Parade Banter: A Christmas Romance Read online

  Parade Banter

  Published by Laura Briggs at Smashwords

  Copyright 2011 Laura Briggs

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  Chance, fate, luck of the draw. Someone’s life was about to change with a random slip of paper. So what if the prize was only a Christmas shopping spree at the local Grab Mart?

  Rae Randall adjusted the set of headphones and summoned her perkiest tone, as the "on air" signal flickered above the door."Welcome back, morning rush fans! The Silver Star Duo is on deck and ready to draw the big winner out of our lucky top hat!"

  She tucked a wisp of blonde hair into her messy updo and grinned as she flicked the switch for a drum roll sound effect. Her co-host, Chip Bently, fished his hand into a coffee mug stuffed with slips of paper filled out with listeners' names.

  “Congratulations to Mimi Andrews –you're our Grab Mart Giveaway winner!” Chip announced, scanning the chosen scrap of paper.

  Rae summoned her perkiness again. “That gift certificate is practically in the mail, Mimi. Thanks again to all our listeners who called in for a chance to win.” She glanced at the clock above the door. Fifty seconds before the airwaves switched to Connecticut news and weather. “Well, folks, looks like it’s time–”

  “Hold on guys.” The voice came from the sound booth and belonged to Tippy Paterson, Rae and Chip’s producer. “We’ve got a surprise announcement that comes directly from Mayor Douglas’ office.”

  The mayor? Rae and Chip exchanged curious glances as Tippy’s voice purred through the microphone.

  “As most of you learned yesterday, Rae will be co-hosting Silver Star’s annual Christmas Parade. It’s a job that comes with tremendous responsibility. And a few minutes ago the mayor announced the name of the lucky personality who will share those duties.”

  Great. The honor of hosting the parade was a dream come true– but it came with a price tag unless you were lucky enough to share it with someone good. Rae sat up straight and looked her producer in the eye, willing her to say a name that was agreeable. If she was committed to this, it had better be good.

  “This year's co-host is someone familiar to all of us,” Tippy teased, relishing the moment of suspense. “A person who started his career right here at Morning Star Radio before his big break landed him in television.”

  Rae‘s breath caught with the words. There was only one person it could be, only one Morning Star employee from the past who moved on to greener pastures. No, not him. Anyone but him. Please, please, please….

  “It’ Simon Harte from KTRP Channel Seven!”

  Rae let out a squeal, then slapped the cough button to cover it. Chafing at the thought of another hosting stint with her former radio partner turned TV anchorman.

  A devious grin spread across Tippy’s face. “That’s right folks. Simon and Rae, together again after three years! I know I can't wait to see them sharing co-hosting duties at the town's favorite annual event.”

  You’re dead, Tippy. Completely dead. She hoped her glare conveyed the message. But then, Tippy’s smile grew bigger and more wicked by the second.

  “So mark your calendars for December 20th, the live reunion of Rae Randell and Simon Harte hosting the annual Silver Star Christmas Parade.”

  Rae dropped her head between her hands and let out a silent scream. Of all the TV anchors in the state of Connecticut, why did it have to be Simon Harte?

  Cocky, conceited–and, yes, charming Simon Harte. Coffee colored eyes, broad shoulders, and a strong jaw with just a hint of stubble. Combined with the tousled hair and bronzed complexion, he would have looked more natural on a beach than behind an anchor desk.

  Except his personality cancelled out the rugged good-looks.

  Chip gave her shoulder a consoling pat. “An early Christmas present from Santa, huh?”

  “Yeah. Just what I wanted.” She yanked off her headphones and prepared to unleash her scorn as Tippy entered from the booth. “You’ve got a lot of nerve announcing that on the air.”

  Her producer shrugged and reached for a powdered donut. “It had to come out sometime. And wouldn’t you rather hear it from a friend than a stranger on the sidewalk?”

  “I’d rather not hear it from anyone. Ever.” She rose from the swivel chair and shrugged on her pea green coat. Wrapping its matching scarf around the collar, she contemplated escape plans. “Maybe I’ll just tell the mayor I can’t do it. That I’m having emergency surgery. Or going to prison.”

  Tippy snorted, scattering bits of powder in the air. “He wouldn’t believe it and neither would anyone else. Everybody knows about the tension between you and Simon.”

  Rae blushed. Her producer made it sound like some steamy romance novel. When, in fact, Simon spent most of his time pushing her buttons on everything from the music she liked to the men she dated–which were few in numbers compared to his many glamorous admirers.

  “We had a few disagreements,” she said, keeping her voice cool and surprisingly steady. “But I’m pretty sure I did my part to keep things professional.”

  “Are you kidding?” Tippy arched her eyebrows. “That love-hate relationship was what made the show crackle. You guys were like fire and ice.”

  “It was mostly a hate-hate relationship,” Rae said. Annoyed at herself for getting flustered over the memory of an irresponsible playboy. She forced a nonchalant smile as she glanced at her current co-host. “Don’t listen to her, Chip. You and I are a much better team.”

  Chip merely grinned as he stretched a wool cap over his balding head. “Hey, I believe Tippy. I mean, I’ve seen that Harte guy on KTRP’s morning show. He's got a personality like fireworks.”

  “It’s in the script,” Rae snapped, grabbing her tote bag. “Trust me, he's not that witty in person.”

  With that, she stalked into the hallway, hands jammed deep inside her coat pockets. She kept her eyes glued to her brown suede boots, aware that everyone in the building must have heard the news. No doubt this little tidbit would stay the hot topic at the water cooler for days to come.

  A few snickers reached her ears as she passed through the lobby, but she didn’t look to see if they were directed at her. But not knowing didn’t stop the heat from climbing her face as she pushed through the exit door. Imagining the whispers over her big reunion with Simon.

  Did they have the same ridiculous notion as Tippy? That her rivalry with Simon stemmed from hidden feelings of a deep, intense attraction?

  “Stupid,” she muttered. Then glanced around the parking lot as she unlocked the door to her sky blue Volkswagen Beetle. A raise would go a long ways on improving the car’s appearance and ride. But then Morning Star wasn’t the best paying gig in town, despite the morsel of fame that came with hosting one of its shows. Finger crossed, she turned the ignition key. Releasing a sigh as the engine groaned to life.

  As the car rolled towards the exit, she turned the radio dial to the only station not playing Christmas music. The mayor’s bombshell had poured a bucket of ice water on the remnants of her holiday cheer. Childish, she knew, but Simon affected her like no one else. And it wasn’t for the reasons Tippy claimed.

  Could she be jealous? Jealous he became a big time TV personality and left her stranded at Morning Star radio?

  “We’re a team, right?” he always argued, during their worst
conflicts over the show’s style. Funny how that slogan didn’t apply once he landed an offer with the area’s top-rated station. Now he spent his mornings covering light news stories and chatting with cake-baking guests or local celebrities. She spent her mornings pepping up sleepy commuters and giving away shopping sprees.

  Don’t be a grinch. Christmas was supposed to be the jolliest time of the year, yet she was letting an old workplace grudge threaten to freeze the whole holiday over.

  A version of Jingle Bell Rock streamed from the radio speakers and she found her fingers tapping in rhythm against the steering wheel. Downtown Silver Star came into view, its old-fashioned shops festooned with bright red and green colors. A window for Attic Antiques displayed tinker toys, wooden soldiers, and an electric train. A sign for the ice skating rink boasted a free cup of hot chocolate for every customer until Christmas.

  She eased to a stop as the traffic light turned red and a trolley swathed in Christmas garland made its stop at the Post Office. Her heart quickened as she recognized Simon’s smiling image pasted on the side in an advertisement for KTRP’s Early Bird show.

  Her eyes traced the rugged jaw with its trademark five-o’clock shadow. This picture must have been taken recently. She didn’t remember seeing the sprinkle of early gray in his hair before. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t pretend it didn’t compliment him.

  An explosion of horns jerked her thoughts back to reality–and the fact that the light had changed from red to green who knew how many seconds ago. She pressed the gas and the car jerked forward with unhappy groans, adding more embarrassment to an already bad situation.

  “Way to ruin my day, Simon,” she muttered. And maybe my Christmas, too.

  *****

  Simon Harte adjusted his paisley tie and checked the dressing room mirror for any final traces of makeup. One of the biggest downsides of working in television as a guy–especially if he forgot to remove it before leaving the station. He grinned as a particular incident involving meeting one his fans at the airport flashed through his mind.

  The sound of White Christmas echoed from his radio’s speakers and he whistled along. In ten minutes, he would join Mayor Douglas for an impromptu lunch at the Shooting Star. Why, he couldn’t imagine, though his station manager Jerry hinted it was something big. “You won‘t be disappointed by the news,” he promised, thumping Simon with his clipboard in the studio before air time.

  A knock sounded on the door just as he reached for his coat. “It’s open,” he called, flipping the off switch on the radio. Thinking of the irony that the holidays left no time for seasonal cheer between the cameras and conversation.

  “The mayor’s car is here for you.” The voice belonged to his co-host, Andrea Bates, a tall brunette with a luminous smile that smacked of whitening strips. Married to KTRP’s chief weatherman, she considered herself part of a power couple–and barely concealed her dislike for sharing the spotlight with Simon. Right now, her face wore a knowing little smile that sparked his suspicion.

  “Why the smirk?” he asked, fishing a wool scarf from his briefcase. “Should I assume you and Brian cooked up something brilliant for the show?”

  She merely grinned, showing off her immaculate teeth. “You’ll see.” With those ominous words, she turned on her stilettos and disappeared into the hall.

  Leaving him full of curiosity and just slightly worried. Andrea and Brian wouldn’t mind if he got forced into a bad reporting gig, the kind that left a black mark on one’s career for a lifetime. But Jerry would never let that happen, right?

  The ten minute drive to the restaurant didn’t give him much time to wonder. His old friend, Mayor Douglas rose from the window table, greeting him with a smile and a pat on the back. “Have a seat Simon. I caught the show this morning. Great zingers, as always.”

  Simon grinned. “Hey, it’s all in the script.” Not exactly true, given Brian and Andrea’s knack for exposing themselves to ridicule.

  The waitress arrived and took their orders, Simon choosing to go with a glass of wine and a light chicken salad. Until he knew the mayor’s news, he couldn’t summon the appetite for a big dinner.

  As soon as the waitress disappeared, the mayor turned to business. “I can see you’re curious about this meeting, so I’ll cut right to the chase–I’ve chosen you as a host for the annual Silver Star Christmas Parade.”

  Simon widened his eyes, surprise conquering the smooth persona he prided himself on. “Wow…” he murmured in response, running a hand through his hair with a sense of relief and elation. Silver Star’s annual Christmas parade was nothing short of local legend–something that confirmed his celebrity and fulfilled a personal dream all in one swoop.

  “I thought you’d like that.” The mayor chuckled and motioned for the waitress to refill his glass. “Jerry said you’d jump at the chance.”

  “I’m honored,” Simon answered. “I loved that parade as a kid. Especially the costumed characters. You know, the Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan.”

  The mayor nodded in a way that told Simon he wasn’t really listening. “Of course, I had to round up a second spot. Someone more local, you know. But the radio station was more than willing to lend one of their own as a co-host.”

  “Really? Who’d they recommend?” He raised his glass of water.

  “Actually, it’s your old morning rush hour partner. Rae Randall.”

  He choked on the water, coughing and hacking as he buried his face in a napkin. This had to be a nightmare. Or else Santa’s way of putting an early chunk of coal in his stocking.

  “You okay?” asked Mayor Douglas, reassured only by Simon’s nods.

  “Fine,” Simon answered hoarsely, which the mayor took as his cue to continue.

  “You and Rae were so good together ... not to mention you’ve got a history with the town because of it. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity for you two to share a mike again.”

  “Yeah, well …” Simon trailed off, incapable of finishing the sentence with anything that wasn’t a groan of pain. Overwhelmed by the fact he was once again paired with Rae Randall, the Ice Princess of Silver Star, Connecticut. He had a long list of reasons for never seeing her again, not the least of which was the frigid stare in those jade eyes whenever he was in sight.

  Smart, talented, and undeniably gorgeous–but just thinking about her sent a shiver up his spine. And even though he would never, ever admit it, he wasn’t sure it was entirely because of her frigid personality.

  Appetite gone, he toyed with his food as he listened to Mayor Douglas rattle off plans for the parade. Be a grownup and take your medicine. How bad could it be? It was just an hour spent in front of the camera, reading from scripts. It wasn’t exactly quality time, nor was there any need for one-on-one conversation that wasn’t already on paper.

  “So, when can you review your schedule and get back to us about the commercial?” asked Mayor Douglas.

  Simon’s train of thought returned to the station at once. “Commercial?” he repeated. The astonishment in his voice went unnoticed.

  “You know, for promotion?” The mayor smiled. “We’ll need to coordinate you two for all the public appearances, the PR campaign, and so on. You guys have a lot of work to do together for the parade, you know.”

  “Public appearances,” Simon echoed, weakly. “Of course. I’ll send your office a schedule of free time this week.” Inside, he felt as if his chest was squeezed by a giant squid.

  “Sounds perfect,” the mayor answered. “This is gonna be quite an event. I wouldn’t miss it for a million dollars.”

  Simon could barely repress the bitterness in his tone. “Me neither.”

  *****

  “Hold the smile guys. Keep holding it. Just a few more seconds…”

  Rae resisted the urge to jerk her hand free from Simon’s strong grasp. The camera man was taking his sweet time with the newspaper photo and her fake smile wore thinner by the second. Simon kept his face angled away from hers, but she coul
d swear she saw a glint of sarcasm in his hazel eyes.

  All around them, the Silver Star Theater Auditorium had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Styrofoam candy canes and lollipops formed a path to a giant North Pole sign fashioned from gum drops. An old-fashioned sleigh waited on stage for the commercial shoot–another nightmare in the making–and various crew members strolled around in snowmen and reindeer costumes.

  Snap! The camera flashed twice and left Rae blinking against a blur of yellow light. Yanking her hand free, she pulled away from Simon’s body, only to stumble smack into a candy cane decoration.

  “Whoa, slow down there,” Simon remarked sarcastically. “You’ll wreck the North Pole.”

  She glared at him as she stuffed the decoration back into a phony pile of snow. “You would enjoy that, I bet. Seeing me humiliated in front of all these cameras.”

  “I’m pretty sure that kind of talk is banned in Christmas town.” He studied her with raised eyebrows and a resigned expression. “Why don’t you loosen up? We still have a commercial to shoot and it’s not easy getting in the holiday spirit when you’re co-host looks like she wants to strangle you. ”

  “Let’s hope you’re a good actor, then.” She smoothed her winter wonderland outfit, a white prom dress from the cheap rack complete with boots and a shawl. Her curls were pinned back with sparkly star-shaped barrettes that pricked her scalp.

  Simon, of course, looked dapper and carefree in a winter suit, a brilliant red scarf tossed casually over his broad shoulders. So unfair. The fact that he seemed so nonchalant about the whole event left her squirming with envy. He should be the one writhing with discomfort, given the circumstances that ended their partnership.

  “I can’t believe the mayor thought this was a good idea,” Rae said, tying her shawl closed in an effort to hide the hideous costume. “I mean, Christmas parades are about celebrating love and peace. There’s no way the two of us can pull that off.”