Fade to Black

by Unknown

  Kate delivered the tag, “If you’d like to donate to help Emma with her crusade to help injured felines, you can get the information on our website.”

  “Thanks, Kate,” Leslie’s voice echoed in her ear.

  Kate flashed the smile she was getting paid for and gave another nod.

  “Clear,” Rich said.

  And with that, her first day was painlessly over. “Thanks for everything, Rich. I appreciate all your help today.”

  “It was my pleasure. You’re going to do really well here.” He wrapped one of the camera’s cords around his arm and tossed it next to the wall.

  “Thanks.” She turned, embarrassed by his praise.

  “Oh, Kate, you have to stay for the post mortem,” he said, another cord formed a bundle, then added it to the pile.

  “The what?”

  He chuckled, pulling the camera from the tripod with a click. “It’s what Dale calls the meeting after the show.”

  Her cell phone beeped with a text message, but before her hand could even reach into her pocket, her heart stopped, shocked by Dale’s angry bellow, “Kate Callahan and Rich Spencer…in my office…NOW!”

  Rich’s eyes widened and Kate’s stomach hit the floor. The two of them walked to Dale’s office without exchanging a word. Through the plate glass window that overlooked the newsroom, Dale’s expression was furious.

  “Have a seat,” he said through gritted teeth. “Would you like to tell me exactly what you were thinking with that piece?”

  “Um,” she stammered, “I was trying…”

  “Trying isn’t good enough for my newsroom, Miss Callahan,” Dale growled, his eyes moved from Kate to Rich and back again.

  Miss Callahan? Crap! Her stomach rolled. So much for her aspirations of sitting behind the anchor desk.

  “I only accept the best.” His expression softened and a smile tugged at his lips. “And you two are a pretty good team.” When he finished his words an explosion of applause and laughter came from the doorway behind her. “Jordan, I want Kate and Rich together as much as you can swing it.”

  “Yes, boss,” Jordan said with a smirk.

  Dale groaned. “If you weren’t family, I’d have to fire you just for irritating me.”

  “But I am family, Uncle Dale,” Jordan laughed. “I mean, boss.”

  “Get out of my sight, nephew,” Dale ordered with a shake of his head.

  “Tell Elaine hi for me,” Jordan called over his shoulder.

  Dale ignored Jordan’s reference to who Kate could only assume was Mrs. Morris, and looked at Rich. “Would you excuse us?”

  “Sure.” He stood and tossed her a reassuring smile before he walked out, closing the door behind him.

  “Are you okay working with Rich?” Dale asked, his fingertips pressed together.

  “Um…yeah, I have no issues with him. He’s a talented photog and seems like an okay guy.” Not to mention good-looking. As the thought crept into her thoughts, Kate was grateful she’d been able to avoid blushing.

  “He’s the best we’ve got.” Dale took a sip of his Coke and looked over her shoulder, out the window of his office—probably right at Rich. “I liked what I saw today, Kate. You took a fluff piece, not even a very good one, and turned it into something truly newsworthy. Impressive.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Her body began to heat with embarrassment that praise always seemed to cause, a trickle of sweat ran down between her breasts.

  “Dale.” He corrected, chuckling as he shook his head. “Don’t let that bonehead nephew of mine contaminate you. I prefer a casual newsroom.”

  “Thank you, Dale,” she said with a smile.

  “I’m only ‘sir’ if you’ve screwed up,” he added with a wink. “You’ll learn that I don’t give out unwarranted praise. By the same token, if I think your work was crap, I don’t pull punches there either.” He smiled. “With you and Rich as a team, I don’t anticipate the crap discussion taking place very often.”

  “Let’s hope for never,” she said with a strangled laugh. Her heart pounded hard in her chest as she sat in front of the man that controlled her future.

  “Are you okay working Thanksgiving?” His sudden shift in subjects caught Kate off guard. “Do you have any big plans or are you free to work?” He leaned back in his chair and waited.

  Her thoughts flew to Jesse and her promise to make him an intimate dinner, just the two of them, with all the trimmings. Although the thought terrified her—cooking was not her thing—she’d promised, and… “Well, I kind of…” she sighed. “I’m sure I can move my plans around so that I can work at least half a day. Would that be alright?”

  He nodded, leaned forward, and wrote her name on the giant desk calendar on his desk. “The holidays are hard to schedule around here.”

  “I’m sure.” She could only imagine how hard his job had to be, juggling the schedules of all the people working in his newsroom.

  “Talk to whomever you need to and let me know which cast works best for you. I have the perfect story for you.”

  “Will do. Thanks, Dale.”

  “Thank you, Kate.”

  She brought her feet under her and stood. She didn’t look back as she exited Dale’s office and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

  KC

  You did great! Only you could pull of something like that!

  Can’t wait to finish what we started this morning.

  Jesse

  “Hey, Kate,” Olivia called from across the newsroom. Jordan stood so close they could have easily been wearing the same jacket. “There’s a bunch of us going out for drinks, wanna come?”

  “No, thanks.” She would have enjoyed hanging out with her new friends, but she’d promised Jesse that she’d hurry home. She hefted her bag from the desk to her shoulder. “I really have to get home.”

  “To Jesse?” Olivia asked with a knowing giggle.

  Heat, and subsequent color, flooded up Kate’s neck and into her cheeks. “Yes, to Jesse. I…um… promised that I help him finish something.”

  “Suit yourself,” Olivia said, tossing a love struck gaze to the man at her side.

  Jordan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. “Goodnight, Kate. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Kate waved and headed toward the back door. Rich and Nate were deep in conversation as she passed the photographer’s lounge, and they didn’t even acknowledge the wave she gave them. Nate’s voice was low and harsh, “Haven’t you had enough, man? A nuclear waste dump is less toxic than that woman.”

  Rich leaned toward Nate, but Kate was too far away to hear his hushed reply. Pushing through the glass doors, she pulled the keys out and opened her phone, dialing the numbers that would give her the sexy, deep voice of comfort.

  “Hey, babe, how was your first day?”

  “Good. I’m tired,” she sighed.

  He chuckled. “Not too tired, I hope. We have a date.”

  She smiled, imagining the twinkle in his dark eyes. “I’m never too tired for you, Jesse. Do you want me to pick up some dinner?”

  “Nope, just hurry home. I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ll be home in about a half hour.”

  “See you then.”

  Rich’s situation was a difficult one. He and Shea had been together for a long time, but it was getting to the point where a future was something he no longer wanted with her. She had turned from the loving person, who could melt his heart, to someone he didn’t even want to recognize.

  Being an only child, Nate was the closest thing Rich had to a sibling. The two had been friends since sophomore year at UNLV. Nate was the only person Rich trusted with the sensitive matters of his heart. Although every time Rich spoke to his best friend, he knew he ran the risk of ridicule. And lately, Nate had been a little more honest than was necessary.

  “Haven’t you had enough, man?” Nate asked. “A nuclear waste dump is less toxic than that woman.”

  Rich leaned in close and lowered his
voice to a snarl. “Don’t you think I know that?”

  Nate shook his head. “I can’t keep giving you advice you refuse to take, my friend. What do you want me to say?”

  “I don’t know,” Rich groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “She crossed the line today, insinuating that Kate and I…” His fingers ran through his hair in an attempt to dislodge some of the frustration his body was feeling. “The worst part is Kate heard her say it.”

  “What do you care if Kate heard it or not?” He stopped and dipped his head to meet Rich’s lowered gaze. “Rich, what aren’t you telling me?”

  “Nothing. There’s nothing going on between us. We’ve only known each other for…” Rich glanced over at the clock. “Fourteen hours.”

  Nate followed his gaze to the clock and started to gather his things. “Look, I’ve got to get home to Roxy. She wants me to pick out a wedding cake tonight.”

  Rich debated giving Nate a bit of crap over the girly task, but decided to just let it die on the tip of his tongue. “Go home…and keep in mind that I like raspberry.”

  “I’ll remember that.” Nate laughed and slapped him on the back. “I wish you happiness, Rich. I just don’t know what to tell you to make it happen.”

  “Yeah,” he sighed, “I wish it were only that easy.”

  “Hey boys,” Olivia’s voice called from the assignment desk. “You wanna get a drink with Jordan and me?

  “Nope, I’m going home. Good night,” Nate said before turning to disappear out the back doors.

  “Rich, you in?” Jordan asked.

  “I should probably get home.” But then thoughts of what he was going home to flashed in his mind, and he quickly changed plans. “Yeah, I’m not up for alcohol tonight, but I’ll go hang.”

  “Cool, we’ll meet you at Fuzzy’s in fifteen.” Jordan took Olivia by the hand and the three of them walked into the night.

  “I just have to get some gas. I’ll see you in a few,” Rich answered.

  One of the perks of being a news photographer was getting to save his personal vehicle the mileage, not to mention what it saved in the financial department by someone else footing the bill for most of his gas.

  With his tank full, Rich headed in the direction of Fuzzy’s. His phone buzzed, and without even looking, he knew who the text message would be from.

  Where the hell are you?

  He sighed, feeling like a trapped animal, waiting for his master to show up again with a stick.

  With Olivia and Jordan.

  Be home soon.

  Within seconds, the phone made its presence known again.

  If you loved me,

  you’d come home instead of

  PLAYING with your friends!

  Her constant, unsubstantiated suspicions, that he was having an affair, were getting old. Rich had never given her any reason to doubt him. His pathetic heart had been hers from nearly the first moment they’d met.

  He couldn’t help but wonder what had gone wrong; which fork in the road had brought them to this miserable junction. The only time she spoke to him these days was to yell or criticize. They hadn’t made love in months, it was just angry sex that left his body marred by scratch marks, and his heart aching.

  Jordan was standing on the steps and smiled as Rich walked up. “You thirsty?”

  “Parched,” Rich answered. “Where’s Olivia?”

  “She went inside to get us a table.” Jordan stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” he grunted.

  They walked in to find Olivia sitting at a table in the corner. “Hi, Rich,” she said before placing a passionate kiss on Jordan’s mouth.

  “Um…hello?” Rich pointed out, uncomfortable by their uninhibited public-display-of-affection.

  “Sorry. I just can’t help it,” she giggled and kissed him again quickly.

  The truth was Rich wasn’t embarrassed. He craved the kind of love his friends shared. He wanted, desperately needed, to love the way Jordan loved Olivia, and every cell in his body ached for the touch of a woman who adored him.

  “What can I get for you?” Fergie, the waitress, asked, a pen pressed to the notebook held between her long fingers.

  “Corona for me,” Jordan said.

  “Um, I’m thinking something fruity.” Olivia continued to look at the menu. “I think I’ll have a strawberry daiquiri.”

  “And for you?” She looked pointedly at Rich.

  “Just bring me a Dr. Pepper, thanks.” He handed her the menu he hadn’t even cracked open.

  “Anything to eat?”

  Rich shook his head, but Olivia answered, “Yeah, bring us an appetizer sampler platter.”

  Fergie smiled and took the menus. “I’ll have it right up.”

  “Thanks,” Olivia said as Fergie walked away. “So, Rich, what do you think of Kate? Dale was impressed by the piece she put together.”

  Wow. What did he think of Kate? She was beautiful, smart, quick-witted…. “She’s really good, asked all the right questions without leading the interview too much. I think she’s pretty easygoing. Not too annoying or demanding.”

  “Speaking of which…how is the psycho bitch these days?” Jordan asked.

  Rich groaned. “Shea’s fine. Thanks for asking.”

  “Stop the act,” Jordan said. “She’s making you completely miserable. You can’t hide it from us. How long have we known you?”

  “Five years.” Rich stared at Fuzzy, a giant of man with Fergie’s name tattooed on his upper bicep, who was making a drink behind the bar. He didn’t want to look at the friends who knew him too well.

  Olivia reached out to cover Rich’s hand where it rested on the table. “Rich, in that time, you’ve gone from a fun-loving, happy guy to a miserable excuse for a human being.”

  Rich’s phone buzzed and Jordan rolled his eyes.

  Are you going to bother coming home?

  “Rich,” Olivia whispered. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s just the same old crap.”

  “Here you go,” Fergie said over the sound of plates and cups being placed on the table.

  Rich waited until she walked away before he reached for his shot of caffeine. “I’m a bucket full of fun, aren’t I?” he said with a bitter laugh.

  “Rich, what can we do?” Jordan asked.

  “Buy me a backbone or Shea a new personality.”

  They both laughed, and then Olivia said, “Do they sell those?”

  Rich chuckled, only for their benefit, and the phone buzzed. “Dammit. I should probably go before she sends the police to look for me.” After tossing a five on the table, he grabbed his jacket. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  “Bye,” they said in unison.

  Speed was something that made the blood course through his veins. He lived for it. Loved to race go-carts, and always beating Nate was an added incentive. But, anytime he was heading home, his speed was easy to control. The longer it took, the better.

  His phone buzzed three times during the short twenty minute drive.

  Much too soon for his liking, Rich pulled into the driveway and sighed. He ran his hand over his face, scrubbing his stubbled chin. Every light in the house was on, and there was little doubt that it was going to be a long night. Slipping the key into the lock, he turned the key and opened the door. “Shea, I’m…”

  A vase came hurdling across the room and shattered on the wall next to the door, sending pieces of crystal flying in every direction.

  “How’s Kate?”

  Chapter Three

  Kate’s tired feet dragged the rest of her body up the last flight of stairs to the door that was home. Slipping the keys into the lock, she opened the door. There was a soft, romantic glow inside. “Jesse?”

  “In here, babe.”

  She walked around the corner to see Jesse standing next to the table, dressed in black slacks and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The first few buttons still open to reveal a portion of his scu
lpted chest. Long tapered candles flickered in the darkness next to two place settings.

  Her hand flew to her mouth. “I can’t believe you did this.”

  He shrugged and walked over to meet her. “Technically, I didn’t make dinner, Sophia did. She’s a good friend.” He ran his hands over her shoulders and slipped her arms out of the jacket. His lips met the skin just below her ear, which caused goose bumps to break out on her warm skin. “I missed you today.”

  “Hmm,” she moaned, leaning into his body. Her head fell back. “I missed you, too.”

  “You hungry?”

  “Um hum.” Kate’s knees threatened to give out, so she grabbed onto his strong upper arms and pulled herself closer to him.

  “What’s wrong?” He chuckled, knowing exactly what kind of affect his breath on her ear had, and where it would lead if the love bites continued.

  “Nothing,” she lied. “Let’s eat. I would hate for all Sophia’s hard work to be for nothing.”

  He pulled out her chair and slid it in once she was comfortably seated. “You really did great today. It was kind of a sucky story.”

  “Hey!”

  “But you turned crap into something really good.” He sat to her right and lifted the lid on the casserole dish that was in front of them. “Viola!”

  “Spaghetti, Jesse? Sophia helped you make spaghetti?” Kate laughed, thinking of his best friend’s wife making such a simplistic dish. “Certainly you could have…” Her words were cut off by his finger on her lips.

  “Please just shut up and eat. This isn’t all I have planned for tonight.” He raised a sexy eyebrow and winked. “And the next part’s even better than Sophia’s cooking.”

  “Well, when you put….”

  “Huh, uh, uh,” he reprimanded, “what did I just say?”

  Kate leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Why don’t we just skip dinner?”

  “’Cause it would hurt Sophia’s feelings.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “At least taste it, so it won’t be a lie when you tell her it was fabulous.” He dipped his fork into the pan, twisted it and held it out for her to eat.

  She purposefully ran her tongue sensuously over her upper lip. His breath caught and he closed his eyes, inhaling a staggered breath. His fork clanked as it hit the plate. His chair slid back across the hardwood. He took her by the hands and pulled her into his arms. She gasped into his mouth as his kisses began to overtake her control.