by SUE FINEMAN
“What do you do for a living, Tony?” asked DeeNae.
“Mostly carpentry work, and I help my cousin manage his construction company.”
Fawn shared a wide-eyed look with Rachel. Tony was so comfortable in this big, fancy house, they thought he was accustomed to living this way. Catherine knew he was comfortable in any surroundings, but the others didn’t know him as well as she did.
Had he caught those skeptical looks?
JoJo and DeeNae played a game of pool with Tony that evening, and then he went for a walk with Fawn and Riley. Rachel seemed to think he’d save her for last, but when Tony came inside, he said goodnight and took Riley up to his suite.
For the other girls, the evening was a bust, but the bickering upstairs was just beginning. There were six women sharing three beds, six women using a single bathroom. Six women who all wanted to end up with Tony.
And nobody knew what would happen tomorrow.
Back in the suite, Rachel said, “I want to know which one of you knows Tony.”
Nobody spoke, so Catherine said, “It was probably one of the girls who left.”
Jenny picked up the thread. “Maybe that’s why Carina was so pissed.”
“Why would he get rid of someone he knew?” asked Fawn.
Catherine shrugged. “Why not? He may have dated her and rejected her, and she wanted another shot at him.”
Fawn crossed her arms. “I don’t buy it.”
“I don’t either,” said Rachel. “I think it’s one of us.”
That set the tone for the evening, and instead of the normal, friendly banter at bedtime, an uneasy silence settled over the room.
Ah, yes. The competition for Tony’s heart was getting serious.
<>
Tony walked into his suite and saw six pictures on the built-in cabinet in the sitting room. The pictures were of the remaining women in their costumes. Each picture had a signature on it. Catherine had signed hers Little Bo Peep, with (Catherine) below it.
With the camera watching over his shoulder, he picked up each picture and studied it and then set it down. He hoped this didn’t become a nightly process, like the session in the study.
After the cameraman left, Tony stretched out on the bed, hands under his head, thinking about the girls. If he had to choose between JoJo and his dog, he’d pick Riley. She’d go next. That left Fawn, Jenny, Rachel, DeeNae, and Catherine.
When he saw DeeNae in her belly dancing costume, he thought…he wasn’t sure what he thought, but spending time with her out on the beach, away from the others, the charm of her accent wore thin. The woman never shut her mouth.
Fawn was almost too perfect to be real, but he couldn’t forget her scowling while everyone else laughed at Little Bo Peep.
Seeing Rachel in her bathing suit confirmed what he’d wondered about at mealtime. She didn’t eat enough to keep a kitten alive, and she was much too thin. Women always seemed to think they were too fat, but Rachel’s hip bones poked out, and every rib showed. There was no meat on her.
Catherine was herself, charmingly different from the others. It wasn’t just her red hair or her short stature. Every time he thought he had her figured out, she surprised him. It was like trying to play football with a basketball. It didn’t throw the same and you couldn’t catch it the same way. And if you tried to carry it under your arm like a football, someone could pop it right out and steal it away.
He was strongly attracted to Jenny. She fit the image of his ideal woman. Jenny was tall and blonde, with a charming freshness about her. Tomorrow, he’d meet her little girl. He hoped Riley behaved himself with her. Riley loved kids, but sometimes the little ones were frightened by his size and that big pink tongue.
He closed his eyes to dream of Jenny, but her face disappeared and a redhead in a Little Bo Peep costume caught his attention. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.
Chapter Fourteen
Tony woke early the next morning. With nothing on the schedule until evening, he planned to kick back and enjoy the day. He went down to the pool just after dawn and found it shrouded in fog. The soft green pool lights showed movement, and as he peered closer, he saw Catherine swimming away from him. She was alone, and the fog was so thick she almost disappeared at the other end of the pool.
There was no camera on them and no one else around. It was the first time he’d been alone with her since the interviews. The sun would burn the fog off soon, and their privacy would evaporate with the fog. If he wanted questions answered, he’d better ask them now.
She swam back and stopped at the ladder below him. “I snuck out to get some exercise. The way I’ve been eating, I’ll gain twenty pounds this month.”
He eased himself into the pool beside her. “I use the gym nearly every day. Tell me how you came up with that silly costume.”
“I didn’t know I was going to be on the show until one of the girls was rejected by the detective we hired, so I had to use what I had in my closet. Fawn was the only alternate left and I didn’t want to put her on the show, but Henry said… Oh, I shouldn’t be telling you this.”
“Why does her name sound familiar?”
“She’s the bimbo who gave the pill to my father, the one who caused his fall.”
“The ditzy blonde who wanted to paint the dining room hot pink?”
“That’s the one. Someone got sick at the last minute, and Fawn was the same size, so they didn’t have a choice.”
“That’s why her costume was too tight?”
“I don’t think they had time for alterations. She’s always whining about something. Jenny can’t stand her, and neither can I, but then I didn’t like her before the show began.”
He thought Catherine had come on the show because she wanted him for herself. Now he wasn’t sure what to believe. He’d dated a lot of women over the years, and every time he thought he had them figured out, something happened to prove him wrong. Like with Melissa and her mental problems. Catherine didn’t have any mental problems, and she was one of the most honest women he’d ever been with. She had good reason not to like Fawn, but that didn’t explain why she’d come on the show herself instead of finding someone else to do it.
He swam two laps with her before asking, “So you’re here just as a fill-in?”
She stopped at the ladder and turned to face him. “No, Tony. I’m here for the same reason everyone else is.”
He lifted her chin and gazed deeply into her eyes. “I want to believe that, Catherine.”
“Believe it.” She glanced around the pool. “Tony, I’m not supposed to be talking to you. If someone finds us—”
At that moment, he didn’t care if someone found them. He kissed her, teasing her lips until he tasted the passion in her. He wanted to get naked with her, to rekindle the night of hot sex they’d shared before, but it was out of the question now. One of the other women could show up any minute, and he couldn’t do something with Catherine that he wouldn’t do with the others.
Ma thought she was wonderful, and so did the rest of the family. The Donatelli clan could be a little overwhelming to people who didn’t come from a big family, but Catherine handled herself well at their family dinner. The way she cuddled Gina’s little boy earned approval from all the women in the family.
Funny how he’d never put any of his women in the same thought with his mother. Until now. If he chose another woman at the end of this show, Ma would disown him.
Still, there was Jenny.
Catherine escaped from Tony before they got carried away in the pool like last time. Getting caught kissing Tony would cause trouble for sure, and if she stayed with Tony, they’d soon be doing more than kissing. She wanted the cameras to go away and the other girls to go home, so she could have Tony all to herself, but she had to stick it out. Henry had given her a chance to work in a business she knew nothing about. He’d given her the opportunity to learn, and then he’d given her this show. She owed him.
She went in through the
gym and upstairs to their suite. Jenny wasn’t there, but she went upstairs to see her little girl every morning before breakfast.
Sounds of retching came from the bathroom. Rachel must have gotten up during the night to eat again. The bar in the suite was filled with all kinds of goodies. The girl had serious problems. If she’d known this before, Catherine wouldn’t have approved her for the show. She had to talk with Henry about it before Rachel made herself too sick to continue.
No one was in the shower, so Catherine grabbed her robe and turned on the water. Fawn was still in bed, but she whined, “It was my turn next.”
“I’ll just be a minute.” What a bitch!
Catherine showered quickly and as soon as she got out, Fawn jumped in, swearing at Catherine.
“You should have asked first,” said Rachel. “Fawn had the next turn.”
“Then why wasn’t she in the shower?”
Rachel didn’t answer, and everyone else looked away while Catherine steamed. Rachel acted as though she were the boss of the suite, Fawn complained about everything, Jenny was always sniping at someone, and DeeNae drove them all crazy with her constant yammering. JoJo was the easiest one to get along with, and she wouldn’t be here much longer.
Catherine waited until Fawn had the water going in the shower and couldn’t hear before saying, “If anyone is interested, there’s a pool outside the gym. I was just getting out when Tony came down.”
The scramble was on. Rachel pulled her suit over skinny bones and ran out the door. DeeNae asked, “Where is the gym?”
Catherine pointed. “Take the stairs at that end of the hall. Go down two flights and through the French doors. The pool is a few steps down the path. Very private.” Catherine grinned. “Rachel went the wrong direction.”
“Catherine, I love you,” said JoJo. She followed DeeNae out to the pool.
Poor Tony.
<>
Tony asked the women who weren’t in the pool that morning to walk with him on the beach. He didn’t want to play favorites, even though he already knew the next two to send home. He still wasn’t sure what to do about Fawn. Catherine had a bone to pick with her, so that could be coloring her opinion. She said Fawn gave Walt a drug that caused him to fall down the stairs, but what if Walt took it willingly? Maybe the guy was having a problem holding an erection.
Thank God Tony had never had that kind of problem.
He spent an hour with Jenny and little Jessie. Riley slurped the kid across the face and instead of crying, she giggled. Cute little girl. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, like her mother, and she’d no doubt be a beauty when she grew up. How could any man walk away from this? Jenny was a loving mother, and Jessie was adorable. “Does her father see her?”
“No. He left when she was a baby, and I don’t want him around her.”
“I assume you have a reason.”
“He’s a mean drunk. Jessie doesn’t need that kind of father.”
Tony wanted to know how Jenny could have gotten involved with that kind of man in the first place, but he didn’t ask. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
He took Rachel for a short drive in Cara’s Jaguar. “I love your car, Tony.”
“Oh, it’s not mine. I just borrowed it for the afternoon.”
“Who do you know who would loan you a car like this?”
Tony didn’t answer. He’d almost blown it. This woman wanted him to be rich, and he wasn’t rich. He’d never be rich, and he didn’t care.
But she did.
<>
While Tony and Rachel were out and the others were in the gym, Fawn slipped into Tony’s suite and looked through his things. He didn’t wear any jewelry except a watch, and it wasn’t a Rolex or anything expensive.
The portrait over the desk was a wedding picture. Cara Andrews was the bride, and the groom had to be the guy whose picture she’d seen in the tabloids. Nick Donatelli had a nasty scar through one eyebrow and his nose was crooked. With a rich wife, you’d think he could afford to get plastic surgery to make himself look better.
There were a bunch of people around the bride and groom, including Tony. He had a big family, and they all looked happy. Her family was anything but happy, and she hadn’t seen any of them since the day her old man kicked her out. Her brother had knocked up two girls, but her father hadn’t kicked him out. Last she heard, he was in prison for murder. Looking at the picture, she’d bet that not one of Tony’s family had ever been in prison.
Fawn had served time for theft and fraud, and she’d been arrested for prostitution, but not convicted. California had a three-strikes law. The third felony put a person behind bars for good. She had no intention of spending the rest of her life in a prison cell.
She looked through Tony’s closet. There wasn’t much there that she hadn’t seen him wear. Apparently he wasn’t much of a clothes horse. She’d change that after they married. They’d fly to Paris and get new wardrobes, and then they’d travel for a few months. After they came back here to live, she’d redecorate their private suite. Bright, cheerful colors would liven the place up. The whole blue and beige thing left her yawning.
She rearranged the pictures in the sitting room, putting hers front and center. Catherine’s went in the back, with Jenny’s. She didn’t like Jenny, and she hated Catherine. Why was Catherine here? She was rich enough to buy herself a husband, if that was what she wanted. She didn’t have to come on a stupid television show to find one.
After checking the hallway to make sure no one would see her, Fawn slipped out the door and walked back to her suite.
<>
That evening, Tony looked up at the faces of the six remaining women standing around the fountain. Catherine wore a slinky green dress with a halter top. Jenny wore white again, and DeeNae red, which must be her favorite color. She wore a lot of red. Rachel wore black. If he had any sense, he’d eliminate her right now, but she seemed so fragile. She wasn’t eating, and there were dark circles under her eyes. After his experience with Melissa, he wanted to make sure there was a doctor standing by to take care of her when he sent her away. And he would send her away.
But not tonight.
“Good evening, ladies.”
“Good evening, Tony,” they said as one.
“I hope you’re all having as much fun as I am. Every day I spend with you, I find it more difficult to send one of you away.”
Fawn was a beauty, with nearly perfect features, and her figure would entice any red-blooded man. Her ice blue gown brought out the color of her eyes and skimmed her sexy figure. Was she what she appeared to be, or was she as bitchy as Catherine said? He saw occasional flashes of anger at the other women, and he could almost smell the tension between them, but he couldn’t let that influence his decisions.
Jenny’s shy smile caught his attention, and Catherine looked confident. She knew he wouldn’t stay with any woman who didn’t like Riley, and JoJo didn’t like dogs. Was Catherine worried that he’d send her away before the show ended? Yes, of course she was. She should be worried, because he still didn’t know for sure which one he’d pick at the end. When he was with Catherine, he felt complete, but Jenny was everything he’d ever wanted. She needed him, and little Jessie needed him.
He called JoJo’s name, and she walked down and took his hand.
“JoJo, I’ve had a great time with you the past few days, and I hate to say goodbye.”
“I hate to go, but I understand. I hope you’ll be happy with whoever you choose at the end of the show.”
He kissed and hugged her, and she walked away with her head held high.
After the session for the camera in the library, he examined the portraits of the remaining women. Fawn, Jenny, DeeNae, Rachel, and Catherine. Three blondes, one brunette, and one sassy redhead.
Morgan came in and Tony asked the cameraman to turn off the camera for a minute. “Morgan, I’m a little worried about Rachel. She’s not eating and she doesn’t look healthy.”
“One of th
e girls mentioned it to the producer. We’ll have a doctor standing by when you’re ready to make the next cut.”
Tony nodded. One bad experience with a sick woman was quite enough. He didn’t want to be responsible for sending this one off a bridge.
The camera came back on, and Tony talked about JoJo. “She’s a great person, but she wasn’t right for me.”
Morgan smiled. “And your dog didn’t like her?”
“My dog likes everyone. She didn’t like the dog.” He looked down. Riley had come in with Morgan. “Did she, Riley?”
The dog barked twice. “Show off,” muttered Tony, and Riley’s wagging tail knocked a figurine off the table. Tony grinned. “Maybe I should let you choose for me next time.” He scratched the dog’s head. “Maybe not. You’d keep the ones who smelled the best.”
Examining the portraits of the remaining five women, he saw something positive in each one of them, a reason to keep her around for another session. But he also saw a reason to eliminate Rachel, and he wasn’t sure about Fawn.
He wasn’t sure about anything at that moment.
He and Morgan sat in the wing back chairs, with Riley on the floor at Tony’s feet, and talked about the next steps in the selection process. Morgan said, “You’ll spend several hours with each of these ladies, a different one each day for the next five days. At the end of that time, you will eliminate the one you feel is the least compatible with you and your lifestyle. Make your decision wisely.”
Morgan left the room, leaving Tony to talk to the camera again. He hoped they’d edit out the stupid stuff, but he didn’t have any control over the final product.
<>
Tony found DeeNae in the gym early the next morning. After a vigorous workout, he walked out to the pool, where Rachel and Fawn were already in the water. Fawn looked as good in a bathing suit as she did in a formal gown, and Rachel’s bones were a big turnoff. Still, she was a lovely woman. She just needed to eat and get healthy. Did she realize how she looked? No, probably not. If she did, she’d eat.
He and Fawn swam to one side of the pool, and he asked her, “Is Rachel sick?”