Page 28 of Glamour & Gumballs

It might’ve been the best day of my life.

The best day of my month, for sure. Maybe the best day of my year, considering how shitty things had been.

After giving myself a minute to take it all in, I finally slipped out of the bathroom and walked toward the smell of cooking food.

I found Kyle chatting with Jordan at a four-person dining table. All three men had large plates in front of them, and though the plates were empty, there were signs that there had been food on them at some point.

“Sorry, I tried to be quick,” I said, taking the empty seat. There was no plate in front of it, but I could hear food sizzling behind a door nearby.

“No need to apologize. We’ve been having a good time,” Kyle said, patting his chiseled abdomen. “The chef is fucking fantastic. Go ahead, Rhett.”

Rhett left silently.

I couldn’t stop my gaze from tracking him out of the room.

“You like him,” Kyle said, as soon as Rhett was gone.

I didn’t answer, assuming he was talking to Jordan about whatever they’d been discussing earlier.

“Erin,” he said.

“Hmm?” I looked over.

“You like him. Rhett.” He nodded in the direction Rhett had gone.

My face heated, though I tried to prevent it. “Bullshit.”

Kyle grinned. “I was awake the morning your pheromones started. They started because of him.”

“Like hell they did.”

He laughed. “Don’t bother denying it. I’m on your side here.”

I scoffed. “You’re competing to win me like a prize, asshole.”

“If it was that simple, I would’ve won the last season.” His grin widened. “I’m competing to get to the end. You might be the prize, but you’re also the only one who awards it.”

“So?”

“I got to the end with Cameron and Molly. I’ve figured out how this game works.” He nodded toward me. “So, we should make a truce.”

“A truce?” My voice raised, slightly incredulous.

“A truce,” he agreed. “I’ll do what I can to get Rhett to the end, and continue convincing everyone that he’s not a risk for as long as I can. In exchange, if you can’t convince him that you’re worth staying alive for, you pick me.”

“Why would you ever agree to that?”

“Because I’ve been friends with Rhett for a long-ass time, and I don’t want to watch the bastard fade when there’s a woman interested in him. And if he doesn’t mate with you, I don’t think he’s living long enough to play another round.”

My stomach clenched. “He doesn’t want me.”

“He doesn’t know what he wants. Hasn’t since Kellie broke his heart. Give him a reason to live, and he’ll be the best fucker you could ask for. You’ve seen how much the other guys on the island respect him. You know that’s true.”

“I don’t know him well enough to make a decision like that right now.”

Kyle nodded. “I get it. You can take some time to think about it; I won’t tell anyone what I’ve realized. Let me know when you make up your mind.”

The door to the kitchen opened, and a new woman came out with three massive plates of food. She smiled at all of us, not batting an eye at Rhett’s absence, and left the food with the three of us.

---