“Nah, I’m thinking I’ll go beg the bartender for another one of these.”
“Suit yourself.”
I watch as he heads off towards them.Tate and Gabriella’s conversation quiets as they catch him approaching.They smile in greeting.He says something funny, because soon they’re laughing.Dang, that guy’s smooth.I need to look away.I shake my head and start towards the bar.The blonde sees me coming and digs her hands into her hips.
“Look, cowboy, I said only one,” she barks out sternly.
“You know, I love when you call me cowboy.”
Chapter 7
Tate
Clay from Coloradois genuinely nice.Maybe a little too nice?
Gabriella was nothing short of appalled by my wardrobe and simply said that this dress was the closest thing I have to cute.To which I laughed and replied, “Oh, sis, you shouldn’t have.”So, after having my hair nearly ripped out, straightened, and pinned up, only for it to be taken back down again, we’re here.It still feels surreal.Past the group of contestants socializing, the crew is just about finished setting up “the set,” which is really just lighting over tiered stairs with the backdrop of the canyon behind it.
“Attention!Attention!”a man dressed in a suit says into a mic.
“Oh my gosh, it’s Carson Bailey,” Gabriella squeals before clutching my forearm painfully tight.
“Is it?He’s so much shorter in person...”
“Shh!”
“Guys, we need to get this clip before we lose the light, so could everyone form a line towards me, and we will direct you based on height to where you will be standing.”
There’s a low rumble as the group begins to squeeze together into something that looks like a snake that ate a possum.Clay stalls, looking around.
“Everything okay?”I ask, curious.
“Yeah, yeah.I just don’t see my buddy, Levi...”
“Levi Johnson?”
“From Tennessee?”he asks in confirmation.
