deep enough to make me fall in love, but playboy enough to pass me off to someone else before he falls, too."
Brianna smiled. "At least there's a chance he'll fall."
* * * *
102
Sophie's Playboy
by Natalie Damschroder
Sophie met Parker and the engineer, Mark, at the station and rode with Parker to the festival. They arrived a half-hour before show time and had no problems setting up. Mark clearly knew what to do and how to deal with clueless talent.
"Just stand there until I tell you to come in," he said.
"No one else could get me to obey so quickly," Sophie joked.
"Thanks for the info," Parker teased back. "I would never have guessed that."
Sophie gave him a mock punch in his biceps and had to stop herself from feeling them. Rock hard. Just the way she liked it.
Her mouth suddenly dry, she wandered over to a nearby refreshment stand to buy a soda. She felt a momentary release of tension until she realized Parker had followed her, and he reached around her to pay for her drink. His chest was close to her back, his arm stretching by her ear. His scent and heat enveloped her.
No. Goddamnit, no. I'm not that weak . She fought dizziness and quickly gulped some of her cola. "Thank you,"
she told Parker, then moved away and went back to the mobile booth without turning. She had to pull herself together.
Mark settled them into their seats and got them situated, then retreated to the back of the booth—shaped like a giant shoe, she didn't know why—and Sophie listened to the commercial playing in her headset. The Rant and Rave theme music came next. Sophie got ready.
103
Sophie's Playboy
by Natalie Damschroder
"Good afternoon, Boston, and welcome to Rant and Rave.
I'm Sophie Macgregor, here with my partner, Parker Cornwall—"
"Hi."
"—and we're broadcasting live from the grand opening celebration of the area's newest independent movie house."
She gave their location and hours and read from the list of activities during the festival. "We're going to begin today with a Rave instead of a Rant." She abandoned her prompt materials and began ad-libbing. "I got a chance to wander around before the show, and this movie house is gorgeous.
It's a renovated theater from the forties and they've kept as much of the original atmosphere as possible. Their lineup of films ranges from Casablanca and Gone with the Wind to modern thought-provokers like Gods and Monsters and even Dogma . Their prices can't be beat, either."
Parker took over and talked about the ticket and concession prices, then said, "Today's theme will obviously be movies. Since we can't take calls on location, we'll be sending Sophie into the crowd to talk to the people here and see what they have to say. Stay tuned."
Melina, back at the station, went to commercial and Sophie gratefully escaped the sweltering shoe. Parker poked his head out the motor-home-type door as Mark was helping Sophie gear up with wireless headphones and microphone.
"You okay?"
She tried to be nonchalant. "Sure. Why?"
"Just asking. You seem a bit off today."
104
Sophie's Playboy
by Natalie Damschroder
"I'm fine. Thanks." She took off into the crowd, still without looking at him.
Parker watched her for a minute before he went back into the booth. They had agreed that Sophie would be better in the field. She was more approachable, more open—and certainly more comfortable with the general public than he was. But he wished she was more comfortable around him.
Every time he got within five feet of her, she tightened like a harp string.
"Parker, can you hear me?" Her voice was tinny in his earphones.
"Gotcha, Soph."
"Melina?"
The producer came in clearer from the station. "Check."
"What's the count?"
"Five."
Parker could hear the broadcast now and waited for his cue. "Welcome back to Rant and Rave. This is Parker Cornwall, and I'm here with Sophie Macgregor at the site of the amazing renovated independent movie house." He added a few more superlatives and Sophie took
Brianna smiled. "At least there's a chance he'll fall."
* * * *
102
Sophie's Playboy
by Natalie Damschroder
Sophie met Parker and the engineer, Mark, at the station and rode with Parker to the festival. They arrived a half-hour before show time and had no problems setting up. Mark clearly knew what to do and how to deal with clueless talent.
"Just stand there until I tell you to come in," he said.
"No one else could get me to obey so quickly," Sophie joked.
"Thanks for the info," Parker teased back. "I would never have guessed that."
Sophie gave him a mock punch in his biceps and had to stop herself from feeling them. Rock hard. Just the way she liked it.
Her mouth suddenly dry, she wandered over to a nearby refreshment stand to buy a soda. She felt a momentary release of tension until she realized Parker had followed her, and he reached around her to pay for her drink. His chest was close to her back, his arm stretching by her ear. His scent and heat enveloped her.
No. Goddamnit, no. I'm not that weak . She fought dizziness and quickly gulped some of her cola. "Thank you,"
she told Parker, then moved away and went back to the mobile booth without turning. She had to pull herself together.
Mark settled them into their seats and got them situated, then retreated to the back of the booth—shaped like a giant shoe, she didn't know why—and Sophie listened to the commercial playing in her headset. The Rant and Rave theme music came next. Sophie got ready.
103
Sophie's Playboy
by Natalie Damschroder
"Good afternoon, Boston, and welcome to Rant and Rave.
I'm Sophie Macgregor, here with my partner, Parker Cornwall—"
"Hi."
"—and we're broadcasting live from the grand opening celebration of the area's newest independent movie house."
She gave their location and hours and read from the list of activities during the festival. "We're going to begin today with a Rave instead of a Rant." She abandoned her prompt materials and began ad-libbing. "I got a chance to wander around before the show, and this movie house is gorgeous.
It's a renovated theater from the forties and they've kept as much of the original atmosphere as possible. Their lineup of films ranges from Casablanca and Gone with the Wind to modern thought-provokers like Gods and Monsters and even Dogma . Their prices can't be beat, either."
Parker took over and talked about the ticket and concession prices, then said, "Today's theme will obviously be movies. Since we can't take calls on location, we'll be sending Sophie into the crowd to talk to the people here and see what they have to say. Stay tuned."
Melina, back at the station, went to commercial and Sophie gratefully escaped the sweltering shoe. Parker poked his head out the motor-home-type door as Mark was helping Sophie gear up with wireless headphones and microphone.
"You okay?"
She tried to be nonchalant. "Sure. Why?"
"Just asking. You seem a bit off today."
104
Sophie's Playboy
by Natalie Damschroder
"I'm fine. Thanks." She took off into the crowd, still without looking at him.
Parker watched her for a minute before he went back into the booth. They had agreed that Sophie would be better in the field. She was more approachable, more open—and certainly more comfortable with the general public than he was. But he wished she was more comfortable around him.
Every time he got within five feet of her, she tightened like a harp string.
"Parker, can you hear me?" Her voice was tinny in his earphones.
"Gotcha, Soph."
"Melina?"
The producer came in clearer from the station. "Check."
"What's the count?"
"Five."
Parker could hear the broadcast now and waited for his cue. "Welcome back to Rant and Rave. This is Parker Cornwall, and I'm here with Sophie Macgregor at the site of the amazing renovated independent movie house." He added a few more superlatives and Sophie took
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