by Kahlen Aymes
“Um…” I hesitated and swung my legs over the edge of the sofa to sit up, leaning over my knees. “She seems capable, and she fit in well with Liz and Michelle.”
“But not the men?” He huffed in agitation. “That figures. Jesus Christ.”
“She was fine. Just a little cool when a couple of them got a little over-zealous.” I ran a hand through my hair, not wanting him to rush to judgment, though I had to be honest. “Jeremy came on a bit strong, and she was a little put-off. Her guard came up.”
“Fuck! If she can’t handle that skinny kid, then the big boys of the NFL will eat her for lunch, not to mention the sports agents. Those bastards are like vipers.”
“It’s not that she couldn’t handle him.” I searched for words to tell him exactly what I meant. “The girls on this crew are used to the crassness of the comments from some of the guys and take it all in stride. I can’t tell yet how Missy will react to them. She didn’t go crazy or freak out; she just shut him off.”
“Missy is it?” he asked slyly.
“It suits her much better than Melissa.”
“She seemed professional enough, but if she can’t deal with the field assignments, then—”
“She’ll deal with it,” I shot back. I found myself defensive of this woman who I barely knew. “You should hire her, but I don’t want her under me.”
There was a significant pause from my boss, and I cringed when I realized what I’d just said and how he was inferring it.
“Or, maybe you do want her under you; in another way. You’re no different than Nielson, eh?”
Bryan was my friend as much as he was my boss, so I felt I could speak my mind despite the sensitivity of the subject matter. “I’d have to be blind not to be attracted to her, but I’m patently aware that it’s inappropriate to date someone who works for me. Besides, if you think that about me, maybe I should find another job.” I was irritated; irritated by assholes, who through their behavior, made life hell for normal guys, and irritated that Bryan would put me in the same bowl of bad apples. “You know me better than that.”
“I get it. So, you don’t want her to be a direct report,” Bryan said, astutely.
“No.” I was torn. I wanted to be around to fend off other male attention if needed, but I wanted to get to know her on a more personal level than the work environment allowed. “I don’t.”
“Well, I guess you won’t have to produce for your old team, though I thought you might like to. I can’t promise I won’t assign you two together on occasion, here or there, if I need you. It depends on the workload and circumstances, but J, even if you work at the same network, you could be putting yourself in a precarious position. While most of these harassment reports are legit, a few could be a spiteful accusation with nothing to back them up. You can’t be too careful, and you don’t know her yet.”
“I understand, but I don’t think Missy would report something that wasn’t true. I sense a certain…” I searched for the words, “reticence in her.”
“I see. So, you think she experienced some sort of harassment in the past?” His tone took on a cautious tone. “If that’s true, maybe she’s more likely to take an innocent comment out of context.”
Bryan’s generation may have taken a more relaxed opinion of what constituted harassment and what didn’t, but either way, I’d make sure that I maintained a professional distance between Missy, and myself, until I could gauge her reaction to my asking her out on a date. Technically, we shouldn’t even be having this conversation. I didn’t even know how we got on this subject other than I didn’t want to be her direct report. I had to tell him the real reason, or he’d think I considered her challenging to work with and then he might not offer her the job. Either way; I was screwed. If I kept my mouth shut and sang her praises, Bryan would have assigned her to work with me more often, and I didn’t want that. While I’d welcome the chance to work with her occasionally, I didn’t want to be her boss.
“I think Missy can tell the difference between a casual remark made out of sincere admiration and a lecherous dick making a move. Basically, the guys need to treat all of the women with respect—end of story. Most of them do. Lonnie was the only one who came off as obnoxious, and I handled him. Jeremy was just over-eager, and she handled him.”
“Lonnie has been a problem for some of the other women, too.”
“He’s a fucking moron.”
“It’s not like the old days when a guy could tell a woman she looked nice, and that was that. Now, I’m afraid to compliment any woman I work with.”
I nodded, even though Bryan couldn’t see me. “Yes, well, it’s a bit more than that, in his case. I could almost see the drool dripping from his mouth as he loomed over her trying to look down her blouse in my office. Why don’t you do us all a favor and fire him?”
“I will; when I have someone to take his place.”
“What about Jerry Stanley? He’d like to move up.”
“He’s not exactly on-air material, kid,” he said dryly, confirming what I expected of his opinion.
I could see his point. “Okay. Just keep an eye out for Lonnie’s replacement. I don’t want him leering at the new hire.”
“You keep your wits about you, too, Jensen,” he warned.
“I will. Missy seems like she needs a few allies and then her confidence will come along, and she’ll be a great addition to the network.” I wanted to know what he knew about Missy from his interview with her. Maybe she confided more of why she moved to Jackson Hole. “By the way, what’s her story?”
“She’s divorced and has a kid,” he said, sounding distracted. “Lives with her brother, and other than that; you saw on her resume. Her references check out.”
I rolled my eyes at his hesitation and took a pull from my beer. I knew that much from talking to her, myself. “And?” I probed.
“And?” He retorted incredulously. “You’re kidding me, right? I spent an hour with her in my office; you were with her for two days. Surely you know more than I do. You should be filling me in!”
He was right. “Yeah, okay. Are you planning on offering her the job, then?”
“Yes. I’ll make the call as soon as I can, but it won’t be tonight.”
“Good. Thanks.”
“Okay, I gotta go. My wife is about to put my balls in a vice. She’s shooting daggers at me with her eyes. I’m at dinner with my in-laws, and she’s pissed that I’m doing business at the dinner table, but God knows, anything to distract me from her father’s snorting. Alice’s mother expects everyone to fawn all over her constantly.”
I laughed, finding it hard to picture Bryan fawning all over anyone. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
When I ended the call, I figured he’d call her early the next morning. I could look forward to going in to work the next day, cleaning out my office and moving to a new one on a different floor. Now came the part I hated: waiting. Would Missy accept the position?
MISSY
“Mom!” My boisterous son and two of his friends came running like a herd of buffalo down the stairs of my brother’s two-story home.
“What’d ya bring me, huh?” he asked as he barreled into my legs, hugging them briefly and almost knocking me over. His two friends followed closely behind him, only to stop short and hover in the living room. I smiled as Jensen’s words echoed in my mind; “Kid’s always like presents when their parents go on trips.”
“Easy, cowboy!” I was excited by his exuberance! “Hello, Marcus! Hello, Joey!” I greeted his friends and then bent to wrap my little son in my arms. His blond hair was bushy as if he’d slept on it wet, but then I realized that was precisely what happened. I tried to smooth it down, and it popped right back into its previous position. How could I have forgotten that his Uncle Ben was in charge and would let him wait to take his shower until the last minute before his bedtime? It didn’t appear to have been combed all day either, which was standard practice when he stayed alone with my brother. I ruffl
ed the silky, overly long strands with my hand.
The bitter cold of Jackson Hole contrasted horribly with the moderate temperature I’d just come from in Georgia, and the wind whipped the screen door around with a series of wild bangs.
“Hey, sis!” Ben came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a white dishtowel and went outside on the porch to get my suitcases. “How’d it go?” His face lit up when he saw me lifting Dylan off the floor as I stood to hold him close and kiss his cheek. He was a healthy, growing boy, and I adored him.
I turned my attention to my brother who was standing opposite us in the entryway, as I held on tight to my son. “It went well, I think.”
“Aw, Mom!” He wiggled in my arms, which only made me tighten them around him even more. “No mushy stuff in front of the guys,” he whispered.
“Hold up, buster! I missed you!” I exclaimed, thrilled to see him. Dylan and I had never been separated overnight before I’d gone on this trip.
“Not in front of my pals,” he implored, wiping at his face with the back of his hand, I assumed to wipe off any evidence that I’d kissed him. “Please?”
“Oh, okay,” I said, kissing him soundly on the cheek several times again before setting his squirming form onto his feet again. “But you might not get your present if you keep that up!” I smiled down at him as he threw his arms around my legs.
“Did ya get me somethin’ good?” His head fell back, and he beamed up at me, his cornflower blue eyes wide.
“Would I get you something bad? Let me get my bags up to my room, and maybe I’ll get your presents after dinner.”
“Presents?” Dylan was excited as he ran back into the living room where his friends were waiting. “Hey, guys! Did you hear? I got presents!”
“Something smells amazing!” I said after Ben had returned from taking my bags up to my room. I followed him into the kitchen and sat down at the small table there. The house was a small three bedroom, but perfect for a bachelor. He’d graciously offered for Dylan and me to move in when I’d needed him, and I feared it kept him from delving into an intimate relationship. He was my only sibling, and we were close, but I knew it was time to move out and give him his space.
“Oh, that’s teriyaki chicken and rice,” Ben said, winking. “I promised the boys Chinese.”
“Mmm.” I got up and went to the skillet and looked inside. His idea of Chinese and mine were two different things. Ben had rice boiling in another pan. “It looks like chicken and soy sauce,” I said, with a wry arch of one brow; my skepticism clear. I wondered how it could smell that good with so few ingredients. I doubted he’d added any ginger or garlic. I opened the drawer with the silverware inside and took out a fork, intent on tasting a piece of the meat.
“Hush,” he whispered with a grin and a shrug. “They won’t know the difference. They’re six.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, realizing how much I’d miss my brother if I moved to Atlanta. Still, he had his dream of being a fireman, and I had mine. I wasn’t content with living with my brother, and now that Dylan would be going to school full-time, it was time to get my life back on track.
“Not a drop of seasoning, Ben?” I asked as my suspicions were confirmed.
“Sure, it does. Soy sauce!” He grinned. “I figured you’d be home to take over.” He unwrapped the towel he had tied around his waist and handed it to me. “So? Tell me all about it. Judging by your attire,” he glanced at the ESPN logo on the left side of my shirt. “I’d say you’ve got the job.”
His eyes were darker blue, and his hair a deeper shade of blond than mine; more like Dylan’s. I was thankful that when I looked at my son, I saw my brother and not my awful ex-husband. “Well…” I began as I tied the makeshift apron around my waist and opened the refrigerator to gather the small jars of chopped ginger and garlic I kept on the top shelf in the door. “If they offer me a position, it will be on-air.”
My brother’s jovial expression sobered. “On-air? I thought you applied for a production job?”
I nodded, adding small amounts of each spice to the pot. “It was, but an internal applicant landed it.”
“Then, why did you have to go to L.A.?” He looked pissed. “Were they just jerking your chain? Stupid of them to pay for a plane ticket.”
I gave a half shrug, adding garlic to the pan. “I don’t think they had decided yet. This job is a traveling sportscaster position. They wanted to see how I fit in with the team and if the job would suit me.” I stirred in the garlic and ginger and then gave it a taste. It was pretty much a hopeless cause at this point in the cooking. I shut off the heat and pushed the pot to one of the cool burners. Turning to my brother; I leaned one hip against the counter. “It was exciting, but I’d have to make sure Mom could come to Atlanta with me to watch Dylan when I’m out of town on assignments.”
“Oh, boy,” he said with a sigh, running a hand through his short hair and then leaning elbows on the table. “She might agree, but what about being out in the open? Derrick might find you, and I don’t trust that cocksucker.”
My eyes widened at his colorful description, but I resigned myself to my brother’s hatred of my ex-husband. “I can’t hide forever, Ben. I mean, I’m grateful for being here, but it’s time for us to go. You deserve to have your house back.”
“You could move out, but do you have to leave Wyoming? You can get a job at the Gazette.”
“Doing what?”
“I don’t know. Research? Writing?”
“Maybe, but it couldn’t compare to the growth opportunities at a national network. ESPN offers a much larger future and Dylan deserves that.”
“I don’t know. Jackson Hole has a lot to offer. You might not start at the same level, but you never know where it could lead.”
I groaned inwardly. “The senior staffers aren’t going anywhere until they die, and you know it.” My tone was droll, but the reality was, I was right. “No. If I want to advance, I can’t stay local.”
“He’ll miss me,” he said simply, but I knew Ben would miss my son just as much.
I put my hands up in front of me. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. I haven’t gotten the offer yet.”
“You will.” Ben had unwavering faith in me and always had. He’d been the person I could always count on since we were kids.
I went to the cabinet and pulled down the plates. “Only two other boys?” I asked.
“Yup. Been here all weekend.”
“Wow, Uncle Ben. You’re ambitious!” I knew how exuberant three young boys could be. Marcus, Joey, and Dylan were practically joined at the hip and had been since they met on the first day of kindergarten. I’d offered to watch the other two boys for half days because their mothers worked, and it gave me some cash. I’d planned on getting a part-time job when Dylan started school, but couldn’t find anything for just the mornings, and the situation worked out well. It allowed me enough money to contribute, at least a little, to my brother’s bills and groceries.
“You’re just lucky I had time off.”
I nodded, smiling, as I set the table for five. “I know I am. I’m sure you’ll be glad to have some privacy. You’ll be able to have women over.”
“Hey” Ben protested. “Don’t think I’ve thought of you and Dylan as a burden or a cramp in my social life. You know I’d do anything for you two.”
I gave a short nod as I arranged the silverware around the plates. “I know, but it’s time for you to have a family of your own. You’re not getting any younger.”
“Hey, now,” Ben winked at me, filling five glasses with ice and then water from the filtered pitcher in the refrigerator. “I’m happy with things the way they are. I date.”
“Uh-huh, right,” I admonished. “A date here or there isn’t what I mean. It’s time you stopped using taking care of your little sister as an excuse to keep women at arm’s length.” He was a confirmed bachelor and liked the life he had, though I did wonder if he secretly longed for a committed relationshi
p with a woman.
“Let’s just get your life figured out before we start working on mine, okay? Boys! Dinner!”
“Yeah!”
“Whoo Hoo!” The hoots came as the three boys scrambled into the kitchen and pulled out chairs.
“Nothing motivates little boys like their stomachs! But, wait!” I stopped them as they came into the kitchen. “Have you washed your hands?”
Groans replaced their enthusiasm, and their expressions turned imploring; especially Dylan’s.
“Okay,” I motioned for them all to get up. “Into the bathroom with the lot of you!”
“Aww, Mom!”
I cocked an eyebrow and pursed my lips sternly. “No arguments.” I shook my head, pointing both index fingers in a swooshing motion in the direction of the bathroom. “No dinner until you wash up. Germs are not on the menu! Go.”
The other two were already on their way away from the table. I moved to my son and put both hands on his shoulders, bending down to whisper in his ear. “The sooner you have dinner, the sooner you get presents.”
That did the trick. In a flash, he was running after his friends.
“What’d you bring him?” Ben wanted to know. He had the food on the table family style, putting a potholder underneath the hot pot so as not to scorch the wood of the oak table.
“An ESPN football jersey and a signed football. Jared Goff.”
Ben looked incredulous and motioned like I’d shot him in the heart. “Ugh! You’re killing me, Smalls! What’d ya bring your old brother?” he mocked. “A big goose egg, huh?”
My heart fell as I rushed to explain in a lowered voice. “Well, it wasn’t really me who arranged the gifts.”
“What?” Ben was curious as he pulled out a chair and sat down. I joined him as we waited for the boys.
“The commentator who I was trailing, Jensen Jeffers, got them for me.”
