Chapter Five
Skye wasn’t proud of hiding in the bathroom.
Okay, maybe she was a little proud. It was a great strategy. There were no cameras, no microphones, no Marla asking her silly questions like, “How are you doing?” It was just her, a lovely ceramic basin, and the blessed silence of solitude.
She leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror. Her lip gloss was thankfully still intact, and her eyeliner was barely even smudged. She looked calm. Professional. Maybe even a little bachelorette-y in her emerald slip dress that made her feel surprisingly beautiful.
But inside her mind was a damn three-ring circus.
Twelve women. Twelve fricken women. And they all seemed to be here for the right reasons, to fall in love, which was funny considering that was the exact opposite of what she wanted.
All she really wanted was to stay behind the cameras, keep the shoot on schedule, and maybe flirt harmlessly with one or two of the contestants without feeling pressured to do anything about it.
There was a sudden knock on the door.
“Skye, I know you’re hiding in there.” Marla’s voice erred on the side of impatience, and for good reason.
Skye had run away after Veronica had cornered her at the bar and hinted at the first impression rose ceremony that would take place at the end of the night.
Skye had nearly blurted out that they were using a Pua Kalaunu—a Hawaiian crown flower lei traditionally reserved for royalty—instead of the traditional rose, but she’d luckily caught herself. It was supposed to be a surprise.
“I just need a minute.”
“Well, I’ll give you two,” Marla said. “But then I need your butt out here. We’re moving to the beach in five.”
“Great,” Skye muttered, running a hand down her dress. She then smoothed a flyaway hair before she gave her reflection another look in the mirror. It seemed her entire head of hair looked flyaway. Real bachelorette or not, she was stuck in this now.
“I’ll be right there,” she said, louder this time. She inhaled deeply enough to convince herself that she was composed enough to take on whatever Marla was about to throw her way and pushed open the bathroom door.
And then she walked straight into someone.
Skye let out a muffled oof as she stumbled forward and instinctively threw out her hands to catch her balance. Her palms landed on something soft but solid, something alarmingly warm. Two very definite hips. And a waist. A lovely narrow waist.
“Shit, sorry…” Skye started, eyes on the slight indent of her fingers against the buttery yellow dress. “I wasn’t …” She looked up.
Shit.
Out of all the people she could’ve bumped into, of course it had to be a contestant.
The day was basically one long string of things she didn’t want, events she couldn’t control, and situations she most definitely hadn’t planned for.
And now, if that wasn’t enough, she couldn’t quite remember the contestant’s name.
Claire? No, she didn’t look like a Claire.
Vanessa? Definitely not. Skye vaguely remembered linking that name to a fennec fox.
Lucy? Yes. Lucy.
She remembered now. Back when she was still assistant director, she’d associated each contestant with a specific animal to keep their names and faces straight. Lucy was a red-tailed hawk.
Lucy had caught herself with a small step back, but her hands had gone to Skye’s shoulders. Her touch was light and steadying.
Skye froze. Her fingers were still on Lucy’s waist. She should move them. Probably. Definitely. Any second now.
“That’s okay,” Lucy said, her eyes flicking down to where Skye’s hands were on her waist.
Skye felt her brain short-circuit. “I didn’t mean to grab you,” she said quickly. “I mean, I did, obviously, but not like grabbing-grabbing. That was a reflex.” Skye quickly dropped her hands from Lucy’s waist before things got even more awkward. If that was even possible.
“It’s no problem,” Lucy said, smiling. “As long as you believe me when I say I didn’t follow you to the bathroom.”
“What a weird thing to say.”
If there was a color called panic red, it would be the exact shade spreading across Lucy’s cheeks. It made her already ridiculous ocean blue eyes look somehow lighter, like the part of the sea that tricked you into thinking it was shallow before dropping you into the abyss.
Skye laughed before she could stop herself. Great. Now she was smiling. What was next? Flirting? Or worse even than that? Admitting to herself that she didn’t hate every second of this moment?
Lucy, still pink-cheeked, gave a half-laugh. “Okay, fine, that sounded a little creepy.”
“Just a tad.”
“Well, I promise I’m not creepy.” Lucy lifted her hand, her fingers held in a three-point salute. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were in the scouts?”
She dropped her hand like it had personally betrayed her. “No, I wasn’t. I don’t know why I did that.”
Skye wasn’t sure it was possible for someone to look more embarrassed. Pink bloomed across the young woman’s face. Then her face twisted into a grimace, and her hands twitched at her sides, like she couldn’t decide what to do with them.
“Relax,” Skye said, amused despite herself. “I’m only teasing. You’re quite easy to fluster.”
Lucy laughed. It was soft, almost silent, but her shoulders were shaking. “Only for you, apparently. Normally, I’m as cool as a cucumber.”
“Anyone who says they’re as cool as a cucumber probably isn’t. Just saying,” Skye said, arching a brow.
“You’re probably right.” Lucy bit at her lip and smiled like she didn’t mind being teased. Which Skye found quite refreshing, actually.
A few seconds passed. Neither of them said anything. They both stared awkwardly at each other like two idiots in a hallway lined with terracotta tiles and framed art of sprawling vineyards on the walls when Marla’s voice echoed from around the corner.
“Final scene in two! Let’s go.”
Skye flinched.
Lucy gave her a quick look. “Are you alright?”
“Never better,” she lied. “Should we go?” The quicker she could inhale fresh air, the better. The hallway was beginning to feel like it was closing in on her.
Skye took the lead. She was acutely aware of just how close Lucy walked beside her. Close enough that her arm brushed against Lucy’s. Close enough that Skye could catch the faint scent of sunscreen and coconut shampoo.
Still, she didn’t move away.
A fork came up. Skye veered left toward the beach, toward the spot where fairy lights were strung from palm tree to palm tree and a semicircle of beach chairs had been arranged facing the waves.
The camera crew was already in position down at the shoreline with their equipment lined up beside the torch-lit pathway that led to the chairs.
A floral arrangement in the shape of a heart had been drawn in the sand.
The Pua Kalaunu lei was draped on a pedestal made from driftwood and white stone and gleamed pale violet in the moonlight.
And the rest of the contestants were already waiting, murmuring among themselves.
And as Skye and Lucy stepped onto the sand, nearly every head turned.
Eyes snapped to them. Conversations faltered, and just like that, the tension became thick and sharp, like the shift in pressure before a summer storm.
“Okay, everyone, let’s get into place!” Marla’s voice called from somewhere offscreen, thankfully breaking the tension. “We’re rolling in ten.”
The contestants shifted toward the chairs and formed a loose line in front of them.
Skye stood still. This was her cue. It was the moment every single one of the contestants had waited with bated breath for.
The first impression ceremony. The first real declaration.
In the language of this ridiculous game, it mattered more than it should.
It didn’t just say I like you, it said, you stand out.
You’re the one I can’t stop thinking about.
It was the first sign of a front-runner, and somehow Skye was expected to make the decision with less time than she’d take to choose a new pair of running shoes.
Which, by the way, she researched for months in advance of said purchase.
She glanced in Lucy’s direction, where she stood at the edge of the circle. Her cheeks were still pink, and her hair had gone a little wind-tousled on their walk down. Her eyes met Skye’s for a second too long.
Skye looked away first. Focus. She had to focus.
Alexis was the obvious choice. She was gorgeous, polished, and not too long ago took a solo trip to the Caribbean to find herself.
Veronica did sunrise yoga every single morning and cried when she talked about the smell of her grandmother’s garden.
McKenna had recited her dream date in a way that made even Skye excited about ice cream melting down wrists and dancing barefoot on Laguna Beach.
Any of them would be a safe bet. But then why did her eyes keep drifting back to Lucy? To the woman she’d nearly bulldozed on her way out of the bathroom, who had made that weird comment about not being a stalker, who wasn’t smooth or practiced, and referred to herself as cool as a cucumber.
Skye didn’t want to like her. She didn’t want to find herself attracted to any one of these stunning women because it meant that her role as the bachelorette was becoming a reality.
“You’re up,” one of the PAs whispered, nudging her, breaking her out of her thoughts.
Skye exhaled, stepped forward, and cleared her throat. The circle hushed. Every head turned toward her again, and Skye did her best to look authoritative but warm, sincere, and lovable, exactly like Marla had coached her earlier that day.
“Tonight was a whirlwind,” she started, managing a faint, sincere smile. “You all made great impressions. You’re all smart, funny, terrifying in the best way.”
There was laughter, small and scattered, but it helped the hummingbird flutter of nerves in her stomach.
“I won’t draw this out,” Skye went on, surprised at how steady her voice sounded. “I had some amazing conversations this evening.”
And she had. Any of the women she’d talked to would’ve made sense. Any of them would’ve been the smart choice.
But then she looked straight at Lucy and, just like that, the decision made itself.
“Lucy,” Skye said, holding out the lei. “Will you accept the first impression lei?”
Lucy didn’t move. For one horrifying second, Skye thought she might turn and run, but then Lucy’s face broke into the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen.
“Me?” she whispered, tapping her chest. “Seriously?”
“Yes, you,” Skye replied, almost laughing. “Now, will you please accept this lei before I change my mind?”
Lucy stepped forward, and Skye lifted the lei over her head before settling it gently onto her shoulders. Their eyes met and for the second time in the space of five minutes, something flipped in her stomach, something light and panicked and oddly hopeful.
“Thank you,” Lucy said with a voice barely above a whisper.
Skye nodded because ‘you’re welcome’ didn’t feel quite enough. It certainly was not enough for what this was, not for the stupid way her stomach kept flipping like she was fifteen again and had her first real girl crush.
For a beat, neither moved. Skye couldn’t seem to look away.
“You’re blushing again,” Skye murmured, watching the blush creep down Lucy’s neck.
Lucy looked mortified. “I know,” she said softly. “I can feel it on my ears.”
Skye chuckled, but that laughter was quickly drowned out by the other contestants clapping, some more strained than others.
Alexis looked like she wanted to shove someone into the ocean.
Veronica blinked, looking far too stunned, and McKenna sighed and muttered, ‘Of course’ before she gave a picture-perfect smile to the camera panning across their faces.
Skye registered all of it. She was trained to. She could already hear the editing notes Marla would give, the voiceover possibilities, and the far too dramatic music cues they’d edit in afterward. But she didn’t pay it much attention because she was too busy staring at Lucy. Actually staring.
Marla’s voice suddenly called from somewhere behind the camera. “And that’s a cut on the first impression ceremony. Thank you, ladies.”
Skye took half a step back, suddenly aware of how long she’d been standing there, looking at Lucy like an idiot. She cleared her throat and nodded.
“I have to go,” she said and then turned too quickly, nearly tripping over a drift of sand. But even that didn’t stop her. And she didn’t look back. She just felt Lucy’s eyes on her the entire way.