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  The video salute continued, showing the different local people that Kristen had interviewed. It showed her work on the MDA telethon that the station did every Labor Day weekend. The production team had done a very good job on editing the video. It ended with many different friends and coworkers—and even personalities from their NBC competitor—saying some very nice things about Kristen and how much the community was going to miss her. Rarely did someone that had only been in the market such a short amount of time get a sendoff like this. But everyone there had been touched by what happened to her. Tonight, they were saying goodbye.

  Lisa took Kristen’s hand and walked her away from the crowd, which was not easy to do. Standing off in a corner, the two hugged. They hadn’t really talked since that night two weeks ago.

  “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Lisa knew it was too late to change anything, but it was the right question to ask.

  “I’m doing the right thing. I’m going to be fine. I really need to just leave and start my life over.” Kristen seemed confident, but Lisa knew she wasn’t sharing the whole story.

  “You’ve been great to me and I can never repay you for showing me the ropes and helping me get situated.” Again, the right thing to say, but Lisa knew she was the stronger of the two. She had helped Kristen more than the other way around.

  “Thank you. Have you decided what you’re going to do yet about a roommate or the job? Are you going to push to get the morning anchor job?” Kristen was very enthusiastic about cheering her friend on. She really wanted the conversation not to be about her.

  Lisa was careful with her words. She didn’t want to give anything away.

  “For right now, I’m going to try and stay in the apartment without a roommate. I’m hoping I can make it work. Not sure what to think about your old job. Jack hasn’t made up his mind yet about what he wants to do with the morning show.”

  “Don’t worry. That job is yours, if you want it.” Kristen winked. “I’m sure he’s going to tell you that this week.” Kristen reached to hug Lisa one more time. Lisa laughed to herself, still thinking that this was the most hug-loving group of people she’d ever known.

  Lisa hadn’t been totally honest with Kristen about the job, but that information was between her and the news director at this point. She was hoping to approach Ross Mitchell sometime tonight at the party.

  The quiet little space where Kristen and Lisa were sharing a private moment became busy again as more people wanted Kristen’s attention. The two squeezed each other’s hands before being separated by the well-wishers. Lisa backed out of the space and went to find Ross to put the bug in his ear about the next sales opening.

  Ross was considered a real player, but from the day she joined TV3, Lisa was uninterested, instead aiming to land much bigger fish. Her sights were set on Stewart Simpson. It was hard for her to think of anyone else but Stewart after their extremely intimate night just a couple of nights ago.

  DJ’s was getting louder and the smoke in the room was making it hard for Lisa to see anyone. She needed to step outside for some fresh air. She’d look for Ross later.

  The outside was crowded as well because more people kept pouring in. Don James was very happy for the great business. Lisa decided to make one more lap around the room to say her goodbyes and go to the bathroom before heading home. Maybe Stewart would call her.

  It wasn’t easy getting around the room, so she gave up on goodbyes, but she did need to go to the restroom before leaving. The restrooms were located down a short hallway. The ladies’ room was located close to Don James’s small office. As Lisa got closer to the restroom, she saw the office light on. She thought she should see if Don was in there so she could thank him for hosting such a great sendoff for her roommate.

  DJ’s was famous for playing ‘60s music, and it was loud that night, making conversation difficult. Lisa couldn’t be heard as she approached the backroom area. The door was slightly ajar, and before she threw the door open she peeked in.

  Lisa saw Don James leaning back against the desk, bracing himself with his hands. He had his pants down around his ankles, and there was Ross Mitchell, giving the DJ and club owner a blow job. Lisa quickly covered her mouth so her gasp would not be heard. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The sales manager of TV3 blowing Palm Springs’s number one DJ. Did I really see that? She wasn’t going to go back to look again. She quickly left the building, not even stopping to pee.

  Lisa’s heart was racing all the way home. Oh my God. No one will believe this.

  These two men were considered players, meaning “ladies’ men.” Or are they? A ruse, perhaps. At best, they were bisexual. I did just see that. She wondered if anyone knew what she now knew. It would have certainly made the rumor mill if someone, anyone else knew. After all, newspeople, newsrooms, radio personalities, and mostly anyone in the media could not keep a secret.

  “Wow!”

  ***

  The next morning, Kristen was up early. The moving van had picked up her stuff the day before. Lisa got up to take Kristen to the airport as the two had planned.

  “Great party last night,” Lisa said as she got herself a cup of coffee. “I hope you had a good time.”

  “I did. It was good to see everyone one more time before I leave. What happened to you? I didn’t see you leave.”

  “Oh, I was having stomach problems. I went to look for you, but you were surrounded, and I knew I was going to see you this morning.” Lisa didn’t tell her what she saw. As far as she knew, Lisa might be the only person in the Palm Springs media who could keep a secret—of course, Kristen was pretty good at her own secrets.

  “We better head out. My plane leaves in a little over an hour.” Kristen gathered her two packed bags by the door. She’d had enough goodbyes the last couple of days, and the two roommates had said all they needed to say to each other. It was time to go.

  Not a word was spoken until Lisa pulled into the airport entrance. “You should check your bags all the way through. It’ll be easier for you.”

  Kristen didn’t say anything but nodded. Lisa pulled up to the curb in front of the airport. Both women got out of the car. Kristen rolled her two bags toward the entrance before stopping one more time. The two hugged and kissed on the cheek. There was no need for Lisa to go inside.

  Lisa pulled away from the curb as Kristen entered the airport. As soon as she walked in, Kristen turned around and walked right back out. She headed for the north end of the airport. As she was walking down the sidewalk in front of the Palm Springs terminal, Lisa came back around the airport parking lot. She had forgotten to give Kristen a last-minute present. As she got closer, she saw her roommate walking away from the airport with her bags. Lisa slowed her car and decided to see where Kristen was going.

  At the end of airport sidewalk was the entrance to the private jet service area. Kristen walked through the gate and into the private jet terminal. What is she doing? Lisa eased her car into a fifteen-minute parking spot with a clear view of Kristen’s movements. Lisa couldn’t see into the terminal building, but she could see the door entry as well as the jet tarmac.

  Kristen walked through the entry doors and a familiar face greeted her.

  “Dugan, how are you?”

  “Ms. Nesbitt, it is a pleasure to see you. Mr. Simpson wanted me to be here to make sure you got off okay and situated in your new place. I think you’ll love your new home. The pilots are ready, so if you will follow me, we’ll be off.”

  Lisa felt like a voyeur, and she wished she hadn’t been so curious. Kristen, somehow, was involved with Dugan—which meant Dugan’s boss. Maybe that’s why the son of a bitch hasn’t called me, Lisa thought.

  Kristen followed Dugan through the gates leading to the G-4 ready for the two to board. It was a bittersweet end to her short stay in Palm Springs. Kristen wasn’t unhappy, though. Instead, she was excited to start her new life. After all, she was set for the rest of it.

  Lisa didn’t know wh
at to think. She didn’t know what to do. She sat in her car for the next hour. Shock was the best way to describe how she felt. If Dugan was escorting her now ex-roommate onto a private jet, then it was a good bet the jet belonged to Stewart Simpson. Her thoughts ran wild. What was the relationship between Stewart and Kristen? And was it really any of her business? Lisa had a lot to think about. How she handled this situation could determine the rest of her life.

  Her car phone disturbed her train of thought. “Hello,” Lisa answered.

  “Lisa, it’s Stewart. How are you?”

  Hearing Stewart Simpson’s voice shocked her.

  “I’m good. Where are you?” Lisa knew that if Stewart was calling her right now, he wasn’t on the jet sitting in front of her. There was some comfort in that.

  “I’m in Dallas, but I’m coming back to Palm Springs this weekend. Can I see you?”

  “Let’s see how the week goes. I may be going out of town.” Lisa didn’t want to commit to Stewart for the weekend until she figured out his connection to Kristen. She wasn’t sure how to talk to him about what she now thought she knew. What do I know? She really didn’t know anything at all about Stewart and Kristen, but the jealous mind and heart didn’t work that way. Am I one of Stewart’s scholarships?

  “Okay. I’d like to see you. When you know what you’re doing, let me know.” Stewart was very polite, but Lisa knew she had touched a nerve by not immediately being available. She backed her car out of the parking stall at the airport and drove back to her apartment.

  Stewart knew something had pushed her button. He was smart enough to guess that she might know something about Kristen. Maybe his secret was no secret. This would cost him something very expensive.

  ***

  Blake Summer moved under the covers and gently took her bed partner in her mouth. A few minutes later she whispered, “I haven’t heard you say it yet.”

  Trying to remain in control of his words, he asked, “Say what?”

  “You know. Those magic four words.” She then took him a little rougher.

  “Okay, okay. You’ve got the job.”

  And with those words she swallowed her lover’s excitement and moved carefully on top of him.

  Thirty minutes later, it was time for Blake to head back to Phoenix so she could pack her bags for the move to Palm Springs. Her night in bed closed the deal. As she walked out the door, Jack Router knew it was safe to wake up.

  Jack had done this before but not as a news director. He used to slip it to all his co-anchors or the new reporters when he was the main anchor. The news director couldn’t help himself with Blake. Her flirtatious personality overtook him and he gave in willingly. He justified it to himself because she wasn’t officially an employee yet. As long as he didn’t sleep with her again, after she started working at the station, everything would be okay.

  Jack had been interviewing since Kristen gave her notice. Blake just graduated from Arizona State, and getting the morning anchor job at TV3 was a great coup. She’d be back in the desert by the following Monday to start her broadcast TV career.

  ***

  Lisa walked down the hall to Ross Mitchell’s office. He was busy on the phone when he saw the beautiful reporter at his door. He quickly ended the call.

  “Lisa, it’s nice to see you on this side of the building. What can I do for you?”

  “Ross, I want to discuss with you any opportunities you might have. I want to work in sales.”

  Lisa’s words shocked Ross. This woman was drop-dead gorgeous, and she would be terrific calling on clients, but he never imagined that she would want to do that.

  “Why? Why would you like to leave your on-air job to come to sales?”

  Lisa had thought about her answer. Stewart had coached her many times with their talks over the phone. “Honestly, I know sales are where the money is. It’s also the way to get my own station one day.”

  Ross was impressed with her honesty and ambition. These were two great traits for someone wanting to get into sales. But Ross wasn’t buying it—at least, not yet.

  “Lisa, I don’t have any openings right now. Let’s see what happens down the road. If and when a position opens, then I promise I’ll talk to you.”

  “Okay, Ross, but promise me you will talk to me.”

  “I promise. You will be my first interview when something opens up.”

  “Thank you for your time.” Lisa turned and left the sales manager’s office. She wasn’t ready to play her smoking gun. She’d wait a little and see how this played out.

  10

  THREE WEEKS HAD gone by and Lisa had not spoken to Stewart. He had called several times. The multi-millionaire owner wasn’t used to women not answering his calls. Normally, he would just have moved on, but, for whatever reason, he couldn’t do that with Lisa.

  Lisa still couldn’t resolve what she had seen that day she dropped Kristen at the airport. She also didn’t want to confront Stewart. That wasn’t her play. It was better for her to just not talk to him right now. It didn’t scare her that Stewart might not want to continue pursuing her. That one night in bed at his home in the desert was the best sex she had ever had, and she hoped it was that good for him as well. Her confidence didn’t waver.

  Let him sweat, she thought.

  ***

  The doorbell rang. Lisa had been home cleaning and doing her laundry, which was a pain. The apartment had room for a washer and dryer, but Lisa and Kristen didn’t have enough money to buy them. That meant she had to run downstairs and put her clothes in the shared laundry room, and then half an hour later she would repeat the trip and put the clothes in the dryer. Again, thirty minutes later she would bring the clean clothes back to her apartment.

  The man at the door was well dressed and held an envelope. Lisa opened the door cautiously.

  “Are you Lisa Addelson?” the man asked in a very pleasant voice.

  “Yes, I am. Who are you?”

  “Stewart Simpson asked me to drop this off to you and only you.” The man handed over the envelope and then left, not waiting for Lisa to do or say anything.

  Lisa stepped back inside the apartment, closing the door. She sat down at the kitchen table, placing the envelope in front of her. There was no hurry to open it. She couldn’t imagine what was inside. Maybe it was the apology she wanted to hear from Stewart. Maybe it was a long love letter from him telling her how sorry he was and explaining all her questions about Kristen.

  Taking a knife from the silverware tray, she slit open the envelope. Her hands were shaking when she took out the two pages of paper.

  Lisa, I’m not sure what I have done to deserve your rejection the last three weeks. I am at a loss for words, but I want to show you how much I care for you in the only way I know how. I have bought your condo and enclosed the grant deed for you to keep for your records. The deed is in your name and your name only. I have also made the arrangements for all-new furniture and appliances to be delivered to your home. Kreiss Furniture will be coming to your place later today. Anything you don’t like you can exchange, and don’t give money a second thought. Lisa, I care for you a lot. This is my way of saying I’m sorry for whatever it is you believe I did. I’ll be back in the desert tomorrow and would like to see you. Dinner will be served at my home at seven. I hope you’ll be there.

  Stewart

  “Oh my God!” exclaimed Lisa. She read the letter over and over. Picking up the phone, she thought it was time to call the man she had spurned the past three weeks. The phone rang several times and went to voicemail.

  “Stewart, this is Lisa. I just received your note and your gift. Please call me.”

  Stewart listened to the answering machine and Lisa’s words. He would see if she showed up at his home tomorrow night. His extraordinary gift did what it was supposed to do. In Stewart’s world, his way of saying “I’m sorry” was to spend money.

  ***

  Lisa answered the door again. This time, it was the people from Kreiss Furnitu
re. They had a truck loaded with everything imaginable and some of the nicest things available for any home. Lisa was having a good day, and she started laughing uncontrollably.

  At 6:45, Lisa drove her convertible up to the security gate. This time she didn’t even have to give the guard her name. The security guards at the country club were good, exceptionally good, at their job. The guard handed Lisa her pass and she drove the few blocks to the Simpson residence. A familiar figure was waiting for her.

  “Good evening, Lisa. You look lovely as ever.”

  “Thank you, Dugan. How’s your day going?”

  “Splendid and made even better by seeing you here tonight.”

  “Always the charmer, Dugan. Thank you.”

  Dugan escorted Lisa through the front door and into the entry. Stewart approached from down the hall with a glass of chardonnay. Lisa could hardly contain herself, and Stewart still had no idea what he was apologizing for. He only assumed that she knew something about Kristen and was guessing about the relationship between the two of them.

  Dugan quickly left. He recognized Lisa’s look and did not want to interrupt his boss’s moment. Lisa took the wine glass and, without a sip, set it down on the first table she could find. She turned and took Stewart into her arms. Stewart tried to speak but quickly found Lisa’s tongue down his throat. The kiss was passionate, and it was real. The two stood in the center foyer for several minutes with Lisa staring into Stewart’s eyes. Nothing needed to be said. Her eyes spoke all the words needed.

  “I’m glad you decided to join me tonight,” Stewart said quietly, still holding the most beautiful girl he had ever been with.