Chapter Thirteen
Aubrey
M aking my way up the stairs, I’m torn. While I’m sad that our date is over, I’m glad we’re one step closer to Remington being finished meeting his suitors.
The two of us clicked right away because of our shared interests, but I know better than to count on that to carry me through the show. While sharing interests with a partner is a plus, it’s not the end-all, be-all.
Sometimes, it can actually be a detriment, as there are people who don’t want to be with someone who’s just like them. It’s a sentiment I understand, and I won’t allow myself to become complacent—especially not this early in the game.
Not that I think this is a game. No, this show could change the rest of my life.
“Are you okay, Aubrey?”
Glancing up, I find Gracie standing at the top of the stairs, watching me.
“Of course,” I tell her with a smile. “I was just thinking about what’s coming now that Remy is meeting his last set of suitors soon. Plus, we’ll be meeting the prior day suitors soon.”
None of us are sharing a room, and our rooms are on the third floor. As far as I could tell last night, none of the other suitors have rooms up here. I haven’t met any of them yet, though I did see a few of them in the living room on the second floor when I was going down the stairs for breakfast.
But that’ll all change tonight.
I’m worried after how badly the four of us struggled to get along at first, what that might mean for meeting the rest of the suitors. What if we have the same issues with them as we did with one another? What a disaster that would be.
“You’re worrying too much,” she says with a small smile. “Everything will happen as it’s meant to. Worrying about it won’t change the outcome. Why borrow trouble when you don’t have to?”
I really like Gracie. She’s so different from anyone else I know, and she makes me feel like I can be myself without being judged.
“I know you’re right, but that doesn’t make it all go away, sadly.” I shake my head, pausing now that we’ve reached our rooms. Hers is across from mine, with an empty room beside me. Nolan’s room shares a wall with mine, and Santiago’s is next to his. There’s another room that’s across from Nolan’s and then two pack suites. As far as I know, no one has been coming or going from the other rooms. “What are you planning to do until we have to meet Bree?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I like to see where life takes me, so I’m not much for making plans. The structure of the show is weird for me because I can’t just go about life like I usually would, but it’s good for things to change from time to time.”
I laugh because she didn’t tell me a damn thing. “So what were you thinking, then?”
“Well, all the suitors are sequestered to the top two floors, right?” She smiles when I nod. “Then there are likely to be at least a few hanging around. Maybe we should see if we can meet a few of them before the interview.”
“You know what? That sounds a lot better than sitting in my room doing nothing. Let’s do that.”
We about-face and head back down the short hallway. I consider knocking on Santiago and Nolan’s doors but decide against it. I’d rather meet the other suitors without them with us. I’m giving Santiago the benefit of doubt after he shared his story, but I’ve already seen how off-putting he can be. As for Nolan, he prefers to sit in the background first, so it would probably be better to let him meet the others on his own.
Tilting my head, I realize there are sounds coming from the game room. We hadn’t stopped to check in there after walking up, too focused on heading to our rooms. I lay my hand on Gracie’s lower back and lead her inside. I stuck my head in the room last night just to see what it looked like, but I hadn’t taken any time to really check it out.
There are more people in here than the amount of noise led me to believe. There are two men sitting on one of the couches in front of the big screen televisions on the wall, playing some kind of first-person shooter game. A man and a woman sit at the bar, eyes roving over the room as they speak quietly, and there are two men and two women gathered around a pool table.
“Oh, new meat!” one of the men playing the video game says before jumping up and hurrying over to us. He has a black fedora sitting on top of his brown hair with waves falling over his forehead and an easy smile on his face. He’s shorter than me by quite a few inches, probably just under six feet, if I had to guess. “Hi, there. I’m Milo, a day one suitor.”
His scent tells me he’s a beta.
“I’m Aubrey, a day four suitor, obviously, and this is Gracie.”
The other man from the couch wanders over, offering me his hand. “Quinn.”
Without even scenting him, I can tell this man is an alpha. He’s almost as tall as I am, but I still have a couple of inches on him.
“I recognize you from somewhere,” I say with a frown, eyes running over his face as I try to place it, but it seems just out of reach.
“He’s an actor,” Milo says with a grin. “That’s probably why you recognize him.”
I stare at Quinn for a moment longer before shrugging. “I guess that’s it.”
But even as I say it, it doesn’t feel right. I think it’s from something else. It’ll come to me, eventually.
“It’s nice to meet both of you.” Gracie smiles as she looks around the room. “There’s so much to do in here.”
Milo shrugs. “It’s something, at least. I just can’t wait until we move around the house freely. We hung out by the pool today, and it was amazing. It’s times like this, I love living in California. Where the hell else can you lay by a pool during winter?”
“There are actually a few places whose temperatures are temperate enough to be able to do just that,” I tell him, wincing when I realize I sound like a know-it-all. “Ugh, just ignore me. I know a lot of random facts and they just spew out of me at random intervals. You’ll get used to it.”
“Hey, I’m all for learning new things,” Milo offers with a smile. “Do you want to meet a few of the others? Rhys should be back any minute now—he just ran to his room to grab something. He’s the only one of us who’s rooming up here with you. Daniel and Lee both decided they wanted a nap, but I’m sure they’ll join us soon.”
Gracie beams up at him. “I’d love to meet everyone else. Thank you for offering.”
Her smile only grows when Milo offers her his arms and leads her toward the bar. Quinn and I fall into step behind them.
“So, an actor, huh?”
Quinn shrugs. “It pays the bills, and it’s something I’m good at. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it forever since Hollywood is fickle, but I might as well do it while I can.”
“Hey, if I could act, I’d be doing the same thing.” I pause, glancing at him again. “I really don’t think I recognize you because you’re an actor. I think it’s something else.”
“Yeah, you look familiar, too, and since you’re not an actor, that’s clearly not it.”
I snort, nodding. “It’s like it’s right there on the tip of my tongue, but I just can’t quite say it. Or see it. Whatever.”
Before Quinn can respond, Milo calls out to us. “Are you coming?”
“He is very excitable. You’ll get used to him,” Quinn says with a soft smile as he gazes at the beta.
I shake my head. “I don’t think there’s anything to get used to. He seems like a cool guy.”
Quinn nods. “He really is.”
Joining them at the bar, I find Milo leaning his head on the shoulder of the man who’s sitting there. He’s a big guy. He’s not quite as tall as I am, but he’s a lot more built than I am. His face remains stoic as we approach them, but it’s clear he’s watching us.
“This is my pack, Eric and Victoria. Victoria is our head alpha. This is Gracie and Aubrey.”
I shake Victoria’s hand first. Her peach, mango, and sandalwood confirm she’s an alpha, but I would never have guessed her designation based on looks alone. She’s gorgeous. There’s no doubt about that. From her long dark hair to her pale green eyes, it all draws attention. She’s tall and lithe, her body a work of art.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aubrey.” Victoria releases my hand before offering it to Gracie. “And you, Gracie. Welcome.”
Tearing my eyes off her, I find Eric watching me with a smirk. He’s also an alpha, and based on his reaction, he’s used to people staring at his pack mate.
I laugh and offer my hand to him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“And you. Don’t worry, you get more used to her beauty the longer you’re around her,” he says, just loud enough for me to pick up. “Not that she’s not always gorgeous, but it’s like immersion therapy—the more you’re around her, the less you notice.”
I give him a doubtful look that has him chuckling. “You don’t have to believe me. You’ll see.”
We’re then joined by the four who’d been playing pool. The pretty redhead, Brooke, and the gorgeous Latina woman, Camila, are both betas. The two men, Alexei and Nikolai, are identical twins, but one is an alpha and one is a beta. I didn’t know that could happen. I would’ve expected that if they were identical, they would share the same designation.
I’m sure Remington could explain how it’s possible. I’ll have to ask him later.
I’ve never really thought about genetics or the fertility of the human race before, but after hearing Remington talk about the work he loves so much, it’s opened my eyes up to the world around me. It makes me wonder why things are the way they are. I don’t think he’ll mind answering any questions I come up with.
Either way, the twins are Russian and hot as hell—their accents just make them more so.
Just as I’ve finished meeting them, another man comes rushing in. “I found it.”
He’s holding up what appears to be a book as he comes to a stop, an amused look on his face when he notices me and Gracie. “Oh, new people are here. Hi, I’m Rhys.”
“Hi, Rhys. I’m Gracie. What do you have there?” she asks, glancing up at the book he’s holding.
Rhys flushes, his hand going to the back of his neck. “Oh…ummm…I…”
Milo snorts. “It’s his sketchbook, Gracie. He was just telling us he draws from time to time, and I badgered him until he said he’d show us some pieces.”
“You draw? I’d love to see. I love art in all forms.” Gracie bats her lashes at the alpha, who can’t seem to tear his eyes off her.
“Yeah…I c-can…ummm…s-sure,” Rhys stumbles and stutters over his words before straightening his shoulder. “I’d love to show you.”
Gracie reaches out and takes his hand in hers, leading him toward one of the tables around the room.
“Well, that was interesting.” I frown, watching the two of them sit down, clearly having forgotten about the rest of us.
Milo makes a face. “And to think, I’m the one who asked to see the drawings. Maybe he’ll show me them later.”
“Don’t pout, Milo. It’s not a good look.” Victoria shoots him a droll look before turning her attention to me. “Where are the other two suitors who arrived with you?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I nod toward their rooms. “I’m assuming they’re in their rooms. We all headed up here together, but I must’ve slowed down while I was lost in thought. By the time I made it up here, it was just Gracie waiting for me.”
“They didn’t want to meet us?” Brooke asks as she moves around behind the bar. “Does anyone else want a Tequila Sunrise? I’ve been craving one.”
Nikolai scoffs. “I do not drink tequila. Are you even old enough to drink?”
“She’s twenty-three, Nikolai. Don’t be an asshole.” Camila shakes her head at the alpha twin. “I’ll take one, Brooke. Just don’t make it too strong. It’s not even dinner time yet.”
When Brooke turns to me, I shake my head. “I’m more of a beer guy and only on occasion.”
“Hear, hear.” Milo tips his hat toward me.
“As for Nolan and Santiago,” I say, answering Brooke’s other question. “They might have, but I didn’t knock on their doors. There were some…issues with our initial meeting that caused some stress for Remy, and I thought it would be better if I let them choose when to introduce themselves.”
Victoria lifts an eyebrow. “Is there something we should be aware of?”
I shake my head quickly. “No, no, no. Just some bumps and bruises that come along with people with different personalities meeting for the first time.”
If Nolan and Santiago want to talk about their confrontation with Remy, that’ll be for them to decide. It’s not my story to tell.
Silence follows my response. My guess is that they’re waiting for me to fill in the details, and that’s not going to happen.
“So, does anyone want to tell me what to expect from this interview we have to do?”
More silence follows before Milo rolls his eyes. “It’s not Aubrey’s job to tell us everything that happened when at least two members of his suitor group aren’t here. You’re all a bunch of gossips, I swear.”
“Oh, we’re the gossips?” Victoria shakes her head as she smiles. “Hearing those words coming from your mouth is entirely too funny.”
Camila snorts. “Bree will come up and ask some questions that she’ll mostly direct at the four of you. The rest of us might have something to add to the conversation, but it’s really more about your initial reactions to Remy and your date.”
Letting out a sigh of relief that they’ve dropped it, I nod. “That doesn’t seem too hard.”
My eyes find Gracie and Rhys once more as they lean together as they talk. Her hand is on his arm as he shows her various pages in his sketch pad. They’ve totally forgotten about the two of us. I might not know Gracie well, but this seems odd and a little out of character for her.
“Should we be worried about that?” I nod toward the pair.
Victoria hums. “We don’t even know what that is.”
“It just seems out of character for her? Maybe? Fuck, I don’t know. I’m acting like I’ve known her for more than twenty-four hours.” I shake my head. “It’s hard not to feel protective of her.”
“Rhys seems to be a good guy. We were day three suitors together, and he’s so sweet. I wouldn’t worry too much.” Camila offers me a soft smile.
Alexei nods. “Rhys is a good man.”
I’ve known the two of them for less than an hour, so I have no real reason to take them at their word, but their words still relax me.
“Good.” Turning back to the group, I’m at a loss. “Now what are we supposed to do?”
“Now,” Milo begins with a grin, “we enjoy ourselves until Bree arrives. Do you like video games? There are plenty of games that allow more than two players.”
“I love video games,” I admit.
Milo pumps his arm in the air. “Yes, another one to add to the list. Come play with me and Quinn then. It’ll help pass the time.”
I follow the pair of them over to the couch they were sitting on before while we scroll through games, trying to find one we can agree on, when it suddenly hits me about why Quinn looks so familiar. “I met you when we were kids!”
Quinn frowns. “Yeah?”
“You have to remember. There was a huge family reunion. I think I was twelve or thirteen? You were a little older than me. It was for my dad’s side of the family. Obviously, you’re older now, but you were totally there.” I scratch my chin as I try to recall actually meeting him. “I don’t think we’re actually related by blood. I remember a conversation but not the exact words they said.”
Quinn’s eyes widen. “Holy shit! Yes, I do remember. You and your brother were both there, right? Wow. That was a long time ago. My mom was adopted by a distant relative of yours or something, I think. I remember Mom trying to explain it to us before just telling us we were cousins.”
Wow. I didn’t expect to be reunited with a distant family member on Heated , but there hasn’t been much about my time on the show that I have expected.
Now that I’m not trying to figure out how I know Quinn, I relax on the couch and catch up with him while we play with Milo.
After such a tumultuous time with the other day four suitors, it’s kind of nice to feel comfortable with the larger group. I just need to remember to keep an eye on Gracie—who is still chatting with Rhys, though they seem to have set aside the sketchbook. I’ll have to make sure to talk to her about it later.
Turning back to the game, I see I died. “Really? Neither one of you could’ve told me I was about to die?”
“Nope,” Milo snickers. “You’ve gotta pay attention to the game if you want to play.”
“Mm hmm.” I narrow my eyes at the beta. “I see how it is. Now that I know how we’re playing, I’m better prepared. Bring it on.”
I can hear muffled laughter behind us, but I ignore it. I have a point to prove to Milo now.