Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Landon
I’m frozen in place. My feet won’t move, despite the producer gesturing for me to go forward behind the camera. What the fuck? Me? She said my name, right?
I don’t think we’ve kept our disdain for each other hidden, not by a long shot. So why the fuck would she pick me?
The answer is obvious, though, right? She didn’t have a choice.
She had all her eggs in one basket, and Noah just stomped those eggs into the concrete.
I’m still blown away by that. I never would have guessed Noah had it in him to do something that ballsy.
I think everyone looked at Courtney and Noah as the most solid potential match here.
Finally, I’m able to move my lead fucking feet forward and stand on the other side of the podium.
Her deep-brown eyes are cold, blank, like she’s looking right through me.
There isn’t a single trace of emotion across any of her features.
Doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going on in her head, though.
She’s fucking pissed, and she’s just trying to tread water with the million cameras pointed in our faces.
“Landon,” Alex says, attempting to suppress his own surprise as he looks to me. “Do you want to lock in with Courtney?”
Not really. Locking in with her means I’m stuck with her for the entire fucking show.
What other options do I have, though? I was investing all of my time with Savannah because I thought I had her wrapped around my finger.
I don’t know Kenzie, and it’s clear Calvin is into her.
So then what? Do we both get sent home? That doesn’t work for me.
So I nod. “Sure, why the hell not?”
A snicker comes from the locked-in couples on the couch followed by a scoff and a shush before Alex nods and takes the two locks, hooking them onto our bracelets. They begin glowing a bright pink.
Courtney and I both look down at them before our eyes meet. I make my way around the podium and hold out my hand. She furrows her brows like she’s never seen a fucking hand before until she finally laces her fingers through mine and we walk over to the couch.
When we take a seat, I feel narrowed eyes on me as I settle back into the couch.
Glancing across the way, I see Noah glaring at me murderously.
I scoff and turn to watch Calvin and Kenzie happily choose each other.
What the fuck ever. He’s mad at me? Because he left her high and dry?
How are you going to have the audacity to fuck us both over and be pissed with me? I should be pissed with him.
Once Kenzie and Calvin sit down, Alex holds out his hands dramatically and speaks to us all. “Congratulations! You all are officially locked in. Please grab your things and each couple head to your lovers’ suite.”
With that, the cameras cut and the crew begins moving towards the house, presumably to set up for all of our “raw” reactions.
The fact that people actually think this shit is real is crazy.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like we’re getting scripts…
yet, but this shit is more staged than I think most people realize.
If they didn’t, it would be boring as hell.
Everyone rises, and Noah crosses the distance to us in an instant. Courtney sees him coming and attempts to step around him, but she’s not quick enough.
“Courtney, please. Let me explain.”
She looks up at him, eyes wide and rage all over her face. I see a cameraman quickly pick up on the confrontation and I “accidently” step in his path, blocking the shot as she speaks.
“Okay, go ahead.”
Noah looks taken aback. “What?”
“You want to explain. I’m all fucking ears,” she says flatly, gesturing for him to begin.
Noah opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. Courtney lets out a humorless laugh before shaking her head and stomping off. We all watch her head towards the house, and Noah stands there like an idiot before he takes a step.
“You should probably give her time to cool off,” I say simply.
As if he doesn’t know where else to place his rage, he turns sharply on his heel and comes at me full force, shoving my shoulders with all his might.
I stumble a step or two but remain composed as I give him a bored look.
He attempts to push me again before Shane and Dallas slip in between us, pulling him backward.
“Keep your goddamn mouth shut! This doesn’t concern you! I can’t believe you!” he snarls.
I screw my face up in confusion. “Me? What the fuck did I do?”
“You locked in with her? Seriously? You fucking hate her. Was all that talk in hopes I’d lose interest so you could swoop in and take her yourself?”
I fucking laugh because what the hell? “Are you insane? You chose to lock in with another girl; you fucked her. It was either break up a solid pairing,” I say, gesturing to Calvin and Kenzie, “pick me, or go home. Are you seriously trying to act like the victim right now? You played her bro, be man enough to admit it and move on.”
“It’s complicated!” Noah snarls.
My gaze trails over the group to see Savannah watching with an almost satisfied smirk across her face.
I scoff. “Yeah, one sloppy blow job can complicate a lot,” I say before walking away.
“Oh shit!” Connor cackles behind me as I head off towards the house.
I’m one of the first guys to make it back to the bedroom, and I quickly grab all my shit and throw it in my duffle bag before I find an assistant in the hall who directs me towards this new room we’re apparently staying in.
I thought this place was huge the first time I saw it.
Definitely like nothing I ever grew up seeing.
The fact that there appears to be an entire goddamn wing we haven’t even explored yet is insane to me, but here I am, being led through this maze of a house to a new section.
I’m caught off guard by how many doors there are on my left and right as the ocean breeze drifts in from the main balcony overlooking the backyard.
Finally, we come to a stop outside a bedroom door with a pink heart lock on it. Guess that’s us.
I push the door open and step inside to find a massive suite.
There’s an attached bathroom to my immediate right that’s four times the size a bathroom needs to be.
There’s also a huge four-poster bed in the middle of the room, decorated with fancy drapery.
The entire place reeks of wealth. Not the old kind, the flashy, in-your-face, annoying kind.
Courtney is on the other side of the bed unpacking her suitcase into one of the dressers. She doesn’t look up as she speaks.
“I can take the couch tonight. Figured we can rotate every other night or whatever.”
The usual snarky bite in her voice is long gone. She sounds more like a kicked puppy than anything. It’s kind of disappointing to see someone with so much fire get extinguished so fast. Especially by a worm like Noah.
“You good?” I ask.
Her movements pause, and she lifts her face. Her eyes are red, like she’s been crying, but there isn’t a tear in sight to prove that theory.
She looks at me, bewildered, and slowly shakes her head. “What a stupid fucking question.”
I scoff and roll my eyes at her. Fuck me for trying to be a decent human.
“Just because your boy toy got sucked off by Malibu Barbie doesn’t mean you need to take it out on me,” I say as I drop my duffle bag on the bed and flop down beside it.
Because she’s having a real shit day, I was going to be a nice guy and take the couch for the night. Not anymore.
I close my eyes and settle into the mattress, then feel her come to stand over me. Maybe if I keep my eyes closed, she’ll go away.
“What did you just say?” she asks sharply.
Welp, there goes that theory.
I peek my eyes open to look at her before shaking my head. “Forget it,” I say and attempt to stand up.
Courtney takes a step in front of me, shoving me back to the mattress. “They slept together? When?”
I lean my elbows on my knees and shake my head. “Trust me, you don’t want the details.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Tell me,” she demands.
“Say please,” I reply with a lift of my brow.
She isn’t amused. “Now.”
Damn, no manners?
I shrug. “I don’t know details. I shared a bunk with the guy and woke up to some slurping sounds last night. I thought it was you at first.”
She looks taken aback, her face pale and blank as she stares out the floor-to-ceiling window behind me.
I don’t know why, but I add, “It sucks. Well, she does. Literally.”
A bitter laugh escapes her as she looks back at me. “Please stop talking.”
I shake my head at her. Christ, this is really who I’m paired with? We won’t last long if we can’t even pretend to like each other. She should work on that.
“Listen, Court. This is what you signed up for. Drama, angst, betrayal,” I say dramatically like it’s a movie intro. “You might want to buckle up, I can guarantee this is only the beginning.”
I move to stand, and she lets me pass before calling out to me, “Don’t call me that.”
“What?”
“Court. I fucking hate it when people call me that,” she says.
Maybe I’m a dick. Scratch that, I know I am, but she isn’t exactly all sunshine and roses herself. I know that these next few weeks are going to be rough in a lot of ways, and I gotta find entertainment where I can, and I think I just found the first of many avenues to do so.
A slow smile creeps over my face.
“Good to know, Court.”