“Thank you so much.”
All these thank-yous were starting to go to his head. “Stop thanking me, Meg.” She was a contestant. He needed to remember this. It shouldn’t be about Meg. It needed to be about the show.
“I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“Meg, stop.” He didn’t deserve all her thanks. He’d convinced her to come here, and he’d gotten her involved with men who didn’t deserve her, who could never make her happy.
“But what you’re doing for me and the theater—”
Doing the only thing he could think in that moment, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Her mouth parted in surprise. She tensed, and then she relaxed into him, returning his kiss. The taste of coconut on her lips was almost too much to bear.
In that moment, it was only them.
She stopped and pulled back a little, her gaze darting down. “Elliot…”
No. He didn’t want to go back to being the producer and the contestant. The kiss complicated things, for sure, but he didn’t want to think about that right now. Because as much as he’d been afraid to admit it, he’d wanted to kiss her from the moment he’d first seen her. The second she’d stepped down those stairs from the balcony at that little theater, he’d dreamed of pulling her into his arms.
With a slight smile, she looked at him. “We can’t do this, can we?”
He swallowed hard. “I know. You’re right, but…” He wanted to ignore all of the implications of that kiss, if only for right now. He had a show to film, an entire crew here. The network was already breathing down his back.
Her shoulders rose and fell with her breath. “We’ll keep what just happened between us. It will be our secret.”
Tension formed at his temples. How would he explain this to Carla? She would never understand it. “That would probably be best.” Because if anyone from the show found out, he was toast.
She pressed her lips together, a new energy buzzing between them.
“I should go.”
She nodded.
Outside her door, he stopped, wishing he could go back inside and kiss her again and tell her how he really felt about her, but this couldn’t continue. If he lost control of his feelings again, he’d risk everything he’d ever worked for.
Chapter Nine
Meg leaned her head back in the airplane seat and closed her eyes, ignoring the passengers around her still stowing their luggage and buckling their seat belts. The past week had been a whirlwind. Between filming, the news from home, and then the kiss last night, she didn’t know what to think.
The kiss with Elliot and his promise to help the theater had been amazing, but could she trust him?
“Do you mind if we switch seats?” a familiar voice said.
She opened her eyes to find Elliot directing the man beside her to a seat farther back on the plane. Her heart stirred. The kiss had been phenomenal, but as much as she understood why they had to keep it a secret, it also stung. Secret relationships turned into secret heartaches, which were the worst kind.
The man sitting beside her stood and walked back to Elliot’s seat.
“Hey, stranger,” Elliot said.
“I didn’t know you were flying out today.”
He shrugged and sat beside her. “Carla and the rest of the crew are recording interviews with the guys today. I decided to leave early to do some scouting.”
“Or are you keeping an eye on me?”
He laughed. “Maybe a little of that too.”
After a short silence between them, he glanced around and lowered his voice. “I also wanted to talk to you about last night.”
Why did he have to smell so good with that clean and musky scent? “We don’t need to talk about it.” And she didn’t want to talk about it. She knew what he was going to say—that it was a mistake. That it shouldn’t have happened. He was too dedicated to his job and the show to say anything different.
He leaned toward her. “I want you to know that as fantastic as that kiss was, as the producer, I should never—”
She held up a hand. “Please stop. I was upset. You were comforting me.” A pity kiss? The thought sent a wave of regret through her.
His brow wrinkled. “As convenient as that would be for my professional life, I didn’t kiss you to comfort you.”
“Then why did you kiss me?”
His gaze burned into hers. “I like you…a lot.”
Her heart broke because she knew more was coming.
“But we can’t… I mean, I shouldn’t have—”
“I know.” She didn’t need to hear anymore. “I completely agree. It was a onetime thing.” As much as she’d loved it, it couldn’t happen again. “Besides, I don’t date people in the industry.”
He blinked. “Oh.” He was silent for a few seconds. “Can I ask why?” He sounded a little hurt.
Her stomach tightened. “I dated someone in New York. It didn’t end well.” Why was she telling Elliot this? A shadow of shame had followed her ever since she’d moved back home.
His gaze softened. “It ended badly?”
It had been a disaster. “You could say that. He was older than me. A theater owner.” She shook her head, the place she’d kept the story locked away fighting to burst open.
“What happened?”
“He said he saw talent in me. Star quality.” She shook her head, trying to hide the tears forming. “Said he wanted to help me.”
The flight attendants spoke over the intercom, announcing they were ready for takeoff, and Meg fought to swallow the tears of embarrassment that threatened to escape.
“He hurt you.” Anger laced his voice.
She shrugged. “Turns out he was married, and there were others like me.”
His jaw tightened. “Married? What a creep. Who was he?”
As much as she would love Elliot to find him and stick up for her, there was nothing anyone could do now. “It doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago. I shouldn’t have fallen for his lies. I was an idiot.”
“You were young. It wasn’t your fault. He shouldn’t get away with it.” His voice grew louder with every word.
She looked down. “I threatened to tell his wife and everyone he worked with the truth about him.”
“What happened?”
“Before I got the chance, he spread awful…” She squeezed her eyes closed. “And I mean awful rumors about me. And suddenly I couldn’t get an audition, not even for tiny plays no one would ever care about.”
“So you went home to Alna.”
When her dad had gotten injured again, it had been a sign. Obviously, she wasn’t made for the New York theater scene. “It was the best decision for me.” She’d put her past behind her and accepted the fact that her life wouldn’t be the one she’d dreamed about.
****
Being on the plane with Meg was one thing. But here, alone with her in the rental car, made Elliot monitor every breath, every word, every move he made. He’d proved that he couldn’t be trusted around her. Every time they talked, his defenses melted, and he ended up falling more deeply for her or worse—kissing her.
Meg leaned in toward the radio and turned it off. “You okay?” she asked. “You got quiet when we got off the plane.”
He squeezed the steering wheel. “Just thinking about the show.” This was a business trip. And he was a producer at work. He had a lot to prove. His father had big shoes to fill.
“Trying to figure out how to make me fall in love with A.J. or Peter?” She rolled her eyes.
The future of his career depended on Meg falling in love with a man who wasn’t Elliot. It felt like a cruel joke. “That’s my job.” It was so ludicrous, he wanted to laugh. Or cry.
Meg directed him toward the highway. “Can we stop by the hospital here in Oklahoma City before we head back to Alna? I want to visit Raymond.”
“Of course.” It was the least he could do. “I owe Raymond one for helping me convince you to be on the show.�
��
She sighed. “In a small town like Alna, a lot of people my age are already married. I think me being single drives Raymond and some of the other people at the theater crazy. I bet it’s strange dating when you produce a dating show.”
It had never been an issue until Meg. He’d never felt so much as a flutter for those other women, but Meg had come in and wrecked him. “I don't date much.”
“Give me a break. Don’t pretend you don’t know you’re good looking and successful. I think it’s pretty clear you’re a catch.”
Was that what she thought of him? He couldn’t lie that it felt great to hear.
She narrowed her eyes. “You are single, aren't you?”
“Of course I’m single.” What kind of guy did she think he was? Maybe she thought he kissed all the female contestants. “I just don't date. I work. My last relationship was two years ago.”
“Bad breakup? Can’t be worse than mine, can it?”
His jaw clenched. “It’s close. When my dad got sick, she couldn’t handle it.”
She touched his arm. “She broke up with you while he was sick?”
He shrugged. “While he was in the hospital. Part of me doesn’t blame her. It was pretty rough for a while. Ever since then, I decided to hunker down and focus on my own career. Dating just hasn’t been part of my life since then.”
“You're not lonely?”
Lonely? He was always working. He was too busy to be lonely. “I'm constantly surrounded by people.”
She shook her head. “People who work for you. That doesn’t count.”
“Sure it does. Don’t the people at your theater count?”
“Point taken.”
He probably wasn’t as close to the crew as Meg was to the people at her theater, but he wanted the crew to respect him for his hard work, just like they’d respected his father.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the hospital parking lot. He parked near the entrance, feeling unsure about going inside. He hated hospitals, especially after his father’s illness. “I’ll just wait in the car.”
She wrinkled up her face. “He’ll want to see you.”
Elliot doubted that, but maybe he would slip out and get a cup of coffee if it got too uncomfortable. How many hospital coffees had he had over that last month of his father’s life?
What could he do? Tell Meg he was afraid of the fluorescent lit halls and antiseptic smells? Although, those were exactly the things that brought on a visceral reaction in him.
And he’d been alone. His girlfriend, who he’d trusted more than anyone in the world, had disappeared. She’d visited once, then she’d never come back. Part of him understood. Who would want to watch someone go through that? It had solidified one thing—when things got tough, most people didn’t stick around. Now that his dad was gone, Elliot was on his own. Sometimes he felt like an orphan, which was ridiculous. He was a grown man, but if he ever let his life get quiet enough, the loneliness of that feeling would overtake him.
But he looked in Meg’s eyes and then at the big gray hospital, and he didn’t want her to go in alone. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
A few minutes later, they walked down the long hall. She glanced at him. “You okay? You look a little…pale. You’re not going to pass out or throw up like Peter did, are you?”
He swallowed hard, feeling a little dizzy. “Fine.”
She stopped. “Elliot. What’s going on?”
He shook his head. “Hospitals are…difficult for me.”
She let out a little breath. “Your dad. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. How selfish of me to make you come in with me.”
He shook his head. “You? Selfish? No, Meg. You’re the furthest thing from selfish.”
She looped her arm in his like he was an elderly patient. “Come on. I’ll walk you back down to the car. I think there’s a restaurant next door. Maybe you could get some dinner while I run in to see Raymond.”
He smiled. “See. Not selfish. I’ll be fine. What’s his room number?”
She narrowed her eyes as if she were assessing whether or not he was about to pass out right there on the linoleum floor.
“Seriously, I’m fine.” He glanced at the room numbers beside each door down the hall. “Are we close?”
She pointed down another hall. “I think it’s this way.”
She let go of his arm, but he slid his hand down and locked her fingers in his. She looked up at him and squeezed his hand. “We’ll make this quick.”
A voice came over the intercom, and then several nurses hurried down the hall. He felt a familiar panic in his chest. Focus on something else. Focus on something good. Focus on Meg. Hearing his pulse in his ears, he concentrated on the feel of her hand in his as they walked. The warmth of her palm. The pressure of her fingers. The fact that she was here. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know my reaction is a little over the top.”
She shook her head. “Your reaction is natural. Don’t worry about me.”
Producing the show gave him some sense of control over things, but that wasn’t reality. This was real life. You couldn’t get more real than being at the hospital. Pretenses were stripped away. It was raw, and it was painfully uncomfortable for him. He couldn’t control it.
When they finally made it to the room, he took a deep breath as she knocked.
“Raymond,” she said softly. “Are you awake? It’s Meg.”
“Meg?” His voice was raspy. “Come in.”
She gave Elliot’s hand one last squeeze before pushing the door open. He wished she wouldn’t let it go.
“You’re back,” Raymond said. He had a thick beard of coarse white hair and an oxygen tube in his nose.
She leaned in and hugged him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner.”
“Not as sorry as I am that I burned down the theater,” he said sheepishly.
“You didn’t burn down the theater.”
“I burned down all the sets.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay. Elliot is going to help us with the sets.”
He looked at Elliot, noticing him for the first time. “He is, is he?”
Elliot rocked back on his heels. “It’s the least I could do after dragging Meg down to Enchanted Island to do the show.”
“Some professional set designers are going to help us rebuild everything,” Meg said, looking up at Elliot.
“We’ll bring all the ideas by for your input and approval,” Elliot said, not wanting Raymond to think he was taking over.
Meg nodded eagerly. “Because no one could compare to our original set designer.”
“Are you kidding me? Those big shot professionals will put me to shame.” Raymond’s words set off a coughing fit that sent Elliot and Meg to his sides to help him sit up a little.
When the coughing stopped, Meg lifted the plastic pitcher from the table. “You’re out of ice water. Have the nurses been taking good care of you?”
Raymond waved a hand. “Stop fussing over me. They’ve been fine.”
When she walked out of the room, Raymond gave a weak smile. “You take care of our Meg. She’s special.” Raymond winked at him. “But you already know that. I can tell. I see the way you look at her.”
Elliot exhaled. “Yes, sir.” But the truth was, he hadn’t been taking care of her like he should. Elliot was the one who’d dragged Meg into this mess in the first place, and now it was too late to undo any of it.
Chapter Ten
Meg stared out the car window at the flat Oklahoma landscape and took a deep breath. Raymond was going to be okay. It was all going to be okay. As beautiful as Enchanted Island had been, the landscape that expanded in front of her soothed her soul.
It was good to be back, but the thought of the guys on the show and the cameras showing up here tomorrow made her uneasy.
Elliot turned the car toward Alna. He looked almost back to his normal self. “Sorry again about talking you into going in the hospital.” She hadn’t even thought about how
hard it would be for someone who recently lost a family member.
One hand draped over the steering wheel, he glanced at her and then back to the road. “Don’t worry about it. You helped me face my fear. I would have had to pay a therapist a lot of money for that kind of immersion therapy.”
Maybe that’s what she was doing by being on the show. Facing her fear of…what? Failure? Making mistakes? Doing something outside of her life in Alna?
“You can drop me off at my dad’s place. I let him use my car while I’ve been gone. I need to reclaim it.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “That was nice of you. It sounds like you spend a lot of time taking care of other people.”
“They give me plenty to take care of.” And the one time she’d moved away, everything had gone wrong. She wouldn’t let that happen again.
“I mean it. I really admire you, Meg.” He looked at her as if she’d given her dad a kidney—which she would if he ever needed one.
She laughed. “It’s an old Toyota. It’s not like I loaned him my BMW.”
He grimaced.
“You have a BMW, don’t you?”
He cleared his throat. “Which way to your dad’s house?”
It was weird to think of Elliot as one of those high-powered guys she used to know in New York.
“I know what you’re thinking. I’m not the rich, out-of-touch guy you think I am.”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t thinking that,” she lied.
His jaw tightened as he swallowed. “All that stuff doesn’t matter. The job. The money. You’re lucky to have your family close. I hope you’ll consider talking to your dad about being on the show.”
A knot formed in her chest. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“You’re obviously close. It would give the viewers a chance to understand you better.”
An hour later, they pulled into a trailer park and in front of her dad’s mobile home. The metal along the bottom was rusting, the white exterior paint was peeling, and the wooden steps leading up to the front door looked worn.
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