BK: Yes
“Are you still texting with Erik?” Kendra asked.
There were eight women on the show and he was asking about Kendra? Granted, he’d told her upfront that he had no desire to actually find a Fiancé. But dating her friend? She wanted to lie and say no, but she answered. “Yes.”
“What’s he saying?” Kendra rested her forearm on the chair arm and tried to see her phone.
“He asked if you were single.” The words burned a path into her brain. What else did she expect? Kendra had men drooling after her all the time and Erik was all man. Blessed with a bubbly personality, men gravitated to her friend.
“Wow, really?” Kendra winced and tapped her fingertip on the tabletop. “That’s disappointing.”
Belle agreed one-hundred percent. She’d thought better of him. Why, she had no idea. He’d never pretended to be anything but who he was. It was her own perception that was warped. As Maya Angelou once said, when people show you who they are, believe them.
Chapter Twelve
EE: Cash wants to know. Not me. Erik tapped out the text, realizing his blunder as soon as he hit sent.
From his viewpoint, Belle tilted her phone for Kendra to see.
Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, emphasizing her cheeks. The pink t-shirt she wore hugged her breasts. Would she be wearing the necklace tucked between her cleavage? He really needed to stop obsessing over her chest.
“Well, what did she say?” Cash asked.
“She said yes, Kendra is single.” He’d been surprised to see Belle, more than he should be. Because of the show, they’d agreed not to meet in person. He was highly recognizable. After the first show, she would be as well. If she got pushed out the first day, she wouldn’t need to worry for very long.
Cash finished off the root beer in his glass. “We should go say hi.”
“No, I can’t.”
“Why not? Belle’s your agent and Kendra is hot.”
“Have you been living under a rock? You know I’m on My Future Fiancé, right?” After the final team meeting last season, the players all split apart, going about their lives. Erik tried to stay in touch via social media and hang out with his teammates that lived in the area. A lot of the players were from different states. Erik had left Arkansas behind the first chance he had.
Unabashed, Cash merely shrugged. “I thought the QB was going to be on that show.”
“Jake backed out for personal reasons and I jumped at the opportunity.” He couldn’t tell Cash any more than he could tell Howler. Jake was in the closet, career suicide even in modern times. Erik kept the guy’s secret because it wasn’t his story to tell.
“Doesn’t surprise me. He’s shy. I was shocked he even agreed in the first place.” Cash cast another glance over at Belle’s table.
The two women had their heads bent over their menus. He wanted to walk across the street and join them. It was too foolish.
“See what happens when I go on a writer’s retreat. I finally finished writing my novel but I missed out on some interesting stuff, like you on a reality television show. I suppose the entire teams knows but me?”
The other guys must know by now. The first show aired last night and MFF had been broadcasting commercials featuring him giving out a bracelet to a faceless woman.
“Why does everyone keep pointing that out?” Erik avoided the rest of his question.
“It’s kind of out of character, but then again, I guess it’s not. You want to be an actor.” Knowing eyes met his. “Regardless, you never told me why we couldn’t talk to the women. I’ve been living in the woods by myself, the characters in my novel my only friends. Now I want to live in the concrete jungle with Kendra and you tell me I can’t. What gives?”
“A spot opened up on the show and Belle is filling it.”
“You’re dating your agent?” He cocked one dark brow, his smile broadening. “Lucky bastard. She’s pretty.”
“Not dating. We’re both on a show that says we’re dating. Although I wouldn’t call it dating. More like sound bites.” Except he’d be sitting with her in the lounge, drinking champagne and talking. With cameras around them and eyes watching twenty-four seven.
“Call it whatever you want. If I recall, that show has a lot of making out. My ex-girlfriend never missed an episode.” The smile on Cash’s lips weakened at the mention of his ex. The breakup hadn’t been the cleanest.
“It’s pretty popular and fingers crossed, very lucrative for me. Plus, there’s a chunk of money for my charity, but…” he trailed off, unsure how much he wanted to share. Since getting involved in the show, he’d begun to have reservations. Especially with Belle added to the mix. She’d be exploited and, in a sense, so would he.
