Oh, for the love of all things chocolate.
Cassidy turned to Spencer. “What Zoe’s trying to say is that she’s a giant bitch — can I say that on live TV? She’s a spoiled, self-indulgent brat who’s never figured out she isn’t nearly as awesome as she thinks she is.”
Zoe’s face turned a few shades of red before she finally opened her mouth to respond, but Spencer spoke first. “Let’s hope the censor was paying attention. I didn’t realize there was this much animosity between you. Anything you’d like to say?” He turned to Zoe.
“Cassidy tends to have these little outbursts with me. I’m not sure why. I think it’s because she feels intimidated by my successes, here and in real life.”
“Yep, that’s it, I’m intimidated by the wannabe singer who had to come on a reality show — again — so she could feel good about herself. You figured me out.”
Careful now, C. Calm down. This isn’t you.
She sighed. “You know. I think Zoe’s probably a great person in real life. It’s just, being in the same house with a bunch of girls for a few weeks is enough to drive even the nicest people to their limits.”
“All right, before this gets messy, maybe we should bring out our main man and get his thoughts on everything. Let’s hear it for Brad Murphy.”
Spencer stood from the couch and greeted Brad with a warm handshake while the fans in the audience cheered like they were at the Super Bowl. Brad almost seemed embarrassed by the adoration of the audience as he took his seat beside Spencer.
Zoe straightened her back and waved when Brad smiled hello to them. Cassidy couldn’t bring herself to do more than nod.
“So, Brad, you’ve been listening backstage. What’s your take on the tension between your two final ladies?”
Brad laughed. “I think it’s pretty obvious, don’t you? It’s hard for these girls to get along because they’re both after the same guy. If you and I were fighting for the same girl, Spencer, I wouldn’t like you very much either.”
“Good point. Do you think your previous relationship with Cassidy has anything to do with it as well?”
“The fact Cassidy and I dated a few months ago definitely added some tension between the girls. It added tension between us, too. Neither Cassidy nor I expected to see each other here and we really had to deal with everything in our past while also taping the show. It certainly added some excitement.”
“What was this process like for you?”
“Wow. Dude, it was totally awesome. I’m mean, what’s not to like about ten girls all wanting to get with you? It’s every man’s dream.”
Spencer turned on his serious face. “Now, I know it wasn’t all fun and games. You also had some really tough decisions to make each week. Are there any girls you wish were sitting here instead of your finalists?”
“Dude. You ask such loaded questions. I’d have to say no. I’m happy with Cassidy and Zoe being the final two girls. But that’s not to say there weren’t other girls I was sad to see leave. It was challenging to get to know each of the girls in such a short amount of time. I definitely wish I could have spent more time getting to know each one of them, but I’m confident that in the end, I still would have ended up with the same finalists.”
“Let’s take a moment to recap some of our favorite moments between you, Cassidy, and Zoe.”
An enormous screen hanging on the wall blinked to life. Images of Cassidy flashed across the screen while a bad instrumental version of Bryan Adams’s “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” played over the speakers.
Oh fun, there I am falling off my horse. Oh, and getting stepped on by that stupid horse. Falling into the river, also a highlight. Thank you production people for portraying me so gracefully. I’m the blooper reel.
After an agonizing few minutes, the screen grew dark and the last image of Zoe and Brad snuggling on a picnic blanket faded away. The music was replaced by another chorus of cheers from the audience.
“It must be fun to see those moments again, huh?” Spencer spoke to no one specifically. “I know the audience and the ladies across from me are growing tired of the suspense. So, let’s not keep them waiting anymore. Brad, I hope you’re ready, because it’s time to tell us who you’ve picked to be The One.”
Brad sat forward on the edge of the couch. Cassidy could make out tiny beads of sweat coming to the surface of his forehead.
Here we go — the big rejection.
“Zoe,” Brad started. “I think you’re an awesome girl. You’re always up for having a good time and you live life by taking control and getting what you want. I love those things about you. You don’t seem afraid of anything and you’re willing to take big risks to get big rewards. And you’re incredibly hot. Any guy would be lucky to have you as his girl.”
Zoe beamed. Cassidy thought Zoe might jump across to the other couch and do dirty things to Brad right now if it wasn’t for the live studio audience keeping her libido in check.
“Cassidy, you have an amazing personality.”
Great, I’m getting the “it’s not you it’s me” speech from him again, and on live TV this time.
“You’re more reserved and laid back than Zoe. You’re willing to try some new things, but you still have your little hang-ups holding you back. You’re sarcastic, opinionated, and passionate. You constantly challenge me. I haven’t always made the best choices when it comes to you and me, but I’m trying to learn from my mistakes. You’re definitely not the easy choice — but you’re my choice. Cassidy, you’re The One.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Wait, what?
“You’ve always been the one for me and I was stupid to let you go. I can’t wait to see where this takes us.” Brad stared at her with dream-filled eyes.
Cassidy’s heart galloped in her chest making her feel faint. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t the choice he was supposed to make. Guys don’t date the girl who knees them in the groin, who doesn’t share their interests, and who constantly gives them a hard time.
Beside her on the couch, Zoe shook. Cassidy wasn’t sure if it was from anger or sadness, but her heart suddenly went out to Zoe who obviously had feelings for Brad. Before Cassidy had the chance to worry about Zoe’s reaction, Brad hauled Cassidy to her feet and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.
Spencer clapped. “Cassidy, tell us what you’re feeling?”
“I’m, um, shocked. I didn’t think he was going to choose me.” Cassidy could hardly manage to string words together into a proper sentence.
“Brad, why don’t you make it official with a kiss? I’m sure everyone is dying to see your happy ending.”
Brad stared deeply into her eyes. He looked so happy. How could he not tell she didn’t feel the same?
Please don’t. What if Evan’s filming this? I can’t.
Brad put his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. His lips edged closer and closer to hers.
“Wait!” a voice called from off stage.
Brad dropped his hand and turned to see who’d called out. Cassidy stepped to his side so she could see who she could thank for saving her from yet another kiss she didn’t want.
Chip stood facing them. By the expression on his face, it was clear something major was about to happen, but Cassidy didn’t have the faintest idea what. “Brad, I’m afraid there’s something you need to see that may make you reconsider your future with Cassidy.” The audience fell silent. Chip eyed Cassidy. “Is there anything you’d like to tell us? Anything you need to get off your chest?”
Um, this is probably bad, right? But it couldn’t be.
“No, I don’t think so.” Her voice was a whisper in the huge room.
Chip motioned for them to turn their attention to the big screen again. “Roll the tape!”
Cassidy’s hear
t stopped beating as images came to life on the screen. This could possibly be the second worst moment of her life, the first being when Evan walked away from her at the campsite. Both made her feel like she was under water again, fighting to find the surface before the darkness encompassed her.
Video clips of Cassidy and Evan’s romance played for the whole world to see. Cassidy sank back onto the couch staring at the screen in horror as tears filled her eyes and streamed down her cheeks like black rivers of ink.
There were quick clips of smiles, winks, and nods that happened between them while Evan filmed. Looks they’d thought no one else had seen, but clearly someone had. These clips were from another camera that had captured both of their faces.
Other clips were of Cassidy, looking at the camera with an expression only meant for Evan’s eyes. The messages she sent him in those moments filled with flirtation.
Cassidy struggled to swallow as more tears fell down her cheeks and dotted the front of her dress like fallen rain. She wiped them away with the back of her hand, not daring to take her eyes off the screen for even a second.
Evan.
Cassidy gasped as a video from inside Evan’s room played. She’d never thought there’d be cameras in his room like there was in hers. He was staff. Didn’t he get privacy at least?
Her breath started coming in ragged gulps as she watched their first time together being played for everyone. Images of Evan kissing her and tossing her gently on the bed sent her back into that moment. She could feel the heat from every touch of his hands lingering on her body. She licked her lips at the memory of his mouth on hers.
Thankfully, the video had been edited for primetime television and not Cinemax. She’d have to thank Chip later for blurring out the bits of her body peeking out from under the blankets — the humiliation could have been so much worse.
Her heart ached watching their private moments again. She still reeled from his rejection and now she had to relive the pain over again in the most public forum she could fathom. Watching the moment she’d given her heart to Evan made the pain a thousand times worse. Knowing he’d turned around and broken her heart weeks later, felt like a gunshot to her chest.
Clip after clip played. How long had someone known about them? She couldn’t believe they were able to create such an extensive video from numerous sources in such a short amount of time.
Cassidy put her head in her hands and closed her eyes. It was too painful. She couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
But now she didn’t need to see it. Someone had found audio clips. Where did they even get these clips? She’d purposefully left her mic pack in her bedroom before confronting Evan that night.
And then she realized — if they had cameras in his room, they also had microphones attached to them, too, just like the cameras in her room. Damn it. She’d been so careless in the moment. Why hadn’t she thought to check for cameras?
“You’re jealous of my ex-boyfriend. You’re jealous of that stupid kiss with him!” She heard herself say the words.
“I was jealous getting … No. I am jealous, because ever since I kissed you, I haven’t been able to think of anything else.” Evan’s voice echoed through the studio.
Gasps from the audience chorused around the room. Murmurs and mumblings of disappointment and outrage grew louder as the audio continued, eventually drowning out the sound of Evan’s voice. The voice of the man she knew in her heart that she loved, but would never have. The man who’d taken her heart and left an empty shell.
A darkness closed in on Cassidy — anger built deep inside at the humiliation of her torrid affair with Evan shown to the world. She was angry with Evan, too — angry he’d left her, angry that in the end he’d been no better than Brad. He’d treated her like any other fling.
“Stop.” She yelled as loud as she could manage.
The sounds of kissing continued. She peeked up from her hands to see a glimpse of her and Evan together in her bathroom. One of the overhead bedroom cameras in her room had been able to catch the smallest hints of movement as the audio picked up their heavy breathing.
My mic pack. I’d already turned it on. Shit.
They hadn’t planned that kiss, since it had been their first. It had been completely spontaneous, passionate, and unexpected. She’d never thought to take off her mic pack. Of course there would be audio.
Their first kiss, shared with everyone. No one should get to witness these moments she’d lost forever. Anger, hurt, and embarrassment raged in her chest.
She stood from the couch. “Stop! Enough already. We get it, Chip. Everyone here gets it, okay?” She flailed her arm toward the audience. “I’m pretty sure the audience has the idea, so you can cut the video anytime.”
Chip turned his back to the screen and waved a hand. The screen flickered once then went black. His glare pierced through her, but she stood her ground. He’d humiliated her enough and she wasn’t going to back down now without a fight. She still had her dignity, or what was left of it.
“So now you have something to say. Now that everyone knows what you’ve done, you’re ready to talk.”
“Stop, Chip. There’s nothing more to talk about.”
“What the hell’s going on with you and that camera guy?” Brad demanded.
“Nothing.” Her voice quivered, betraying her.
“It certainly looked like more than nothing, so don’t give me that bullshit. You owe me an explanation.”
“There’s nothing going on with me and Evan. There was something between us for a while but there isn’t anymore. We’re done.” She managed to choke out a few final words as more tears fell. “There is no more us, so there’s nothing left to say.”
She wiped the tears away, angry with herself for letting everyone see how upset she was over losing Evan. She wanted to be strong right now, but her emotions crashed through her defensive walls. How would she ever get back into her regular life after this? What kind of life would ever feel normal without Evan?
“How could you do this? You’re disgusting,” Brad seethed.
“You’re no prize either, Brad,” Cassidy snapped. “One minute you told me you loved me, then the next you left me on the sidewalk like yesterday’s paper.”
“Oh, I get it now. This was all a big ploy to get back at me for dumping you.”
“It’s not like that. This didn’t have anything to do with you. I don’t know what happened. Evan and I … we didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
Cassidy glanced around for any sign of understanding. She didn’t expect anyone to say what they had done was okay, but she hoped maybe someone would realize none of this had been planned to hurt people. Furrowed brows and shaking heads stared back at her.
“I don’t even know how you found out about us.” Cassidy spoke more to herself than anyone else. “We were so careful while we filmed the show.”
“I guess you didn’t try hard enough, huh?” Zoe placed a couple of white shirt buttons in Cassidy’s hand. “Souvenirs of your indiscretion. I gave them to Susan for safekeeping.”
Realization cut through the fog of her emotions. The night she’d spent with Evan at the chateau, she’d ripped his shirt and hadn’t thought to pick up the buttons. Zoe had known since the chateau. Zoe had told Susan and Susan had gone to Chip.
Susan really had tried to sabotage her the whole time, hadn’t she? If she could find her right now, Cassidy would tell her where to stick her fake warnings and concern. But since Susan wasn’t around, Zoe would have to do.
“You bitch. You did this to me?” Cassidy felt on the verge of losing it. “I can’t believe you would stoop this low to try to ensure you were the one who ended up with Brad.”
“I don’t think I was the one stooping, do you?”
“Don’t you insinuate for one second that Evan is beneath you. He’s a good m
an. He doesn’t deserve to be degraded by a stuck-up diva like you.”
Cassidy glared at Zoe. “You can have Brad. He’s all yours. I’m still in shock he even picked me after everything that’s happened between us. Maybe he drank too much ocean water surfing or something, since I can’t find a logical reason for him to pick me. But guess what, Zoe? You’ll always be his second choice.”
Zoe smirked with a look of pure arrogance. “And what are you, Cassidy? You’re nothing. You have nothing. You’ve lost everything because you’re a slut. God, you’re pathetic.”
“Oh my God. I can’t believe I felt bad for you a few minutes ago.”
“Zoe’s right. Kissing me while sleeping with some sleazy cameraman on the side. You should be ashamed of yourself,” Brad added.
“Enough. Don’t say another word.” Evan stepped out from behind a camera. “You’ve both said too much already. Cassidy’s been through enough.”
Cassidy gasped. Evan, oh God, Evan. You heard all of that. You came back.
“Get out of here before I make you sorry for what you’ve done.” Brad puffed up his chest.
“Back off, surfer boy, before I give you something to whine about. I haven’t forgotten how you forced yourself on Cassidy. You’ve had your say, now it’s my turn to talk.”
Cassidy held her breath as Evan moved to her side and took her hand before turning to address the audience. His hand was warm and soft wrapped around hers. His thumb drew a circle on the back of her hand, reminding her of when they spoke at the door joining their rooms her first night in the house — the night that started everything.
“What Cassidy and I did was wrong, but we meant no disrespect to the show, the contestants, or the viewers watching each week.”
“You’re a fraud, Cassidy, and you’ll pay for betraying everyone,” Chip stated. “Your deception misled the viewers to choose you when they should have voted you out. You ruined someone else’s chances of being here and ruined Brad’s chance at finding the one he’s meant to be with. Don’t think your actions will go unpunished.”
Unscripted Love: The Complete Reality TV Romance Collection Page 23