Page 48 of The Final Rose

I should be happyto be in a car back to London. Isn't it just that Anya trusts me to run things in her absence, but I wanted to avoid Sebastian, and nothing better than going in the opposite direction than he’s heading, right?

It will delay our meeting by at least half a day, if I play my cards right, a full day.

I should be grateful, but instead, I’m wiggling my hands on top of my lap as the pastures of the English countryside run through the window.

The last thing I want is to have a lovely sit down with Isla and talk about the kiss. Whatever Nessa’s theory is, the reality is that Sebastian kissed Isla.

That’s that.

I’m being brought to the hotel where they filmed the elimination ceremony. Although it would be easier if we used the country house as the only and main location for our time in England, it made sense to the game to bring only the top five to his house.

I breathe through my nose and make a mental list of why this is the worst idea.

Sebastian has to be with one of the five girls. It’s just a fact. He doesn’t need to marry her, but he needs to be in a relationship for this to ring true.

We had couples before that didn’t last a week after production wrapped up, but I thought Sebastian was different.

He said he was here for love and I believed him. And idiotically, I still do. After meeting his sister, it was confirmed what he said. His family was always in the public eye. His parents raised him and Bea to be the perfect children. Every encounter he had with women was calculated and planned.

The Final Roseis his rebellion. Sure, many people will think he’s full of it, but Sebastian really thinks this is his only way to meet someone.

I recline my head on the backrest of the passenger seat and take a calming breath. I want to be angry at Sebastian for kissing Isla right after kissing me. In a way, I’m very much so. But this thing was already a mess.

Sebastian and I crossed a line, and we were in the wrong. Him kissing one of the contestants is right. That should be a sign my future isn’t completely lost. I just have to be smart about it.

I’m ready for a promotion and I thought this season I was going to prove to everyone I can do more. Get a bigger salary,take the project of mom’s new home off the ground, and hopefully, start planning for my own house.

That’s the plan. That has always been the plan.

And yet… Sebastian Riggs.

“I’m so happy you’rehere!” Isla jumps on me, and we hug.

I arrive back in London late. Kara then tells me Isla’s interview is scheduled first thing the next morning. So here I am, in the most horrible first hours of the morning, being jumped by Isla when my coffee isn’t even ready. I asked an assistant to fetch me a cup, but he’s still not back yet.

“I thought I was going to go before saying goodbye. They told me you were in the country house already.”

“I was,” I agree. Tapping awkwardly on her back until she releases me. “But it was better for me to, you know…” I clear my throat.

It was better for me, of all people, to come here so we could talk about that time you kissed my man.

Not my man.Sebastian Fucking Riggs.

Isla folds her arms over her chest and makes a face. She watches me so intently I feel like she watched my kiss with Sebastian, too. I shake my head, feeling stupid.

“We need to talk about the unexpected elimination.” I turn the conversation back to work and point to the chair in the middle of the room.

I take my spot beside the director’s chair, today filled by Jeff’s second assistant. This is the last thing we need to film, so of course all the main crew is preparing for our next location. Anexit interview should be simple, but suddenly we are balancing an entire season on it.

Nick, the assistant, is back with my black coffee and I almost kiss him in gratitude. It’s horribly weak, but this is England, and I take what I can get.

“I wouldn’t think it’s so unexpected. I wasn’t a favorite, Callie.”

I sip my coffee and rein in my grimace as the cameras turn on. I can’t waste this conversation off-camera.

Andrew gives me a thumbs up and I nod to Isla, letting her know she’s being filmed now. I massage my temple, putting my head back in the game. As much as I’d love to know why Isla felt she wasn’t a favorite, this isn’t about that.

This is about the damn kiss.

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