Page 65 of Just Another Silly Love Song

“Thanks for calling, Karen,” I said.

“Thanks for taking my call, and might I say that is the cutest picture of you two in front of the sea lions in La Jolla. Your grandma is right, you make a gorgeous couple.”

“We’re not a couple,” Ben and I said together.

And so, much to my chagrin, that’s how the show continued until the end, listeners calling and telling us how much they loved us together, how cute our photo was in La Jolla, with one even going so far as to ask when we were getting married.

On a bright note, it really did feel like the listeners had accepted me as part of the show, and in some cases called and asked for advice specifically from me instead of Ben. There were even a few women who called in to tell me that they used to listen to me on the night show, but that they had started listening to this program now. It was great to know that I was contributing and holding my own.

At the end of our show, I unplugged my headphones and glanced over at Ben. “Another one in the can. Good job today.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah. Good show.”

“Except for the part with Grandma Joyce, of course.”

He laughed. “Especially the part with Grandma Joyce. She’s a hoot.”

“Just a barrel of monkeys . . . She was trying to set us up!”

He shrugged. “Andwewere talking about setting her up with my grandfather. We’re even. She cares about you and wants you to be happy. Nothing wrong with that.”

“I don’t need her help.”

“She may say the same about you helping her.”

“The difference is it’s them, not me. And you are the one who wanted to set them up. Now, I’m wondering if it’s such a good idea.”

He stuck his headphones in the case and grinned. “It’s a great idea, but we can talk about that another time. Kyle’s waiting for us, plus I have a surprise for you.”

“What kind of a surprise?”

“You’ll find out when I give you the surprise.”

The studio door swung open and Susan entered, the host for the financial program that was on next. “You two aresocute on the air together. And that photo!” She placed her hand on her heart and smiled.

Lori waved her finger at her. “Don’t you start.”

“I can’t help it. Just look at you two.”

“No, thanks. Have a great show.”

I walked out of the on-air studio, and Ben trailed right behind me.

“Hey,” he said. “Where are you going?”

I stopped and flipped around. “To Kyle’s office.”

“He can wait one more minute. I have a surprise, remember? You need to follow me.”

“Okay.”

“And can you at least try to pretend that you don’t think I’m the most repugnant man on earth when someone suggests we belong together or look cute together?”

I sighed. “Sorry. I don’t mean it that way. Look, you’re an attractive man and—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you giving me a compliment?”

“No. I was stating a fact and—”