Reluctantly Married (5 page)

The night air had gotten chilly, but she ignored the cold as she entered the station. She stomped down the hallway but slowed as she heard voices coming from Leon’s office. The door was ajar, and she could see Leon, Dale, and Adam all crowded around the computer screen.

“Adam, the kiss was brilliant. We’ve got half-a-million hits and rising.” Leon slugged him on the shoulder. “The way you kissed her, no one will ever suspect a thing.”

Heat flushed through her body, and her stomach tightened. What was he talking about? She crept closer to the wall so she wouldn’t be visible if one of them turned around.

Dale laughed. “
I
almost believed you had feelings for her. And I watch you two fight every day.”

“Listen,” Leon said. “About the fighting. You should keep things cool for a while. Flirt a little more. After the next few dates, it will come out that Dr. Lemon is a fraud and this was all a publicity stunt. Megan’s going to blow her top. We’ll make national news!”

Megan clenched her fists, her nails biting into her skin. This was all a lie, and Adam was in on it. She turned on her heel and ran down the hall before she could hear any more, tears blurring her vision.

How could he do this to her, make her think he cared for her, then laugh at her when she found out the truth? She was such a fool. How could she have fallen for the stupid machine-that-reads-feelings? What an idiot she was.

She shivered as she approached her car and slid into the driver’s seat. Humiliation burned in her, and she ground her teeth. Maybe she was stupid, but Leon was right about one thing. They
would
make national news. But she’d make sure
she
wasn’t the one they were laughing at.

5

A
dam reeled back in shock.
“Wait, what? You can’t do that to Megan.”

Leon stared at him, obvious confusion on his face. “It’s nothing personal. She’s going to be a star. Think of the publicity.”

Adam’s stomach turned cold as anger surged in him. He grabbed Leon’s shirt in his fist, pulling his face close and practically lifting him off the cheap office chair. “No. You’re not doing that. I agreed to go out with her on-air. That’s it. You’re not going to humiliate her.”

Leon put his hands up in the air in a lame ‘I surrender’ gesture. “Hey, man. Cool it. Whatever you want. I’ll change the game plan.”

Adam released Leon and let him slump back in the chair. “You’re going to tell Megan everything. Confess about Dr. Lemon. And if she still wants to work for you, count your lucky stars.”

Leon stood and smoothed his shirt. “Now, settle down. We don’t have to tell Megan anything yet.”

Dale piped up. “Just look at these comments. People can’t wait to see your next date. If Megan knows Dr. Lemon is a fake, she’ll never go out with you again.” Dale pointed to the computer, and Adam squinted at the screen.

“I don’t care what people are saying. It’s not fair to Megan.” He took in a deep breath to steady his heart rate. Why was he so upset? He blinked. Had he really grabbed his boss like that?

“Let’s not get hasty. This whole thing is bringing the ratings of the show up.” Leon hitched his pants and looked Adam in the eye. “This is actually helping Megan. It’s boosting her career.”

Adam knew there wasn’t an altruistic bone in Leon’s body. This wasn’t about doing anything for Megan. However, the attention the show was getting really would help Megan in the end. Wouldn’t it?

And if they didn’t humiliate her by spinning it as a publicity stunt, what would be the harm in continuing the dates on-air? He would like to go out with her again.

Leon frowned. “This station needs the attention. If not from you, I’ll find someone else.”

And there it was. A thinly veiled threat to his job. If he didn’t go along with Leon, he’d be fired. He couldn’t afford to lose his job right now. He sighed. “I’ll go out with her again on camera. But forget about the whole publicity stunt. That doesn’t happen. Got it?”

Leon nodded and raised his hands again. “No big reveal. Got it. We’ll just do the dating thing. It’s popular. You’re getting a fan base.”

Dale scrolled down the page. “Everyone loved the kiss. You’ve got to do more of that.”

Adam nodded. That was the first suggestion he could truly agree with. He didn’t mind at all the thought of kissing Megan again.

Megan spent Sunday plotting her revenge and measuring the apartment complex courtyard to see how many bodies would fit. After stewing over the situation all morning, she donned her running shoes and took to the streets. She needed a good workout to clear her mind.

She sprinted down the tree-lined sidewalk, past the older neighborhood homes. Painted eggs and pastel bunny window clings announced the approach of Easter. Young buds were springing up in flowerbeds in the hopes that warm weather would stick around.

Although Sugar Springs was a small Nebraska town, it was close enough to Omaha to allow the residents to have the best of both worlds. Big city entertainment was only twenty minutes away, while the small community had barely any crime to speak of. Most residents didn’t even lock their doors at night.

It was difficult to stay mad with all the luscious sights and smells of spring around her. Megan found herself contemplating what she should do about the situation she’d been placed in. Leon had already announced a second online date. Their fans were expecting it. She shouldn’t back out. She should go on that date and make sure Adam paid for what he’d done.

And then an idea hit. She knew what she would do. And she couldn’t wait.

Megan slapped on her best cheesy smile and approached Adam and Dale chatting on set. “Good morning, boys.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and grabbed the mic sitting on her seat so she could thread the cord through her shirt.

Adam turned to her, a stupid grin on his face. “You’re in a good mood.”

“You have no idea,” she muttered under her breath. Then she turned to him, a bright smile in place. “I’m looking forward to our next date. I’ve already got it planned.”

Adam’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? I thought you might be upset that Leon…you know…committed you to another online date without asking.”

She waved her hand in a dismissive motion. “No biggie. Keep the fans happy, right? So, whadaya say, big guy? Should I pick you up tomorrow night, around seven?” She whacked him in the chest.

He gave her a weird look, but then smoothed out his features. “Uh, sure. Is it all set up with Leon?”

“I’ll talk to him. We’ll get it worked out.” She sat down, adjusted her shirt, and tried not to sweat under the warm lights. They’d be on-air in a few minutes.

Adam sat in the chair next to her. “Where are we going?”

Her mouth curled up into a grin. “It’s a surprise.”

Adam slid into the passenger seat of Megan’s Accord in the parking lot of her apartment complex. It was a little weird, letting Megan take the reins like this, but he knew she was a strong-willed woman. It shouldn’t have surprised him. Dale already sat in the backseat with his camera.

She’d said to dress casual, so he had on a pair of tan slacks and a green polo. She wore a cute top and jeans. “You look lovely.”

“Thanks.” She jerked the car into drive and pressed the gas. Wow. She must be in a hurry to get there.

“Any clues as to where we’re going?”

“Hmm, a clue.” She tapped her chin with her finger. “American Idol.”

The television show? What did that mean? “We’re going to a concert?”

She laughed. “Sort of,” she said in a sing-songy voice.

He stared at her. Why was she acting so weird? She’d been acting strange at the station, too. He’d shrugged it off as awkwardness after their kiss, but now he wasn’t so sure. They entered Omaha at breakneck speeds. “Remind me not to let you drive my car.”

“Ha. Don’t worry, big guy. I wouldn’t dream of touching your baby.”

Yes, something was definitely off. Why was she calling him that ridiculous nick name? He bit back a retort. Leon had made it perfectly clear. He was to be the gentleman. They were to lay off the fighting. He let the irritation slide off his back.

A few minutes later, Megan pulled into a parking lot. The sign ‘Chuck’s Bar and Grill’ was lit up in bright red letters. It looked clean, and he could smell chicken wings as he got out of her car. He wasn’t sure why she chose this place, but he was anxious to try their food.

He held her elbow as they neared the front door. A large poster was taped to the glass. Chuck’s Karaoke Contest. $100 Prize. His heart stopped.

Megan grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. “Surprise! I entered us in the contest. Won’t that be fun? It will be just like American Idol.”

He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. Was she insane? He’d told her he couldn’t sing. Hadn’t she remembered? Dale stood behind them, the camera rolling. Adam forced a smile. “Yeah. Fun.”

If it had been just the two of them, he could have laughed it off. Embarrassing himself in front of a bar full of people was one thing. Having it broadcast live on the Internet where nothing ever goes away…that was something else. Maybe he could gracefully get out of it. Fake a cough or something.

Megan grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. The smell of barbecue and fried food filled the air, and his stomach growled. A young woman in tight jeans and a name tag saying “Angela” approached them. Megan spoke to her, and Angela gave them both numbers and led them to a table.

Adam nervously rubbed his hands together as he waited for the food. How was he going to get out of this one?

A look of concern crossed Megan’s face. “Are you okay? You look nervous.”

“Well, I…um.” He cleared his throat. “I can’t sing.”

A devilish look crossed her face for an instant, but then it was gone. She waved his concern away. “No one cares. This is all just for fun.”

He stared at her. She knew he couldn’t sing. She’d brought him here on purpose. But why? Then a thought made his throat constrict. Had Leon told her about Dr. Lemon? Was she mad at him? Or maybe this was something she and Leon concocted together. It would be just like him to turn her against him. See how humiliated he could get on camera, just for the ratings.

Their wings arrived at the table, and he dug in. Delicious. At least he’d get a good meal out of the deal. As he ate, he thought about what he would do. If this was something she and Leon had set up, maybe he could turn the tables on them. Show them it didn’t bother him. Somehow.

The contest started all too soon, and he and Megan sat and watched as amateur singers stepped up on stage and tried their best to win. It didn’t make him feel any better that most of them were really good, hitting all the notes and getting applause.

Megan’s number came up. She grinned at him, then jaunted up the steps to the stage. She whispered what song she wanted and waited for them to queue up the machine. As the first notes played, Adam sunk lower in his chair. He recognized the song. It was an old Weird Al song from the 80’s, titled ‘One More Minute.’

Megan sang the first line, and Adam was surprised at how good she was. She could sing. Really well. She wasn’t afraid to belt it out, nor was she afraid to direct the lyrics toward him. She stared at him and made hand gestures so everyone knew who she was singing to. He smiled as the audience turned to look at him. And as she sang about how she’d rather eat shards of broken glass than spend one more minute with him, people started laughing and hooting.

She’d gotten him. He donned his camera smile and laughed when Dale focused in on him. Megan played up the song, singing dramatically when the part came about how she’d rather rip her heart out and stomp on it until she died than spend any more time with him.

When she finished, the audience went wild, cat calling and giving her a standing ovation. Megan grinned and bowed, and hammed it up. She was cute, standing up there and blushing, even though she’d been trying to embarrass him.

His number was next, and the audience hooted as he stepped up on stage. He took the microphone from Megan, then grabbed her arm so she couldn’t leave. “For those of you who don’t know, this is my morning show co-host, Megan Holloway. Let’s give her another hand, shall we?”