Heart in the Field Read online

  Afterward they watched themselves.

  “You are excellent together,” Don said. “We’ll put together a commercial with the two of you on Friday afternoon and begin running it in every spot we can to bring the viewers in for next Thursday. It’ll be a rush, but we can’t help it. We might go with the series you worked up with John, Serena. But see what Nick thinks of it first. You guys should meet as soon as possible. He might want to change some things. It’s also a plus that neither of you are married nor involved with anyone, because it’ll give the show a sizzle to present you as a couple. That doesn’t mean you have to go and climb into bed together.” He grinned. “But I’d like to see some intimacy radiate from the screen.”

  Serena was furious. Nick was a given as her co-host, a done deal. There was no seeing how he worked out about this one way or another. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She knew she had to escape before she exploded at Don in front of everyone. She didn’t want Nick as her co-host. He was too much like her father to make her comfortable. He was also too sexy, one of those men who made women lose all of their self-control. She’d spent years perfecting her self-control, on and off the camera. She’d been excited about the debut of Neon Nights, and now all she felt was apprehension.

  She ignored Nick and said to Don, “I think I’ll call it a night.”

  Don placed one of his big hands on her shoulder. “Hang on. Make sure Nick comes to my soirée on Saturday evening, Serena. Are you free for a party on Saturday, Nick? I throw a bash every year to begin the new season.”

  “Sure,” Nick said. “I have to plunge back into life here. I might as well do it in style.”

  Serena tried to squirm from Don’s grip. “We’ll make the arrangements later. Meanwhile, I’ve got some things to do.”

  “All right.” Don released her shoulder.

  Serena stalked to the door. She didn’t look back, but she let the door bang shut.

  •

  Nick heard the door close with more purpose than was necessary and wondered what had happened in the last few minutes to cause Serena’s anger.

  Don glanced at Nick. “So, what did you think?”

  He thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. He didn’t want Don to know that though. “She’s very interesting. I’m going to follow her right now to set up our meeting before she leaves.” He wanted to make sure Serena’s anger hadn’t been channeled toward him.

  “She’s on the fifth floor. The office with the white door down at the end of the corridor.”

  Nick picked up his jacket. “She has her own office?”

  “All my stars have offices. You’ll get one, don’t worry.”

  “I’m not worrying. I’ve got a feeling Neon Nights will be a blast.”

  In more ways than one. Nick was pretty sure Serena was going to cause an abundance of sparks.

  Chapter Two

  Serena hung her navy suit in the closet of her personal powder room and slammed the closet door. She tugged on khaki cotton pants, a white top, a pair of socks and sneakers, patted off the extra set makeup, then glared at her reflection in the mirror. With rapid angry arm-strokes she brushed her hair. Don had pulled a number on her today.

  Okay, so John was ill and they were in a tight spot but Don had intimated that this evening would be a test for Nick. A mere pairing on a sofa for a ten minute clip didn’t mean he would work out. She’d had no say in the matter. That’s what infuriated her the most. And if she’d had a say in the matter, she would have said no. She didn’t want Nick Fraser as her co-host, even if it was for a few months.

  A rap at the door made her body stiffen. Still holding her hairbrush, she walked into her office.

  Nick Fraser popped his head around the corner. “Located you. This building is a maze.”

  “Yes. It can be. They supply a map down at Reception.”

  “That’s the truth?”

  She made her lips smile. “Absolutely. Steel only occupies a few of the floors. The third floor. The News Room is here, on five. There are more offices on seven. And Don’s on ten. He has the entire floor.”

  “Good for him. So who fills the rest of the space?”

  “Advertising agencies and other media-related organizations.” She kept the smile for a moment longer. “Don’s lawyer is on nine.”

  Nick strolled closer. “Now that’s handy.”

  He stood in a ray of sunlight, holding his black leather jacket over his right shoulder, and observing her with those metal eyes like her father’s, making her feel as if she were under a microscope. As his skin showed no trace of the light film of powder the woman had whisked over his face on the set, it was obvious that he’d popped into the men’s room on the way up.

  Serena walked back into her powder room, tossed her hairbrush down on the vanity counter and returned to her office. She supposed she had to deal with him.

  Nick had hung his jacket over the back of one of her chairs, and was prowling around with his hands stuffed into his back pockets.

  Serena sat down behind her desk, which was full of file folders containing all of her previous anchor work. When she’d handed over the spot to Juliette Marshall, correspondence had begun to pour in about the loss of Serena. She’d hoped her popularity would steer the viewers over to Neon Nights. Now she thought it might be Nick Fraser who would bring in viewers.

  “What’s going on?” Nick asked. “You seem angry.”

  She glared at him. “I am angry. It was a done deal with Don, wasn’t it?”

  He frowned. “You didn’t know that Don negotiated it with me on the phone this morning?”

  “I knew he talked to you, but he told me he’d see if we worked out.”

  “I thought we did.”

  “We sat on a couch with a fake introduction to read. That’s all.”

  “And we did well. For your information, just so it’s fair all around, Don didn’t tell me I was to have a co-host until I arrived at the studio.”

  Whether Don had done that on purpose Serena didn’t know. “Would you have turned down the offer if you’d known?”

  “No.”

  “Well, then. What are you upset about?”

  “I’m not the one upset. You are.”

  Was she upset about Nick being on the show, or Nick being who he was, a man who resembled her father? Serena pushed back her hair with both hands. “I’m not upset. I think I’m more in shock. That John’s sick, and the show begins next Thursday, and now I’m not prepared like I thought I was. It takes away the excitement.”

  Nick moved closer to her desk. “I understand that. But I’m here to help and make sure we will be prepared. If you have the first month’s programs ready to go, there’s no problem. Who’s our producer?”

  “Cameron Steel, Don’s younger brother. He’s not as strong-willed as Don. In fact, he’s pretty loose when it comes to letting us do our own thing. But he’s a good detail man. He’s away on vacation until Monday. I doubt if he knows about John yet.”

  “I’ll look forward to meeting him. But he sounds like a plus. I like as much journalistic control as I can get.”

  She’d never have guessed.

  Nick withdrew his hands from his pockets, leaned his hips against her desk and crossed his arms. “Come on. Brighten up. We’ve got to be positive. This is a great opportunity for both of us. What do you think of Don’s vision for the show?”

  “I like it.”

  “So do I, so we’re even on that score.” He fastened his gaze to hers. “Is this about the intimacy Don wants?”

  “He’s not getting it.”

  “Maybe not in reality but we can act. It will draw in viewers.”

  Serena pounded the desk with her fist. He was frustrating. This entire situation was frustrating. “I’m going to be working, not having an affair.”

  Nick raised an eyebrow. “Calm down. No one mentioned anything about having an affair.” He chuckled.

  Serena felt her face grow hot. “I just meant that noth
ing was going to go on. Nothing.”

  “You’re not going to treat any aspect of this show as fun, are you?”

  “You might think this studio stuff is mere fooling around compared to field journalism, but it’s not. It’s hard work.”

  “I know it’s hard work. But we don’t want it to become a grind. We have a new show. We’ve got a chance at stardom. We have to play to that.”

  “Then you’re just like Don. He plays with TV.”

  “Successful play?”

  “Indeed. But he manipulates careers. His ideas count. He’s very forceful. We have to be equally forceful in return.”

  “I’ve already figured that out. It means we’ll have to make certain we put our own personal stamp on Neon Nights. To make it a success we can’t leave any holes. We have to come up with material so tight he can’t fault it. In other words, we have to take ourselves to the edge. And we have to be side by side on this. If we both have an identical view for the show it will work better. I’m not saying we should agree on everything. But we shouldn’t accept any inferior content just because we can’t come up with anything better. No hoops for Don to dance through. Okay?”

  Nick made John seem like mush. But she had to admit she agreed with him. If Don couldn’t fault their presentations, then Don lost control of Neon Nights and it was all theirs. “I understand. You have my commitment to the show. I’ve given up my day job, as it were.”

  “Which was?”

  “I was the afternoon news anchor.” She knew for him that was likely considered a very lowly news job.

  But he didn’t show any disdain. “This will be much more challenging.”

  “Exactly. That’s why I jumped at the chance, even if it is rather like diving into the deep end without knowing what’s underneath.” She wasn’t sure why she was exposing her vulnerability.

  “Then we’ll have to make sure there are no rocks at the bottom.”

  His grin was friendly, reassuring. The adrenaline and anger were now gone and her body felt limp and devoid of any energy. She opened her right-hand desk drawer, drew out her purse, and stood up. To reach the stainless steel coat rack she walked around the desk to where Nick was standing. She unhooked a khaki bomber jacket that matched her pants and tucked the jacket over her arm. “I’d better be getting home. It’s been a long day.”

  Nick blocked her vision. Tall and lean, with a hint of a shadow on his hard jaw. “I’ve come to meet you, to chat about our new show. You can’t go home yet. Let’s go for a drink. You look like you need something strong.”

  His eyes were so much like her father’s it was uncanny.

  “How do you know what I need?”

  “Because you might need the same as what I want, a way of calming down from the day. Let’s continue this somewhere else.” He plucked his jacket from the back of the chair and shrugged his broad shoulders into it.

  Serena turned away from him and she heard the rustle of leather.

  “Are we going?” he said.

  “Yes. My keys.” She opened her purse and dug around for her keys.

  Nick walked outside and waited while she locked her office door. It was a long walk up the corridor to the elevator, and Serena had to hurry to keep up with Nick’s stride. He pushed the button hard, the way she’d shown him, to make the light come on. Serena knew she was going to have to get used to this scene. She and Nick together. In a few months, with Neon Nights well underway, she would laugh at her initial jittery attitude. She might even laugh over it one day with Nick. But not tonight.

  One thing, he was polite, Serena thought as he let her walk into the elevator first.

  “This time I know who you are.”

  “Yes. You do.” But Serena still wanted to run away from him. No way was she going for a drink.

  In the foyer they checked out with Joseph, who was the elderly evening security guard. The swing doors opened into a humid, fragrant evening. People strolled around them on the sidewalk, probably reminding themselves that winter in Toronto kept one cooped up inside, and a beautiful calm night in September was a luxury.

  “Where’s a good place for a drink?” Nick asked.

  Serena waved her hand. “You’ll find a pub called The Bear’s Pause right up the street, across the next block. Everyone goes there.”

  “Show me.”

  “It’s just up the street. You won’t miss it.”

  He sighed. “Look, we have to spend a great deal of time together. Part of our job is getting to know one another so we can work together. If we don’t begin tonight we’re going to have problems. Time’s too short.”

  He was right, of course. If she didn’t go with him tonight, then she was only putting aside the inevitable. Besides, she wouldn’t mind some relaxation before she drove home, even if it was with Nick Fraser. Possibly, as she got to know him, she would discover he was nothing like her father. He might have any number of differences in his personality. He might not even attract her.

  “Are you coming with me?” He sounded impatient now.

  “Yes.”

  As Nick strolled beside her, Serena realized how pleasant it was to be walking with a man in the evening. Except Nick wasn’t a man she should get interested in. She couldn’t handle short affairs, or even long affairs for that matter. She began with good intentions, but she ended up erecting protective barriers that pushed men away. She’d lost someone very dear to her when she was still a child. Her mother had lost a husband she’d loved passionately. And her brother had never known his father. The silent grief in the household had been palpable for years. Stuart Redding Brown’s presence had been powerful in their lives. While Serena believed her mother was now healed, she knew her own scars were a mere shell, covering all the anguish. Deep down she still felt a great deal of pain.

  Nick stopped beside a pub with outdoor tables surrounded by a white picket fence and pots of flowers. “Is this the place?”

  “Yes. It is.”

  Nick stepped back to let her go in first. Serena walked through the door, feeling as if she were beginning a journey that she might never return from. And the unknown frightened her so much that her insides balled into a knot. Her body froze.

  Nick jammed up against her and his hand went to her waist. “You do want to go inside, don’t you?”

  She turned and he was right there, the leather jacket against her arm, the muscle of his body warm and solid, his fingers splaying over her hip. “Of course.”

  “Then move, sweetie. There are about half a dozen people behind me, trying to get through the same door.”

  He couldn’t be feeling any of the same sensations she was. What was she doing anyway? He was her co-host. This was a business supper, not a date. Straightening her shoulders, Serena moved ahead of him and forced herself to become the person she was seen to be on TV, a cool, beautiful woman. Not some fumbling, swooning fool.

  •

  The pub was decorated with traditional beams across the ceiling and dark paneled walls hung with country landscape photographs and horse brasses. The appealing aromas of the food mixed with malt ale whetted Nick’s appetite, making him realize he was hungry. He caught the eye of a pretty waitress and wheedled a booth from her. Soon another young woman was clearing the table and setting it up with fresh placemats and cutlery. A waitress stopped by their table to place menus in front of them. He saw Serena glance at hers and place it down on the corner of the table. “I’ll have a salad,” she said.

  Nick noticed she sat with her body erect. Nervous? No. She didn’t look nervous. More like unyielding. Or reluctant. That was it. She seemed reluctant to be with him.

  Silence stretched between them as the waitress served their drinks. Beer for Nick, coffee for Serena. She came back a little later to take their food order. He ordered fish and chips and Serena ordered her salad.

  Nick drank some beer and looked straight into her unusual dark blue eyes. “I know it’s difficult for you, with your co-host changing before the show has even begun.
However, this is the way it is. I’m here to stay, for a while. So be reasonable. Help me.”

  She slipped a lock of her wonderful silky hair back over her shoulder. “I was under the impression I was helping you.”

  “No. You’re not. You’re being awkward. We’re going to be alone together like this a lot during the weeks to come, so get used to it.”

  “We won’t be alone much. As well as Cam, and others, we have Paul Kryker on our team.”

  Added apprehension slithered down Nick’s spine. “Paul’s at Steel?”

  “Yes. He’s been with us about a year. Do you know him?”

  “I’ve met him.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You don’t like him?”

  “Let’s be honest. I’m ambivalent about him. I know he considers himself a high-class photo-journalist, and he is. But in a danger zone he can go to pieces.”

  “I doubt if Neon Nights will put Paul in any danger.”

  “Exactly. So he might work out just fine.”

  “But you still sound apprehensive about him.” She leaned her arms on the table. “I understand where you’re coming from. I called him a videographer when he first came to Steel, and he shot me down. He’s a photo-journalist. Not even a cameraman.”

  Nick grinned. “That sounds just like Paul.”

  “But he’s good. I’ve been quite impressed. You can’t judge him by his past work. He must have learned a few new tricks by now. As we all have in our time.”

  “If you think he’ll work out, then that’s okay.”

  “If he doesn’t, Don will soon replace him. Paul knows what he’s up against with Don. Don’s a perfectionist.”

  “And so am I. What about you?”

  “I like everything in order.”

  “Which is why you are resenting my intrusion?”

  “Truthfully. Yes. I had everything in order. At least I thought it was when I got up this morning. Now the future is cloudy.”

  He saw her cheeks flush as she spoke and he smiled. “I like honesty. It’s good of you to admit that. It’s my belief that we have to come down to a certain level with one another to be able to work well together. I’d say we have to form a friendship.”