Chapter 6
Chapter Six
“How did you feel you and Arnie performed in the first challenge?” Brady sat next to a camera operator across from me. He had his legs crossed and leaned forward as if every word I said was absolutely captivating, not just a play-by-play of how my day had gone.
“I think we did well,” I said. It was hard to be myself in these interviews when I was constantly worrying about how I’d be perceived. It was one thing when I’d agreed to come on a show all about writing. That, I could handle. But this? Being probed and prodded about my love life? It was hell on earth. Now I had to sit here and balance saying just enough to avoid being portrayed as cold, while also ensuring I didn’t divulge too much about myself for the general public to pick me apart.
“And how do you feel about Arnie?” Brady asked. “Is there a romantic connection there?”
His false sincerity made me want to choke with laughter. I guess I should have been grateful Shay wasn’t the one interviewing me .
“I think we’ve formed a friendship, for sure. I mean, what more can you ask for after only twenty-four hours, right?”
“Hmm, so you don’t believe in instant attraction?”
I thought of the white-hot feeling that had jolted through my entire body at that simple touch from Eli during the challenge. “In my experience, feelings usually come first and attraction is secondary.”
“Interesting. What about the other guys? Feeling any potential attraction there?”
I did my best to maintain a poker face. “Not really. I mean, we just got here.”
“What about Eli?” Brady asked bluntly.
Heat rose to my cheeks and I knew from decades of experience that they had turned a rosy pink. “He seems nice. Different than what I expected.” There. That was a simple enough answer. Couldn’t read anything into that.
“Different, how?” Brady prodded.
Ugh. How much longer is this interview going to be?
“Um, I don’t know. I heard he had a bit of a... reputation,” I said, trying to be as eloquent as possible.
“Describe what you mean by ‘reputation.’”
I wanted to groan in frustration. There was no such thing as a vague answer in these interviews. If you tried to skirt around the question, they would probe you until you gave the exact sound bite they wanted.
“Let’s just say he didn’t seem to be the type to be on a show about finding love. But when I talked to him, he seemed nice enough—like he genuinely wanted to get to know me.”
“Any interest in making Eli your partner?”
For reasons I didn’t quite understand, I felt vehemently opposed to that idea. Obviously, I found him attractive, and he was nice enough. But given his past...someone like that would chew up someone like me and spit out my bones before I even knew what hit me. I couldn’t let my guard down with him. Not the way I could with Arnie. He felt safe.
“I don’t think so,” I answered his question. “Arnie is my partner.”
Brady leaned in even closer. “And what do you think Michael would have thought about you being here?”
“Michael?” My throat constricted with emotion. Were they going to bring him up every time I found myself in one of these dreary rooms? The truth was, if some form of heaven did exist and Michael was peering down on me from up there, he would be completely bewildered by where life had led me lately. “I think he and Arnie would have been friends,” I said, feeling small. I had already found that when they turned to this topic of discussion, it was best to keep my answers as short as possible. I refused to cheapen Michael’s memory by sharing too much of him in this setting.
“Anything else?” Brady looked disappointed by my clipped response. Good. I hoped he realized he couldn’t just manipulate me into talking about whatever served his agenda.
“Nope.”
I stood and removed my mic before he instructed me to. My clothes, still muddy from the challenge, clung to my body in the most uncomfortable way and I itched to finally take a shower.
“Okay. Thanks for all that, Calla,” Brady said, standing. “You’re free to go clean up now. Don’t be more than an hour. We’ll have your dinner order brought to your room so you’re ready to mingle with the rest of the contestants after you’re done getting ready.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, brushing past him.
“Don’t forget to dress to impress,” Brady called.
The door to the small interview room closed behind me as I stepped out in a hurry. But before I could walk down the hallway, I collided with Eli’s solid frame.
He reached out to steady me. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”
Tailored black jeans clung to his frame. On top, he wore a dark green crew neck sweater. He looked like he belonged on some upscale street in Manhattan. A stark contrast from my dirty face and crusty clothes.
“Crap. I’m sorry. Did I get anything on you?”
He looked down between the two of us but didn’t step away. “I think we’re good,” he said.
“I need to get out of these disgusting clothes,” I said, bitter that the guys had already gotten the luxury of cleaning up.
Eli cocked his head with a twinkle in his eye as I realized what I’d said. “You know what I mean!”
“I don’t know,” he said, laughing. “I think they suit you.” Eli grabbed the bottom hem of my shirt and examined it. Even though he wasn’t directly touching me, the small gesture sent my stomach into a nervous flutter.
“I better go get changed. I’ll see you in there.” I sidestepped him and hurried away before he had a chance to say anything else. I flung open the door to my room and threw myself inside before closing the door firmly and leaning back against it.
One hour, a scalding hot shower, and a mediocre salad later, I stood at the doorway to the large lounge, bracing myself for another evening of socializing. My skin felt a million times better after scrubbing it clean, and I had learned my lesson from the raggedy sweater I’d worn on the first day. Tonight, I made sure to put slightly more effort into my appearance. While I was sure my cream knit top and light jeans would look dowdy compared to whatever ensemble Sofia had put together, it was still an improvement. My hair hung loose around my shoulders. Brady had begged me never to wear it up again. Did I really look like such a monster in a braid?
Danny, Grant, and Sofia already sat on the couches by the giant fireplace in the center of the room. Grant and Danny were talking animatedly about something; they even might be arguing, judging from the vein bulging in Danny’s neck. Sofia just looked bored—and stunning—as per usual. She was draped across the side of the sofa and kept stealing glances at the door, likely waiting for Eli to arrive. I was surprised he wasn’t here yet.
Danny and Grant didn’t even glance up as I walked over to the sofa. Sofia eyed me disdainfully before sighing and shifting so I could sit next to her.
“Skiing is just as badass as snowboarding, I can’t even believe we’re having this discussion,” Danny huffed.
“Nah, snowboarding is way cooler. Skiers are so prim and proper. Like someone shoved one of their poles up their ass.”
I shot a look at Sofia and raised an eyebrow. She just shook her head. “Ignore them. I’ve been trying to.”
“Believe me, I would like nothing more than for this conversation to be over,” Danny grumbled.
“Then just admit you’re wrong,” Grant said, taking a sip of his drink.
Danny’s face grew even redder. “You’re impossible. You pick the most asinine things to argue about, and then keep insisting you’re right.”
“I am right.”
“There is no ‘right’! You’re arguing stupid points. You can’t ski or snowboard anyway, so why do you even care? ”
“I bet I could learn and be just as good as you.”
“I’ve literally won competitions. There’s no way.”
Relief washed over me as Rachel and Trace entered the room. Finally, some friendly faces. I hardly knew Grant and Danny, but together they seemed to form the opposite of a dynamic duo. They fed off each other’s negative energy and turned every conversation into a bickering match. Sofia appeared to have no interest in talking to me at all. She had her eyes glued to the door as if she couldn’t bear the idea of missing one second of Eli.
“Hey, y’all,” Trace greeted us. She didn’t sit right away, rubbing her hands up and down her bare arms. “Um, Danny, I was wondering—would you want to go to the bar and make a drink, and maybe go find somewhere more private to chat?”
Danny jerked his head up and rose to his feet. “Oh, um, sure. We could do that.” All of his aggression seemed to melt away as soon as he saw Trace. Maybe there was something there that I hadn’t noticed at first.
Rachel leaned on the arm of the sofa until her mouth was closer to my ear. “If I’m not back in thirty minutes, please send a rescue team.”
I stifled my laugh as she stood up and turned to Grant. “We should talk.”
He looked behind him before turning back to her. “Me?”
“Did I stutter?” She glared at him.
“Uh, okay?” He got up warily and followed Rachel to a far corner of the room. There was definitely no missed connection there. She was a good sport for not taking Arnie or Eli, though.
“Good,” Sofia said. “Those two better stay in their lane.”
I bristled at her snarky tone, the microphone around my neck a constant reminder that none of the conversations we had were private .
“They have every right to pick anyone they want. They won the challenge fair and square.”
She scowled in disapproval. “But can you imagine how desperate one of them would have to be to break up Eli and me? We clearly have a connection. He isn’t interested in them at all.”
“It’s been one day,” I reminded her, trying to be patient.
“So what? When you know, you know.”
“If you say so,” I murmured.
Fortunately, that was the moment Arnie and Eli walked in and saved me from the aimless conversation.
“Can I get you a drink?” Arnie asked, reaching us first.
“Just water is fine for me,” I said, already feeling a sense of comfort at his presence.
“Did you see Trace just check out Eli?” Sofia whispered, shooting daggers from her eyes at the other side of the room. “She better not get any ideas. I don’t care how badly her conversation with Danny is going.”
I winced. “On second thought, make it a vodka soda with a lime.”
Arnie grinned. “Coming right up.”
Eli filled the space Arnie had just vacated and shifted from foot to foot, glancing at me and then back at Sofia.
“Um, Calla,” he said. “I was hoping we could talk. We hardly got a chance to get to know each other yesterday?—”
Before he could say any more, Sofia shot up off the couch and moved around me to latch onto his arm.
“You’re supposed to be getting to know your partner, silly,” she said in a singsong voice that sounded nothing like the one she had just been using with me.
“Oh, well.” Eli scratched the back of his neck. “You know, nothing is guaranteed, given the whole coming-in-last-place thing. I just want to get to know everyone. ”
Sofia swatted his chest and giggled. “Don’t worry about that. The girls have already worked it out. They all understand we want to stay partners and no one is going to step on any toes.”
“Oh, well...” His eyes searched mine as if begging me to intervene.
What could he possibly expect me to say? I wasn’t about to insist on talking to him and then have to face the pettiness of Sofia’s jealousy. No, thank you. I wanted to just sit back, chat with Arnie, and have a drama-free evening.
“Come on, let’s go to the dining room.” Sofia tugged Eli away and he followed her reluctantly. The way she led him off was almost comical; he looked about as willing as a hostage being held for ransom as she dragged him across the room.
Sitting there alone, waiting for Arnie, I pondered whether this had been Piper’s vision when she’d roped me into this fiasco. How had the producers pitched it to her so convincingly that she’d believed this would be the only way to get me out of my shell? I supposed it shouldn’t have shocked me. I’d sensed both her and my mom’s concern for me. I’d overheard their hushed conversations many times.
They really shouldn’t worry. What if I just liked being on my own? Maybe this was what my life was meant to be like—a bit dull, but fine nonetheless.
“Here you go.” Arnie interrupted my thoughts by plopping down next to me and handing me the vodka soda I’d asked for.
“Thank you.” I lifted my glass and he clinked his against it.
“I’m surprised Eli didn’t pull you aside to talk.”
I nearly choked on my first sip. How could he possibly have guessed that? He noticed my confusion.
“He mentioned it to me when we were walking in here. Said he wanted to talk to you and didn’t want me to be taken by surprise.”
I tilted my head, trying to process that.
Arnie misinterpreted my expression. “I told him he didn’t need my permission,” he rushed to add. “We hardly know each other. I don’t think I have any weird stake or claim on you, or anything.”
I reached out and stilled his bouncing knee with my hand.
“Arnie, relax. I would never assume that you thought that.”
He blew out a breath. “Good, because I’m not like that, I swear. Eli—and whoever else—has every right to talk to you, and you’re the only person who has any say on the matter.”
“I don’t get why he wants to talk to me.”
Arnie snorted. “Seriously? Seems pretty obvious to the guys that you’re his first choice.”
“There’s no way,” I said in denial. What could we possibly have in common? “We’re practically from different universes. You must have misread something.”
“I highly doubt that. He stares at you all the time. Haven’t you noticed?”
I bit down on the inside of my cheek. Of course, I’d noticed. But I wanted to believe it was all in my head. I couldn’t handle a guy like Eli. Someone with all that experience. Someone who was known not to take women—or relationships—seriously. Despite his undeniable charm and attractiveness, I knew he would just be trouble.
I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. Not after Michael.
I’d already been emotionally damaged in other ways, and I refused to let Eli be another chapter in another heartbreak story. Being vulnerable on national TV was one thing, but being pitied for being the girl who couldn’t resist the wrong guy? That was a script I refused to follow. It was a cliché gone awry.
“How are you feeling about everything so far?” I asked, desperate to turn the conversation to Arnie and away from me.
He pulled off his glasses and wiped the frames before answering. “I don’t know, to tell you the truth. I guess it’s probably good that I’m pushing my boundaries, but the idea of meeting someone here and falling in love seems implausible.”
He could say that again.
“No offense, obviously. You’re stunning, Calla. And so nice. I just?—”
I choked on a laugh, cutting him off. “Arnie, you need to relax. I’m not offended at all. I know we just met, but I think we could be friends. Like, actual friends.”
His foot tapped against the wood floor. “Me too. I’m glad we’re partners.”
Sipping my drink, I noticed Trace huddled in a corner with Danny. A rare smile broke out on his face at something she said. Watching the sparks fly between the two of them was a gentle reminder that romance could actually happen for some of the people here.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because I know we already established there probably isn’t any romantic interest between us. But I don’t want to choose you if you’re interested in someone else.”
Arnie pinched the bridge of his nose, like just the idea of a romantic connection was giving him a headache. “Let’s not worry about all that right now. There’s no one I’d rather be partnered with than you.”
Loud footsteps signaled Shay’s arrival in the lounge. She crossed the large room with intention. She breezed past the couches and walked through the doorway to the dining room.
“She scares me,” Arnie whispered.
“Me too,” I admitted. “I’m glad I’ve only had Brady for my interviews so far.”
“Lucky. I’ve had Shay for every one of them. She almost made me cry on the first day.”
“I’m pretty sure Brady is hoping I cry every time he gets me alone in one of those rooms,” I said.
As if on cue, Brady entered the room and made a beeline for Rachel. He bent down and whispered something in her ear, before turning around and moving over to the corner where Danny and Trace were sitting.
Rachel groaned so loudly it echoed across the room as she dragged herself out of her seat and walked to the main exit.
“Time for my dream date with Danny,” she said. “Can’t wait.”
“Have fun,” I called, giggling at how tortured she sounded.
Danny and Rachel were so obviously wrong for each other that it was almost funny. They were too alike—too competitive. At least they’d figured it out quickly and could move on to other partners.
“What do you think of Danny and Trace?” I asked Arnie.
He assessed the perky blonde who now sat alone. “I suppose they could have sort of an opposites-attract thing going on. Maybe Trace is just sweet enough to tame him.”
I nodded. “Maybe.”
“This is ridiculous,” Sofia barked as she followed Shay into the lounge. “I spent two hours in an interview already. I’m going to suffocate if you stick me in that room again.”
Shay glared at her and showed no sign of apology. “I’m sorry, princess, but the audio on your interview is bad. We need more footage.”
“Just use everyone else’s footage. It’s not like we won’t be doing another interview tomorrow.”
Shay just kept moving forward. “This is what you signed up for. If you don’t do another interview, you’ll hardly get any screen time this episode. Is that really what you want?”
Sofia let out a frustrated sigh but gave in. “This is unreal. I can’t believe someone could be so incompetent.”
“That’s reality TV for you.”
“Sofia looks pissed,” Arnie said, taking a sip of his beer.
“She kind of always looks a little...displeased,” I said.
“Hasn’t warmed up to you yet?”
“Has she warmed up to anyone, aside from him?” I tilted my glass toward Eli as he stepped out of the dining room through the same door Sofia had just been dragged through. A knot formed in my throat when I noticed him heading straight for Arnie and me, his expression determined.
“He’s going to ask you to talk,” Arnie whispered.
Crap.