She tapped her chin as she took a moment to think. “I’d definitely kill Belle. She’s a little too perfect, if you know what I mean. But I’d fuck Karen the masseuse. I bet she’s good with her hands . . .”
I had to agree with Susannah. “Excellent choices.”
I still wasn’t over the fan mob, and my eyes kept darting to the front door, fearful more would come. Noticing James outside walking up to the door, I quickly turned to Susannah. “James is coming in. Tell him to go around back in the alley. I’ll let him in the back door.”
“Right.” Susannah picked up on my idea. “Wouldn’t want another fan rush. James is the perfect bait for a sea of screaming women willing to throw their undies at him.”
I frowned. “Ew. Just do it, okay?”
Dashing back, I waited by the back door for a minute and then jiggled the handle. I popped the door open with a push of my hip.
James frowned and pointed to the door. “How did you do that? I tried and tried the other day, but it wouldn’t budge.”
Glancing up and down the alley, I noticed no one had seen him. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him inside.
He stumbled as he didn’t expect me to be so forceful. “What the hell?”
The surprise in his eyes quickly darkened as I closed the door, locking us in the back room. “Did I unlock the feistiness with my dick?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“No. I had an incident earlier.”
“What sort of incident?”
“Fans.”
His head reared back. “My fans? But why would my fans be here? Unless they know about you and me . . .”
James seemed a little more unsettled by people finding out about us than I had expected. Was he ashamed of me? I wanted to keep things secret for the contest, but what about after? Did he still want to keep it a secret?
“No. My fans.”
He coughed out a laugh. “Your fans? How did you get fans?” His brows went up as he realized. “Oh, right, the contest. Wow, the Blue Spot’s channel is that popular. Huh.”
James studied me for a moment and shook his head.
“Don’t you believe that I could have fans?”
Not that I wanted fans. I just wanted customers who enjoyed coming to my café to hang out and order things to eat and drink. That was the point of entering the contest. To get enough money to keep things going and gain a little exposure, not to create my own fan club.
“I do; it’s just that . . ..” He looked like he was trying to think of something to make me happy. A lie that he could twist just right so I’d believe it.
Because that’s all James ever did with me . . . lie.
He never told me he had money and made me believe he was some random guy struggling like the rest of us. He never told me he was related to Rock or anyone associated with the contest. I even stumbled upon the farm myself without a word from him before that. Would he have told me about it if I hadn’t?
Or was his plan to use me for a while and then disappear, hoping I’d never discover his place in the mountains?
“It’s just what?”
“I don’t think fame is what you want? You’ve got this.” He glanced around the back room of the Hard Grind. “You like the simple life.”
I took a step back. “You know me so well, is that it, James? I can’t possibly get fans like you. I’m just a girl from the mountains running a little ol’ coffee shop. What would I want with fans?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. We got the farm. You don’t need the fans or the shop or any of it.” He tried to place his hands on my shoulder, but I jerked away, almost tripping over a box.
“Farm? You have the farm, James.” I pushed my finger into his chest. “I only found out about it a few days ago. That’s your dream, not mine. This is what I want. My parents invested in this, and despite my mother almost selling it out from under my dad’s nose and ruining our lives, I refuse to see it die.”
“Your mother did what?”
I folded my arms and watched him discover he knew nothing about me.
“That’s right. She cheated on my dad, too. My father would have stepped in front of a speeding train for her, and she treated him like nothing. That’s what my mom did. We were old news to her. She liked shiny new things. I was a burden, and my dad was the noose around her neck. So she found some slick guy who told her everything she wanted to hear. Told her to sell this place since she was part owner and they would run away together.”
“Oh, Marika. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry she didn’t realize what an amazing daughter she had. That she was lucky to have a wonderful man like your father.”
I turned my head, the anger melting away into something much more painful.
“He killed her. The guy she was willing to leave everything for . . . shot her while she slept.”
James gasped. He pulled me into his arms, and I let him. My heart hurt, and I wondered if the pain would ever end.
“I thought she was so beautiful when I was little that I’d do anything to make her smile. I’d put on my prettiest dress and twirl until I grew dizzy. She’d laugh and clap and never tell me to stop. I tried so hard to grab hold of her love, but I could never reach.”
The tears ran down my face, and James held me. He said nothing, just his warm embrace to comfort me.
“I love you, Marika,” he whispered in my ear, and I threw my arms around his waist. “You don’t have to do a thing or say a word, and I will love you.”
Chapter 20
JAMES
“What’s this place?” I gazed around the compact room with a desk and window that looked out onto some woods.
“It’s your new office. Coleman’s right down the hall, and I figured if you would work with him regularly, you would want to be nearby,” Rock said, standing in the doorway.
“Is this punishment because I pissed in the shoes you wore to prom?”
He shook his head quickly. “No, it’s not punishment . . . Wait, you pissed in my prom shoes?”
I waved my hand at him. “That’s not important. Why are you giving me an office?”
Rock narrowed his eyes and glared at me for a moment before stepping farther into the small office. “You said you didn’t want to be a VidTube star anymore. Wanted more to do here, so I figured you’d need your own office and not have to work out of the conference room.”
“About that . . . I will be a farmer.”
Rock’s eye twitched. “A farmer . . .” he said slowly. “Is that slang for marketing?”
This would be difficult. I knew it would be, and I had put off telling him for as long as possible. After telling Monty three days ago, I knew it was time to tell Rock the truth.
“No, it’s slang for farmer. As in plow the fields and milk the cows. That sort of thing.”
Rock pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re giving up a lucrative career on VidTube to milk cows?”
“Yes. I’ve been looking into it a little more since Marika asked me what type of farmer I wanted to be, and I realized I never gave it much thought. I was too focused on finding the perfect spot for the farm.”
My brother was calm from my announcement. It was unnerving.
“Have you found the perfect spot? You know, for this farm of yours.” His usual burst of anger was covered up by thick sarcasm.
“Yes, I have. It’s majestic and beautiful, and the construction has started.”
He thinned his lips, turning them white as he clasped his hands behind his back. Walking over to the window, my brother stared out at the trees rustling in the wind for a long time.
I was afraid to speak. Worried his head would explode. I was waiting for the lecture about how I’d end up like Dad, struggling despite my billions of dollars.
“Okay.” Rock turned around and smiled. “You can use this office in the meantime. Help here until the farm is up and running.”
Now it was time for my eye to twitch. I glanced around and wondered if Pru was filming a prank on me. Which w
as a clever idea, and I was now jealous I hadn’t thought of it.
Joke’in James, where the jokes are always on me.
“Is this a joke?”
“Nope. Just supporting my little brother. You’re family, and you can do what you like with your career and money. If that involves feeling up a cow’s udders, then that’s your kink, not mine.”
I frowned. “It speaks volumes about you as a person that your mind went there, instead of how farmers really produce milk.”
He chuckled and said, “I love you, bro. I’m serious. If you really want to be a farmer, then be a farmer. I do not understand where this is coming from, but if it makes you happy, I say do it.”
Staring at my brother, I wondered if he was ill or aliens had invaded and were using my brother as a host. Whatever the reason for his more-accepting, less-volcanic personality change, I’d take it.
“That’s great to hear. I may push things, but what about Marika? I’m glad you didn’t kick her out of the contest, but when can I let others know that we are dating?”
“Not yet. That’s why I’m here. A winner’s been picked and will be announced tonight. The last six contestants will gather here, and the billionaire will be revealed. Coleman has this entire thing planned.”
“Okay, but why are you telling me? I only helped with Belle. An experience that will haunt me until my dying day.” I shuddered at the memory of her whispering in my ear how one of her ex-husbands liked her to bite his dick. Not lightly nibble at the skin, but full-on chomp down. I had the powerful urge to buy a cup to wear when I was around her—a metal one.
“Because Marika is the winner. She’ll be going on a date with Steele Carson.”
“Oh,” I said, a bit shocked.
I thought I’d be happy she was getting the money she needed for her coffee shop, but that’s not what I felt. My fists clenched, and I turned to look out at the trees, hoping for some peace.
The heated spread of jealousy climbed up my neck, causing my ears to burn.
I shouldn’t be jealous. I’d let Steele know that I was dating Marika so he wouldn’t try to hit on her after taping. He was a great guy and would understand. As understanding and great of a friend as Steele was, it still irked me.
My brother’s hand landed on my shoulder. “It’s all for show, you know that. You do this for a living. What happens in front of the camera, even in reality shows, isn’t real. We will have a script for both of them for the dinner. Make it look romantic, but nothing will actually happen.”
I nodded. “Yeah, sure. I know that. Why wouldn’t I know that?” I snorted and couldn’t stop myself from overemphasizing my knowledge of the matter. “They don’t call it the entertainment business for nothing. It’s what people want to see, not what happens. Because if you filmed two strangers on an actual date, it would be awkward and boring.”
I turned to my brother. His hand fell from my shoulder.
“Got to ham it up for the cameras.”
“Exactly. You get it.” Rock grinned.
I got it, all right. I got that Steele was better looking than me. Had more money than me. And didn’t go around spewing wild plans to everyone about becoming a farmer without ever having figured out what type of farmer he wanted to be. Who does that? Idiot losers, that’s who.
I was a moron, and Marika would realize the moment she sat down with Steele. And, as if he could read minds, Steele knocked on my open office door.
“Cool office. Monty told me you got your own.”
“Cool office,” I sneered in a sing-song voice.
Steele tilted his head. “Huh?”
I looked at his perfectly chiseled features and felt ashamed. He would never purposely hurt me like that. Steele loved his channel and rarely dated. He was always too busy to see women. Even if he was a dick and went after Marika, he wouldn’t have time.
I knew my heart was battling my brain. And depending on who won, I’d either walk away with a smile on my face or in a straight-jacket.
“Just heard the news. They picked a winner.” I smiled through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, I’m so glad the viewers liked Marika—that’s how she won. They voted for her. And she’s hot!”
Rock coughed and wouldn’t stop, but I wasn’t concerned about him. My focus was on Steele.
“So, tell me more about her hotness . . . Haven’t seen the show yet.”
Was it wrong of me to lure my friend into a trap? Yes. But, in my defense, I wasn’t thinking rationally right now. My heart was winning the battle, making all the decisions.
“Man, I love those redheads.” Steele smirked and gazed off in the distance. “And from what I’ve seen of the show, she’s a business owner. I thought it would be nice on the date, as one person who runs his own business to another person who runs her own business, to talk a little shop.”
My heart calmed down a little. My ire lessened.
“Sounds great. Actually, I wanted to let you know that—”
“It might be a nice touch to add a kiss at the end of the date. You know, for ratings.”
My brother had a huge coughing attack. I thought he would pass out, but after a minute, he settled down. Rock shook his head at me.
“He’s trying to say something,” Steele said as he came over to slap my brother on his back.
“I don’t think he wants you to kiss Marika.”
“Are you sure? Because that would help ratings. You know it would.”
I do. But I wasn’t about to let my best friend kiss the woman I loved for ratings.
“And anyway, I talked to Coleman, and he said—”
“I love Marika,” I blurted out.
Rock’s coughing stopped with a gasp as Steele’s hand froze in mid-slap.
“Marika? My Marika?” Steele pointed at himself.
“No one owns her, but what I’m saying is I’ve been seeing her since before the contest.”
Steele held up his hands. “I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have said those things or agreed with Coleman about the kiss if I did.”
“Coleman? You mean Coleman came up with the idea for the kiss?”
I knew Coleman didn’t like me, but I would never do that to him. If I knew he liked a woman, I wouldn’t make another guy kiss her.
“Yeah. That’s why I’m here. He called me in. Said he had to speak with me.”
“James, don’t.” Rock grabbed my arm as I tried to move around Steele.
“Don’t worry, Big Brother. I won’t hurt Coleman.”
An idea had popped into my head a few days ago about a video I could make for Joke’in James. But I thought it might take things too far, cause too many problems, so I nixed it. But if Coleman wanted to hurt me, then I didn’t think that idea of mine would cause enough problems.
It was time to go scout out the location so I could plan my attack.
“I won’t even touch him,” I added as I left my office to head to the Blue Chip restaurant.
Chapter 21
MARIKA
“Lean down and smell one flower,” the cameraman said from behind me.
“But if I do that, then it might look like I’m raining on the plants.” I whipped my fingers under my eyes.
It was the final part of the contest. All the remaining contestants were here at The Blue Spot. They gave me a long, green silk dress to wear. It was beautiful, and in normal locations, I’d look great in it. But as I stood in the middle of The Blue Spot’s greenhouse, filled with wildflowers from all over the world, I was sweating profusely.
There were damp patches all over the dress. I knew the makeup Susannah put on me was half-melted, and I feared where it melted to.
“You have a point.”
I didn’t expect the cameraman to agree with me. I must have looked worse than I thought. Perhaps my smeared face might scare away some of my creepier fans.
But I was warming up to them. Most were just regular people who were excited to live near someone they saw on VidTube. It took some time to adj
ust with so many strangers knowing my name. And I wasn’t okay with a few of the fans of the show who came right up to me, reaching for me as if I wasn’t human. Never once asking for permission to touch me.
But as nervous as I was about the fans, I was more worried about my dad and Susannah. They were both here, and part of me wanted to win just to make them happy.
“You got a little something right here.” The cameraman pointed to under his eye. I thought I had cleaned under my eyes. With a sigh, I tried to wipe away what I couldn’t see on my face. He responded with a frown.
“Did I get it?”
“Yes and no.” Before I could ask him what that meant, he added, touching his earpiece, “Oh, I just heard. It’s your turn to be filmed.”
“So someone will come in and guide me out? Take me either to the restaurant if I win or a room with the other contestants if I lose?” I asked, trying to remember what I had been told before I came into this plant sauna.
“Yes. The person’s coming. Smile.”
I pushed my cheeks up and gave the widest grin I could manage.
“Not like a clown,” the cameraman whisper-screamed at me.
I was so nervous and had trouble moving my face. Lowering my mouth, I loosened the smile but worried I appeared less happy to be here and more like I was trying not to poop my undies.
“That will have to do. The person’s coming.” He shrugged and placed the camera on his shoulder, holding up three fingers to count down.
He got to one, and my heart was hammering in my chest, adding to the trickles of sweat running down my face.
The door opened to the greenhouse behind the cameraman. I sighed at the luxurious cool breeze floating into the room.
It was a relief for only a moment as a woman I didn’t recognize walked into the room. She was beautiful and wore a checkered pencil skirt with a light pink blouse. Her thick blond hair was pulled back into a French twist. And, as she came closer, there was a distinct smell of garlic about her.
“Hi, Marika, I’m Laura. I need you to come with me.” She waved me toward the door, and I was happy not just to be closer to the end of this contest but for leaving the suffocating greenhouse as well.
Dating Disaster with a Billionaire (Blue Ridge Mountain Billionaires, #1) Page 12