Page 62 of Knot Her Reality

“I’m sorry. I’m trying—really, I am. I’m just so irritated.”

Vivian, the beta doing my hair, snickers. “Oh, we can tell. If it’ll make you feel better, you can vent to us. We’d never judge you.”

“I appreciate it, but I feel like if I talk about it, I’ll get more irritated. I just want to get this rose ceremony over with so he can be gone.” I take a deep breath and close my eyes, jerking when someone knocks on the door.

Allison sighs again. “I’m glad I wasn’t trying to put your makeup on then.”

“I’m going to have to start your hair over again now,” Vivian tells me. “Allison, will you grab the door?”

“Sorry, Vivian.” I glance up into one of the mirrors on the wall to find her shaking her head with a smile on her face.

“It’s not your fault. It’s whoever knocked on the door’s fault.”

“I guess that’s me, then,” Bree says with a laugh. “What’s my fault?”

“Me jerking and messing up my hair,” I tell her as she moves around to stand in front of me.

Bree shrugs. “Sorry, Vivian. Not much I could’ve done to prevent that though. How are you doing, Evangeline?”

I make a face, and Allison sighs again. Narrowing my eyes in her direction, I tell her, “You weren’t even near my face. I’m okay, Bree. I swear.”

“No, she’s not.” Allison raises her brows at me before turning her attention to Bree. “She’s pissed off about one of the suitors’ behavior. She’s stewing on it and won’t talk to us about it.”

Bree wrinkles her nose. “I figured as much. Let’s try to forget about him for a moment—we all know what his fate is going to be. Do you have any questions about the rose ceremony or how it works?”

“Nope.”

“Close your eyes and don’t move,” Allison demands, and I quickly follow her directions. Bree’s arrival means that it’s almost time for the rose ceremony. I need to let the two beta women finish their work so I can get dressed.

“Do you know who you’re giving which roses to?”

As much as I want to answer Bree’s question, the fear of Allison losing it on me has me keeping my mouth closed. Instead, I lift my hand and shake it from side to side to tell her kind of. I know who’s being sent home tonight—that’s the most important thing. I just don’t know who I’ll be inviting on dates yet. Or if anyone will be invited back to my bedroom. I’m not ready to invite anyone to become part of my pack. I just don’t know any of them well enough yet. That’s one rose I won’t be handing out tonight.

Bree laughs. “I guess that’s better than not knowing at all. Is there anything you need from me?”

I lift my hand once more, giving her a thumbs up. I don’t know why she keeps asking me all these questions when I can’t answer her. Brat.

“Okay. Well, we have about ten minutes until you’re supposed to be at the ballroom. Will she be ready, Vivian? Allison?”

Allison hums as a brush runs across my eyelid. If I’m remembering correctly, all she has left are my eyes and lips. This isn’t the first time she’s done my makeup, though she’s mostly just assisted me with it. I’ve done enough shows to know how to do my makeup, but it is her job so I’m trying to let her do it.

“I’m almost done,” Allison says, and Vivian hums in agreement. “Maybe you should be in the room while she’s getting ready more often. This is the most relaxed she’s been since we got here.”

I’d love to tell her to hush or something, but she’s already moved onto my lips, and she will kill me if I talk right now.

“And done,” Vivian announces.

Allison pulls away from me and pauses for a moment. “Me, too.”

Blinking my eyes open, I give all three women in the room a big smile. “Thank you for putting up with me. I can’t promise to be any better behaved the rest of the time on the show, but I’m sure going to try.”

“You’re fine, dear.” Vivian squeezes my shoulder. “You have a lot going on, so it’s understandable. But you better go get dressed so you’re not late for your own ceremony.”

I jump out of the chair and head for my bedroom. “Thanks again. Have a great night!”

I don’t bother shutting the door as I hear the door to my suite open and shut. Bree is more than likely still in my suite, but she’s already seen me naked. Undoing the buttons of my shirt, I push it over my shoulders and toss it into the basket. My shorts quickly follow, leaving me in nothing more than my thong.

“You really don’t care about being naked, do you?” Bree laughs, and when I glance over my shoulder, I see her standing in the doorway as she shakes her head.

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