Chapter Thirty-Nine
Andrew? Is he here? I look at the gate leading to the backyard, hoping to catch a glimpse of perfectly groomed facial hair. But instead, I see the next best thing.
Ciara.
I run to her and am about to throw my arms around her when I remember she may still hate me. Instead, I stop directly in front of her with my hands awkwardly in midair and say, “Hi.”
She laughs. “Get over here, you dork.” She steps forward and hugs me.
I happily hug her back. “I’m so sorry!”
“I know. I saw the video. Thank you for using footage where I look hot.”
“Is there any other kind?” She smiles at me, and I feel happier than I have in days.
“I should’ve known something was up,” Ciara says. “I didn’t really think you’d put a guy before your friends. Animals, sure, but not a guy.” I laugh, nodding. Then Ciara shakes her head. “Kristina, man. She’s brutal. She makes good TV, though. I’ll give her that.”
I roll my eyes in agreement. “Blue thinks she’ll be nominated for an Emmy.”
“I read that it’s the highest-rated season of the show. In any country.”
“People are idiots.”
Ciara laughs, then looks at me with concern in her eyes. “How are you doing? With the whole Andrew thing.” Then she quickly adds, “Blue told me.”
“Of course he did.” Though I am grateful Blue is filling everyone in, so I don’t have to relive it over and over again. I sigh. “I can’t stop thinking about him. Is that normal?”
“Oh honey.” Ciara hugs me. “Yeah, unfortunately, when you have feelings for someone, they don’t just go away overnight.” She says this sadly, like she’s talking from experience.
“How long do the symptoms last? What time frame can I expect?”
Ciara laughs. “You can’t science your way out of this. You know what Madison would tell you—that your first heartbreak is an important milestone and you gotta feel your feelings.”
I wince dramatically. “And what would you tell me?”
“To get laid, obviously,” she says, looking around with a glint in her eyes. “And then there’s always tequila.”
“Tequila is never the answer.”
“If I remember correctly, from a certain apology video, you owe me a shot.”
I groan loudly and let a laughing Ciara drag me to the bar.
After I choke down some reposado, I introduce Ciara to all my work friends.
My boss’s daughter comes rushing over and tells Ciara that she is “such a fan.” It’s hard for me to keep a straight face as she quotes Ciara .
. . to Ciara. “And look! I wore a pink dress because you totally inspired me,” she adds.
Ciara thanks her for her kind words, but I’m grateful when Matt comes over and interrupts. Until he opens his mouth to introduce himself. “Hi, Ciara, I’m Grace’s handsome and single brother who helped save her lab. You’ve probably heard of me.”
I clock the mischievous look in Ciara’s eye when she says, “Oh, you must be Jesse!”
I burst out laughing. “Ohhh, burn!”
Even Matt has to laugh at this. He continues shamelessly trying to hit on Ciara for a few more minutes until my mom clinks on her wineglass and loudly announces, “The show is starting! Everyone find a seat!”
Cassie finds me and squeezes my hand supportively.
We walk over to the grass that’s barely visible under a layer of throw pillows and I sit between Ciara and Cassie in front of the screen.
And that’s when I start to feel queasy. It’s the same nervousness I get when I’m about to speak in front of a large group of people.
Which is ridiculous, because giving the keynote speech at a conservation convention is infinitely more important than watching myself on a temporary backyard screen.
But nonetheless, I’m nauseated and mortified when the opening credits begin to roll.
They introduce every contestant as a horrible pop theme song plays.
And then there I am, with my fake glasses, looking like a total prude out of water.
Suddenly I’m grateful that Pasadena is sandwiched between three fault lines. Maybe I’ll get lucky and the earth will open up and swallow me whole.
I reflexively cover my eyes but can’t help peeking through my fingers when Shantae singsongs, “Welcome to the Love Shack finale!” This is met by loud cheers in the backyard.
Shantae looks as polished as ever as she recaps the previous episodes for the audience.
“As you know, we’ve seen many different pairings this season,” she narrates over a montage of clips from the show.
It starts with Beth Anne kissing Cowboy Bill while wearing his hat and cuts to footage of Ciara kissing Javier on their one-on-one date.
I sneak a guilty peek at Ciara. She pats my knee reassuringly.
Then I cringe when there’s footage of me dancing with Scott at the Angels and Devils party.
And I have to look away when it cuts to me on my dinner date with Javier.
“Woooh! There’s Grace!” Alec cheers, and I shoot him a dirty look at the same time Eliza elbows him.
“Some of your favorite couples are still together. While others saw their end . . .” The recap quickly cuts to a scene from a recent coupling ceremony, and Shante explains, “After Beth Anne chose to go out with Chris, Scott got sent home.” They show footage of Scott wheeling his three suitcases out of the mansion.
“Oh damn,” I whisper to Cassie.
“Serves him right!” my dad shouts from somewhere behind me. The whole backyard erupts in laughter and cheers. I have to admit, watching Scott get rejected and kicked off the show is vindictively satisfying. Maybe I’ll let my dad send him a “Two Pump Guy” shirt.
“Beth Anne and Chris are the most recent couple,” Shantae continues. “They’re joined in the finale by Dominique and Braden—”
“Who?” I whisper to Ciara as video plays of a good-looking couple on jet skis.
“They came the day you left. Haven’t you been watching?”
“Hell no.”
Ciara points at another supermodel couple on the screen who seem to be competing in a sexy cooking competition. “DeVonte and Janelle are new too. But they’re boring and have the least points.”
“Aww, are they in my shack?”
“They sure are. And they definitely got more use out of it than you did,” Ciara says suggestively.
“Their poor backs.”
Ciara laughs, then we both fall quiet when footage of Madison and TC slow-dancing fills the screen. My heart swells and I involuntarily clap. “Madison and TC are still going strong,” Shantae says into the camera.
“Heck yeah they are!” my boss’s daughter shouts.
“But if you’ve noticed, there’s one couple missing,” Shantae continues.
“Javier.” Ciara gasps as we watch a video of Javier on the beach, picnicking with a familiar curvy brunette.
“That’s Eliana,” Ciara says jealously. “She asked Javi out right after you left.”
When I look back up at the screen, Javier walks over to the new arrival I met briefly, while she does yoga with Madison. Now I feel jealous. I’m Madison’s yoga buddy.
Javier says, “Hey, Eliana, can I talk to you for a sec?” I can see the pain in his face. I know what’s coming.
She follows him over to the pool, and they sit down, feet dangling in the water.
“?Qué pasó?” she asks nonchalantly, with a sweet smile.
My stomach drops. This poor girl doesn’t know what’s about to hit her.
Unfortunately, I now know that feeling all too well.
But at least Javier isn’t hopping on a plane to Syria.
Javier takes a deep breath. “Thank you for choosing me for your one-on-one date. I had an amazing time on our picnic. And I loved getting to know you.”
“But?” she says, finally figuring out where this is going.
“But . . . I’m just not in the right head space to continue dating you. There’s someone I made a connection with before you got here, and I never gave it the chance it deserved. I’m still thinking about her and regretting it.”
I turn to look at Ciara. “It’s you! He’s talking about you!” She shushes me and stares at the screen.
“You still have feelings for Ciara?” Eliana asks.
Javier nods. “I do. I don’t know if she’ll take me back, but I’ve gotta try.”
“Holy Stephen Hawking!” I shout excitedly, looking at Ciara. She has a huge smile on her face as she watches the on-screen Javier wheel his luggage out of the mansion.
“I knew it!” my mom says happily to everyone at the party. “I totally called that. Didn’t I call it, Howie?”
“Is your mom trying to take credit for matchmaking a couple she doesn’t know, who were already matched?” Cassie whispers to me.
“I’m not sure why that surprises you,” I whisper back. Then I turn to Ciara. “Are you going to take Javi back—”
I’m immediately shushed by Gregory’s daughter. “They’re announcing the winner.”
Annoyed but amused, I close my mouth and turn my attention back to the screen. The remaining couples now sit in the familiar white lounge furniture by the pool.
“Madison looks stunning!” Cassie gasps.
I nod in agreement as Shantae addresses the contestants.
“While the points you’ve earned over the season got you to the finale, tonight’s winner is determined by America’s vote.
” Shantae turns to look into the camera and talks to the viewers at home.
“We’ve asked you, the audience, to consider everything from how the contestants performed in sexy challenges and putting themselves out there to personal and relationship growth, and meaningful connections.
And you answered! We had more than three million votes! ”
“Idiots,” I repeat, and Ciara laughs.
“And we have a clear winner. With seventy-eight percent of the total votes, the winner of season three of Love Shack is . . .”
I hold my breath. Ciara and Cassie each squeeze one of my hands.
“Madison!” Shantae exclaims, and confetti cannons shoot sparkly bits of paper all over Madison.
TC immediately picks her up in an enthusiastic hug and kiss while everyone in my parents’ backyard jumps up and screams. I look at the screen to see the other contestants cheering for Madison as well. But none louder than me.