Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
I tugged at my black corset top. This outfit was so not me—something I had tried to tell the stylist, but she’d insisted I looked good. A “smoke show,” I believe were the exact words used.
My hair was in a slicked back ponytail, a style I’d never even attempted to pull off before.
Skintight pants ended in my cowboy boots, which the show’s stylist had thankfully approved.
I felt completely out of place as I tried to peek out of the overly tinted windows in the backseat of the SUV.
It was taking everything in me not to shiver as the frigid air blasted my bare arms and shoulders.
Tonight’s group date would be at some nearby billiards bar. I wasn’t a big fan of pool. I’d always been terrible at it. But getting away from the house after days of filming felt a lot like being set free.
The guys were riding in separate vans and only Emma sat with me in the backseat.
“This is going to be fun!” she said, knocking my knee with hers. “Aren’t you excited?”
I knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to get me pumped up for the date so I wouldn’t look like such a sourpuss.
“I’m terrible at pool,” I said, making another futile attempt to tug up my top. Booby was an understatement. I was spilling out of this thing.
Emma waved off my comment and sat back into the tan leather seat. “That doesn’t matter. The men will be the ones playing.”
“Ugh. Not another competition.” I slid back into my seat, doing my best attempt to melt into a puddle on the floor.
Her perfectly red lips turned down. “Sorry. But yeah.”
As horrible as eliminating Pat had been, the silver lining was that the extra elimination had allowed us to skip the formal one that had originally been scheduled for the previous night.
Instead, we’d had a cocktail party where I’d had to don another sparkly dress and make the rounds with all the guys.
Even after having several conversations with some of these men, it wasn’t feeling any less hopeless. Another competition wasn’t likely to improve things.
The van pulled up at the bar and Emma made me wait while she got out and came around to get my door.
“You ready?” she asked. “We’re going to film your entrance.”
“Ready,” I said.
“Bigger smile.” She pointed at the corners of her lips, and the instruction reminded me too much of my pageant days.
When I strained my mouth further, she frowned.
“You okay? I know it was hard dumping Pat, but this will be better. You’re limited to two drinks separated by at least an hour.
That should take some pressure off, right? ”
Yeah freaking right. Like any amount of tequila could make me forget this was all staged.
“And no eliminations until tomorrow?” I confirmed. The last thing I wanted was another surprise being sprung on me.
“Right. All you have to do is send two guys home tomorrow night. Plenty of time to mentally prepare.”
I nodded, breathing out a sigh. I could do this. We were just at a bar. And once the guys started playing pool, they’d forget all about me. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“You look gorgeous.” She squeezed my arm. “You’re going to do great.”
She put the walkie talkie up to her lips. “Trace is ready.”
“Send her in.” Brady’s voice crackled in response.
“Okay, yay this is going to be fun!” She clapped. I don’t know who she thought the cheeriness was fooling, but it certainly wasn’t me.
The bar had been closed down for us to film. It was dark and isolated in kind of an industrial area of town. Probably all they could afford, given the meager budget Brady kept mentioning.
Emma pushed open the door and led me down a hallway. “Okay, go through those doors. They’re ready for you.”
I followed her instructions. As soon as I crossed the threshold, I was met with the remaining eight guys all cheering and clapping. Cameras to my side were zooming in on my face. I kept my smile bright and wide.
“Hi, y’all.” I waved, grateful when Grant approached me first, slinging an arm around my shoulder and squeezing me in greeting.
“You look amazing,” Jeremy said, giving me a quick hug.
“Stunning!” shouted Joey.
I caught Tripp’s brown eyes on the edge of the crowd. He gave me a warm smile and tipped his head in my direction. I felt the tiniest little fuse start somewhere in my stomach. That was a good sign. Any feeling that wasn’t dread or anxiety was a significant improvement.
When Austin approached me for a hug, I nearly backed away instinctively. It took everything in me not to pull away as he slid his arms around me. Then he lingered a little too long and whispered into my ear, “You look beautiful.”
I was still thinking about him pulling Tripp off that obstacle course.
He’d laughed it off at the cocktail party last night.
Tripp had been gracious, even making a joke about being a klutz, but I could tell it bothered him.
Grant kept jokingly referring to Austin as the big cheater, and Austin had gotten progressively redder as he tried to hide his irritation.
That had made the whole thing at least a little more tolerable.
“You look hot, Trace, damn.” Grant wolf whistled and I rolled my eyes, playfully shoving him in the chest.
“You guys ready to play some pool?” I asked, grabbing a stick. Just for show, of course. I had no intention of actually using the thing.
As the evening kicked off, I quickly realized that Emma was right.
This wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d been expecting.
With us all together in a group like this, the pressure was far less severe.
Sure, all the guys were trying to peacock for me.
Freddy took a shot behind his back. Jeremy did one left-handed.
A few of them even made it a point to flex their forearms every time they leaned over the table.
But it was actually funny now. Light-hearted, even.
And I couldn’t help but notice Tripp kept catching my eye. And that my eyes were right there to be caught. He really did look so cute in his gray henley t-shirt and jeans.
A sharp elbow inserted itself into my ribcage. I looked up to see Grant leaning against the pool table next to me, eyebrows waggling. He tilted his head at Tripp and gave me a suggestive look.
I rolled my eyes, but my smile didn’t drop. “Shut up,” I said, through a laugh.
“Unfortunately for you, I suck at pool so I don’t think I’ll be winning that extra alone time with you,” Grant said, shooting me a pout.
“How devastatin’,” I drawled.
“I don’t think I’m taking this one home either,” Christian said, as he walked to the wall Grant and I were leaning against.
Unlike good-natured Grant, he looked pissed about it.
Yeah, he was definitely a little too competitive for my taste.
I noticed the way Christian’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the pool cue too tightly while he watched his opponent, Jeremy, make shot after shot.
Jeremy was wiping the floor with him, and Christian looked like he was refraining from putting a fist through the wall.
Grant put a hand to my cheek and furrowed his eyebrows, staring like we were some sort of pair of star-crossed lovers. “I promise I’ll try my hardest in the next challenge.”
My head fell back with laughter, and I playfully shoved him away. “You’re ridiculous.”
Christian scowled and folded his arms, like he was jealous Grant was being flirtatious but hadn’t quite figured out how to do that himself.
With each shot, I found my heart climbing a little further into my throat.
The guys were all paired up, Christian with Jeremy, Grant with Freddy, Tripp with Joey, and Austin with Isaac.
When Tripp sank two in a row, I realized he was the only one I was rooting for.
We’d barely had more than a ten-minute conversation, but there was potential in the way he looked at me. That had to mean something.
Unfortunately, when I took a look at the other tables, Austin was also completely dominating his game. Great. Just what I needed, more alone time with that creep.
After fifteen more minutes, Freddy and Jeremy both won their games.
I watched as Tripp sank one against Joey who cursed good naturedly.
Then Austin sank one, and I found myself mentally cheering for Isaac even though we’d barely spoken throughout this process. He seemed a little subdued, good looking with not a whole lot to say. Utterly harmless. Unlike his opponent.
Tripp got the eightball in, claiming victory at his table. The guys who had already finished their games hooted and hollered as he passed around high fives. My stomach did a little twist as he shot me a smile.
Seconds later, Austin sank his own eightball. I kept my smile on and cheered, trying not to let my disdain be too apparent.
“Trace, call it,” Emma said from the sidelines.
“Oh, right.” I cleared my throat and stepped forward. “Looks like we have our winners. Congrats, guys!”
Jeremy and Freddy fist-bumped. Tripp nodded shyly at me while Austin snaked an arm around my waist. I almost shoved him away, but I forced myself to smile and bear it.
I couldn’t wait to get permission to send this guy home.
The audacity he had to just reach out and touch me.
Like we were familiar. Like I was his. I would never be his.
“That’s a wrap, guys.” Brady clapped. “Alright—Grant, Joey, Christian, and Isaac back in the van. Freddy, Jeremy, Tripp, and Austin, you stay behind for one drink each with Trace. We’ll tell you where to sit.”
The losing guys shuffled out, looking deflated but still chatting and joking around with each other.
I gave them a smile and a shoulder pat as they each passed me.
Honestly, I wished I could go with them.
Taking off this ridiculous outfit, undoing my way-too-tight hair, and crawling into bed sounded damn near perfect right about now.
And being by myself. Alone, without all these cameras trained on me. That also sounded pretty good, too.