Page 29 of Sexy Bad Valentine

***

I’ve been so mixed up these last few days. I begged off from watching Barclay do his Cupid impression, and haven’t seen Max since. I don’t know if I even want to see him. These feelings I have for him won’t go away. I’m not sure that I want to cement them too.

I’ve responded to his messages about how I am and if he can see me as curtly as I can manage, telling him that I have to work out who to pick for the show. But the truth is that’s only difficult because I don’t want to pick any of them. I’m pretty sure my dreams are starting to look like the set of Puppy Love, and every time I announce my choice, it’s Max.

I wandered past his sister’s house at one point, waivered on whether to stop, but there was a woman there, which reminded me why he’s not the type of guy I want to get close to. How many times do I need to learn my lesson before it sticks?

***

“Have you made your decision?” Kelly asks as we walk down the hallway to the room where the first interview was filmed. Inside the crew, the dogs, and the guys who worked to woo me through the craziest dates I’ve ever been on are waiting.

“Maybe,” I say nervously. Will Max be here too now that he’s not necessarily needed? Will he be hurt that I’ve avoided him? “I’m not sure. I suppose I have to pick one of them, don’t I?”

“Yes.” She gives me a pity smile that is more a tight squeeze of her lips. “It is the moment we’ve all been waiting for.”

“And if I don’t?” I balk at the door. “If I can’t?”

“Remember how I told you about the breach of contract?”

“Yes.”

“Well—”

I don’t hear whatever she says, because coming toward us is Max and a woman I’ve never seen before. She’s radiant and naturally sun bronzed, her dark hair a sleek bob. “Hello, you must be Evie.” She takes my hand, her brown eyes sparkling, as Kelly steps back. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Deanna Holt. Owner of Puppy Love.”

“Hello.” I glance at Max who stands stiffly beside her in a dark suit and tie. He has one hand shoved in his pocket and his jaw is clenched, but his gaze doesn’t contain its usual warmth, and when it settles on me it’s almost unbearable.

“I’m not sure if you two have formally met. This is my brother, Maxwell Holt.” She gestures at him. “It’s my understanding that he helped out during filming.”

“It’s good to see you again.” I’d swear we’d never met before if he wasn’t looking at me like he was finding this conversation as difficult as I am.

His sister is the owner of the company. When he said he had connections I didn’t think it would be to the owner. And the way he’s dressed now that she’s here... like he’s important. Kelly’s reaction to my assertion that he could be fired makes sense now. How high up is he? Is he an owner too? “You’re not the dog walker then?”

“No.” He leans forward to shake my hand. Perhaps it looks normal, but it feels stilted and awkward. “CEO of Puppy Love Enterprises, actually.”

When I told him that Kelly had threatened me with breach of contract and I’d worried he could be fired, he’d said he couldn’t be fired because his contract was different from mine. I’d figured it was because he wasn’t the one on the dates. It made sense that the dog walker might not have the same limitations put on him. But he’s not really a dog walker is he? He’s the CEO? Big difference. Huge.

Is anything he told me remotely true? I glance past his shoulder at Kelly, and she presses her lips into the tightest of lines, a warning in her eyes. Why is he behaving like he’s barely met me? Like I’m nothing.

“You lied to me,” I whisper under my breath, letting my hand drop back to my side. Do I even know him at all? Or was it some game for him? A ploy? The worst part is I expected it. Or should have expected it. I only fall for guys who hurt me. You’d think I would have learned by now.

“Sorry?” Deanna asks, but Max hears me.

His nostrils flare almost imperceptibly, his eyes widen and then narrow. For a second I expect he’ll say something by the way his throat tenses and his lips part. Then he steps back, drawing a line between us, and I feel sick to my stomach. How did I fall for his act?

“Are you ready, Evie?” Deanna asks.

“As I’ll ever be.” Somehow I manage to sound confident and indifferent. I don’t know how, when inside I’m shaking.

Kelly opens the door and Deanna walks in ahead of us.

“After you,” Max says, touching my elbow as he ushers me in.

I want to snap at him and tell him not to touch me. I don’t know him at all. But it won’t achieve anything. He probably wouldn’t even care. I just want to get this over and done with so I can get out of here.

Shadow, King, and Maloney are all sitting on plush cushions in front of three screens. The crew is set up and waiting for us. Deanna says something about how grateful she is to everyone for all their hard work.

The entire time Maxwell Holt stares at me from just inside the door. His gaze travels with me, no matter where I stand. I can’t help but think of Holly and Frank. Although his name was never Frank, it was Paul, or Pete, or something. I thought that night I was Holly, but maybe it was Max this whole time. Wild and uncommitted and whoever he had to be to get what he wanted. Me. He wanted me, he had me, and now it’s over.

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