Who Needs Reality? (Team Northwest Sweet Romance Book 1)

by Lia London

  The door to the lobby opened and Chieko came clicking in with high heels in another business outfit. “Eeek, sorry I’m late! But I have awesome news!”

  “I think I do, too.” He held up the phone. “And maybe Amaya.”

  “Where is she? I want to tell you both at the same time.”

  “Hang on. They’re voting. I can’t go in yet.”

  Chieko let out a little squeak. “Oh my gosh, the show is on tonight! How did our team do?”

  Milo smiled at Chieko. She had been so gracious about not advancing. “Good for Antonio, but I guess Jill fainted.”

  “On live TV?” She cupped her mouth in her hands. “That’s terrible!”

  “The tally, the tally!” He held up a finger, and Chieko crowded with him over the phone, watching the tiny screen.

  “Going home after tonight will be … Jill Ripley!”

  She had faked a faint to get voted off? Milo’s shout of victory echoed down the hall.

  “Are you crazy?” Chieko punched his arm. “He announced the loser, not the winner.”

  “This is the best news ever!”

  “Ahem!” The artistic director stilled them with a single iron glare. “I’m trying to hear feedback from Miss Jefferson in here. Can you please keep it down?”

  Chieko cowered with her hands over her mouth. “We’re so sorry. We got some really bad news.”

  The director gave Milo a dubious look. “Please commiserate quietly.”

  Amaya appeared behind her in the doorway. “Is everything okay?”

  The artistic director cleared her throat. “Why don’t you all work out whether you’re happy or sad, and I’ll be out in a minute.”

  She shut the door and Amaya came over and hugged them. “Sorry if I stink!”

  Chieko laughed it off. “This outfit is washable. Guys, I have to show you this.” She opened her purse and pulled out a lanyard with a laminated picture of herself. “See?”

  “Uh. Yeah. Very flattering pic,” said Milo.

  Amaya nodded. “I always look tired in mine.”

  “Look closely.” She tapped the lettering above and below.

  Amaya read aloud, “KGW News Press Pass!”

  “What?” Milo’s eyebrows jumped. “Really?”

  “I got hired as the new weekend anchor and the international feature story reporter!” Chieko bounced up and down on her little spiky heels.

  “Yes!” Milo cheered. “That’s awesome!”

  “I’m so happy for you!” Amaya wrapped them both in long, sweaty arms.

  “On the down side,” said Chieko, her voice muffled against Milo’s shoulder. “Jill just got voted off the show.”

  Amaya let go. “Oh no. That was fast.”

  “She fainted!” Milo offered with a grin.

  Amaya frowned. “Milo, what are you so happy about?”

  “She’ll come home now!”

  Amaya paused, her eyes searching Milo’s face. “I see,” she said. “You get your girl back.”

  “I really hope so,” said Milo hoarsely, his body shaking with a jumble of joy and guilt.

  Amaya brushed her fingers down his arm and clasped his hand at the bottom. “I’m happy for you both, then.”

  He winced at her kindness. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

  The corner of her mouth turned up in a soft smile. “Yeah, I am. I hope Jill knows how lucky she is.”

  I have a lot of apologizing to do first, he thought. Memories of his angry blow-up brought him shame.

  The door opened again and the director came out with a bright smile on her face which transformed her whole demeanor. “Well, Miss Jefferson, I think we’ve seen enough. We’d like to bring you on board to help us expand the outreach programs, particularly in the east county. As for the dance company, you’ll understudy for the season that’s underway, and we’ll get you worked in by the new year.”

  Amaya let out a loud whoop and leapt in the air. As she gushed thanks all over the director, Milo beamed. This was her dream come true, and Chieko had won something, too.

  The director winked at Milo and Chieko. “Did you decide if it was a good night or a bad night?”

  Milo held two thumbs up. “The best night!”

  Scene 18: The Final Theme Song

  Milo drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and weighed the insanity of his plan against the ache in his heart. He really didn’t have a choice. Turning into the long-term parking garage, he practiced what he would say. As he left the car and made his way to through the tunnels to the airport terminal, he picked apart every miswording and started over from scratch. He had to get his lines right. He’d get one shot, off-camera but it would be a live performance. It had to be perfect.

  Arriving at the Alaska Airlines desk, he gave a sheepish grin to the attendant. “Hi. I don’t suppose you have any space on a flight to L.A.?”

  The woman stood on tiptoe to scan at Milo’s feet. “No baggage?”

  “No. Just an urgent need to get there ASAP.”

  She looked up with a curious smile. “Aw, that sounds like something out of a movie.”

  Milo stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “I sure hope so.”

  Winking, she tapped away at her keyboard. “I’ll see what I can find.”

  ***

  Milo stood outside the hotel, staring up and the second-floor balcony of the side wing. Rumpled and red-eyed, he’d made a frightening impression at the front desk, but had finally convinced them he was not a dangerous stalker, just a man on a mission who needed to know which room Miss Ripley was in. Even so, he suspected that the security cams had been trained on him.

  Glancing at his mom’s phone, he cursed the red line in the battery icon. Would he even have enough minutes left to do this?

  Drawing a deep breath, he dialed. He had to get this right. There was no money or fame at stake. No, this was the future of his whole reality on the line.

  The default ringer blasted Jill awake, and she scrambled for her phone on the bedside table.

  “Hello?”

  “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Are you ready to go?”

  “Huh?” Jill pounded on the switch until the bedside lamp came on. The thick curtains had blocked out all light. “Who is this? Is it really almost ten?”

  “Are you awake?”

  “Duh, I’m talking to you.”

  “Jill.”

  “Milo?” Her head ached. She had been too exhausted the night before to do anything but come back to the hotel and crash. “What phone are you calling from?”

  “Mom’s. I … broke mine.”

  “Really?” A patch of fog lifted from Jill’s brain. “Is that why you never answered my calls?”

  “You called?”

  Yawning, Jill stared at the clock. “Crap. I need to head to the airport in an hour.”

  “Jill, step outside.”

  She wiped the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand. “Huh?”

  “Open the door to your balcony and step outside into the sunshine.”

  Jill sat up, the phone still on her ear and her mouth hanging open in a wide yawn. Padding across the room in her Hello Kitty night shirt, she stretched.

  “Jill? Are you coming?”

  “Hang on!” She unlocked the bolt and slid open the sliding glass door. Squinting at the bright morning sun, she took in the view: a palm tree, the parking lot, a little patch of grass beneath her window. “Milo!” He stood there in jeans and a hoodie, looking disheveled and adorable.

  “My battery just died,” he called up, waving a phone in the air before stuffing it in his back pocket.

  Jill felt a delicious chill on her skin. “What are you doing here?”

  “What light in yonder window breaks?” Milo sprinted to the patio railing one flight down and climbed atop it. “’Tis the east, and my Jilliet is the sun.” His hand reached up to her through the wrought iron bars. “Jill, I’m so sorry. I was horrible to you that day. I was just hurting, and—”
<
br />   “Milo,” she whispered, and dropped to a crouch, grasping his fingers. “You’re so goofy. What are you doing here?”

  Milo clutched the bars on her balcony, and heaved himself up in a pull-up. Garnering a toehold, he launched himself up and over the balcony rail, toppling at her feet. Lying on his back, he gazed up at her. “I do my own stunts.”

  Jill laughed and sat with her back against the bars. “At the risk of pulling a Cleon, I’m going to repeat myself for a third time. What are you doing here?”

  He sat up and swiveled so that their faces were only inches apart. The intensity of his gaze made her heart race. “Jilliet.” His hand brushed her cheek. “I’m going to get my lines all wrong here, but I have to tell you something.”

  Jill felt her breath stop. She couldn’t blink. She couldn’t move. She was hypnotized by his nearness, and the feeling that his eyes were as deep as the sea.

  “There has never been anyone else—no Amaya, no—”

  “I know, Milo. I believe you. Same with Antonio. We’re just friends, I promise.”

  His face flooded with relief, and a gentle smile opened. “I love you, Jill. I have always loved you. I tried all night long to come up with a better way to say that, but that’s the whole thing. I love you with everything I am, and I will do anything you ask if you will try one new adventure with me.”

  Air whooshed from Jill’s lungs, and her face stretched in a huge smile. Was this a dream? She didn’t want to wake up. “Name the adventure,” she whispered.

  With his hand cradling the back of her head, he leaned closer, a whisper away, and she felt a tingle rushing up and down her spine. She inhaled a shivering breath, and it was enough to draw him all the way in.

  Her lips found his mouth, and in that moment, she found a joy she could scarcely contain. With a hunger, she wrapped her arms around him and felt his warmth rush through her. As she tasted, explored, savored his tongue, he lifted her to her feet and into his arms.

  Breathless, she pressed against him. “Really?”

  “How could you ever question that?”

  “Really, really?”

  The faintest hint of a smile curled his lip on one side. “Really, really. Always.”

  “I love you, Milo Halsey!”

  In one strong move, Milo picked Jill up and twirled her, but instead of setting her back down, he leaned closer. His breath brushed her cheeks, filling them with heat.

  Her pulse quickened, and she ran her fingers into his hair, tugging him in to close the distance. Their mouths came together again as if they’d been designed for this very purpose, and it tasted of love. Slowly, he carried her back inside and lowered her feet to the ground. He slid his lips along her jaw, down her neck, and her collar bone. Every soft, imploring move triggered another exhilarating sensation, but the most beautiful of all was the feeling of truly being cherished. Jill could feel it washing through her, over her, around her … lifting her and making her whole.

  Their lips broke apart as he moved to the edge of the bed. “I confess I’m glad I don’t have to do this with Slick and Kamilah watching,” said Milo with a soft chuckle.

  “With morning breath and a Hello Kitty nightie? Leonel would never let it happen.”

  Milo checked his breath. “Do I stink?”

  Jill laughed, shaking her head. “I love you so much. I’m sorry it took me forever to figure that out.”

  Combing her hair with his fingers, he smiled. “I’m willing to tutor you if it gets confusing.”

  Jill tugged him into another kiss, feeling the exhilaration of his whole body pressed against hers. He moved to kiss her neck, and she ran the tip of her tongue up to his ear lobe.

  Milo jerked back with a shy chuckle. “No fair. You know I’m ticklish.”

  “Milo!” Jill cupped his face in her hands. “It’s not polite to laugh at a girl who’s seriously considering seducing you.”

  “Isn’t this where we’re supposed to skip around the room throwing stars into the sky and singing Disney duets?”

  Jill rolled her eyes. “Milo Halsey, friends don’t let friends kiss drunk.”

  He gazed at her with an adoring smile. “I’m not drunk. I’m in love.”

  She stood on her tiptoes and bumped her forehead against his. “You are so incredibly tempting, but I have a plane to catch!” She let go and headed towards the bathroom. “Wait a minute.” Jill’s brow furrowed, and she stopped to look over her shoulder. “How are you even here?”

  “Red-eye flight as soon as I knew you’d been voted off. I just hung out at the airport until a stand-by slot came open.”

  “Do you have a round trip ticket?”

  “One way.”

  She pouted. “So, we aren’t flying back together?”

  “Not unless you miss your flight and have to go on stand-by with me.”

  “Oh.” A sly twinkle shone in her eye. “Then I don’t have a plane to catch just yet.” She walked back to him, delighting in the pleased surprise in his eyes. Backing him against the bed, she gently lowered him onto the pillow and positioned herself as she had in the scene with Brock. Except that she played the scene very differently this time.

  “My little Jill.” Mabel wrapped her arm around Jill’s shoulders as they sat on her front porch swing. “Can you believe how well everything has worked out in this adventure?”

  Jill’s cheeks ached from smiling so much. “I’ve never cried so many happy tears. Team Northwest all got what they deserved, didn’t they?” She felt her heart swell with gratitude. “Milo got off the show in time to get his scholarship, Chieko got a job with KGW. Amaya gets to dance in a company and teach city kids! Heck, even Crawford got a beer commercial.”

  Mabel barked a laugh.

  “Antonio survived enough rounds to get into his new little house at the coast with his brothers.”

  “That one makes me almost happiest of all,” agreed Mabel.

  “Almost?”

  “Well, what about you?”

  “Didn’t I tell you? Between the scripts I wrote, the stunts I pulled, and Parker’s good word for me, I got a job on the writing team for Angels & Tycoons.”

  “But will you have to move to L.A.?”

  “No, I can telecommute. I’ll have to go to a storyboarding session twice a month, but with the prize money I won, I can afford to fly down for those, and pretty soon, I’ll rack up frequent flier miles.”

  “That’s spendy, isn’t it?”

  “Not for flights that short. Besides, the rest of the time, I don’t have to pay for gas, or even professional attire. I can work in my jammies from home every day. It’s perfect.”

  Mabel chuckled. “You’ll never stay in your jammies at home all day.”

  “Touché.” Jill craned her neck to check the front door. “What’s taking the men so long? I thought we were leaving for dinner?”

  “Mendel! Milo! Aren’t you boys ready yet?” bellowed Mabel.

  “Coming!” Mendel bustled out, holding up his camera as he propped the door open with his foot.

  “Mendel, what are you doing?” Mabel scolded. “Scrunched on a swing isn’t my best angle.”

  “I’m capturing the moment.”

  Milo came out dressed a little snappier than usual in a crisp dress shirt and slacks. “Ready, Dad?”

  “Ready,” said Milo.

  “Ready, Mom?”

  Mabel opened her purse and pulled out a wad of Kleenex. “Ready.”

  Milo stood with his hands in his pockets. “Ready, Jill, for your Happily Ever After?”

  She chuckled as Mabel stood up and straightened her skirt. “Yep. Living the dream. Let’s go get some dinner.”

  “About that. I came up with a little plot twist.”

  Jill smirked. “What?”

  He dropped to one knee and held up a ring box, complete with diamond ring. “Jill, do you know your lines for this scene?”

  Sliding off the swing, Jill wrapped her arms around Milo, bawling out “Yes!” about a doz
en times before Mabel handed her the Kleenex.

  “The internet is going to love this,” said Mendel, cheerfully filming the whole thing. “Reality TV at its finest, right?”

  Jill sank into Milo’s lips, enveloped by his love and swimming in unbelievable happiness. Stories didn’t get better than this!

  Northwest Locations Mentioned in the Who Needs Reality?

  While all the events in the story are fabrications of my crazy imagination, many of the locations are real (though used fictitiously). Here’s a run-down of most of them in order of appearance:

  Western Oregon University. This is actually my alma mater, the centerpiece of the tiny town of Monmouth, Oregon. I lived there for several years and loved the fact that you could walk or bike almost everywhere. While on campus, I lived in either Rice Auditorium or Smith Hall, the theater and music department headquarters respectively. The college is renowned for its teacher-training program. Monmouth and Independence are two small towns connected by an S-shaped road, and yes, there is an annual Independence Day parade that is way fun to be part of. I was in it three years, once dressed as a fire cracker, popping and ka-booming for the whole distance!

  Lincoln City. Only a 45-minute drive from Monmouth, this was the beach of choice during my college years. It’s famous for its natural beauty, its kite festival, excellent outlet shopping prices, and the nationally famous clam chowder at Mo’s Restaurant. (Personally, I love their onion rings.)

  Portland. This is the largest city in Oregon, often referred to as the Rose City because even brown thumb gardening failures like me can grow amazing rose bushes in this climate. It comes at the junction of two huge rivers, the Columbia (flowing east to west) and the Willamette (flowing south to north, very rare for a river that size). It is home to the NBA team, the Trailblazers, who used to play in the Rose Garden, renamed the Moda Center (Not a choice favored by most Portlanders). The Waterfront Park referenced in the 4th of July scene is real, but they don’t actually host fireworks displays most years.