Page 18

“On Air and in Love”

Didi

One month later

"And that's it for tonight's advice hour, night owls. Remember, sometimes the bravest thing you can do is let someone see exactly who you are. This is Didi, signing off until tomorrow."

I yanked off my headphones and shut down my equipment, still riding the post-show high. One month after Preston's arrest, and my ratings had never been better. A radio host who actually followed her own relationship advice made for good radio—who knew?

Outside the window of Noah's cabin—which I'd started thinking of as ours—the lake mirrored the night sky. I stepped onto the deck where the evening air still held the day's heat. The scent of pine and water had become as familiar to me now as exhaust fumes and hot dogs in Chicago.

The arrangement wasn't perfect. Three days in Montana, four in Chicago meant living out of suitcases and racing through airports.

Noah had visited twice, sticking out like a lumberjack at a fashion show, but attacking deep-dish pizza and architecture tours with the same focus he brought to detective work.

Jamie was thrilled with the " Mountain Man Wisdom " segment we'd added to the show, featuring Noah's perspective on listener dilemmas.

His straightforward, no-nonsense approach balanced my more empathetic style perfectly.

The station manager who'd once suggested my "provocative" persona had invited unwanted attention now couldn't stop talking about our "dynamic chemistry. "

I heard the door open behind me, then Noah's familiar footsteps crossing the deck.

"Another good show?" he asked, wrapping his arms around me.

"Mmm," I confirmed, leaning back against him. "Your fishing advice was a hit. 'Sometimes you have to let the line go slack to land the big one.'"

He laughed, the sound vibrating against my back. "My grandfather would be proud. He spent thirty years trying to teach me that."

We stood quietly together, watching stars reflect on the water. A loon called from somewhere across the lake, its cry echoing in the night.

"I received a text from Kyle while you were on air," Noah said. "The Petersons invited us for a pontoon sunset cruise tomorrow."

"Perfect," I smiled. "Martha promised to tell me all about Howard's college years."

"God help me," Noah groaned, but I felt his smile against my hair.

Tomorrow I'd pack for my return to Chicago. In three days, Noah would join me for the weekend. Then back to Montana, back to the lake, back to this deck where everything had started.

My gaze drifted to the spot where I'd nearly crashed into Miller's Rocks that first night, where Noah had appeared to rescue me. Who would have thought that running away would lead me right where I needed to be?

"What are you thinking about?" Noah asked, his voice a deep rumble against my back.

I turned in his arms, looking up at his face in the dim light.

"What?" he asked, catching my expression.

"Just thinking that my producer would kill for this as a promo," I said. "City girl flees stalker, finds hot mountain man detective, ratings soar."

Noah laughed. "Is that what happened?"

"Something like that," I said, rising on my toes to kiss him. "Though the ratings are just a bonus."