Certified Male (22 page)

The guy thought a moment. “Tell you what. He's doing his weekend radio show today. You could go down to the studio, maybe catch him afterward.”

It was all she needed. Just a chance and a chance now. She couldn't wait.

 

G
WEN SAT IN THE LOBBY OF THE
radio station, watching the receptionist file her nails and listening to the current host trading badinage with a caller. Del's show was long over. Now she just waited patiently and tried not to scream.

The studio door opened and Del came out, laughing with another guy. There was that grin that had first stolen her heart, that devilment in his eyes. For a minute her heart just swelled. Then he caught sight of her and stopped. For a moment all he did was look, hope flickering over his face. He turned to his companion. “Hey, I'll see you later, man.” They shook and he walked toward Gwen.

She rose. “Hello,” she said stiffly. Now that she was here, all the words had dried up in her throat. When she'd been reading the article, she'd known what came next. Now she hadn't a clue.

“Hey.” There was an awkward pause. “Big fan of sports radio?”

“I knew you were here. I saw the article in the Sunday magazine,” she blurted. “I had to talk with you.”

He nodded at that. “Talk works.” As though remembering they had an audience, he looked around. “How 'bout we get out of here, then grab a cup of coffee?”

Outside on the street she felt as if she could breathe again.

Del sighed and thrust his hands in his pockets. “So, Kellar's article wasn't bad enough, you wanted to know why I wrote another one?”

“No, that's not it,” she replied. “It was a nice article.”

He looked at her, eyes direct. “I screwed up, Gwen, plain and simple. I know apologies don't mean much, but I wish there was some way to let you truly understand how sorry I am about the way things worked out.”

“I'm sorry about the way I acted, too. I'm sorry about how all of it came out.”

“I didn't work with Kellar on the story.”

She nodded. “I saw.”

“I tried to get them not to do it, but the best I could manage was convincing the editor it wasn't worth the full treatment.”

“It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. I think I have you to thank for that.”

“It wasn't enough, but it was all I could do.”

“It was more than I deserved.” She paused. “Did you get the job?”

“I told Jessup I didn't want it.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “I'm looking for magazine work. I think that's going to be a better fit for me.”

She couldn't stop the smile from coming. “After reading your article, I bet you'll do a great job.”

“Look.” He stared into her eyes. “I meant what I said about the mistakes that keep me up at night. I fell in love
with you in Las Vegas, Gwen.” She caught her breath, but he pushed on. “I screwed it up and it's all I've been able to think about. I should never have said all those things to you about Nina. You're perfect just the way you are and I have missed you so much.”

She moistened her lips. “I changed in Las Vegas.”

“Maybe we both did.” He reached out and brushed his fingers along her jaw. “I'm just sorry. And I'm sorry about the news story. It was a bad hand. I should have just gone out rather than play it the way I did.”

“Well—” she gave an awkward laugh “—that game's over.”

“Maybe we should open another,” he said, watching her closely. “Start with a fresh deck, deal out a new hand.”

“Okay, let's do that.” Gwen stepped in and put her arms around his neck. “I'm all in.”

His eyes came alive. “You mean it?”

“Weren't you the one who said that going all in was the only way to win big?”

“Only if you can get someone to match you.”

“And are you going to?”

He pulled her to him and fused his mouth to hers. Then he raised his head and laughed. “You bet.”