Page 42 of The Wrong Bachelor

“I don’t like him,” I hissed.

Jazz was talking way too loudly and at risk of getting Cole and Willow’s attention. Luckily they were seated in one of the booths at the far end of the restaurant and seemed pretty content talking with one another. Cole’s eyes didn’t stray from Willow as they spoke, and I experienced a strange pang in my gut as I watched the two of them.

“Uh huh,” Jazz replied, in an annoyingly cocky tone.

I shot her another foul look. “Why don’t you seem surprised that they’re here?”

Her grin grew larger. “Oh, didn’t I tell you they were coming in?”

“Clearly not.”

“I can’t believe I forgot,” she tittered. “We got a call last night from the film club to see if it was okay to film here.”

I pointed my finger at her. “You are pure evil.”

“And you are letting our customers wait…”

“Alright, alright, I’m going,” I said.

I took in a deep breath before I started making my way across the room. There were just two cameras focused on the date tonight, and Angus was seated with the rest of the film club at a booth directly across from Willow and Cole. With the cameras and the crew practically hovering over the date there looked to be little chance for romance.

I tried not to glare at Angus as I neared. This whole thing felt like a set-up. He was constantly asking me about my work schedule to make sure I was able to take part in the contest, and he knew perfectly well I was rostered to work tonight. I would definitely be having words with him later.

I approached Willow and Cole’s booth. My body was tense, and I felt an unusual bought of nerves as I drew close. I wasn’t sure why I was freaking out so much. I’d never cared who Cole dated before, and I shouldn’t care now. I guess I’d started seeing him a little differently after we ditched school together on Tuesday. He hadn’t behaved like the cold-hearted jerk I was so used to dealing with. He was more like the boy I had once been friends with, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed having him in my life.

“Hey guys, what can I get for you?” I asked, using the cheerful tone I adopted when serving. It didn’t sound as genuine as normal, but I hoped I was the only one who could notice. One of the cameras was right up in my face, which may have accounted for at least some of the awkwardness in my voice.

Cole’s head jerked up at my question, and his eyes grew wide with surprise. He looked like his brain was failing to compute how I was standing in front of him.

“You work here, Madi?” he asked. His voice was hesitant, and he seemed unsure of himself. I guess I wasn’t the only one Angus had blindsided with the date tonight.

“Yup,” I replied, popping the p. “Do you guys want some drinks to start?”

“Oh, err, yeah,” Cole replied. He rubbed the back of his neck and his eyes moved to look at Willow. His gaze softened as he stared at her and my stomach tensed in response.

“What would you like, Will?” he asked.

Will? He called her by a nickname. A nickname I hadn’t known existed until it left his lips.

“Just a glass of water is fine,” she said, smiling up at me. Her smile was so open and pretty. There was no pretense to it, unlike so many of the other girls I knew.

“I’ll have water too,” Cole said, not taking his eyes off Willow.

“Sure thing.” I retreated to the kitchen without waiting to see if they wanted anything else.

As I crossed the restaurant floor, I sensed someone following me closely like a shadow.

“Madi,” Angus called.

I turned and frowned when I saw he’d followed me into the staff only area. “You can’t be back here,” I replied, shooing him back toward the restaurant.

“I’ll only be a second,” he said.

I let out an exasperated breath. “What is it?”

“I think we need to do that scene again,” he replied. “But next time I want you to be more surprised and upset to see Cole here on a date with Willow.”

Anger riled up inside me. “You want me to what?”

---