Page 6 of Date The Billionaire

The other girls chattered together, some sending catty comments to girls they obviously felt threatened by. I sat quietly until the other redhead in the group came and sat with me.

“I think you’ve caught Jake’s eye, you lucky dog.” She gave me a wide smile and I gave her one back.

“David seems to like you, Kelly.” I’d seen him watching her, their eyes sparking with each glance.

“He’s a quiet man, but he loves poetry as much as I do.” I heard a hint of hope in her voice. “I’ve dreamed about my Prince Charming since I was little, my own Lord Byron, to spend long winter nights writing with.”

She looked lost in the fantasy so I didn’t say anything, though I did think to myself that Lord Byron may have been a romantic poet but his love life left something to be desired.

Skip came back into the room and the titter of female voices ceased. We all waited with baited breath as he held up his hand.

“I will call six names now.” He paused as we all set off gasping once more. “Please follow my instructions as I call your name.”

“Arabella, please go the drawing room.” She stood, a look of triumph casting a glow over her olive-toned face. She was quite lovely, but also quite the bitch from what I’d seen of her so far. Too confident, too sly, she’d made her own band of friends and shot them a look of triumph as she stood to leave.

“Charlotte, you’re to go to the library. No, don’t cry my dear, you’re far too pretty for that.” The young woman in question had immediately burst into tears and ran out of the room to do as Skip requested.

“Amelia, please see your way to the sun room.” He stopped speaking as he looked us over. He paused for so long we all started to fidget. I wanted to shout at him to get on with it already!

“Beth.” He stopped again to build the drama, and all eyes were on the redhead seated beside me. “Please go to the atrium.”

That was four down, two more to go.

“Kelly, please find your way to the terrace.”

She shot me a look of confusion but I saw a smile as she stood to leave. Confident her Byron had chosen her then. I waited as she exited, my breath held. Skip glanced at each of us at the table. The room was far too quiet as those of us that remained waited.

“Laney, please see your way to the small ballroom upstairs.”

The room filled with words of encouragement for me as the other women realized they were safe and not on the chopping block. I gave a wave of appreciation as I left the room, the long skirt of my dress bunched in my hand so I wouldn’t trip. What was I going to find there?

I knew where the room was, I’d seen it earlier and was shocked at how small it was. In my mind, I’d always imagined ballrooms as large open galleries with hardwood floors inlaid with ebony or some other decorative wood. This room was painted completely white from ceiling to floor, and quite small, with only two small windows to allow air in for circulation.

I paused as I came to the closed door to the room. Would Jake be on the other side? Would he turn me down after all of that eye... stuff?

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open before I could change my mind, a cameraman not far behind me filming every moment. It was possible to forget they were there, but not always, and now was one of those times when I was keenly aware that I was being filmed. I wanted to tell him to piss off, but knew I couldn’t.

I walked into the white room and my eye was immediately caught by a table with a pink rose sitting atop an envelope.

I went to the table, my hands already shaking. My head was totally in the game as I picked up the envelope.

Breaking the red wax seal, I felt my heart thud back to life as I read the words in calligraphy inside.

“Jake would like to invite you to a breakfast for two. Would you like to accept?” I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face as I read the missive.

Stupidly, tears stung my eyes and I covered my mouth to try to hide some of my face from the camera. I looked away from the bored-looking man holding the camera and heaved a sigh of relief. I was still in the game.

“You can relax now.” A producer called out, their signal to the cameraman to stop filming.

“Of course, I’ll accept,” I said as I turned to the tall, slim woman in her late forties named Carol. She always looked hungry to me, quarrelsome and angry at the same time and I didn’t buy that she was trying to instill trust and assurance in us all. It always put me on edge.

“Good, you’d be eliminated in the next round if you’d refused.” Her words shocked me but I didn’t let her see that. “Go to bed, we have all we need for now.”

I left the room a bit deflated. Did her words mean the game was already rigged? How could she assure me I’d be eliminated if the men barely even knew us yet? I pushed the thoughts aside and concentrated on not tripping as the sound of my feet on the hardwood floors reverberated through the hall.

Jake wanted to spend private time with me, but the coldness of the producer reminded me that my emotions and actions were just a product she needed in order to sell the show. I washed my face and took out the contacts the show-runners insisted I wear. I went to bed that night, three other girls in twin beds around me constantly breaking the quiet, with a smile on my face despite the producer. I might not have come into this game looking for love and I really thought I’d be the first to be eliminated, but I was still here and now that I’d seen Jake and had a date with him in the morning, well, I wanted to keep it that way.

Chapter Four