Page 44 of Perfectly Matched

Chapter Twelve

Thanks anyway, Tegan, but I’m just not hungry,” Payson said as she declined the pastry.

“Sam asked about you again today. I told him you still weren’t feeling well, and he said to give you his best.” Tegan shoved her hand in the white bag and pulled out an oversized oatmeal raisin cookie. “You feel like joining us tonight after the show?”

“No, not tonight, you go ahead without me. I think I just want to go home. I’m not really in the mood. Maybe next week?”

Tegan crossed her arms. “I’m starting to really worry about you.”

“Thanks, but I’m fine. I just need a little more time.” But it wasn’t time she needed; what she really needed was to see Hannah. She had played Hannah’s story over and over in her head, and the absurdity of it all was a mockery. She had given Hannah a chance to explain herself, to tell her who she really was, and instead, Hannah had chosen an explanation out of a fairy tale. What was she supposed to think?

Payson had no answers, but the fact that she was still turning it over in her head made her wonder why she couldn’t let it go. Why she still couldn’t letHannahgo. They might have only shared one night, but that night etched a tune in her heart thatshe couldn’t stop replaying. And that was why she had taken the time to call the venues in town and ask if any were showcasing cupid performers. They’d all given her the answer she already knew to be true…none were.

Tegan nodded. “Okay, I get it, but don’t be making this a habit. I really miss our after-work drink time.”

“Payson!” Jason’s screeching voice raced across the newsroom.

She grabbed her notepad. “Don’t go too far, I have a feeling that whatever’s up, you’ll be a part of it.”

“Oh, the joy of it all,” Tegan mumbled as she focused her attention on the pastry bag and searched for another treat.

Payson sluggishly headed for the corner office. She was exhausted both mentally and physically, and all she wanted to do was go to a beach somewhere far away from him and the crap of the world and just decompress.

“I’m going to keep the rest of Sam’s goodies on your desk. You need to eat,” Tegan called after her.

Payson raised her arm and gave a backhanded wave as she smiled. Even if she had no intention of eating, it was nice to know someone cared. “Closed or open?” Payson referenced the door as she entered his office.

“Closed,” he grumbled without looking up from his computer.

“What’s up?” she asked as she took a seat.

Jason rocked back in his chair and folded his arms. “You know I don’t care what anyone does in their personal life as long as it doesn’t affect the show.”

“Jason, I—”

He held up his hand. “I don’t want to hear it. What I want is my star producer to get her head back in the game. Eight mistakes in last night’s show. Ten the evening before that. So whatever itis you’ve got going on, leave it outside this newsroom. I want a clean show tonight.”

She could have fired off an explanation about how exhausted she had been, about how she desperately needed a vacation, another producer…a life. Instead, she just nodded and got up to leave. “Anything else?”

“Yeah, put Tegan on this.” He held out a torn piece of paper pinched between his fingers.

Payson snatched it, glanced at it, and chuckled. Tegan was going to have fun with this one. She walked out without looking up or saying another word. As she returned to her desk, she handed the paper over. “You’re going to love this one.”

“A tourist got stuck in the mouth of one of the MGM lion statues after climbing in to take a selfie?” Tegan laughed. “You gotta be kidding me.”

“Your first hit will be eight minutes in.”

Tegan waved her acknowledgement as she walked away. “Think about going out tonight. Please.”

“I’ll think about it,” Payson called as she sat and woke her computer. She glanced at the brochure, untacked it, and sighed. The feeling of loneliness creeped up and stomped on her heart again as she thought about the island retreat. She wanted to be there with her toes in the sand and a tropical drink in hand and forget about the ugly and bizarre for ten amazing days and just live life.

She would have loved to go to a place like that with Hannah and make love under the stars. To caress her face and explore her mouth as her tongue penetrated deep. Her fingers teasing toward Hannah’s—

The loud squawk of the police scanners startled her, and she jumped.

“An OIS off Tropicana,” a voice called out.

Payson grabbed her notebook and headed to the assignment desk to get more information. An Officer Involved Shooting was never good, but it did pull in viewers. She would take Tegan off the tourist stuck in the lion statue, put her on this, and lead the show with it.

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