He Has Me

Chapter 1

“The most important thing to remember about live television news, is whatever you do, don't sneeze,” the smooth rhythm of the voice beside her had lulled Audrey into a hypnotic state. She could barely focus on the glossy pink lips that appeared to be moving in slow motion. Her heart was pounding slowly, as if even she had gotten lost in some kind of time warp.

“I sneezed once during an interview with the president of Mexico,” the woman beside her continued.

“I turned my head to be polite, and I sneezed all over the camera lens. It took two years for people to stop calling me Boogie Bridgette McClain,” she sighed heavily as if it was the darkest tragedy in her life. Bridgette McClain was in her thirties, but she appeared closer to her early twenties. She had the best nose a surgeon could create, and baby blue eyes that won over even the hardest of men. Her glossy blonde curls were always perfectly in place. She had all the glamor of a weather girl, wrapped up with the intellect of a hard hitting journalist. She was Audrey's idol and had been since Audrey was fourteen years old, watching the budding news anchor on television. At twenty-four Audrey was about to live her dream. She had been studying journalism since her junior year in high school. She had taken all of the right steps to get to this moment, her first on camera interview, and it was with her hero. Audrey had all the knowledge she needed to be a great reporter, but she didn't have the on camera experience. In fact, of all of her friends and colleagues, she was the only one who hadn't done a live interview yet. She knew in order to be taken seriously she had to get some under her belt. When Audrey was determined to achieve something Audrey never failed to accomplish it. So she had started her own investigation into the world of women in journalism and the difficulties they still faced despite the modern country they lived and worked in. Bridgette McClain had agreed to be interviewed and from that moment on, Audrey had been terrified. She knew that one mistake in the start of her career could end it before it even truly started.

“Audrey?” Bridgette asked and narrowed her long dark lashes. “Are you okay? You look a little pale?” she laughed under her breath. Audrey guessed the blonde bombshell had never been nervous a day in her life, despite the embarrassing story that she was sharing.

Audrey on the other hand was lucky if she could get color in her skin, even after applying blush. She had given up on seeking out that healthy glow a long time ago. She had porcelain skin, which to some was beautiful, but to her left her washed out and well below the image that she hoped to have. The one good thing about her skin was that it was flawless, she rarely got a blemish. She attributed that to the layers upon layers of sunscreen that she had to apply before she could go anywhere near the sunlight. In her eyes, her jet black hair could have been beautiful, it were not for its constantly frizzy state. She had tried conditioners, moisturizers, and even a professional straightening, but each time when she woke up the next day she found herself with a frizzy reflection. She was a little taller than what people considered appropriate for a woman, and her frame was boxy and slender. Her mother had accused her of being all pointy elbows and knobby knees as she grew up. Audrey had never considered herself to be beautiful, or sensual, or anything close to the woman sitting beside her. Bridgette seemed to ooze sexuality as if it was an aroma she wore or some kind of second skin. Audrey was one hundred percent certain she had no desire to be with a woman, but even she couldn't keep her eyes off of Bridgette's glossy pink lips. Just how did they stay so sparkly and moist?

“I'm sorry,” Audrey cleared her throat and tried to hide the waver in her voice. “I'm just trying to stay focused.”

“Relax sweetie,” Bridgette grinned. “Just flash those beautiful doe eyes at the camera and no one will even hear what you're saying.”

Audrey smiled shyly at that. Her eyes were one feature she had received compliments on her entire life. They were a nearly almond shape, and the shade of amber that seemed to combine red and gold perfectly. Her eyes were large in her heart-shaped face and dominated her pixie small features. She didn't have to use much make-up to make them stand out, so the majority of the time she didn't wear any make-up at all. But the producer of Bay News with Bridgette insisted on brightening up her skin, indicating that Audrey would look like a ghost if she didn't. So Audrey's face was stiff and uncomfortable, and of course, still quite pale.