Page 52 of The Billionaire Love Match

SIXTEEN

The next week flewby. After the date where Becca didn’t return, Colt started sending girls home at random times. There were six at the beginning of the week and by the middle, only three. Everyone was more on edge than normal, since every time Colt showed up for a group date or a cocktail party, someone seemed to go home.

It was Saturday, and typically this meant no real filming. But instead, producers had Casey, Tessa, and Kendall dress up and head out to the pool. Chris Haversham and Colt stood at one side of the pool and the three of them on the other.

“Ladies, by this point, the typical show has overnight dates,” Chris Haversham said.

Casey’s stomach tightened. This was one of her other fears. A close second to having to hold her breath underwater. Which actually sounded better at that moment.

“Those are a chance for you to see how you feel about the other person without the cameras.”

And, Casey thought, to have sex. That’s how these shows worked. It was obvious even when the cameras panned away. She would do almost anything for unchaperoned time with Colt. Not for that reason, but because it was so hard to know in the snatches of conversation they had if what was growing between them was real. But the idea of the entire world thinking she was a slut, even more than they already did.

She met Colt’s eyes, which were lit up. Clearly, he was excited about whatever Chris was dragging out. She hated to disappoint him, but she wouldn’t spend the night with him.

Chris continued on. “Instead, we are going to let you do a trade. A two-hour undisturbed and unfilmed dinner with Colt.”

Casey grinned. Colt was looking only at her, grinning right back.

“But you’ll have to pay for it. Each of you will be given a separate choice to make. To earn the dinner with Colt, you’ll have to do something else that will be a challenge for you.”

Swimming. Of course. They already knew Casey’s fears. From the interviews and from the time spent with Ty.

Colt’s look had turned from a smile to a scowl. Clearly this was news to him.

“Tessa, you’re up first. Kendall and Casey, wait inside until we call you.”

Casey squeezed Tessa’s hand. Both wishing her luck and secretly hoping the price was too high. Sitting on the couch, Kendall looked nervous, biting her nails.

“What do you think they’ll ask us to do?” She asked Casey.

“They know I hate swimming. So I’m sure it will be that. Something related to that. I can’t imagine what else. But if they want any more details, they have a whole file on us to choose terrible things from.”

This was not the right thing to say. Kendall looked more nervous than she felt. Casey blew her bangs aside and reached out, grabbing Kendall’s nervous hand. “Hey, it will be fine. If it’s terrible, what’s he going to do—send you home? His loss.”

Kendall smiled and looked down at her skirt. “They’re wrong about you,” she said.

“I know. But it’s just TV, right?”

The doors to the patio swung open and Tessa stormed in, her eyes wide and hands shaking. Oh no. She turned toward Casey and Kendall but a producer grabbed her by the waist and ushered her away.

“Kendall?”

“You’ll do great,” Casey said. “Don’t let them pressure you. Say yes only if you really want to. They just want drama. Ratings. Okay?”

Kendall nodded and then the doors closed behind her. For ten long minutes, Casey sat picking at her manicure. She never got them, but it was another thing Amanda had insisted on. “Can’t have you looking half-done,” she had said. She even bought Casey a gift card to a salon where she got her very first mani-pedi. As she’d sat in the massage chair with a glass of wine and someone massaging her legs with hot stones, she promised herself more of these if—no, when—her books made it big.

The doors swung open. But it wasn’t Kendall. Mark smiled to her. “Your turn, Casey.”

“Should I be scared?” She whispered. “Did Kendall go home?”

He patted her arm and sent her out to the pool area.

Colt’s scowl had turned to something worse. He looked angry and...scared. His eyes pleaded with her as she made her way over to where Chris Haversham pointed.

Chris took her by the arm. “Casey. Are you nervous?”

“Do I have reason to be? Y’all seem to like the hype and drama, so I’m expecting some smoke and mirrors,” she said, with a bravado that she did not feel.

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