A Wonderful Lie, page 1
A WONDERFUL LIE
CARRIE AARONS
Copyright © 2022 by Carrie Aarons
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Editing done by Proofing Style.
Cover designed by Okay Creations.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
Also by Carrie Aarons
About the Author
1
LARK
A chunk of red tinsel gets stuck in my lip gloss as I walk through the front door of my office building, and has there ever been a more tangible sign of how I feel about the holiday season than that?
People shoving Christmas in my face while I actively try to avoid it, only to end up huffing unattractively out of my mouth as I nearly aspirate on a gaudy decoration.
Yes, I’m the hater of the holidays, but if you knew my childhood, you wouldn’t be surprised at how I got here.
Whoever decided to decorate the offices of Cast About, the podcasting company that signed me two years ago, for the holidays, had some high hopes and did a nice job considering a majority of the people who work here don’t even come into the office. Nevertheless, someone, probably Eliza, our head of human resources, has thrown red and green caution to the wind.
I’m one of the people who are hybrid, usually doing my solo episodes from the comfort of my two-bedroom apartment while schlepping the twenty minutes into the office for interview episodes. Hence, the need to be here today because I’m having the foremost expert in in-law relations on my show.
The holiday season doesn’t just mean ridiculous decor and the faux scent of sugar cookies looming everywhere; it also means that I’m forced, due to being a content creator and having to listen to my audience, to tailor my dating and sex-themed podcast toward what to do in terms of those things around the holidays.
It’s only December first, and I’m already sick of this time of year.
“Ho, ho, ho, look who came into the office!” Eliza sticks her white-blond head up from the glass partition separating her desk from the three others in her pod.
The Cast About office is set up like an open-air workspace, even though it resides in a commercial office building in Rockton, Pennsylvania. Rockton, a small metropolis centrally located an hour from Philly, is home to one of the largest college campuses in the area. As an alum of Rockton University, I can attest that our small city is busy, a great place to work if you don’t want to commute, and has tons of fun nightlife if you know how to avoid bars that don’t ID underage students.
It’s why I decided to stay here after graduation. Well, that, and Cast About offered me a premium contract to host my own show.
“Morning.” I huff as I finally get the tinsel out of my mouth.
Throwing it on the floor, I heft my large tote bag onto the desk. It’s not mine, but then again, most of the desks in this brick-walled, glass-paneled office are rotating.
“Did you bring your secret Santa present?” Eliza, who has been with the company since its inception seven years ago, wanders over, and I notice the tiny green jingle bells hanging from her ears.
“It’s December first, Eliza. No, I didn’t bring it. We haven’t even picked names yet, or have you forgotten? Not that I care enough to get them a gift. Are gift cards acceptable?” I roll my eyes, already annoyed about having to come in.
Not because I’m not excited about my interview, but because I’m not the biggest fan of water cooler talk. Or holiday festivities. Or buying people gifts during a time of year when I never got them. Usually, I’m a much nicer, chiller person. But not when holiday madness infects everyone.
“No! It’s supposed to be a funny, personal gift specifically for your recipient.” She looks aghast at my suggestion.
“Half of the people on this network don’t even come into the office. Lester is podcasting from South Africa right now, and Kennedy has been in the middle of the Caribbean on an island for the last year.”
Cast About is among the highest-rated networks out there; they sign talent to produce their own shows but pay the marketing budget, supply IT, help with brand deals, help book important guests, etc. It was a score to be signed by Nic and Kelly Grange, the owners of Cast About, and they also do not care if you travel the world so long as you produce good content.
Eliza pouts. “Well, that’s why we’re doing a Christmas party this year. It’ll bring a bit more sense of community here.”
I don’t want to point out that even though I love all podcasts because I’m a podcaster, that all the people who have contracts with Cast About are kind of each other’s competition. Kennedy and I have a nice friendship when she’s not sailing through the seas, but I always check to see if my listens are higher than hers, and I’m sure she does the same.
The company is progressive in its approach to the talk media space. They found me through my popular college radio show, and instead of making me do grunt work or waste my talent being some larger podcaster’s research assistant, they offered me my own time slot.
Granted, a Friday release day for my show wasn’t the best at first. Not many people are listening to podcasts on the weekend and are more likely to tune in at the beginning of the week when they’re motivated or want to think about something other than work on their commute. It took me a solid year, but finally, my show started gaining traction. I discussed everything sex and dating; the best positions, how to convert a friendship into a relationship, creative play, how sex changed in certain relationships, sex therapy, healing from breakups. You name it, I talked about it or personally tried it.
After a while, my listenership increased. Then doubled. Then tripled. Soon, I was asked by morning TV shows to be their love—both physical and emotional—expert. I partnered with a popular chocolate company last Valentine’s Day to promote my “single girl chocolate” package, which arrived with a sleek, discreet vibrator to boot. Next, I’m thinking about designing a line of lingerie instead of the usual sweatshirt merch.
Since I got myself into Rockton and put myself through their radio major, something like this has been my dream, which is what I try to remember as a life-size Santa dances from across the room.
“Did you have to bring that creepy thing in here?” I point to St. Nick.
“Yes, and stop with the humbug attitude.” She narrows her eyes. “If it isn’t your secret Santa present, what’s in the bag?”
“I hate using borrowed mics. So I brought mine. And I need my … things.”
It’s not anybody’s business that I need an ice-cold glass of Perrier, a throw blanket in case I get cold, my very expensive headphones, and my favorite cough drops in case my voice is wonky.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re becoming a diva.” She chuckles.
“And if I didn’t know better, I’d say some of my sarcasm and pessimism are rubbing off on you.” I put one finger up like I just won a point.
Eliza waves her hand at me as if she’s trying to dust away said point. “Nope, no. Not this time of year. I know you hate Christmas, but this year, I’m going to change your mind. You know it’s practically a personality trait to dislike this holiday?”
“And yet, here I am, barely caring about it as I plan for my night of serial killer documentaries and sushi. Do you think Christmas is pining for me?” I thoughtfully tap my chin like a bitch.
An obnoxious sound fills the air, something akin to male boasting and chuckling, and I inwardly cringe. Because while most of the other twenty or so personalities on the network take my hybrid approach, this is the one person who jaunts around the office like he owns the place. That insists on spending every workday hour here like it proves something. The kind of guy who lounges in the break room like it’s his own personal bachelor pad instead of a place for everyone to grab a coffee and a quick bite.
My body tightens as Collin Machlan comes around the corner, all six foot two of him. With his GQ mocha locks cropped close on the sides, to his long arms roped with muscles, to the green eyes that have made most of the women in Rockton fall into his bed. He’s got that tall guy cocksureness that makes women want him and guys want to be him.
The asshole walks around like every woman on the planet has an x-ray view of his dick, and he’s supremely proud of what they see. Coming from someone who h as seen a lot of dicks and knows a beautiful one when I behold it, the rumors are probably true when it comes to Collin.
Because not only do I have to hear about his escapades from girls at the local bars whenever I’m peeing on a night out, but I have firsthand knowledge. Okay, not firsthand, because I’ve never seen his cock. But my college roommate did.
That’s right, we both went to the same university. It’s how we were initially discovered by Cast About; Collin and I both had very popular radio shows on Rockton’s channel and got scooped up into contracts before even graduating. For years, he’s been my competition, not to mention the bane of my existence.
In his wake walks three of the guys from sound engineering and production because Cast About does everything in-house. They hang on his every word like he’s spouting the meaning of life, and my eye roll is so dramatic I might cause myself to stroke out.
Then those gorgeous clover pools land on me, and Collin replaces the shit coming out of his mouth with a devilish grin.
“Look who decided to grace us with her presence. If it isn’t the queen of coming, in the office to give us all a lesson in—”
“If you’re about to say blow jobs or anal or multiple orgasms, you’ll have to listen to my podcast for that. I know how hard grasping the concept of sexually pleasuring a woman is for you, Collin, but I have no doubt I could teach you a thing or two.”
“I humbly give my naked body to your teacher fantasy.” He raises both eyebrows, then turns to one of the sound guys, who gives me a fist bump.
Rage boils in my chest as I glower at him. “Don’t you have an athlete to interview?”
Collin’s podcast is the other most-listened-to on the network, and it drives me nuts. He and I constantly compete for the top spot on the charts in categories like dating, sex, and love. We are two of the most downloaded podcasters in the country. But whereas I looked for experts and doctors and therapists, Collin interviews social media and reality stars with a side of jock. The reason people tune into his show is to hear what their favorite wide receiver likes in bed.
“As a matter of fact, my episode with the star quarterback for New York is at the top of the charts right now. But please, insult my guests some more.”
My teeth might as well be barred. It’s a battle for top billing every week, and it pisses me off that Collin won this round.
“Whatever.” I swat the air like he’s a gnat. “I have work to do. Some of us don’t dick around the office all day.”
“There you are, Bradley, always worrying about my dick.” He licks the right corner of his mouth, the bastard.
“Only because it’s probably so infected, it’s in danger of falling off.” I come back so quickly and with such a snide grin that both Eliza and the sound guys let out a chorus of ouch.
Collin’s eyes, usually alight with playful inappropriateness, turn into a gray-green storm. “That was a cheap shot, and I thought you only sunk so low. My bad, guess you’re down here slumming with the rest of us.”
“I haven’t had my ten-dollar latte yet, so give me some time to wake up.” I play right into his hand, essentially snatching his comeback away from him.
He grumbles and shifts his feet but doesn’t get another chance to fire back because our boss strolls in.
“Morning, everyone!” Kelly Grange chirps as her heels clack on the hardwood.
Nic, her husband and co-owner, moseys in behind her. “Hi, gang. Everyone meet in the conference room in twenty, okay?”
“I’m recording an interview episode in half an hour,” I speak up.
“No worries, won’t take long. We just need everyone.” Nic keeps walking, and a small alert sounds in my brain.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary, but no email was sent about this meeting. Sometimes Kelly and Nic like to gather everyone, but he wouldn’t usually make it mandatory for someone who was recording so soon after.
When I look at where Collin is standing, he’s already gone, following Nic into his office. The guy is nothing if not a huge ass-kisser.
My watch beeps with an incoming email, and I look down to catch the time.
Great, now I don’t have time to get my ten-dollar latte before the day unfolds. Bah humbug, indeed.
2
COLLIN
About fifteen or so employees of Cast About sit around the conference room table that looks like it was carved from a redwood tree.
Knowing Nic, one half of my boss team, it probably was. The dude has an insane travel history and procures these ridiculous pieces for any location he decides to settle in. This office building being one of them.
It’s kind of random for people like Nic and Kelly Grange to place their headquarters in Rockton, Pennsylvania, but if you knew that they both grew up in the same town thirty minutes from here, it would make more sense. One time, early on in my time at Cast About, I asked Nic why they chose Rockton. He said they travel the world but love the comfort of home, and this being an enormous college town with concerts and festivals and huge celebrity guest speakers happening because of the university, kind of made sense.
Makes my life a hell of a lot easier, that’s for sure. Being a hometown Rockton kid, I get to stay close to my family, the college nightlife I used to and still do love, all while doing a job I was made for. What more could a frat bro, mama’s boy kind of guy like me ask for?
“Col, you catch the basketball game last night?” asks Jeremiah, a whiz working for Cast About who can book any guest.
“Yeah, that fourth quarter finish was insane. The way Johnson dunked on that dude? Ridiculous.” Just remembering the play gives me goose bumps.
If I wasn’t born with asthma and my father’s inability to hold any kind of ball, I’d have been a terrific athlete. But not being able to breathe while running long distances over extended periods of time doesn’t lend itself to any sport, so here I am, a talking head.
“You going to that meet and greet Friday night?” he asks, picking up a donut from the plate in the center of the table.
I sip my energy drink, knowing I need to keep a buzz through the day so I can go out tonight. The head coach of the Rockton football team is supposed to have a poker game at this billiards club tonight, and I’m trying to get him on the podcast. Greasing his wheels on his own turf can’t hurt, but it means a late night for me. Not that I’m not used to that.
“Yeah, do I have a choice? Kelly is forcing us.” My typical golden retriever attitude vanishes.
Kelly, my other boss, points a red lacquered nail in my direction. “Nothing out of you, Collin. Half the fans who come to these events come for you.”
“I know, last time I got a beer spilled on me because one of them was trying to fondle my junk.”
“Not all of us want to hear about your junk before lunch, thank you. Plus, isn’t that your favorite pastime? Why would you be mad that someone was copping a feel? She’s practically doing your job for you.”
The raven-haired bombshell sitting across from me glares those pretty baby blues in my direction.
Knowing I’ve got an epic comeback, I cock my head and play dumb. “Gee, Lark, it’s almost like you’re saying that unwanted physical attention is okay if a person is already having sex.”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” she grits out, suddenly becoming very interested in the paper on the table in front of her while a blush creeps high on her cheeks.
“Enough, children,” Kelly scolds us because she’s always scolding the two of us. “The meet and greets are great sponsored events for the company. They draw interest, they give you all a status, and bring authority to the voices we launch into the podcast sphere. You want to grow, correct? You want listeners? These events are a necessary evil.”
