Page 63 of Flippin' Cowboy
She spotted a camera crew standing on the porch and marched over.
“Hey!” she shouted. “What’s the deal with the vans? Youknowyou guys are supposed to park on the street!”
Everyone turned to look at her. And she realized she didn’t recognize any of them.
“Winnie! Where the hell were you? We’ve been waiting out here for at least anhour!” Geoff’s all-too-familiar voice said querulously.
Winnie came to a dead halt in the middle of the walkway.
No way. No fricking way, she thought numbly.
Shock hit her like an icy gut punch as she spotted her ex-fiancé standing on the edge of the group on the porch. As usual, his blond-highlighted light brown hair looked immaculately styled, but he’d ditched his clean-shaven look for a patchy short beard that aimed for trendy but fell far short of Nick’s sexy stubble.
“What’s going on here?” Nick asked, as he caught up to her. “Who are these guys?”
“Nick, meet my former partner and ex-fiancé, Geoffrey Schaefer.” Funny how normal and calm her voice sounded when her emotions were racing around inside her like a tornado.
“No fucking way,” Nick choked. “Are you kidding me?”
“Geoff, this is my new partner and co-host, Nicholas Evans.” She crossed her arms and glared at Geoff and the cameraman who stood next to him, filming this charming little encounter. “Care to explain what the hell you’re doing here, Geoff?”
“That’s whatIwant to know,” Karla said from somewhere behind Winnie. “No one from the network contacted me about this…intrusion. Who authorized you to come and film here?”
Chapter 20: Like a Bad Penny
So, this is the Dickweed Ex?Nick asked himself. He recognized Geoff Schaefer from TV, but in the flesh, the dude was a living, breathing hipster stereotype, right down to his weedy blond beard. What the hell did Winnie ever see in him?
“No one from the network contacted me about this…intrusion,” Karla said, her words clipped with anger. “Who authorized you to come and film here?”
“Karla, honey, long time no see! Jake, buddy! How are y’all doin’?” called a deep voice laced with a Texas twang.
A tall dude sporting a cowboy hat and a full, bushy beard jogged around the building from the back. His down parka, embroidered with “Restoring Seattle” above the show’s stylized Victorian house logo, opened in the front to reveal a generous beer belly hanging over his large silver belt buckle.
“Hello, Mike,” Karla said, her tone flat now. “It’s been a while. Thought you were working down in St. Augustine.” Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw her cross her arms.
Uh-oh. Whatever the hell was going on here, his producer was definitelynothappy about it.
“Mike Milonis. Executive producer onFlipping St. Augustine,” the big Texan introduced himself.
“Which just ended its run,” Karla added.
“So, Mike had this great idea—” Dickweed started to say.
“—and the network execs loved it! Absolutelylovedit!” Mike boomed. “Picture this, ladies: the next season ofRestoring Seattle, featuring our two adorable exes working together, like that couple in Nashville! The concept registered off the charts with our test audience!”
Both Karla and Winnie visibly bristled at the condescending “ladies,” but Mike appeared oblivious to their reaction.
“I thought it was a great idea, too,” Dickweed added. “So, what do you say, Winnie? Are you game? It would a winner, just like before.”
Are you fucking kidding me?Nick fantasized breaking Dickweed’s nose with his fist. The crunch of cartilage and spray of blood would be deeply satisfying after all the pain and embarrassment Dickweed had inflicted on Winnie.
With superhuman effort, Nick unclenched his fists and waited for Winnie to react. He recognized the signs of a volcano waiting to blow.
She didn’t disappoint him.
“Are you out of your ever-loving mind, Geoff?” Winnie demanded. “After what you did to me?”
Dickweed plastered on a smarmy smile and raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture.
