Whitewater Rendezvous

and perks went to the people who had been there the longest. Megan put everything on a merit-based system.”

“And made some enemies,” Chaz concluded.

“Exactly. The people who had the primo, nine-to-fi ve shift but who were only skating along and just showing up—suddenly found themselves working overnights. People who worked hard, had great attitudes and innovative ideas…they got raises, better hours, and fi rst shot at being the one chosen to go overseas when a plum assignment opened up. I’m a reporter because of her—I was a writer with on-air ambitions, and she provided me with the opportunity to show what I could do.”

“She’s good at her job, isn’t she?”

“The best. Corporate loves her because ratings across the board are up every year since she took over. And most of the people in the newsroom love her, because hard work and creativity are recognized and rewarded. She’s got high standards, sure, but she doesn’t ask for anything she won’t do herself. She genuinely cares about her staff and feels a responsibility for them. If you need anything—time off for an emergency, a change of jobs, she makes it happen. She’s always available to her staff.”

“She told me she puts in a lot of hours,” Chaz said.

“Workaholic personifi ed,” Justine agreed. “Way too much so. I’ve been worried about her. That’s why I think coming here and meeting you was the best thing that’s happened to her in a very long while.”

“You do?”

“I haven’t seen her really come up for air—and take a vacation, where she really relaxed—since Rita. She just goes out once in a while to blow off steam. Did she tell you about Rita?”

“No. She did tell me she hadn’t had a vacation in fi ve years.”

“I’m not real surprised she didn’t tell you about her, but I’d hoped she would. You’d understand some things a lot better.”

Chaz’s heartbeat picked up. From Justine’s tone, it was obvious that this Rita was very important to Megan. Rita. Then it hit her.

Clients had occasionally told her she looked like a reporter named Rita Thompson. So she’d looked her up on the Internet and had noted the resemblance. That was a couple of years ago; she’d forgotten all about it because she couldn’t get WNC on her TV.

Intrigued, she asked, “Will you tell me about her?”

• 205 •

KIM BALDWIN

“They were together for fi ve years. Married, at least as far as Megan was concerned—they said vows to each other. She was sure it was forever, until Rita cheated on her and left her for someone else.”

Chaz remembered Megan’s explanation for why she’d been so cold when she arrived in Alaska. You reminded her of someone she likedvery much, once upon a time. But not at the end. “I look like Rita?”

“Very much.”

“She wasn’t attracted to me because I look like her ex, was she?”

The possibility depressed her after the evening they’d had.

“Just the opposite. She kind of despises Rita now, I think. Megan likes you despite the fact you look like her,” Justine said.

“From…well, from something I overheard, I got the impression that Megan doesn’t stick with anyone very long. That she isn’t into commitments. Kind of surprises me to hear that she was married.”

“She’s been running from any real emotional involvement ever since Rita was such a shit to her,” Justine said. “But something tells me she may have stopped running when she met you. I think you mean a lot to her.”

Chaz shrugged. “Well, even if that’s true, I don’t see how we can have any kind of future. I can’t even bear the thought of leaving Alaska.

Could you imagine Megan leaving her job?”

Justine shrugged. “Maybe not.”

“How do you have a relationship when you live hundreds of miles apart?”

“I don’t know, Chaz. I don’t have any answers for you on that.

I just wanted you to be aware that Megan does have feelings for you.

Pretty powerful ones, I think, even if she’s not ready to admit them.”

Justine got to her feet. “I hope you two can fi nd a way to be together.

She’s a keeper, and so are you. I think you could be very good for each other.”

She walked away and left Chaz contemplating all that she had said. She could think of little else the rest of the trip.

O

Before she knew it, she and Sally were back at the airfi eld in Winterwolf saying good-bye to the Broads in Broadcasting. Chaz pulled Justine aside as they waited for the plane to arrive to fl y them

• 206 •

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