Page 86 of Bargain with the Bachelor
The launch of Chipp had surpassed even my most optimistic predictions. And over the past few weeks I’d been taking a hard look at my life, realizing I didn’t necessarily have to be on call twenty-four-seven, that I didn’thaveto work ridiculously long hours every single day to keep the company running strong.
Things were at the point where I could downshift a bit, take a step back and focus on other things—namely my personal life, and specifically, Kristal.
Now that I’d found a personal chef to take care of the guys, I wouldn’t feel so bad about moving out and getting my own place, about moving forward with her.
Once my friends and I weren’t all living together, it would be much easier to tell all of them about my feelings for Kristal—that I loved her.
And I had a very special house in mind to purchase. I could hardly wait to see Kristal’s reaction when I told her I planned to buy her parents’ home back from the bank.
I almost wished the cameraswerearound for this moment, to capture the happiness shining in her eyes.
“Actually,” she said. “I think I should go first.”
“Oh. Sure.”
I tapped the emotional brakes, which wasn’t easy when I was so excited about my plans for Our future. But the look on Kristal’s face told me she was determined to speak first.
“Okay, go ahead.”
“I’m moving, Hunter.”
“I know. Moving out. Me too. That’s sort of what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’m moving… to New York. Next week. I got a job.”
“What?” My heart sputtered to a stop. I couldn’t believe my ears.
My tongue had stopped functioning, though my mind raced with questions.
When hadthishappened?
Howcould it be happening—now—when things were about to work out the way I’d always dreamed they would?
“You’ve already accepted it?” I asked.
She nodded. “It’s a good position—at a museum in Manhattan. I’ll be using my degree. I found an apartment in a safe building.”
She gave a weak laugh. “No more sponging off the Chipp Charity Fund.”
That earned a frown from me. “You weren’t sponging—you were never a charity case. I wanted you there—wantyou there.”
“I know yousaidthat. And believe me, I appreciate your kindness more than I can say—”
I cut her off, my voice coming out harsher than I’d intended. “It wasn’t kindness. It wasselfishness. I asked you to move in because I wanted to spend time with you.”
“What? But… the show.”
“I made that up,” I confessed—a little too late, apparently. “The whole thing. I mean, it turned into something real, but in the beginning, I concocted the whole idea because I wanted us to finally have the chance to get to know each other.”
Struggling and uncomfortable, I fought to control my emotions, feeling like the needy little kid I used to be.
“I don’t want you to go,” I finally blurted.
Kristal looked as if she was fighting back tears. Her voice sounded thick. “I don’t want to, either. I’ll miss… everyone here. But it’s the right thing—for all of us. I’ll finally be independent, the guys’ lives can go back to normal, and you’ll truly be able to focus on your work again.”
“Screw that,” I said. “The guys’ lives werebetterwith you there—mine too.”
“I’m confused. What about not wanting to cause a rift in the house? What about doing what’s best for your company? Not losing everything you’ve worked so hard to build?”
