The Producer's Unlikely Bride

by Lorana Hoopes

  Desi motioned for Justin to sit first. She tilted his chin up and then side to side. “You must be in the industry,” she said as she opened a container with powder. She dusted some across his forehead and the bridge of his nose and then stepped back.

  “I’m a host for a dating show, and I’ve been doing my own makeup for TV for years.” Justin’s chest puffed out a little in pride and Ava mashed her lips together to keep from laughing. Only a TV personality would brag about his ability to put on makeup.

  “I’ve been doing mine for years too,” she said smiling up at Desi as she sat in the chair Justin had vacated. “Since the age of twelve anyway.”

  Desi tilted her head up and frowned. “Yeah? Well, there’s a difference between doing your makeup and doing it for HDTV.” She shook her head. “This eye color won’t work.”

  Ava’s smile faltered as Desi wiped a cool cotton ball across her lids. She couldn’t believe she had to get her makeup redone while Justin’s had been nearly perfect. He caught her eye and winked before dusting his shoulders as if congratulating himself. She stuck her tongue out at him. He could have at least warned her, so she hadn’t opened her mouth like a complete fool. She’d had no idea doing your makeup for television was very different from everyday makeup. He grinned and stuck his tongue out at her in return, and Ava felt something in their relationship shift.

  When Ava’s makeup met Desi’s satisfaction, she led them out of the room and to another area that Ava assumed must be the green room. Vicky, or headset girl as Ava had taken to calling her in her head, watched a screen that showed a live view of the stage. There were a few more chairs and no mirror in this room, but otherwise it appeared no different.

  Justin sat in one of the chairs, but Ava paced in a small circle. She tugged on her shirt wishing suddenly that she had worn something different. This one felt too tight all of a sudden.

  She glanced over at Justin, but he still appeared calm and collected. How could he not be nervous? There was no planning live television, and Justin liked to have everything planned out. Sure, Kevin Jones, the host, had given them questions he might ask, but Ava had heard stories about hosts deviating from those questions sometimes for whatever reason.

  “Will you stop?” he asked as she tugged on her shirt again. “You’re making me nervous, and I’m never nervous in front of the camera.”

  “Why shouldn’t I be nervous?” she asked. “What if he asks us something we didn’t practice?”

  “Shh,” he hissed in a low voice as he looked around. He crossed to her and placed his hands on her arms. Then he leaned down until his face was inches from hers. “We don’t talk like that ever and especially not here. Look, I know this is new for you, but Kevin is generally a straight shooter. If it wasn’t on the card, he probably won’t ask it.”

  Ava swallowed as the nearness of him washed over her. His blue eyes stared into hers, and her breath caught. “Okay,” she whispered breathlessly, “but you take the lead. You answer first and I’ll chime in only if asked or add little details.”

  Her lips parted before she could stop them, and his gaze dropped to them before returning to her eyes. She could almost read the question of permission in his gaze, and she closed her eyes in assent.

  “You guys are on in five,” headset girl said from the side of the stage and the moment shattered. Justin jumped away from her and reached for his tie.

  Ava cleared her throat as she fought to bring her heartbeat back under control. “Can I get some water?” Suddenly, her throat was as dry as the Sahara Desert.

  Headset girl rolled her eyes but a moment later a boy appeared with a water bottle in hand. Ava had just managed a sip when headset girl motioned them over.

  “You’re on.”

  Ava looked around for a place to put the water, but nothing was nearby and headset girl was ushering her out. Oh well, bringing a water bottle out wasn’t that big of deal, right?

  The sound of the applause hit her first and Ava froze as she scanned the room. It wasn’t a large room, but it was packed. There were three sections with at least ten rows of ten chairs and a person filled each and every seat. She tried to do the math in her head. Was that three hundred people?

  “Are you going to join us Ava?”

  Ava looked to her left where Justin and Kevin were standing and staring her direction. “Oh, right, yes, sorry.” She hurried to join them, her face hot, but as she did, her foot caught on something and she flew forward. Justin reached to catch her but her momentum carried her past his arms and into his chest. The water bottle squished between them, the force of their bodies popping the lid and sending water shooting into the air. Ava jumped back in surprise, but the damage was done. Water drenched her front sending her shirt clinging to her, but Justin’s predicament was even worse. The water had landed on the crotch of his pants in a most unfortunate place.

  A collective gasp erupted from the audience and Ava’s hand flew to her mouth. “I am so sorry.” Justin’s gaze was unreadable as he wiped at his pants.

  “Well, this is quite the way to make an entrance.” Kevin took control of the situation, but he couldn’t contain his smile either. “Ladies and gentlemen, Justin Miller and Ava McDermott. Why don’t you guys have a seat and I’ll have towels brought out.”

  The crowd laughed and cheered as headset girl ran out with two towels. Justin and Ava each took one and sat. As discreetly as possible, Ava patted her shirt hoping her pink bra wasn’t showing underneath. She should have listened to Gen and wore the beige one, but she had claimed it was too boring. Well, it would definitely not be boring if her pink one was showing. At least Justin could hide his wet pants when seated. He folded the towel on his lap.

  “So, Justin, you’ve been hosting ‘Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy’ for ten years, is that right?”

  “That’s right, Kevin. Ten years and going strong.” Justin flashed his fake smile. He was way too good at that, and Ava wondered if she had even seen his real smile.

  “Ten years is a long time to watch people fall in love especially when your life hasn’t reflected that.”

  Justin’s jaw tightened beside her, and Ava tried to contain her shock. This had not been on the list of questions, and it felt like Kevin hoped to anger Justin. She hoped he would keep his cool and answer the question because she certainly couldn’t. His past relationships were an area Justin had refused to fill her in on. She knew his wife had died, but that had been as much as he’d shared.

  “I’ve had my fair share of bumps but everyone has. Still,” he picked up Ava’s hand, and his smile stretched further, “love always wins in the end.”

  Ava forced a smile in return. He looked pained not happy, rather like the Joker from Batman.

  “Yes, and we’ll get to that in a second, but since you’ve been on the show, you’ve been married twice, is that right?”

  Justin’s grip tightened on Ava’s hand. “Yes, that’s right. My first wife passed away and a few years later I met my second wife.”

  “And she left you for her Botox doctor, is that right?”

  The tension in the room lay heavy, tangible. Ava should say something, but what?

  “She did.” Veins bulged in Justin’s throat and the muscles in his jaw tensed. Ava wasn’t sure how much longer he would keep his cool.

  “Her loss though.” Ava’s eyes widened when she realized she had said the words out loud and not in her head. “I mean if she hadn’t, then I never would have met Justin.”

  Justin’s eyes sent her a silent thank you as he squeezed her hand again. Kevin’s eyes, however, roamed over her face as if searching for any sign of weakness.

  “You’re a romance writer, isn’t that right Ava?”

  She beamed, first at Justin and then at the audience. “I am. Love is important for what I do, and I think it is important for everyone to have in their life.”

  “Yet, you remained single up until recently as well, right?”

  Kevin’s words felt like an accusation, but
Ava was determined to keep a calm demeanor. “That I was. I don’t believe in falling in love with every man I date because I’m looking for something more serious.”

  Kevin’s eyebrow lifted and he sat back. “And you found it with Justin? The man who claimed love was a fraud and relationships never last?” Disbelief was written all over Kevin’s face.

  Ava smiled at Justin. “I think we’ve all thought that at one time or another. Sometimes, when life throws you lemons, you get soured for a time before you realize you can use them to make lemonade.”

  “That is an interesting concept, and you certainly seem to have convinced Justin rather quickly. So, how exactly did you guys meet?”

  Justin opened his mouth to answer, but Ava placed her free hand on his arm. She could tell Kevin was looking for any way to tear their story apart and she feared Justin would leave the romance out when he told it, leaving the door open for more questions.

  “On the beach. Is there any place more romantic?” She smiled out at the audience earning some cheers. “I had booked a cottage to work on my next book and somehow they double booked Justin in the same cottage. We met on the beach as the sun was setting on the ocean and realized we had an attraction. The rest, as they say, is history.” This time when she smiled out at the audience, she earned a chorus of ash.

  Justin smiled as he watched Ava spin their meeting. If she wrote anything like she told a story, then her books must be amazing. He was drawn in, and he knew it was false. Justin sneaked a glance at Kevin, but he too was mesmerized by Ava.

  “I have to admit, it does sound like a good story, but we’ve received an anonymous tip that it’s just that. A story, so what do you say to that?”

  Justin’s jaw clenched as the audience gasped and turned accusing eyes their direction. He’d been wrong to dismiss Tia. She was evidently more vindictive than he’d first thought. “I’d say you should vet your sources better, Kevin.”

  “And yet the timing is quite interesting. You just got back from Maui a few weeks ago, and your trip to the ocean seemed to coincide with your tainted image.”

  “You’re right. My partner, Peter, thought I could use a break to re-center and remember why we started the show. He sent me to the cottage because he’d had a good experience there years before. He said magic happens there. I thought he was talking about my outlook,” he turned and smiled at Ava, “but it turns out more than one kind of magic happens there.”

  That earned a chorus of 'ahs’ from the audience and Justin knew he had turned the tide. Kevin wouldn’t press anymore during this interview for fear of the crowd turning on him.

  “Well, that definitely sounds sweet and goes to show that love can happen at any time. So, Ava, what’s your next book going to be about?”

  “Uh.” A flush crawled across Ava’s cheeks and her gaze shifted to the floor. “It’s about a man who’s given up on romance but meets his opposite and finds love again.”

  Kevin chuckled. “Write what you know? Am I right?”

  Justin stared at Ava. He’d had no idea he was the topic of her new book, and curiosity coursed through him. How would she portray him? Would it be flattering? He supposed he better read it before he let her put it out there for the world to read.

  “It does make it easier, but it’s never all true. I take things that inspire me and then I put my own spin on them.”

  “Well, I’m sure we’ll all look forward to reading it. And how about you, Justin? Do you have plans to continue with ‘Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy’ now that you’ve found love again?”

  The question seemed innocent, but there was a gleam in Kevin’s eyes that Justin didn’t like. He would have to make sure he and Ava were seamless from here on out because he certainly wasn’t sure they had convinced Kevin. “I’m not sure what the future holds for me yet, Kevin, but ‘Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy’ has been my home, and it’s always good to go home.”

  “And they’re lucky to have you. Let’s have another round of applause for Justin and Ava and true love.”

  Though the crowd cheered and Ava smiled, Justin’s insides churned. That had been close, and he knew Kevin suspected their relationship was fake. The only question was if Kevin cared enough to pursue it. Justin wasn’t a huge star, so Kevin might let it go, but then there was Tia. She’d gotten to Kevin quickly. Had she known of their appearance on the show or had she just shot off her knowledge to anyone who would listen?

  “Well, that was interesting,” Ava said as they left the studio.

  Interesting? Not the word he would have chosen to describe it. Disastrous was a little closer. He thought they’d managed to salvage it, but how well would be determined by the spin in the papers tomorrow. “It was not as good as I’d hoped, but you did great. You are quite the story teller.”

  “But?”

  “But I was watching Kevin, and I don’t think he bought it entirely. Plus, I’m fairly certain Tia was his source. We just have to be careful. Make sure every “T” is crossed and every “I” is-” The ringing of his cell phone interrupted his statement. “Hang on.”

  Surprise and dread filled Justin as he recognized Elizabeth’s number on the screen. He frowned but punched the button. “Hello?”

  “Justin? It’s Liz. Hear me out before you say no. Garrett called me this morning, and he’s sick.”

  Justin scoffed. “Yeah, I’ve known that for years.”

  “No, I mean health-wise. His leukemia has gotten worse and he needs a bone marrow transplant.”

  Justin was already shaking his head. “Liz, no. You can’t ask me to do that. Hasn’t he taken enough from me?”

  “He’s tried to apologize to you for over a year, Justin, but you haven’t let him.”

  “And I’m not about to start now. Listen, I’m sorry he’s sick, but he needs to look elsewhere.” Justin hung up the phone without saying goodbye, but he’d forgotten Ava was right there. She fixed a questioning gaze on him.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, that was my sister. My half-brother is sick and needs a bone marrow transplant. She wants me to get tested.”

  “But you don’t want to?” Her words were slow and hesitant as if she didn’t understand his unwillingness. And why would she? He hadn’t even told her about his half-brother, much less the whole story.

  Justin sighed and ran a hand across his chin. “My brother is a plastic surgeon.” He let the words sit there knowing they would make sense to her in a minute. At least if she had been paying attention.

  “I don’t understand,” she said with a shake of her head.

  “Specifically, a Botox doctor.”

  Her brow furrowed for a moment as she looked at him and then her eyes widened. He knew the light switch had been flipped. “Not the same Botox doctor that stole your second wife?”

  “The very one. How’s that for irony?”

  Ava placed a hand on his arm and turned a soft gaze on him. “Maybe he’s changed. We all make mistakes.”

  Justin shook her hand off. “Not Garrett. He’s always been like this. We haven’t spoken in years, and I’m not about to give him anything much less bone marrow from my body.”

  “But he’s your brother-”

  “Half-brother and he was, but he isn’t any more.” Justin felt the anger boiling up. He’d tried so hard to not think about Garrett and Candy, and Liz had destroyed it all in one night with her phone call. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm the fire within. This wasn’t Ava’s fault, and he shouldn’t take it out on her. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  Chapter 14

  Ava leaned against the brown Formica counter and stared into her empty mug as her thoughts swirled around in her head.

  “Oh, there you are. I thought you were just getting a drink, but when you didn’t come back for ten minutes, I began to wonder.” Genevieve stood in the doorway of the little office kitchen. It wasn’t really much of a kitchen, but as it contained a small fridge, an even smaller stove top, and two cabi
nets that held plates and silverware, Ava classified it as a kitchen. It didn’t, however, have the room for a table and chairs which was why she leaned against the counter currently.

  She pointed to the simple black kettle next to her that sat on the stovetop. “It hasn’t whistled yet.” In fact, it took ages for the burner to heat up the kettle. Ava probably could have walked to the nearby coffee shop and ordered a tea faster than her water would heat up, but she hadn’t wanted to. She wasn’t even sure she wanted tea as much as she wanted the quiet stillness waiting for the water to boil brought. Her computer wasn’t in here mocking her, and so she could let her mind wander to the thoughts that consumed it anyway.

  Genevieve’s brow arched slightly and she crossed her arms as she leaned into the doorframe. “Uh huh. Well, you guys looked good on the show last night. Very believable.”

  Ava nodded but her mind wasn’t on the show. It was still firmly fixated on the conversation she’d had with Justin after the show. The one where he turned his back on his estranged brother, and of course how she could fix it.

  Ava understood sibling rivalry. Her sister had been the pretty one - the one who always won prom queen and homecoming queen and pickle queen - a crown title reserved for girls who lived in Piedmont, her hometown - though Ava wasn’t sure Kelsie had been quite as excited about that one. And her brother, Tristan? He’d been the brains of the family. The one who’d attended medical school and now headed the trauma unit at one of the biggest hospitals in the state. And she’d been the dreamer. The one who escaped into books and writing. The one who created characters and plots who found their happily ever afters because she couldn’t seem to find hers in real life. But even though she and her siblings were different, she’d never turn her back on them if they needed bone marrow. Of course, they hadn’t stolen her husband either, not that she had one. Still, she needed to find a way to get Justin to give his brother a chance to apologize.