Page 11 of Just Another Silly Love Song

“It's over, Lori.”

I jerked my head back.

Zachary was breaking up with me on the radio.

My heart rate began to pick up speed.

My face was suddenly burning up.

I couldn’t move or say a word, paralyzed by what had just happened.

Finally able to blink, I glanced at Tessa in Studio B. She was no longer on her phone and was staring right back at me through the glass, her mouth hung open.

She held her palms up, probably wondering if I was going to do anything or just sit there, because I had what the broadcasting industry called “dead air.” That meant nothing was happening on the radio station.

No music. Nobody talking. Nothing. Just silence.

Dead air was bad.

I knew that, but I obviously was in shock since I wasn’t doing anything about it.

“Are you there?” Zachary nervously chuckled. “Look, it’s not like we saw each other much anyway since you work these ridiculous hours at night.”

I shook my head at the nerve of this man. “You called to break up with me on the radio?”

“I’m on the air? Seriously? Are you trying to make me sound bad with your listeners?”

“No, you’re doing that on your own. And why did you call the radio station? You never call me here.”

“I tried calling your cell phone, but you didn’t pick up, and you haven’t returned any of my text messages.”

I sighed. “I lost my phone.”

“Well, I don’t want to do this on the radio. And you should be happy for me!”

Tessa must have seen my nostrils flaring from the other studio because she was shaking her finger at me, urging me not to take the bait.

I had spent so much time helping Zachary with his resume, searching for job openings for him while I was on and off the radio, and coaching him on his interview skills. I practically got that job for him. Then he had the gall to dump me the minute he got what he wanted? I wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily.

I scooted closer to the microphone. “You got what you wanted and you don’t need me anymore. I get it.”

“I can’t pass up the opportunity. You would be a distraction to my future.”

I reached for my mocha, once again forgetting that I didn’t have one. “Damn.” I covered my mouth with my hand, realizing I had just sworn on the radio. Not one of the worst curse words in the world, but still, I had never done it before.

I was ready to go ballistic. “You used me!”

“Why are you being so bitchy? Don’t exaggerate.”

I tried to control my breathing so I didn’t huff and puff into the microphone. “Let this be a lesson to everyone listening this evening. Relationships are a two-way street. Well, except in my case, of course. I pretty much spent all my free time over the last six months helping my boyfriend get a job. And how does he repay me? A fancy dinner? Roses? That cute necklace I saw in the window at a jewelry store? Nope. Zachary says thank you by dumping me live on the radio.”

“I didn’t ask to be on the radio.”

“And I didn’t ask to be with someone who was selfish and only cared about himself. Goodbye, Zachary.” I hung up on him and pulled up the music search function on the computer, looking for a particular song that would fit my unpleasant mood. “This is going to be a first, my friends. I am going to dedicate a song to myself. I deserve it after what I just went through, don’t you agree?” I scrolled and scrolled, and then finally double-clicked on the song so it loaded in the system to go next. “This pretty much sums up my sentiments at the moment.”

I started the song “Love Stinks” by J. Geils Band. Cranking up the volume, I blasted the music louder than I had ever done before and sat back in my chair.

The phones went crazy, all seven lines lighting up at the same time with calls coming in.