Page 39 of First-Time Caller
“Give ‘em hell, kids,” Eileen says in our ears. “Counting down from five, four, three, two, one.”
The intro music plays and I look for the part of myself that isn’t a raging moron. I’ve never been someone who engages in casual touch, and I’m not going to start with Lucie. I repeat it like a mantra until it sticks.I will not touch Lucie. I will not touch Lucie.My shoulders relax and I settle in, doing my best to ignore the heat brushing against my left side. She sucks in a nervous breath and I try to ignore that too.
“Hey, Baltimore. Welcome toHeartstringson 101.6 LITE FM. I’m your host, Aiden Valentine, and I’ve got a special guest with me tonight. She’ll be with us for a while, so give her your best welcome, yeah?”
I nod at Lucie. On the screen behind her, I can see our social media feed picking up steam. The caller log is dark right now, but I imagine it won’t be for long.
A smile hooks the corner of her mouth. “Hi, host ofHeartstrings, Aiden Valentine.” She leans closer to the mic, like she’s ducking her head out the tiny window in the back and whispering out over the city. The row homes that line the cobblestone streets of Fells Point and the ones on the hill on the other side of the harbor. The redbrick churches in Little Italy and the high-rises in Harbor East. A whole city on the edge of their seats waiting to see what she says next. Her smile tugs wider. “Hi, Baltimore.”
She says the name of the city in the way that all locals do. Slippery sounds that slot themselves into two syllables.Bawl-mer.
I smile. “Would you like to introduce yourself to our friends at home?”
Lucie takes a deep breath and lifts one shoulder.
“It’s Lucie.” Her eyes slant to mine and hold. “I’m hoping you guys might be able to help me out with a problem I’ve been having.”
And the call log lights up like a Christmas tree.
LUCIE STONE:Are those people calling in?
AIDEN VALENTINE:Yup.
LUCIE STONE:To talk to me?
AIDEN VALENTINE:Yup.
LUCIE STONE:Oh, wow. Get ready to be disappointed, Baltimore.
AIDEN VALENTINE:Get ready to be charmed, Baltimore.
MONDAY NIGHT
What sort of traits do you find attractive in a partner?”
Lucie’s face turns bright pink in the glow of the monitors. She goes to scratch at her ear, bumps against her headphones, then knits her fingers together in her lap instead.
“I’m not sure,” she says slowly. “I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it.”
“Really?”
She shrugs. “Is that something people keep a list of or something?”
“No.” I smile. “But they usually have an idea of what they’re looking for.”
“Aiden. I’m literally here because I’m garbage at dating. We’re going to have to walk before we run.”
I laugh. “Okay, fair point. Let’s start somewhere easy. Do you have a celebrity crush?”
Her blush intensifies. It’s unexpected and cute as hell.
“I don’t want to tell you,” she mumbles.
“Why not?”
“Because . . .” She sighs, looking anywhere but at me. “I don’t want to. Let’s start somewhere else.”
“Absolutely not.”
