Page 115 of House of Deceit

“Are we celebrating?” Parker asks, picking the champagne up off the coffee table.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Ah, okay. We’ll get back to that then,” he says, setting the bottle back down. “I’m here because I knew this dumbass wouldn’t be here otherwise.” He hooks his thumb over at Alec who shifts nervously.

“And you?” I ask Alec.

“I came to explain why I broke things off with you.”

“This should be good.” I sit down on the couch while they both take the chairs across from me. I lean back and cross my arms over my chest.

“After week two, I didn’t care about the job opportunity,” he says.

I scoff and he smiles sheepishly. “Okay, I didn’t only care about the job opportunity.” His face goes solemn.

“Cain’s wrangler could tell he was going to get eliminated. You and Parker were always favorites of both the competitors and the audience. They knew the people remaining would never vote him out. They tried to get you removed. Apparently, Cain’s wrangler was working late, knowing Cain was going to try something. He was watching the live footage and he saw us, so he decided to make a copy of our time together before we finished.”

He continues.

“I never should have gone into the house, but when I saw Cain put his hands on you, I lost it.”

“What happened with it? Why didn’t they leak it to the media? That would have worked.”

“I don’t think they thought you wouldn’t get kicked off. He was new and had no idea how it would go down, so he gave the only copy to my boss and my boss gave me an ultimatum. My options were to end it with you and take the job I had turned down with Tom Cochran or be fired for inappropriate conduct. They would have blacklisted me. The only reason why they didn’t is because Sheila knew this had never happened before. That I loved you.

“The attorneys combed our rulebook and your contract looking for any piece saying a wrangler can’t have relations with their contestant. Granted, it’s frowned upon, obviously, and a lot of people would have been screaming we cheated, but there was nothing. I had to protect you. If there was a hint of any inappropriate relationships, you could have lost your brand deals.

“I wasn’t lying when I said it was the better option. I never could have lived with myself if it got out and people thought you cheated.”

My heart is pounding and I’m afraid they both can hear it.

“So you ended it.”

“I admit I could have done it better, but I knew no matter what I said, you’d think I used you. I leaned into that because I had to end it. It broke my heart. Every word. I hate myself for hurting you.”

I nod, appreciative that Alec wanted to protect my reputation. He had never once stopped taking care of me and I knew there was no other path forward for me, but one.

“Loved.”

“What?”

“You said you loved me. Past tense.” His smile is tentative as I uncross my arms and stand up.

“It was always, and still is, present tense,” he says as I climb into his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Oh yeah?”

“Charlie Price, you are a frustrating, funny, smart, caring woman. I loved you the first time you asked if I was Batman and owned footie pajamas. My life is duller without you. Please, take me back and let me spend every moment for the rest of our lives making up for the lost time.”

I look over at Parker and see him smiling at us, completely at ease.

“Why did you do this?”

“If I could have a single second more with Brittany, even just to ask her why she left, I would take it. No questions or hesitations. I knew this dumbass didn’t break your heart for fun. We were partners in that house, Charlie. We looked out for each other. I didn’t want you to go a single day more missing someone. It’s just not worth it.”

Tears gather in my eyes as I look back at Alec.

“He flew to my house, kicked my ass, and dragged me here even though I was convinced you would never want to see me again.” I smile at Parker and reach my hand out to him which he grabs immediately.

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