Chapter 4
Molly’s knee bounced up and down in excitement as the limo – yes, she was in a frigging chauffeur- driven limo, like some celebrity – turned into the long, sweeping drive of HEA Towers. And God, it looked every bit as impressive as it did on the TV. Her eyes boggled as the sleek black Mercedes carried her closer and closer towards what looked like a mini castle, two towers rising dramatically against the blue sky. Scrunching across the gravel, they rounded a fountain … seriously, was that Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, water cascading out of her outstretched hand?
And holy moly, even the two bay trees set on either side of the entrance were carefully styled into love hearts.
She bet Duncan freaked out when he saw it.
Her heart tugged and Molly steeled herself not to cry. Please God he’d be happy to see her. When it came to judging how people felt about her, she knew her track record was abysmal, but even she couldn’t have got the last year all wrong. Could she? They fit together, like … she’d say fish and chips but Duncan would hate that. Avocado and poached egg, maybe. Oatmeal and blueberries.
Hopefully the relationship experts responsible for doing the match ups had seen that, too.
Her phone buzzed with a message, her last for a while, she thought ruefully as she’d have to hand her mobile over as soon as she stepped inside. When she glanced down, she saw it was from her mum. Strictly, her second mum, but the first she tried very hard not to think about.
Good luck sweetie. We’ll be routing for you. Mum and Dad xx
Tears pricked her eyes. It was fair to say that both her adopted parents had been wary of her going on The One when she’d first mentioned it.
‘I don’t like the idea of the show producers using you,’ her mum had complained when she’d told her about Rachel wanting Duncan’s ex-girlfriend on the show to add some drama.
Molly had tried to explain that actually she was the one doing the using – she was using the show to be with Duncan again.
The man she believed loved her and wanted to marry her.
Of course there had been a time she’d believed that of Ben, so it was entirely possible she’d got Duncan all wrong…
Breathe, Molly, breathe.
She pushed the air past the pain in her chest. At least by the end of the month, she would know.
They came to a stop and the driver walked round the car to open the door for her. As she stepped out of the limo, her heart jumped into her throat.
‘Welcome to HEA Towers!’
She had a second to wonder what the gravel was going to do to her strappy heels before she was dazzled by the smiles from the production team lined up to greet her. As if she was frigging royalty, she thought with a silent squeal. Some of the faces she recognised, like Rachel, the pocket dynamo of an assistant producer. And Natalie, the larger-than-life show host who she’d not met in person but felt she knew from the telly.
She shook their hands in a daze, heart thumping against her ribs as she was led through the grand entrance hall and into an oak-panelled drawing room.
There, a crowd of women shrieked and leapt up to greet her.
Faces and names became a blur as she was introduced to the other female contestants on the show.
‘This is really happening.’ A bouncy blonde, Molly thought she was called Jasmine, did a little dance. ‘It’s like the best thing, ever.’
‘I can’t wait to see who I’ve been matched with.’ Maya, a gorgeous woman with dark brown skin, smiled playfully. ‘Hope he’s hot.’
‘You and me both.’ Chloe flicked her dark, poker straight hair over her shoulders.
‘The good news is, you’re all going to find out very soon.’ Rachel’s authoritative voice carried across the room as they all fell silent. ‘Now, I’m going to hand over to your host, Natalie, who’ll tell you how this part of the evening is going to work.’
As the cameras focussed on her, Natalie whooped and clapped her hands together, her plus-sized body shimmering in sequins. ‘Well, my lovelies, welcome to HEA Towers. The place where, in four weeks’ time, we hope some of you, maybe all of you, will be saying I do to the man of your dreams.’ Molly glanced at the other girls and they all shared a giddy grin. ‘So are you all excited to see who you’ve been matched with?’
There was a collective scream of yes!
‘This series we’re making a few little changes from how we did things last season, beginning with the reveal.’ Natalie paused, her gaze resting on each of them in turn. ‘The main dining room has been set up in tables for two, spaced far enough away from each other that it will feel like an intimate dining experience. After the initial meet and greet here, where you’ll see all the guys you’ll be living under the same roof with for the next month, you ladies are going to be taken to the dining room and invited to sit down at a table. And then we’ll blindfold you.’ There was a collective gasp, and Natalie chuckled. ‘I know, it sounds a bit kinky, doesn’t it, but trust me, this is going to make the evening more fun, and more intense. Without sight, your other senses will become more important. Take your meal, for example. You’ll be able to focus on the taste and the aroma.’
Molly burst out laughing. ‘I’m not sure any of us will be focussing on the food tonight.’
Natalie beamed. ‘I hear you girl, I hear you. That guy who’ll be joining you at your table though, your match? You won’t be able to see him, but you’ll notice the timbre of his voice. His smell. If he’s wearing expensive cologne or he’s the soap and water type.’
‘Oooh, what about touch? Can we touch him?’ Jasmine did another jig.
Natalie roared with laughter. ‘Go for it, though obviously both parties need to be willing. Oh and just in case you’re worried, he’ll be blindfolded too, so you’re both in this together.’ She paused, gaze skimming the room, ramping up the anticipation. ‘Are you ready to meet the male line up? Because right now they’re standing outside this door, and I can tell you, they’re chomping at the bit to meet you.’
With a flair for the dramatic, Natalie marched over to the door and threw it open. Molly’s heart skipped a beat when she caught sight of Duncan striding in first. He looked handsome in his suit, big shoulders straining the seams.
Jasmine whistled. ‘Please let him be mine.’
Unlucky, he’s mine.
Duncan’s eyes flew open when he clocked her, his expression almost comically shocked. Molly flicked him a quick grin, turning away quickly before the cameras saw them.
The first time she’d met Duncan had been in a crowded bar after matching with him on a dating app. It had been a bit awkward to be honest, the place too noisy for proper conversation. Tonight was a chance to have their first time all over again, but with the romance of an elegant setting, the mystique of a blindfold. And the thrill of knowing they were on their favourite TV show.
‘Forget Mr Muscles, I’m digging Mr Tall, Dark and Totally Delicious.’ Beside her, Chloe licked her lips. Molly turned to see who she was fussing over.
And froze.
No, it couldn’t be. The man she knew, the one who looked the spitting image of the one who’d just strode confidently into the room as if he was on a flaming model shoot, would never, even if hell had frozen over, appear on a show like this.
But then his eyes collided with hers, and her heart almost exploded out of her chest. Acting on pure impulse, uncaring of the camera crew, of everyone in the room except the man who’d once left her so utterly devastated it had taken years to get over, she marched up to him and threw the contents of her glass in his face.
Ben inhaled sharply, staring at her for a few beats as champagne slowly dripped down his sharp cheeks, his square jaw. Then, with all the calm control she lacked, he carefully picked up a nearby napkin and wiped it away. ‘Feel better?’
Anger, hurt, loss, the emotions swirled inside her, causing her hands to shake. ‘Not even close.’
How mortifying, how devastating, that seeing him again brought everything she thought she’d buried, flooding back to the surface. Yet he seemed so utterly unaffected by her.
‘Molly?’ Rachel marched over, giving her a concerned look. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘No.’ Heart thumping, she glared back at Ben. ‘I need to get some air. I’ll leave him to explain why he’s wearing my drink. It’s the least he can do.’
She wanted to sashay out of the room with her head held high and enough sway to her hips to make Ben wonder why he’d decided to discard her after eight of the most intense, passionate weeks of her life. Sadly her legs felt like leftover spaghetti, and as she staggered towards the door she nudged at a table of drinks, causing the untouched glasses of champagne to topple over. ‘Oh bugger. I’m sorry.’
Ben, who’d managed to get another dousing, picked up the napkin again. ‘Good to see some things don’t change.’ He gave her a half smile. ‘Going out with you was never dull.’
Being so close to him again, that quirk of his full lips, the tall, athletic body, the eyes that held a person spellbound yet rarely told them what he was thinking. All in front of not just an audience of contestants, but a camera crew recording her meltdown to show to a wider TV audience. It was too much. She turned and fled from the room, finding sanctuary in the ladies across the hallway.
For a few minutes she stared at herself in the mirror, dragging deep breaths into her lungs and willing her emotions to calm.
‘Molly?’
She startled at the knock on the door. ‘Duncan?’
‘You okay?’
Dashing over, she threw it open and wrapped her arms around him. ‘Oh my God, I’m so glad to see you.’
‘Hey, hey.’ He soothed a hand down her back. ‘Not complaining, but what on earth are you doing here, babe?’
‘They know I’m your ex and they invited me on the show.’ At the warmth of his touch her heart began to settle. ‘I figure they’re going to match us together, you know, the two exes, so I thought why not? This way we don’t have to be apart and you don’t have to pretend to get on with someone else.’ She tried to smile, but her lips weren’t working properly, like they knew she was on the verge of tears again. ‘You can pretend to fall for me all over again.’
‘Yeah, well, I won’t be pretending. You know I love you.’ He eased back a little, his expression uncertain. ‘But what if we don’t get matched?’
‘Stick or ditch, remember? We get a chance to change partners at two weeks.’
‘Okay.’ He let out a rough exhale. ‘Not being funny, but I’m doing this to increase my following, so I can’t come across as a dick. If we don’t get paired, I’ve got to be nice to the woman I’m with, yeah?’
Her stomach twisted at the thought of him spending time with someone else, but she nodded. ‘I know.’
‘The guy you threw your drink over?’ He smoothed a hand down her hair in a way that made her feel cherished. ‘Who was that?’
‘My ex.’
His eyebrows scrunched together in a frown. ‘The one who screwed you over?’
She did not want to talk about Ben. ‘Yep.’
‘Jesus. Better hope you don’t get paired with him, at least.’ He paused, gave her a small smile. ‘Let’s keep it quiet that we dated. I don’t want to end up as the second arsehole ex to get a drink thrown in their face.’
‘You’re not an arsehole. You might have ditched me, but I know why.’
He gave her a sweet kiss. ‘Thanks, babe. But still, I want to keep the viewers on side.’ He glanced down at his watch and winced. ‘Sorry, babe, I’ve gotta go. I told them I was going for a slash, but guys don’t take this long. They’ll be bringing out a search party soon and I don’t want to get caught in the ladies.’ He planted a quick kiss on her mouth. ‘Hope to see you sitting opposite me when I take off my blindfold.’