“Marty! Where are you?”
Hellon Masters, also known as Hell-on-Wheels to her technical crew, was enraged. “You can’t hide from me forever you little snake!” She yelled across the studio.
She charged over to the assignment desk in the studio pit. There stood her mark, Martin Bancroft, with an owlish cast because she’d found him. He gotten five Emmy’s, managed the nation’s leading around-the-clock news channel, along with the myriad of prima-donna talking head personalities on six continents, and at six and a half feet towered over most people he met. Yet he was cowering in the corner, hiding behind a handful of producers working the lines. Cowering from a five and a half foot woman who probably weighed as much as his right leg.
“Hellon … now, dear,” he said calmly when the jig was up and he had to come out of hiding. “We’re about to go on air and you’ve got two hours to put this package together.” He looked at his chronograph watch that was a big as her fist and continued: “The team’ll be finished with practice just in time for you and Javier to get there.”
She huffed out a breath and stomped her bare foot. Nobody in the studio had the balls to even crack a grin. She was a firecracker. She handed her sexy, spiky stiletto pumps to her partner-in-crime and favorite cameraman, Javier, so she could re-button her beautifully tailored eggplant suit jacket. The wool fabric was finely knit, and one of her favorites because it wasn’t bulky and didn’t make her too hot. It was the perfect top for her gray sleeveless slip dress. She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and reached for one of the shoes.
“I almost broke my neck racing to find you. Poor Javier could hardly keep up.” She glanced at him and then scowled when she noticed he wasn’t even winded. Bastard.
Everyone in the room had paused in their work to watch the fireworks at the desk. Javier ran marathons, like Hellon, so that made a lot of folks grin.
“You remember that I’m a Health & Life reporter, right? Why on earth would you assign me a story about a hockey team preparing for the new season? I can’t figure out where that fits into this afternoon’s taping with the Governor.” She held onto Javier’s forearm while she slipped into the other shoe.
She turned her head and glared at Javier. “Did you put him up to this? Are you already tired of working on our show?” Despite her irritated façade, he could see her bottom lip poke out in a tiny pout.
“No, kid. I didn’t.” He patted her on the shoulder, and squeezed it affectionately before dropping his hand. He loved working with Hellon. She was whip-smart, funny, beautiful … she was the total package—not that he’d ever admit it to her. She’d probably knock his block off. But he definitely didn’t want the rest of the crew to see her sad. It would ruin her badass reputation.
“But, honestly, I can’t complain. I haven’t worked any sports assignments since the Carolina Oak Leaves came to town five years ago, so I’m really excited.” He clapped her on the shoulder. “We got this.”
She glared at him while she finished buckling the little strap on her shoe and then stood up straight, hands on her hips. “Damn it! Fine. We’ll do it. But Marty…” She turned and caught his gaze like a magnetic beam, stopping his rodent-like scurry across the back of the room. He blinked and stared at her. “Don’t you ever pull this shit on me again! I’m not dressed for the hockey rink, and I don’t have time to go change. At least give us a better heads up next time,” she said with a sharp tongue.
He nodded, and held in his grin until she and Javier had walked through the studio door. Javier trailed behind and gave a big thumbs up to the studio at large, relieved she gave in. He was excited about the assignment and knew she’d be fine once she settled down; she was just more of a planner than a pantser. He didn’t even crack a grin when the room erupted into huge whoops and hollers—he didn’t have a death wish. Hellon huffed, and then straightened her shoulders and picked up the pace.
Hellon Masters, also known as Hell-on-Wheels to her technical crew, was enraged. “You can’t hide from me forever you little snake!” She yelled across the studio.
She charged over to the assignment desk in the studio pit. There stood her mark, Martin Bancroft, with an owlish cast because she’d found him. He gotten five Emmy’s, managed the nation’s leading around-the-clock news channel, along with the myriad of prima-donna talking head personalities on six continents, and at six and a half feet towered over most people he met. Yet he was cowering in the corner, hiding behind a handful of producers working the lines. Cowering from a five and a half foot woman who probably weighed as much as his right leg.
“Hellon … now, dear,” he said calmly when the jig was up and he had to come out of hiding. “We’re about to go on air and you’ve got two hours to put this package together.” He looked at his chronograph watch that was a big as her fist and continued: “The team’ll be finished with practice just in time for you and Javier to get there.”
She huffed out a breath and stomped her bare foot. Nobody in the studio had the balls to even crack a grin. She was a firecracker. She handed her sexy, spiky stiletto pumps to her partner-in-crime and favorite cameraman, Javier, so she could re-button her beautifully tailored eggplant suit jacket. The wool fabric was finely knit, and one of her favorites because it wasn’t bulky and didn’t make her too hot. It was the perfect top for her gray sleeveless slip dress. She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and reached for one of the shoes.
“I almost broke my neck racing to find you. Poor Javier could hardly keep up.” She glanced at him and then scowled when she noticed he wasn’t even winded. Bastard.
Everyone in the room had paused in their work to watch the fireworks at the desk. Javier ran marathons, like Hellon, so that made a lot of folks grin.
“You remember that I’m a Health & Life reporter, right? Why on earth would you assign me a story about a hockey team preparing for the new season? I can’t figure out where that fits into this afternoon’s taping with the Governor.” She held onto Javier’s forearm while she slipped into the other shoe.
She turned her head and glared at Javier. “Did you put him up to this? Are you already tired of working on our show?” Despite her irritated façade, he could see her bottom lip poke out in a tiny pout.
“No, kid. I didn’t.” He patted her on the shoulder, and squeezed it affectionately before dropping his hand. He loved working with Hellon. She was whip-smart, funny, beautiful … she was the total package—not that he’d ever admit it to her. She’d probably knock his block off. But he definitely didn’t want the rest of the crew to see her sad. It would ruin her badass reputation.
“But, honestly, I can’t complain. I haven’t worked any sports assignments since the Carolina Oak Leaves came to town five years ago, so I’m really excited.” He clapped her on the shoulder. “We got this.”
She glared at him while she finished buckling the little strap on her shoe and then stood up straight, hands on her hips. “Damn it! Fine. We’ll do it. But Marty…” She turned and caught his gaze like a magnetic beam, stopping his rodent-like scurry across the back of the room. He blinked and stared at her. “Don’t you ever pull this shit on me again! I’m not dressed for the hockey rink, and I don’t have time to go change. At least give us a better heads up next time,” she said with a sharp tongue.
He nodded, and held in his grin until she and Javier had walked through the studio door. Javier trailed behind and gave a big thumbs up to the studio at large, relieved she gave in. He was excited about the assignment and knew she’d be fine once she settled down; she was just more of a planner than a pantser. He didn’t even crack a grin when the room erupted into huge whoops and hollers—he didn’t have a death wish. Hellon huffed, and then straightened her shoulders and picked up the pace.
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AMAZON
XOXO Publishing
All Romance EBooks
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*CONTEST*
Becky will be giving away an E-copy of THE PENALTY BOX and an E-copy of THE RIGHT WORDS to two lucky commenters! Two winners will be chosen at random once the SPOTLIGHT is over. Please leave your E-mail address with your comment so we may contact you should you win! Author choses who wins which prize....
*CONTEST*
Becky will be giving away an E-copy of THE PENALTY BOX and an E-copy of THE RIGHT WORDS to two lucky commenters! Two winners will be chosen at random once the SPOTLIGHT is over. Please leave your E-mail address with your comment so we may contact you should you win! Author choses who wins which prize....
