“What? No!” With a lurch, she grabbed the phone from his hand to see for herself. She hadn’t bothered to memorize anyone’s number in ages; they’d all just been stored in her phone. “So, how am I supposed to retrieve my messages if this hunk of junk is worth as much as a bar of soap?”
“You could use a regular landline. Just call the number and dial in your PIN.”
“Well, hypothetically speaking, what if someone was unable to recall their PIN?”
“Then hypothetically speaking, I guess they’d be up shit’s creek.”
Dayna racked her brain for the code. Or a word. Yeah, a short word. Or maybe the last four digits of her phone number? Her birthday? Mother’s maiden name? No, that was her last phone. Damn it, what is it?
“Don’t panic. Just get another card.”
Her face fell. “But, but…my whole life is connected by that phone.”
Brad smoothly reached for the bottle on the table. “You know what might help in this situation? A little more wine.” He proceeded to fill her glass, glancing up as he did so, and recognized her worry. “This is about Tack, isn’t it?”
“Hmm?”
“The reason you’re so upset about the phone. Not to mention why you aren’t surrendering easily to my charms this evening,” he said. “I figured that once we got through salads and appetizers, you might stop talking about him. But after we finished our entrees and you were still singing his praises, I knew I didn’t have a shot.”
“Did I? Oh, Brad, I’m so sorry.” She sighed, gazing at his dark, come-hither eyes and a smile that could melt stone. “It’s not a reflection on your wonderful company whatsoever. You’re gorgeous, suave and sexy. And if I knew for sure that there isn’t something special waiting for me back home, I’d already be in my suite eating dessert off of what I can only presume are your perfectly-toned abs.”
“Aw, you’re just saying that.”
“You’re great, really great. But I’ve already got myself a cowboy and you’ve already got a girlfriend. So I’m afraid that means we won’t be hooking up tonight.”
“Tack’s a very lucky guy.” He tilted his head and smiled as he reached for her hand across the table. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. “If things don’t work out with him or you end up moving here and find yourself wanting some company, I’d like it very much if you thought of me first.”
She smiled. “I promise, Brad. If I move to Calgary, you’ll be at the very top of my list of things to do.”
Chapter 18
Tack rocked back and forth in his office chair, his weight precariously balanced on the teetering hind legs as he stared off into space.
“Hey, hey, Friday’s done, long weekend’s here!” Jared announced merrily. “Have any big plans for the…er, oh, sorry.” He gulped. “Still nothing?”
“Nothing,” he said without blinking. “Tried twice last night. Now it says her mailbox is full so I know she isn’t even picking up her messages.”
“I’m real sorry, Mr. Collins. I would’ve thought for sure–”
“Yeah. Me too, kid. Me too.” He suddenly bucked forward and the chair landed on all fours with a heavy thunk. “Think it’s time to just face the facts. She’s not coming back anytime soon.”
Jared shook his head. “I can’t believe that’s true. You’re the dream team.”
Tack picked up a pencil and anxiously drummed it against the desk. There had to be some way to get one last message to Dayna before he left for the weekend. “Say, what time have you got?”
“Quarter to eleven. Why?”
“Just a hunch,” he said, dropping the pencil to pick up the phone. “You mind giving me a moment?”
Jared left and quietly closed the door behind him as Tack dialed directory assistance and requested the number for Big Country Q92 in Calgary.
* * * *
“Big Country, you’re caller twenty-six, sorry,” Gord said, pressing the next button in the row of eagerly blinking phone lines. “Big Country, you’re caller twenty-seven, try again.”
“Ooh, we’re getting close.” Dayna sat in the news booth on the other side of the glass. “We’re about to hook up a lucky listener with a Calgary Stampeders’ ultimate fan prize package complete with dinner out, an autographed team jersey and four primo seats to this weekend’s Labor Day Classic against the Edmonton Eskimos.”
“Ohhh, I’m sorry, caller twenty-eight. Missed it by that much,” Gord teased with a chuckle as he played the sound of a timpani roll. “You ready, Dayna?”
“Congratulations, caller twenty-nine, you are Big Country’s Big Winner of the Day!” she announced jubilantly.
“Wha–huh?” The caller stumbled. “I am?”
“Yes, you are, sir, congratulations. Can we get your name?”
“It’s, uh…Ta-Terrence. Jeez, did I just win something?”
Tack? Dayna nearly choked on her tongue.
Gord jumped in. “Well, hey there buddy, you sure did. The ultimate Stampeders’ fan package including four tickets to this weekend’s showdown against the Eskies.”
“Stampeders? Ugh, are you talking Canadian football?”
“Terrence, you must be one of our listeners from south of the border.” Gord scrambled to cover the awkward pause with an uncomfortable laugh as he shifted in his seat. “I’m guessing you’re not a CFL fan.”
“Nope. Never caught on to the three-down system and why the heck your football isn’t regulation NFL size,” the caller said with a chuckle. “I was only calling to make a request.”
“You mean to tell me we’re trying to make you Big Country’s Big Winner of the Day but the only thing you want is a tune? Well, ain’t that a kick in the head.”
“I’ll gladly give up my prize if you’ll do me this solid.”
Gord rolled his eyes. “This is certainly unprecedented, but all right, I think I can do that. What was it that you wanted to hear?”
“My girl’s been away for a while, but she listens to your show every day. It’d be great if you could play a little somethin’ special so she knows how much I miss her.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. What love song did you want me to get on for you two?”
“Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy. It gets her going every time.”
Dayna did a faceplant as Gord guffawed. “Gee, that’s awfully romantic…not!” He turned to the music library on the computer and quickly found the song, pushing up the slide to increase the volume as the electric guitar kicked in. “Okay folks, stay tuned next hour for a chance to be our Big Winner of the Day and claim the Stamps’ ultimate fan prize package. In the meantime, going out to Terrence and his long-gone girl, here’s Big & Rich on Big Country Q-Ninety-two.”
Dayna hurled her headphones onto the console and rushed from the news booth to the control room. She reached for the phone before realizing all the lines had all gone cold. “Where did Ta…uh, Terrence go?”
“Guess he hung up when he heard the song.” Gord shrugged. “Heaven knows that hoser wasn’t holding on for the football tickets.”
Her shoulders slumped before it occurred to her that he had to be calling from work. She dashed into the production studio next door and dialed an outside line. “Yes, operator, I need the number for Hot Country One-oh-three in Columbus, Ohio? Actually, even better if you can connect me directly,” she said, her heart pounding in her throat.
The line rang three times, four times, five. “One-oh-three.”
She furrowed her brow, realizing that she’d been put through to the control room instead of the front desk. “Dub?”
“You got him. What can I do you for?”
“Dub, it’s me, Dayna!” she exclaimed. “Is Tack still there?”
“No, he’s long gone,” he said. “I saw his truck peel out of here as soon as he got off the air. Must’ve been in a real hurry to start his weekend.”
“Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure that he just–”
“Nope,” Dub said. “You missed him by a mile. Sorry.
”
“I really need to reach him. See, I’m still in Calgary but my cellphone’s broken and the memory got erased so I don’t have access to my phone book and I couldn’t think of any other way to reach him and it’s super important that I get a hold of him because it’s the long wee–”
“Whoa, slow down there, sister.”
She took a breath. “You wouldn’t know Tack’s home number off the top of your head, wouldja?”
“No, but we’re going fishing this weekend.”
“Great. Would you mind giving him a message for me?”
“Sure thing. Shoot.”
“Please tell him that I’m very sorry I haven’t called and that I’m staying at the Palliser Hotel in Calgary. He can reach me there. Let him know that I really need to talk to him and that I miss him very, very much.”
“Palliser. Need to talk. Miss him. Got it,” Dub said. “Anything else?”
“Yes, please tell him…” she paused to exhale. “Tell him that if he still wants me home for Labor Day, he only has to say the word and I’ll come back.”
“Got it, Dayna. I’ll be sure to pass on the message as soon as I see him.”
“Thanks so much, Dub. It means a lot.”
“No worries, you can count on me,” he said, and then hung up.
* * * *
Tack pushed open the control room door and gave Dub a quick wave. “Hey man, I’m gonna take off. Just wanted to say have a good long weekend.”
“Wait…” Dub called out before the door closed.
He poked his head back in. “Yeah?”
“I know you’ve been kind of down in the dumps lately. But it’s gonna be a beautiful weekend. How ’bout we get out and do some fishing? It’s been a long time.”
“Thanks, but I wouldn’t make good company anyway. I’ve got a remote on Saturday and after that, I’m just gonna lay low.”
“Aw, I hate seeing you moping around like this,” Dub said, the console momentarily stealing his attention before he looked back up. “I’m real sorry about Dayna, man, but it looks like she’s gone for good.”
“Yeah, I know.” He hung his head.
“Buddy to buddy, the best thing would be for you to get your mind off her as soon as possible and move on,” he said. “Maybe what you need isn’t fishing as much as it is hunting. You know, get back out into the wild to sharpen the ol’ Tack Attack instinct?”
“Sorry, Dub. I’m just not feelin’ it like I used to.”
“Well, hell, it’s time to shake it off. Let’s go party and blow off some steam Sunday night at the Roadhouse. We never did get around to having those beers.”
“True.”
“Plus, the next day’s a holiday so you can sleep it off.” A big serpentine grin snaked up on his face. “Come on, whaddya say? For old time’s sake?”
Tack rubbed his tired eyes. “Sure, why not?”
“Fuckin’ A!” Dub’s fist punched through the air. “This weekend, The Rise Guys ride again.”
* * * *
Saturday night, Gord and his wife Laurie hosted a pool party for the Q92 staff, including the three candidates awaiting the imminent announcement of who had been chosen to join the Big Country morning team. Despite the festivities, Dayna wasn’t in the mood to party. Instead, she stole a quiet moment alone on a wicker-back hanging swing, content to nurse a half-finished beer.
“Mind if I join you?” Laurie asked.
She smiled and slid over to one side of the swing. “Take a load off.”
Laurie sat down with a berry-flavored wine cooler and kicked off her wedge sandals in the grass, wiggling her bare toes free.
“Great job throwing this shindig together, everyone’s having a blast,” Dayna said.
“Not quite everyone,” Laurie said, clinking the neck of her bottle with the one in her seatmate’s hand. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing, just collecting my thoughts. It’s been a long couple of weeks.”
“Ah,” Laurie said with a knowing nod. “Feeling homesick?”
“A little. Tonight especially feels like I’m a long way away.”
“You’re missing someone, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s missing me quite as much.”
Laurie beckoned for Dayna to be more forthcoming. “Come on, tell me.”
“Two words–radio guy.”
“Hey, story of my life,” she said, nudging her chin at Gord, flipping another batch of burgers at the grill. “So who is he?”
Dayna slowly released a deep, pent-up sigh. “My morning show co-host,” she said, going into the whole sordid story of how Bonnie teamed her up with Tack because of their chemistry and then used it to keep them apart.
“So you mean, this weekend was finally supposed to be…”
“Yup, we were holding out for Labor Day.” She clucked her tongue. “Only somewhere along the way, I stupidly fell in love with him.”
Laurie looked confused. “But he’s still there and you’re here?”
“It probably wouldn’t have worked out anyway. Eventually, he’d end up like all the other guys who picked up and left me for their only true love. Radio.”
“Ah, so you said, ‘Screw you. This time, I’m leaving first.’”
“Something like that.” Dayna bowed her head in cowardice.
“You know, Gord’s a radio guy. He’s been a morning man for the past twenty-five years, and my husband for twenty-two of them. I’m not saying it always works out, but you know, it is possible.”
“So, what’s the secret?”
“I don’t think there’s any secret, although there has been a fair share of sacrifice made on both our parts,” Laurie said. “In the early years, we did move a lot. But whether work took us to a big city or a small northern mining town, we went together. I knew that was part of the deal when we got married. Eventually, we wanted a family and neither of us wanted to uproot and replant our kids every few years. So, we made the decision to settle down and stay put in one place until they were old enough to be on their own.”
“But you ended up here in Calgary?”
“Vancouver is our home and it’s where we’ll eventually go back someday. But for now, it’s good for the kids to be away from us and it’s been great for us to be away from them,” she said with a throaty chuckle as she lightly elbowed Dayna. “I’m talking, like second honeymoon great.”
She giggled. “I catch your drift.”
Laurie flicked her eyebrow. “Ya gotta love those morning men.”
TMI suddenly put Gord in a whole new light. “Uh, yeah, I suppose you do.”
“A word of advice? You know how you feel about Tack, but you’ve really got to change the way you think of him,” she said. “Stop beating yourself up over falling for ‘another radio guy’ and start realizing that you’re in love with someone who happens to make his living on the radio.”
“Maybe. I mean, the big pipes, the big persona, even the big legion of groupies, I get it. It’s showbiz. What I can’t get a grip on is the real part. How do we make it last?”
“Dayna, the only thing I can tell you is that you need to communicate. You can’t run from how you feel and you can’t assume you know how he feels. You have to talk.”
“That’s precisely what we haven’t done,” she grumbled. “Since I’ve been here, we just haven’t been able to connect.”
Connect. The word echoed in her mind. Connect. Unite. Link. Join. Yesss! Join! That was the PIN code for her phone: 5646, which spelled join! Her heart raced, synapses sparking as she remembered memorizing the random jumble of numbers as a simple mnemonic she wouldn’t forget and then promptly forgot. Join, damn it! Join!
“Laurie,” she squeaked, grabbing onto her arm. “Could I use your phone?”
“Be my guest. For privacy, use the one in Gord’s den.”
Dayna jumped up and zipped into the house, winding her way through a maze of rooms. With bated breath, she dialed in to retrieve her me
ssages and followed the voice mail prompt to enter her PIN code: 5…6…4…6. Sinking down in the chair in front of the desk, she waited for the automated voice to come back on the line, informing her of seventeen new messages.
To listen to your first message, please press one.
She hesitated for a moment before depressing the button, instantly linking her to the first loving reminder of how much she had been missed. One by one, she listened to every word of Tack’s lengthy, heartfelt messages, every assurance of his love and a tender plea for her to get in touch soon. By the time the last recording played, her cheeks were stained with tear tracks, especially hearing the tired exasperation straining his voice, along with one last appeal for her to please, please reach him before Labor Day. She was thankful that she’d managed to get a message though to Dub. He’d make sure Tack got it.
It’s not enough, spoke the voice in her head, loudly echoed by the one tugging at her heart. You’ve got to go to him.
Dayna collected her emotions, knowing what she had to do. She returned to the party and said her goodbyes, reserving her final farewell for Bucky and her hosts.
“But you can’t go,” Bucky said. “Really. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you not leave until after we’ve announced who Gordo’s new co-host will be.”
“Whoever you pick, I know she’ll be great. I also know she isn’t going to be me.” She turned to Gord. “And she’s going to be very lucky to get to work with you every day, Mr. Johnson. It’s been a great experience for me and I wish you monster ratings.”
“I enjoyed working with you too, Dayna,” he said. “You sure you can’t stay?”
“Absolutely sure,” she said, looking to Laurie. “I need to be home by Labor Day.”
“B-but,” Bucky stammered. “You can’t take your hat out of the ring yet. What can we do to make you change your mind?”
“Buck, if that’s what she really wants, then that’s what she really wants. We can’t stand in her way,” Gord said, leaning forward to give her a send-off hug. “Good luck, kid. You be sure to drop us a line, okay?”
“I’ll definitely do that,” she said, pulling back. She saved her final hug for Laurie. “Thank you for everything. It was exactly what I needed.”
Morning Man Page 22
