Mabel’s jaw dropped as the reality of what Brandon was saying sank its claws into her brain while he kept talking.
“Jake’s analysis showed that you and Dave draw the highest ad dollars and appearance fees. It just makes sense to share that wealth and have one of you anchoring each of our key time slots.”
She slowly swiveled her head around to look at Jake, whose face had leached of all color.
“Jake’sanalysis led to this decision,” she said woodenly.
His shoulders lifted as he took a deep breath. Looking directly at her, he said, “I’m the accountant on the job, and I ran the numbers, yes. It was Brandon who—”
She recoiled from his words as Dave cut him off.
“It doesn’t matter what the numbers say. Mabel and I were hired as a team,to bea team, and to think that either of us will be as strong without the other is shortsighted.”
Brandon’s calm mask finally slipped, and he spoke with a clipped tone. “Dave and Mabel, we’re not done. The rest of you I’ll meet with one-on-one at a later date to discuss any additional changes.”
Like rabbits sprung from a snare, the dismissed staff bolted from the room, happy to be clear of the storm that was about to burst. Skip paused in the doorway with such a sympathetic look on his hangdog face that she could barely control the sob threatening to tear from her throat.
It was now two against two, Brandon and Jake at one end of the table, Mabel and Dave at the other end, and she realized too late that this was how those relationships should have stayed from the beginning. Us versus them. Corporate versus employees. Suits versus jeans. Maybe then she’d only have her anger to deal with, because the added lash of betrayal made everything so much worse. And the most horrible part was, sheknewbetter. She’d already learned this lesson once. Who was to blame but herself?
“Let’s save us all some time,” Brandon said, all traces of his smile gone. “This is a done deal. It’s got the most financial upside, and the station’s earnings are going to come under far more scrutiny now that you’re owned by a company that actually exercises fiduciary oversight. And don’t think I don’t know why you two had to leave the Gainesville station. This place has been good to you when you didn’t have many other choices available to you.”
Cold horror trickled down her spine, and she snarled and leaned forward in her chair, ready to launch herself across the table.
But Dave dropped a steadying hand on her shoulder and spoke in his most even tone. “Brandon, you’ve been in radio for years. You know a morning show works best with two people.”
“I agree.” Brandon beamed as if Dave were the brightest student in a class of dullards. “And that’s why we’ll rotate the Brick Babes through the show as revolving cohosts.”
“What?”Now Dave was the one yelling. “You want me to host with theBrick Babes?” He pronounced the last two words as if he were saying “fungal infection.”
“Damn right,” Brandon said. “You can have different ones on the show until you find one who clicks. That pairing of host and hot girl drove our Pennsylvania morning show to number one in its market.”
Helpless rage overwhelmed Mabel, and even though fury was making her hands tremble, she forced herself to address Jake, who was now visibly sweating in the air-conditioned room. “You’re awfully quiet. Anything to add?”
He winced as if her voice was a lash against his skin, but he clenched his jaw and said nothing.
Brandon rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m not lying. You and Dave are the biggest draws by far compared to the other on-air talent, and the new Babe cohost at the Pennsylvania station has been immensely successful based on their ratings and ad sales numbers.”
Mabel’s lungs squeezed as Brandon’s net closed around her, and she fought to keep her tears at bay.
“This doesn’t make any sense,” Dave said. “Neither of us has ever hosted on our own before. We’re better together.”
Brandon shrugged, bored and above it all. “It’s either this or option B.”
“It can’t possibly be worse than this,” Dave said grimly.
Brandon smiled that not-quite-a-smile again, and his overly jovial voice should’ve warned her that they were going to hate what was coming next.
“I’ve looked at the Beaucoeur market. You’re a rock station, but you’ve got competition from others in the area with similar programming. Thereisa major programming niche that’s been entirely ignored so far, so while option A is to remain a rock station and maximize our most valuable on-air assets by splitting up the two of you, option B would be a complete format conversion to a light-rock station.”
Dave inhaled sharply, and honestly, if this wasn’t her life being scattered to the winds, Mabel would find it all hilarious. This was karma kicking them in the teeth for always joking that playing Celine Dion for a living was a fate worse than death.
She could practically hear the hamster wheel of Dave’s brain spinning away as he tried to puzzle out the least-horrible option, so she took the choice from him. Resting her hand on his arm but not daring to look at him for fear of breaking down, she addressed Brandon. “What you’re saying is, I move to afternoons or the station goes light rock?”
“Smartandpretty. No wonder Jake’s so smitten.” Brandon smirked, Jake paled, and Mabel’s skin prickled as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. I’ll give you a day or two to think on it.”
“No need.” Mabel exhaled slowly and willed herself to treat this like any other public appearance where she needed the protective armor of her radio persona. “If Lowell Consolidated needs me on afternoon drive to keep this a rock station, then I’ll be delighted to make the move.”
“Mae, you don’t have to do this,” Dave said in a low voice. “We can figure something else out.”
