Something to Talk About(26)

"I'm not totally self-absorbed, you know," Leona said wryly. "I've known there was something missing in your relationship with Ferrence for some time. Anyone who can think of as many excuses as you to delay announcing your engagement isn't ready to be married. And every time I brought the subject up, don't think I didn't notice how green your face turned. Why do you think I was so adamant to meet your Mr. O'Rourke?"

Casey didn't know how to respond. "Thanks, Mom." To her dismay, tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to dry them.

"Ah now, don't cry, baby." Leona pressed a tissue into Casey's hands.

"I'm sorry." She tried to laugh, but a hiccupping sob escaped instead. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"A lot has happened, and you're not feeling well."

Casey wiped away her tears and blew her nose. "It's just...I don't know what I feel for Rip."

"Have you...done it?" Leona asked, pink staining her cheeks.

"Done what?" Surely her mother wasn't asking her if she'd had-

"It," her mother said, nodding like the word explained everything. "You know, sex."

Casey felt the heat of mortification spread across her cheeks. "Uh...no."

"Well, maybe you should. That way you'll either get him out of your system and get on with your life, or you'll learn your true feelings for him."

Casey's mouth gaped open. Did her mother just say what she thought she said? "I don't know if that's such a good idea, Mother. It wouldn't work between us. We're too different."

"Opposites attract, dear," her mother said matter-of-factly. "Does he kiss well?"

"What?"

"Does he kiss well?" Leona repeated, raising her brows.

Casey recalled their last kiss. Her toes had curled inside her shoes, and she'd forgotten to breathe. "Yes, I suppose he does," she admitted, blushing brighter. "But a relationship won't survive on lust alone." 

"I know dear, but it's a great place to start."

Casey was stunned by her mother's assurance. "He doesn't even know I'm no longer engaged."

Her mother frowned. "Why the hell not?"

"I didn't want to talk about it on air."

"Why ever not? You talk about everything else."

Casey shook her head. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you."

"Well, maybe it's about time you did."

Grinning weakly, Casey said, "Mom, I'm glad you came."

Leona patted her hand. "Me too, sweetie. Me too."



By the next morning Casey knew she had the flu. Even sipping soup was a chore, trying to get it past her swollen throat. Although she was feeling a little better, when she opened her mouth to speak...nothing came out. Nothing, but a pitiful croak. Great. Now, what was she supposed to do? She had two shows to get through. She might get someone else to take the home show, but she was damned if she was going to let Rip fly solo on "Something to Talk About".

Doped up with everything her medicine cabinet had to offer and a bottle of Chloroseptic throat spray, Casey climbed into her car and made her way to the studio just in time for the show.

Rip was already in the sound room when she walked in carrying her purse, bottled water and a box of tissues. She sniffed the air for the faint scent of his aftershave, but nothing could get past the congestion in her nose.

"Hello, sunshine," he said with a smile and a wary glance.

Casey glowered. What right did he have to be in such a good mood? She felt awful, and, by rights, so should he. Misery loves company and all that.

"What's the matter Casey, cat got your tongue?"

"Shut up, Rip," Casey spoke in a less-than-audible whisper.

He winced. "What did you say?"

"Shut up, Rip," Casey tried to speak more loudly, but the words were barely a whisper.

"Are you ill?" Rip asked.

Casey was surprised by a look of concern in his eyes. "Yes." All she could get across was the hiss of the S.

"Shouldn't you be home in bed?" Rip reached a hand across the console and placed it against her forehead.

Damn, he was annoying when he was sincere, she thought grumpily. "No. I can handle this."

With a single raised eyebrow, Rip expressed his doubt.

"Are you two ready? Two minutes to show time." Brent's voice came over the speakers, and Casey nodded her acknowledgement.

"I think you should go home and get better. You look like hell."

"Thanks a lot." Casey mouthed the words, since sound was not accompanying her lip movement.

"If you won't go home for yourself, you ought to go home to keep everyone else from getting whatever you have."

She didn't bother to respond. Instead, she pulled the Chloroseptic out of her purse and sprayed it into her mouth. After clearing her throat, she tried to speak. "Testing...testing...hey, it's back!"

Brent gave the cue.

"Welcome to Something to Talk About, this is Rip O'Rourke and..."

Casey opened her mouth, forcing air past her vocal chords. Nothing. Damn!

Rip hesitated a moment then filled in where she couldn't. "Sitting next to me is Casey Cramer on K-YAK 102.5 FM. Casey's sick and having a little difficulty this morning getting her voice to work. Hopefully, you'll hear from her, if not, I'm sure I can ad-lib for her." Rip grinned at her and waggled his eyebrows. The look of mischief on his face did not bode well.

Casey rubbed her temples. Maybe she would have been better off staying at home with the radio off than to suffer through Rip's antics.



       
         
       
        

"This morning's topic is: How do you know when to get out of a bad relationship?"

She rolled her eyes. What was the use of planning their subjects if her co-host deviated according to his whim? "That's not what we were supposed to talk about," Casey breathed. Unfortunately, her airy protest could not be heard over the air.

Rip smiled knowingly. "Has your relationship fizzled? Have you been dating someone because it's convenient? What's keeping you from ending the monotony and starting over? Any comments Casey?"

Casey tried gamely. "Yss, -p, s-t-nssh-"

"What was that, Casey?" Rip cocked an ear in her direction on the pretense of listening. "You think you should cut your losses, make a clean break and move on? I quite agree. Comments from anyone out there? I'll take the first caller. Hi, Sandy."

"Hey, Rip. Sorry Casey's not feeling well. I've been engaged to the same man for two years, and he refuses to set a date for the wedding. Every time I ask, he gets defensive and changes the subject."

"Two years? That's a long time to be engaged." Rip's narrowed glance drilled Casey.

Now, she understood the direction he was going.

"Ditch him, Sandy," Rip advised. "Long engagements are a sure sign of cold feet on his part. Two years is long enough to waste in a relationship going nowhere."

Casey didn't even try to interject. She sat back, suddenly glowing inside at the message his steady stare transmitted. He wanted her unencumbered.

"Let's get a man's perspective. Hello there, Dan."

"Rip, I've been dating the same girl for four months. We started out incredibly turned on by each other, but lately it's, like you said, the sex has kinda fizzled."

"All right, I'm with you. What do the two of you have in common, other than the sex, Dan?"

"We go to the same health club? Does that count?"

Casey's nose wrinkled, and Rip grinned in silent agreement. "Well, you know buddy, there needs to be more than lust to sustain a relationship. If that's all you felt, it may be time to move on."

Casey's eyes widened at hearing Rip repeat the very words she'd spoken to her mother. Casey's attention wandered from the on-air conversation. What she felt wasn't just lust. She'd been holding onto prejudices based on the flimsiest of reasons to protect her heart. She realized the sight of him in his loudly colored, mismatched wardrobe no longer annoyed her. His sharp, caustic conversation didn't make her see red-all the time. Sometimes, it made her feel alive-sexy even, when he aimed it her way. Like he considered her equal to meeting him on his playing field. 

A tap on the console brought her gaze back to his, and she realized the time had flown. The show was winding up. Rip winked at her, and she grinned.

"Thank you for joining us on "Something to Talk About". You've been listening to Rip, with his silent partner, Casey Cramer, on K-YAK Radio 102.5 FM. Tune in tomorrow when we'll talk about how you know you're in love."





14





"Rip called in sick, Casey. You've got it all to yourself this morning," Brent's voice came over the speaker in the control room where Casey sat waiting for her cue to begin the show.

Disappointment washed over her, followed closely by irritation. Rip had saddled her with talking about how one knows one is in love. As mixed up as her emotions were lately, love was the last thing she wanted to discuss. She needed time to reflect on her feelings for Rip, revisit her long-range goals, and figure out whether the two might align. Just because she thought she might be in love didn't mean she should forget common sense.

"Welcome to 'Something to Talk About', this is Casey Cramer. My co-host, Rip O'Rourke, has the 'man' version of the flu this morning and won't be joining us. Girls, you know what I'm talking about. Men and women were not created equal in the misery department. I'm sure Rip's illness is a hundred times more virulent than the strain that affected my voice yesterday, otherwise he'd be here. Just kidding, Rip. If you're listening in, I hope you get to feeling better soon," she said softly.