Page 116 of Knot Just for Show

Lysander and I took photos, and I sketched a few quick scribbles into my notebook, starting to brainstorm what the final outcome would look like.

Ash and I were left to our own devices to call furniture stores, tiling and flooring companies, kitchen equipment outfitters, and of course, for me to start calling my hothouse sources to see what the flora of La Cerise would look like.

Our goal was to have the location ready in time for us to present our new future business venture and home away from home to Ursula ahead of our bonding ceremony.

Of course, there was also the small matter of taking care of Mrs. and Mrs. Wong. Teddy and Lysander made their way to visit Lindsay and Mei alone. To impart Teddy's story of cheap deception for cash, to runaway whirlwind romance, and to inform Mrs. and Mrs. Wong. They were the brand-new owners of the modest Sunny Strip Plaza, in which their Dojo and Dance Studio were located in addition to a modest ranch home located a few blocks from the strip.

Though both of his moms had been furious at him, neither of Teddy's moms could decline that generous gift.

They came to find out, the Wong’s were planning to sell the business and move into a small ramshackle apartment due to the raising of rents in the otherwise dead Sunny Strip Plaza mall.

Now, with the prospect of a Dojo and Dance studio expansion and renovation along with moving to a house of their very own with no stairs, was more than Teddy could ever have dreamed of giving them.

When Ash and I returned home to Ursula preparing for the family dinner, it had been difficult to keep the secrets from her. I just hoped that the reveal would be worth it, the same way that letting Teddy speak his truth to her in front of all our families was to demonstrate the seriousness of his commitment.

We left the dinner with our parents and friends that evening and returned home, falling into bed exhausted, eyes sore from crying and adrenal systems shot from the events of the day.

Of course, there's hardly any rest for the wicked. The next day would be our final social mixer, where we would meet the rest of the contestants that hadn’t made it to the second stage of the show.

At the final social mixer, we will announce our intention to become Pack and our new pack name before heading into the trial heat, is the last bridge to cross before biting in and bonding as Pack Gold.

In a unanimous decision, in the color of our new pack's namesake. Be it a shirt, accessories, or in Ursula's case—an incredible gold lamé cocktail dress; our pack is gilded head to toe.

Thankfully, this time we are not among the first packs to arrive at the mixer. By the time we show up, it appears that all the contestants that were sent home before the trip to Costa Rica are waiting at the bar for the prospective packs to arrive, men and women alike.

None of us have to ask who Roxy is when we enter the bar. A tall woman with mauve eyes and a streak of shocking pink hair shoots up from a stool at the far end of the bar and sprints to Ursula.

“Urzilla!” she exclaims. Black mascara tears carving rivers down her face as she cries happy tears. “Oh my god, you look gorgeous! I swear to god you're literally glowing. I barely even recognize you,” she blurts out holding Ursula's heart-shaped face in her long willowy hands.

“And holy fuck! This is them? These are the guys!? All right, dish, who's who? Which one of you assholes is Teddy?” she blurts, not giving us time to chime in.

“Hi. Hello. I'm Ronan.” I step forward and offer Roxy my hand.

“Hey, It's trauma dump florist!” She grins.

“I'm Teddy.” Teddy waves, stepping to the fore.

“Well, Teddy, you certainly are hot.” Roxy shrugs.

“Glad that we could live up to your expectations,” he laughs uneasily.

Ursula makes quick introductions between Roxy and the rest of the guys before dragging her off to find a seat at the edge of the nearby bar, the two of them talking hurriedly in low voices.

Lysander looks hurt that she hasn't invited us to join them, but I lean in and remind him that she hasn't had the opportunity to talk to anybody besides us since she left the bubbles, and he brightens.

A few of the other ladies make their way towards us to have a conversation or two, or to introduce themselves as someone who we had dated in the early stages of the process, but nothing too in depth. For the most part, I hung around with the other guys, as Ursula and Roxy took their time catching up. The two conspiring about the upcoming heat and Ursula's first time, no doubt.

We all squirmed a bit when we saw Britt make her way into the bar along with two of her pack beaus.

For a moment, I wondered if there would be fresh drama, but Britt didn't even spare us a second glance, making her way carefully around the edge of the crowd to meet up with her other friends, Anton conspicuously absent.

Ursula and Roxy rejoined us. The seven of us enjoyed drinks and talked about our lives at home in LA along with the drama of the last 48 hours. In the back of my mind, the clock is ticking. Seconds, like sand in an hourglass, falling away every moment. Our first heat together as a pack—drawing closer and closer.

I do my best not to appear too eager, but the night has drawn on and the hour is getting late. I am counting the minutes, desperately willing midnight to arrive, when we would be called on to announce our prospective pack name and our intention to bond after the trial heat.

Once all have made their announcements and the clock strikes midnight, we will be blissfully free of this command performance and free to go home to a bed and a good night's rest before the team will arrive at Redthorn to administer Ursula's heat inducing drugs.

I was silently thanking the stars for the quiet, uneventful evening when Anton finally showed up. On his own, disheveled, unshaven, and clearly already several drinks deep. Anton weaved slightly on his feet as he made his way into the busy bar.

---