Aoife hands me a prompt, the main points for us to discuss during the first half of the show. There’s an opportunity for listeners to call in on the second half. We’ll see if he’s able for the pressure when things heat up live.
Jon Secada’s ‘Just Another Day’ plays loudly through the studio. The song is four minutes and thirty-four seconds long. I hope it might deter Callum from trying to talk to me. It does precisely the opposite.
‘Are you trying to tell me something?’ He nods to the speaker with a devilish smirk.
‘Not likely. The playlist’s mostly compromised of Friday’s requests from the desperate housewives of Ireland.’ I’m being hard, cold even. I’m angry at myself for feeling the way I do about him, and he’s bearing the brunt of it now. It’s the only way I can handle being near him.
‘Ahh, Friday, there it is. The massive elephant in the room that you’ve been avoiding. And Saturday’s near-miss for that matter.’ He claps his hands sarcastically.
‘It was a kiss, Callum. We both know that you’ve had plenty of them. Let’s not pretend it meant anything.’ I stare at the clock intently, three minutes and fifty seconds remaining on the track. The last thing I want is our conversation to go out on air for the entire country to witness.
‘Ah hah.’ He practically leaps out of his chair. ‘That’s the point though, isn’t it? We were meant to be pretending. Well, you were. I made my desire for you painfully obvious from the very first time I bumped into you, half-naked at Carton House.’
Aoife and Candice gawk open-mouthed. ‘That’s enough, Callum.’
‘That’s the problem, Abby. It’s not enough. Not for me anyway.’ Sincere though he sounds, I don’t trust him, or myself for that matter.
‘Please, Callum. Can we talk about this after the show?’ I assume a different tactic. Two minutes left on the clock, and I need to scan the bullet points in front of me.
‘On one condition,’ he insists.
‘What?’ I sigh.
‘You owe me a date. I’m cashing in on it immediately after the show. Not later, now.’ He crosses his arms over his powerful chest. It’s pointless attempting to negotiate. And now he’s here in front of me, I don’t think I want to.
‘Fine.’ I shrug noncommittedly.
‘You guys are so going to have sex! The chemistry is astronomical. The ratings will be through the roof.’ Candice raps on the window in delight. I turn a horrible shade of cerise.
‘If only…’ Callum doesn’t even bother to deny his intentions.
