Page 5 of Necessary Roughness

Charles laughs, which just makes me more upset. “That doesn’t exactly surprise me.”

“Okay, well there’s your story,” I tell him. “I’ll write a personal piece on how I tried to interview the infamous Bobby Brodeur and how poorly it went. I’m sure some other girls will write in with their own personal experiences and we can publish them—”

“No, no, no, no,” Charles replies, sounding more like my boss now. “We’re not printing a hit piece because you don’t like the guy.”

“Okay, well I’m not going.”

“Going?” he asks. “Going where?”

Shit.

“Uhm, never mind—”

“No, not never mind,” Charles interrupts. I’ve got his full attention now. “Did he invite you somewhere for an interview?”

I sigh. Part of me wants to just crash the car into a lamp post. “He invited me on a date,” I tell him. “Tonight at the Revere.”

“Well, you’re going,” Charles replies simply.

“Charles—”

“Have fun!” he says loudly. “Make it good!”

He hangs up.

“Shit,” I curse under my breath as I stuff my phone into my purse. This is just what I need—having to cover a story with a guy who my brain despises but my body seems to adore. Rick is not going to like this.

“Babe! Are you kidding me?”

I’ve just told Rick I can’t make any of the formal tonight, as I have to go back out to cover the Bobby Brodeur story.

“I wish I was,” I tell him, half meaning it. “But Charles is adamant about me getting this story done. I’ll call you tomorrow, 'kay?”

I turn to go, but Rick grabs me and pulls me back to him. It’s an out of character move for him, and I see a timid, but excited look in his eyes. For a brief second, I wonder if he’s about to propose to me.

“Nat…I had something special planned for tonight,” he tells me.

“Sp—special?”

“Yeah.” He smiles. “I thought we’d both have a couple of drinks and then…you know…”

“You know…?” I repeat.

“Finally consummate this relationship of ours,” he replies.

“So you want to get me drunk so I’ll sleep with you?” I ask. “Nice, Rick.”

“That’s not what I meant, Natalie!” he protests.

“I—I think I need a break, Rick,” I tell him. It’s not the first time we’ve done something like this. He’s asked for one before too when he first realized I wasn’t going to just jump into bed with him. In fact, he’s done it a couple times.

“Natalie, wait!” he says, but I’m already gone, pushing through the rest of the dressed-up dudes and girls and out the door headed for my car. This night is already going to be bad enough; the last thing I need is a fight with Rick.

I honestly can’t believe he’s still trying to push me into having sex with him. I know it’s probably ridiculous that I’ve been holding out on him this long, but I just don’t feel ready. I’ve seen his ex-girlfriends; they’re hot. Hotter than I am. Honestly, I don’t even know why he’s with me.

Becky, his last ex, looked like a model. She was 5’11’’ with perky little boobs and a tight, athletic butt that I’d kill for. She played field hockey. The one before was Claire, who was a typical blond bombshell who wore bright green bikinis and trucker hats and loved to party, and before that he was just single and going through all the hottest girls on campus. What’s he going to think when he gets me naked?

Just thinking about it has me feeling super self-conscious as I drive to the Revere; that is not what I need to be feeling going into this interview. Bobby is going to be a pain in the ass, and I need to be on my A-game.

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