us at reception. I liked Tanya. She was no-nonsense and always up-front. She told the truth, not just what you wanted to hear. Tanya currently represented all members of the Running on Air cast, mostly because she was an excellent negotiator. All six of us earned a very good living because of her.

  “Fantastic, you’re both here.” She stood to greet us, giving us each a hug and peck on the cheek, as was her habit.

  “Are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Cal asked.

  Tanya worried her lip. “I was literally only given the information last night, but I think it might be best if I let the lawyers explain it to you. Then we can discuss things in more depth.”

  Hmm, that sounded ominous. Cal and I shared a look before Tanya led us into a room where two men in suits were waiting. “This is Ted Pilkins and Ryan Kent. They’re going to go through your new contracts for the upcoming season,” Tanya said.

  “Wait a second,” Cal cut in. “Don’t you mean upcoming seasons plural? The others have all been signed for three more.”

  That was a very good question.

  “We’ll get to that,” Ted replied. “But first, I’d like to thank you both for coming at such short notice. As you know, we normally set up separate meetings for each of you, but an unusual request has popped up.”

  Cal sat back and clasped his hands together, eyeing Ted with growing suspicion.

  “An unusual request?” I asked curiously.

  Ryan cleared his throat. “In light of the recent events involving Mr. Davidson and Ben Young, the network would like to make an addendum to both of your contracts.”

  “What kind of addendum?” Cal questioned, leaning forward.

  Ryan glanced at Ted. They shared a somewhat tense look before Ted spoke. “Throughout the last few seasons, there has been a lot of press surrounding your relationship. In the past, this has been great for bringing in viewers, but since recent events have gotten Mr. Davidson into hot water, we would like you both to take a step back from any romantic involvement.”

  “I’m sorry, but that’s a highly unethical request to make of my clients,” Tanya cut in.

  I frowned so hard I could feel an indent form between my eyebrows. “Cal and I are not romantically involved. Not anymore.”

  “You don’t need to explain yourself, Leanne,” Tanya said. “Who you see or don’t see should be no concern of the network.” She shot Ted a sharp look.

  He cleared his throat. “That may be true, but unfortunately, since there’s been so much bad publicity surrounding the aforementioned event, we would like a guarantee that it won’t happen again. We’ve included a new clause in your contracts that stipulates there will be no further romantic relationship between Miss Simmons and Mr. Davidson.”

  “That is very fucking weird,” Cal said.

  “Yeah, I second that,” I added.

  “We need to ensure there won’t be any further legal matters,” Ryan said. “Surely, you can understand the concern.”

  Cal eyeballed him. “It’s not like there was some big lawsuit. The whole thing was settled out of court, and the money came straight from my own pocket. The network didn’t have to pay a penny.”

  “That might be so,” Ryan said. “But with this kind of scandal, we can lose the support of our sponsors, which in turn means we lose money. We will also be renewing your contracts on a yearly basis from now on, instead of every three years.”

  Tanya appeared to be thinking. “If my clients agree to this amendment, would you be prepared to sign them for three seasons like the rest of the cast, inste
ad of only one?”

  “We can’t budge on that,” Ted responded. “The one-year contract is a preliminary period. If your clients manage not to violate the terms, then they’ll be signed for two further seasons.”

  I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. It felt very invasive to have my personal relationship with Cal looked at in such an impersonal manner. Cal was frowning down at his clasped hands. He clearly didn’t like any of this either.

  “Can you give me a private moment with my clients?” Tanya requested.

  “Yes, of course,” Ryan said as he and Ted stood up. “We’ll be just outside.”

  They left the room and Tanya exhaled heavily. “Okay, tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “I’m not doing it,” Cal stood firm.

  Tanya nodded then looked to me. “What about you, Leanne?”

  I took a second to think about it. My initial reaction was similar to Cal’s, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised this might actually be a good thing. The past three seasons I ended up sleeping with Cal at one point or another. I obviously had no self-control when it came to him. Maybe I needed something like this. Something much more serious than possible heartbreak. Maybe I needed to know that if I gave in to him, I could lose my job, my livelihood.

  I opened my mouth to respond. “I…I actually think it’s a good idea.”

  Tanya looked surprised, while Cal scowled at me so hard I thought his face might crack. “What the hell?”

  On instinct, I reached out and touched his hand, speaking steadily. “I agree with you that this is weird, but just think about it. We both know our relationship is over. What’s the harm in signing a contract that says the same? Besides, if it means keeping our jobs, I think we should do it.”

  He stared at me a beat longer than I was comfortable with, like his eyes were trying to tell me something he couldn’t say out loud. Finally, he grunted, “This is such bullshit.”

  “It is bullshit,” Tanya agreed. “And if you want me to fight this for you, I will.”

  Cal considered her, then me. I saw his internal struggle. He wasn’t someone who backed down easily, and he’d had to swallow a lot of pride when he paid off Ben Young. I worried this contract might be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

  Then, an idea appeared to spark behind his eyes. He folded his arms, his attention starting at my feet and hitting every inch of my body before finally resting on my face. Surprisingly, he smiled. “Okay, I’m in.”

  Huh? That seemed a little too easy.

  “You are?” Tanya questioned. She sounded just as surprised as I was.

  He shrugged, and I didn’t trust his calm façade. Something untoward was afoot. I could feel it. “Like Leanne said, what harm can it do?”

  Tanya studied him a moment longer, then said, “All right then. I’ll go grab Ryan and Ted and then we’ll have both your lawyers come to look over the contracts.”

  She briefly left the room and I narrowed my gaze at Cal, whispering, “What are you up to?”

  He plastered on an innocent expression. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  Tanya, Ryan, and Ted re-entered before I could say more and took their seats.

  “Tanya tells us you’ve come to a decision,” said Ryan, seeming pleased.

  Cal tilted his head, emitting pure attitude. “We’re going to sign. But you can tell your network bigwigs I said fuck you for being such ruthless bastards. Feel free to quote me.”

  I tried not to smile at him freely using the F-word in front of these straitlaced suits. Tanya appeared to be holding in a laugh, while Ted and Ryan looked red-faced and uncomfortable over how to respond. Finally, Ted gave a stiff, “Very well then.”

  When our lawyers arrived we spent the next few hours going over the contracts. Once we both signed on the dotted line, Cal and I headed back down to the lobby together. I still suspected Cal was hiding something, but I couldn’t think of what it might be. A silence hung over us when I pushed the button inside the otherwise empty lift.

  Cal cocked his head to me, a cheeky slant to his mouth. “What is it about rules that makes me want to break them?”

  The sultry look in his eyes put me on alert. I bloody well knew he was up to something. “That’s a problem you’ll have to figure out for yourself. I have no issue following rules.”

  “Want to bet?”

  I froze, because those words were my kryptonite, especially coming out of Cal’s mouth. Trying to appear nonchalant, I rolled my eyes and willed the lift to move faster. “Don’t start.”

  “What? You have to admit this is a very interesting situation we’ve found ourselves in.”

  “Not particularly,” I lied.

  Cal continued speaking as though he hadn’t even heard me, his tone ponderous. “We both just signed a contract stating we won’t get involved in a romantic relationship, but what exactly does “romantic” entail?”

  “It’s an umbrella term. It entails everything you might associate with two people who are involved. Don’t go getting ideas.”

  “Fucking isn’t very romantic though, is it?” he asked, and a shiver coursed through me. “Sure, it’s primal, animalistic even, but it’s certainly not romantic.”

  I shot him a look. “I thought you were turning over a new leaf. Why are you searching for loopholes?”

  He ignored my comment about his new leaf. It might as well be a shrivelled brown husk right now for all the effort he was making to try and change. I knew it was all too good to be true.

  “We’ve always enjoyed our little on/off friends-with-benefits thing,” he said then tutted. “It’s sure going to be tough abstaining. A real challenge.” His eyes flicked to mine, almost goading me. “You could say that for us it’s the ultimate challenge.”

  The doors slid open when we reached the ground floor, and I stepped out before turning around to face him. “It won’t be tough abstaining. Like I said, I have no problem following rules.”

  Cal’s eyes shone with mirth. “If you’re so good at it, then you should put your strength to the test. And what better way to test it than with a bet?”

  I groaned loudly and turned to walk away, while at the same time my risk-taking heart thrummed at the opportunity to win something. The very thrill of it rushed through my veins. Cal gently caught my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

  I closed my eyes and spoke low. “Stop trying to tempt me with a bet. It’s a sly move. You know betting is my weakness.”

  When he didn’t speak, I opened my eyes and found him staring at me in the strangest way. For a brief moment, there was no bravado, just affection.

  I levelled him with a serious look. “We could lose our jobs, Cal. This isn’t something to play around with.”

  “Some things are more important than jobs,” he spoke low, his voice thick.

  I frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”

  Wherever his head had gone, he shook himself out of it. The tenderness I saw in him a second ago was gone, replaced with the mischief I knew so well.

  “We won’t lose our jobs. Trust me.”

  “How can you know that?”

  His eyes wandered to my lips then back up. “Because even if we do violate our contracts, no one is going to know unless we tell them. And why would we ever do something like that?”

  The huskiness in his voice sent a tingle down my spine. He had a point. Nobody had to know about the bet but us…

  Oh God, Leanne. Shut up. You’re being stupid.

  When I didn’t speak, Cal continued, “This will be the highest stakes we’ve ever had. You think we can hack this, but I disagree. I think it’s only a matter of time before we break. If by the end of filming this season, we end up doing anything that falls under the umbrella of “romance” I win. If we don’t, you win.”

  Like an untamed beast inside my chest, my competitive side thrashed and fought to break free. It was the same beast that got a thrill when I jumped between rooftops, the one that purred in satisfaction wh
en I defied death and broke records during our stunts. It whispered seductively in my ear, telling me that this really would be the ultimate challenge. If I won, I’d get to keep my job, but I’d also prove to myself that I was finally in control of my own instincts. That Cal couldn’t tempt me anymore with his irresistible wildness and chaos.

  Then, just like it had already been decided, I asked a pertinent question. “What’s the prize?”

  Cal’s grin grew so wide and satisfied that I again questioned if something else was afoot. He loved his job, and it just didn’t add up that he’d risk losing it to play out some little wager with me. A part of me was going along with it merely to find out what his game was. Another, admittedly bigger part, wanted to win.

  He appeared to be thinking, then finally he said, “The winner gets a month-long trip to Japan, paid for by the loser.”

  Japan was on both of our bucket lists, but neither of us had the opportunity to go yet. Everything else aside, it was definitely a prize worth fighting for.

  I shook my head. “There’s something seriously wrong with us, you know that, right?”

  He smirked, like he had me right where he wanted me. He was so, so wrong. “That’s why we aren’t going to be able to stick to this rule, Leanne, and I’m going to win the bet.”

  “Fat chance. I won’t be touching you with a ten-foot pole.”

  His expression turned heated and I hated how it set a spark alight in me.

  “Game on, little one,” Cal said before he turned and left me standing alone on the street. There was something about his confidence, the sure set of his shoulders as he walked away that made me start to freak out. Just a little.

  What the hell had I gotten myself into?

  Four

  Leanne

  The VIP lounge at the airport was my happy place.

  When you were on TV, you got those first-class privileges. I always arrived early since, you know, free food and drink was a big passion of mine. It was a far cry from the working-class background I came from.