Page 75 of The Billionaire Love Match

TWENTY-TWO

Every step Colt tookaway from Casey felt like a punch to his gut. She was paid to say yes. And she was...an actress?

He felt foolish. Hurt. Used.

And still somehow, he wanted to turn around and run back to her. To wrap her up in his arms the way he had in Marco’s. This felt so real. How could he have been so wrong. She deserved an Oscar.

Colt stopped in the bathroom of the house, the only place cameras wouldn’t follow. He threw water on his face, knowing this would mean another trip back to the trailer for touch-up. Was his mother still there?

His mother. What role did she play in this? He had thought he was getting around her, doing something on his own, but he played right into her hands. If Casey was an actress, why would his mother have done the whole show about her taking the money?

Something didn’t add up but he felt too exhausted. Every trail of questions and thoughts led him right back to a place of despair: Casey didn’t love him. It wasn’t real.

But her face...

How could that not be real?

He rubbed a towel over his face and leaned back against the door. There was a knock.

“Colt, Tessa’s ready and waiting.”

“Be out in a sec.”

Colt touched the ring box in his pocket. He had imagined giving this to Casey. Not today, but in a few days or weeks. As soon as he could break free from the camera and his mother.

As he stood there, he realized something. No matter what, he couldn’t take the studio his mother offered him. He would never be free if he did.

He whipped out his phone. “Ty,” he said, his voice breaking.

“Dude, what happened? You okay?”

“I don’t think so. Casey...I just let her go.”

“From the show? Or for real?”

“Is there a difference? None of it’s real, apparently.”

“Back up. Help me understand.”

“My mother pulled me aside just before I went out to Casey. Showed me a contract Casey signed to get a big check if she said yes.”

Ty sighed. “Your mother, man. Cold.”

“Casey signed it.”

“Yeah, and you signed on to this stupid show so you could get a studio. What’s the difference? You don’t know what took place in that conversation. You’ve had years to learn to navigate how your mother works. Casey’s a civilian. She can’t handle that.”

“She’s an actress.”

“No.”

“Yes. She used Morse code to tell me that.”

“When? How?”

“Right after I told her that I wasn’t choosing her.”

“That makes no sense. What would she have to gain?”

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