Page 78 of Bargain with the Bachelor
And then it was over.
Kristal abruptly pulled away, breathless and blinking rapidly.
Lurching toward the pantry door, she wheezed, “I’ve gotta go. I’ll… see you later.”
The cameraman turned and followed Kristal as she speed-walked to the mansion’s front door and left it with a shuddering slam.
“Cut,” Hap called out. Then he looked around. “What the hell was that?”
Hurrying after Kristal, I answered. “If I’m lucky? A step in the right direction. See you guys later.”
As I reached the door, I heard Paul say, “No one’s ever going to buy those two being in a relationship.”
Kristal was already climbing onto her bicycle in the driveway when I caught up to her. She was talking on her phone with her back to me.
“…so embarrassing. I can’t wait till this is over,” she was saying to whomever was on the other end.
I stopped in my tracks. Was she talking about our kiss?
My still-speeding heart crashed into a barricade and dropped to the driveaway.
Apparently, she’d been wholly unaffected by what had just taken place inside while it had struck me like a lightning bolt.
Working hard to keep my manner pleasant, I resumed walking, approaching Kristal from behind as she ended her call and hung up.
“Where are you going?”
She jumped, clearly surprised by the sound of my voice. She twisted to face me before dropping her gaze to the paving stones. “I told you… I’m going to Cinda’s house today.”
“Let me drive you. She lives clear on the other side of town. It’s cold. And it’snota damsel rescue. I’m going out anyway. I need to pick up some things to take over to Jack’s later.”
She appeared to consider my offer for a few minutes. “Okay, thanks. That would be nice.”
Once we were on the way, I said, “I’ll swing by and pick you up later, and we’ll head over to Jack’s house together.”
Kristal’s head whipped toward me. “I thought that was just for the cameras. You don’treallywant me to go.”
“I really do.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“Well, if you don’t want to, no pressure,” I said. “But we’re supposed to stay away from the house for the rest of the day so they can wrap up filming anyway. We’resupposedto be out on another date. And I’d feel a lot more comfortable if you’d come. You know how I mentioned Bonnie’s sister would be there? I got the impression Bonnie’s a little over-eager for me to meet Rachel—she’s trying to convince her to move to Eastport Bay. If you’re there, it won’t feel so much like a blind date.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Second Thoughts
Kristal
A blind date? I wasn’t sure why that notion hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest.
I knew there was no future for Hunter and me.Of coursehe would date other women.
But Bonnie was beautiful—I’d seen her pictures many times. Her sister was probably gorgeous too.
And Rachel was a successful private chef. Hunter had been talking about wanting to hire a chef for the billionaire bachelor house.
I should be happy for him. I was leaving. We weren’t going to be a couple. I should want him to find a nice woman and be happy. But sometimes “should” and reality weren’t the same things.
