Her TV Bachelor Fake Fiancé
Christmas Romance Series
Kimberly Krey
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Note from the Author
Free book
Also by Kimberly Krey
About the Author
Copyright © 2018 KIMBERLY KREY
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Chapter 1
Canyon Byer had known this would be a difficult day, but he hadn’t known just how hard it would be until he was face-to-face with the one and only Marsha Langston.
The well-known producer of reality TV show Find My Fiancé fixed her piercing green eyes on him, her chin poised at just the right angle to say two things: I’m listening, and this better be good. Window light, so bright it made him squint, gleamed off her sleek, black hair as she waited for him to speak.
Canyon cleared his throat and shot a glance at his younger sister, Rain, seated in the chair beside him. Her crossed leg bounced, her fingers drummed, and beads of sweat dotted her hairline, assuring him that the seventeen-year-old was probably more nervous than he was. His mother had told him that—despite the nine years between them— the two looked a lot alike.
It was only at times like these that Canyon could see the truth of it for himself. When her bluish gray eyes got intense and her face, as soft as it normally was, turned hard as a stone. He could read that expression easily enough as well: please don’t make her take you to court.
Sadly, Canyon couldn’t give his sister any guarantees.
Marsha eyed the clock pointedly before setting her eyes back on him. “We’re set to shoot the finale episode in less than three hours—the one that all of America has been waiting for—and you tell me you’re backing out now? You have two beautiful bachelorettes praying they’ll get a proposal from the one and only Canyon Byer tonight.”
“I realize that.” The framed artwork behind Marsha’s desk caught his eye. A panoramic spread depicting a great white shark. The massive mammal appeared calm and serene in the photo, but Canyon couldn’t help but think it symbolized the woman who labored at the desk before him: capable of doing a whole lot of damage in a blink.
“I’m sorry that this messes everything up,” he continued. “But I can’t propose to either of those women.” He’d said as much before, but this time, as the words fell off his lips, Canyon felt as if he’d jumped into a backyard pool while a bloody-toothed Jaws loomed below the surface.
He held his breath, a tight ache growing in his chest.
Marsha lifted one black brow so high it disappeared beneath her bangs. She tipped her chin enough that her bobbed hair fell in line with her tight-set jaw. “We’ve never had any of our bachelors back out of a Find My Fiancé contract before. And I don’t intend to let that happen this season.”
Canyon had been waiting to release the breath he held, but her reply didn’t exactly call for an exhale. In fact, he sucked even more air in as he considered what she’d said. “You can’t force me to marry either of those women.” Sure, Tasha and Sophia had their good points. They’d been fun to spend time with during the show, but once Canyon had eliminated all the other bachelorettes and taken a more serious look at his selection, he realized that neither of them were marriage material. No wonder America thought he was a joke.
“It’s not like viewers will be all that surprised,” he added. “According to Rain they pretty much hate me anyway.”
Marsha shot a look at Rain. “First off, proposing to a woman and marrying her are two separate things. And second, I do agree with you on one point.”
Canyon straightened in his chair. Rain leaned forward over her lap.
“You’re not exactly on America’s list of bachelor favorites.” Marsha came to a stand, tucked in her office chair, and began to pace behind her desk. “Your actions made you appear shallow.” She stopped walking and squared her shoulders toward him. “But I don’t think you’re shallow. You’ve been misunderstood. And what you need is a taste of redemption.”
“Yes!” Rain cheered. “That’s what he needs. I just finished a book about redemption and it was amazing.”
A triumphant grin formed on Marsha’s face. “We had to do this on season three with Joey Stallone.”
The new tidbit eased a bit of Canyon’s discomfort until he realized something. “But Joey proposed on that season. In fact, he and Kayla are still married.”
“And they just had their second baby two weeks ago,” Rain added. At least her mood had brightened.
Marsha grinned at Rain before setting her gaze back on Canyon. “He did propose on the show, Canyon— to a woman he’d already eliminated earlier in the season. We brought Kayla back, remember?”
He lifted his chin. Yes, he did remember.
Rain clapped her hands. “I bet I know who you want to bring back,” she said with a squeal.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Rain was skipping way ahead here. “She didn’t say she wanted to bring anyone back.”
“Your sister is perceptive. I bet she’s right about the woman I have in mind too.”
Canyon’s jaw dropped. Irritation grew like a fire-breathing dragon in his chest. “This is ridiculous. You guys act like there’s some obvious choice here.” He looked back and forth between Rain and Marsha as laughter escaped through their tight lips.
“There is an obvious choice, here,” Marsha assured. She smoothed a palm down one side of her shiny black hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Think, Canyon.”
He pictured the faces of each bachelorette he’d met throughout the season. Most were easy to dismiss without a second thought. Tina. Nicky. Jill. Two he couldn’t even remember the names of since he let them go during the first night there. Shana was next, then… then came the one who hadn’t fully left his mind. The one they were most likely referring to. She’d been harder to let go of than the others. And he’d definitely hit it off with her, before things had gone downhill, that is.
“I have no idea,” he lied.
Marsha didn’t budge. “That can’t be true.”
“C’mon, Canyon, just admit it,” Rain said. “You really messed up by letting her go. Everyone thought so.”
“She’s the most popular bachelorette to date,” Marsha added.
Popular. Who cared? “I don’t keep up on all of that,” Canyon grumbled, “just ask Rain.”
“He avoids it,” Rain confirmed. “But I still think he knows who we’re talking about. She’s perfect for him.”
Canyon folded his arms over his chest and looked back and forth between the two women.
Mar
sha seemed to be gaining momentum. “Tell you what—if you apologize to this particular bachelorette, ask her for a second chance, and agree to film a bonus two-week winter wonderland getaway, then I’ll consider the obligations in your contract complete.”
“Without the other two women?”
“Yep.”
That didn’t sound too bad. “But would I have to propose?”
“Nope. No proposal necessary. Unless you decide you’d like to marry her along the way.”
Hope poured into his chest like a bucket of water to the burning flames. “You’re kidding.” Now Canyon was on his feet. He strode past the desk toward the window. An entire crew dressed like elves worked furiously to decorate a massive tree in front of Channel 13’s skyscraper, reminding him that the holiday season was upon them. Back in Lake Tahoe, the cold weather made it impossible to forget. But LA’s mild temps and sunny skies didn’t have the same effect.
“That billboard over there is one of the longest standing in the city,” Marsha said. “Urban Pike’s Menswear says sales have never been higher. You should be proud.”
Canyon gave the billboard no more than an interest-lacking glance. A shirtless spread of him in a pair of ripped up jeans, the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico serving as a backdrop. The word proud was a stretch. Glad, was more like it. Modeling had paid the bills quite nicely, but it wasn’t what he’d aimed to do with his life, or gone to school for, for that matter.
His eyes landed on a man who’d gotten tangled up in a string of Christmas lights. His arm flapped wildly as he worked to shake out the knotted mass. If only Canyon could shake off the mess he’d gotten himself tangled into so easily; he was sure there were all sorts of strings attached to Marsha’s offer. He just had to find out what they were.
“No proposal necessary, huh?” he asked. “Then what’s the catch?”
“There is no catch. That’s how certain I am that the two of you are a match. To be honest, I’m relieved that you came to your senses, because I don’t think you had a shot at a lasting relationship with Sophie or Tasha. You already let the right one go. And now is your chance to get her back. To discover if what I’m saying, and the rest of America frankly, is true: that getting rid of her was the biggest mistake of your life.”
Canyon’s shoulders slumped. Just why was he so positive he knew exactly who Marsha and Rain were talking about? So much that he could hardly play dumb anymore. He pictured their last one-on-one conversation as a stabbing pain sank into his gut.
“I hope you’re not talking about the one I’m thinking of,” he said, unsure if he could ever face her again.
“Let’s see if your sister and I are on the same wavelength,” Marsha said. “Which one am I talking about, Rain?”
“She’s beautiful…” Rain said. “Smart, feisty, and your guys’ kiss looked like it should be in the movies.”
Adrenaline bubbled within him as he recalled the best make-out session he’d had during the entire run of Find My Fiancé. But was it the one Rain was referring to? Canyon turned on one heel, set his gaze on his sister, and shrugged.
“Need one more hint?”
He gulped. “Maybe.”
“When you made her angry, she used more than just words to respond.”
A vision of the face-slap he’d received while the cameras rolled came to mind. Yep. That was her.
An odd blend of dread and anticipation warred within him.
“Well, Canyon, what’s it going to be? A lawsuit from one of television’s biggest producers that will undoubtedly hurt your modeling career; or two weeks in a winter wonderland with the girl who got away?”
If he was being honest, Canyon wasn’t convinced the lawsuit would hurt his career at all, but he didn’t like the idea of having such a stain on his name. All the other bachelors on Find my Fiancé had managed to play nice.
Plus, as he considered the hurt he’d seen in the woman’s eyes a moment before she’d slapped him, Canyon longed for a chance to explain himself. Marsha would be disappointed, since there’d be no chance of a proposal with her either, as angry as he’d made her, but if two weeks of his life would make the scandal surrounding him and the popular reality show go away for good, he owed it to not only his sister and his mom, but to Marsha and the staff as well.
“Fine,” he said, setting his eyes on Marsha once more. “I’ll do it.”
The acceptance caused one very big question to pop into his mind. “But what if she doesn’t agree to it?” Heck, if they thought it was hard getting him to agree, getting a yes out of the woman in question would be like pulling teeth from Jaws herself.
A grin spread over Marsha’s face. “Mr. Byer, in case you haven’t noticed, this is what I do best. You play your part, and leave Ms. Wilson to me.”
Chapter 2
Cambria rested her finger on the dial of the thermostat and slid it two notches to the left. Down from seventy-four degrees to seventy-two. Couldn’t have everyone complaining about the heat again.
She strode across the plush carpet in her thick socks and snatched the remote off the coffee table. A quick point at the big screen and the thing flashed to life with a loud advertisement for diapers. It didn’t take use of Cambria’s degree in business to know what that meant; Many of the people who’d been following Find My Fiancé were married and having children now.
She tapped down the volume and checked the clock. 7:45. In just fifteen minutes the finale would begin, putting an end to her season once and for all. Perhaps then her name and face could stop appearing in the media. Cambria wasn’t sure what had gotten into her anyway, agreeing to take part in such a thing.
A knock came to the front door. Half a second later the doorbell rang. “Come on in,” she hollered, hurrying through the dining area.
“Did someone order nacho cheese?” Mae asked as she entered, crockpot in hand. Flakes of snow clung to Mae’s dark hair, the icy bits getting smaller by the second.
“Yes, please,” Cambria said. “Chips are on the counter in a bowl. The outlet should be close enough for you to plug in.” Leah stood behind her carrying a tray of brownies.
“The party has officially arrived,” Leah chimed. “Me of course, not the brownies.”
Cambria chuckled. “Did you see Double V out there?” Cambria’s aunt and uncle, Vickie and Victor, had been dubbed Double V clear back in high school.
“They’re probably making out in the driveway,” Mae said. “I never even knew couples still kissed at that age until I met your folks. My parents never do.”
Cambria didn’t mind that Mae referred to the pair as her folks. They’d played the role since she was fifteen years old, when her own parents were killed in a car accident. Ten years had passed since then. It was hard not to get caught up in the fact that in just five more years, Cambria would have lived half of her life without them. They’d be proud of what she’d done with her life though. She’d opened Sweet Stop, the skin care shop she and Mom always dreamed about. And business was thriving.
The timer rang out, and Cambria pulled the hot wings from the oven. This was where the real party started. Canyon Byer had soured Cambria where love was concerned, and only buffalo wings drenched in blue cheese could dull the bitter taste he’d left her with.
“Knock, knock,” Vickie called from the front door as she creaked it open.
“We come bearing rotten tomatoes to throw at the TV screen,” Victor, Cambria’s valiant protector from all things male, hollered as he followed his wife inside.
“Good,” Mae snapped. “I call first throw.”
“No, my dear,” Cambria said as she hurried over to hug the pair. “That honor belongs to me.”
“Now, now.” Vickie patted Cambria’s back while balancing a pan of her famous breadsticks. “He might just redeem himself in this episode. You never know.” She stepped aside to let Victor hug Cambria while she greeted Cambria’s friends with a one-armed embrace.
“Always rooting for the underdog,” Victor mumbled as h
e gave Cambria a squeeze. “I say once a dog, always a dog.”
“Amen to that,” Mae chirped. “If it walks like a dog and bites like a dog…”
Leah turned up the volume with the remote. “I’m with Vickie. I love a good story of redemption. I have to think Canyon’s going to redeem himself somehow tonight. It’s his last shot.”
The group gathered around the bar, stacking paper plates as the conversation continued.
“I don’t see how he can redeem himself with the shallow women he’s narrowed it down to,” Mae said. “America hates them as much as they hate him.”
“Hate is a strong word,” Vickie argued. “I don’t think either woman has gained a lot of respect, is all.”
“So they deserve each other,” Victor mumbled around a bite of breadstick. “Stay tuned for the dramatic ending of Find My Fiancé,” Victor said in his deep, theatrical voice. “Will Canyon the Creep pick Self-absorbed Sophie or Tantrum-throwing Tasha?”
Vickie swatted him on the back with a hot pad. “Come on, you know it’s not fair to sum people up like that.”
Cambria had to admit that her aunt was right, but comments like her uncle’s still gave her a bit of satisfaction. After all, these were women who’d maintained Canyon’s affections, unlike Cambria.
The theme song blasted over the crowded front room as everyone took their places in front of the big screen with their plates filled with food. Cambria narrowed her eyes as an image of Canyon filled the screen. She could hardly believe that creep had her fooled. That he’d manipulated her emotions to get a stupid kiss from her. Incredible kiss, Cambria. It was undeniably incredible.
Her TV Bachelor Fake Fiancé: Christmas Romance Series Page 1