Including Claudia who is stomping toward us, the click of her heels against the pavement perfectly in-sync with my heartbeat, growing louder the closer she gets.
“It’s about time,” she states firmly, glancing at her watch. “You have ten minutes before we need you on stage. There’s no time for interviews. Bella and Presley, you need to come with me to make your votes. Milo and Lennon need to go see Ed.”
Pointing across the way, Ed is currently leaning against a table, his face bright red as if he’s been yelling.
Breaking apart from our escorts, Bella and I join hands as we follow Claudia toward a tented area on the far side of the lawn. We’re each handed a black permanent marker and a piece of thick poster board roughly twice the size of standard paper and asked to write our choice in large letters.
“Make the letters big enough the cameras can see it. Once you’ve made your selection, fold it in half and keep it with you,” she explains as she hands us a list.
“What’s this?” Bella asks as I stare at the list of names I know well.
All twelve contestants.
“You can choose anyone. It doesn’t have to be Milo or Lennon. Keep in mind that in order to win the grand prize, there has to be a match.”
She walks away before we can inquire further, but I’m not done with her. I have questions, and she’s the one holding all the answers. I’m only a few feet behind her when she slips in the barn, the door closing behind her. When I attempt to open it, I find it locked.
“You’re not allowed in there, miss.”
When I turn, one of the cameramen is hurrying toward me, a security vest on instead of his usual camera propped on his shoulder.
“Why not? I have to ask Claudia a question.”
He produces a walkie-talkie and explains to whoever is on the other end that I’d like to talk to Claudia. She appears minutes later, looking irritated before I can even speak.
“What, Presley?”
“What happens if I choose Jace?”
“You can’t win. He’s not in the final two.”
“But I can pick him. There has to be a reason for that.”
“There’s a reason for everything. I need you on stage in two minutes. Get going.” She shoos me away with the flick of her wrist before disappearing back into the barn.
“Welcome to the finale of Love or Lust,” Ed says dramatically. Everyone claps, including the four of us standing on the stage. We each have the white paper in our hands, and I’m anxiously waiting to reveal to the world my choice.
Jace.
Because it almost feels like I’m winning even if I’m not. I get to announce to everyone that I choose him. He’ll know I choose him. My declaration will be out there and as scary as that is, it’s also freeing.
“Tonight is going to be a night you will never forget, but before we get to the big reveal, let’s take a look back at how we got here.” Ed motions to the big screen we’re standing in front of. The four of us turn and watch as clips from the last six weeks play. They highlight each participant in order of their departure, the clips growing longer as the weeks pass.
Finally, clips from this past week are shown. And just as I predicted, they highlight Bella and Milo’s budding romance right before Lennon and I appear onscreen, locked in an intense embrace.
At least something went as planned.
When the screen fades to black, I turn back around and my paper floats from my hands.
Everyone is here.
The eight eliminated contestants are across the stage from us, but my gaze is locked on Jace’s. He’s smiling from ear to ear, and if there weren’t a string of twinkle lights above him, I’d think he was lighting up the stage.
“First off,” Ed says, as Bella nudges me, bringing me back to the presents. “Let’s welcome back our eight eliminated contestants. Kyra and Gage.” They both step forward and wave. “Natasha and Callen. Courtney and Drake.” Courtney’s smile is forced, and her stare is directed at me as she steps back into line. “And finally, Teegan and Jace. Welcome back, everyone. It’s great to see you all again. We’re going to take a quick break, and when we come back, some of the biggest secrets of the game will be revealed. Stay with us.”
As soon as Ed’s done talking, my feet are moving across the stage. Jace meets me halfway, and then I’m in his arms, breathing a sigh of relief when the cameraman yells that we’re clear.
Oops.
That may have been broadcast for everyone to see.
I don’t really give a shit. Jace is here. I can hear his heart beating in his chest.
“You need to back the fuck up right now,” Jace growls as his grip tightens around me. He’s holding me so tight I can barely breathe, but I don’t care. It’s been over a week since I felt his arms wrapped around me. Since I breathed him in. Heard his voice.
“She needs to get back in her place,” Ed announces from behind me.
Pushing out of Jace’s embrace, I look up and wait for him to make eye contact before I say anything. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Good. Let’s get this over with so I can have you all to myself for the first time ever.”
Instead of replying, I watch as Jace’s smile turns to a devilish grin that has my heart speeding up. Placing a hand on either cheek, he pulls my lips to his but keeps the kiss gentle.
I guarantee gentle will be thrown out the window later on.
After I’m back in place, standing on the little marker on the floor, Claudia hands me my forgotten card and quickly slips off the stage.
“There are so many things we don’t have time to show you. We’re filming twenty-four hours a day, and although you’d think some of the tape would be filled with the sounds of snoring, those night cameras capture most of the action. Let’s take a look and see who was making the most of every hour of the day.”
The screen behind me comes to life again. I watch as the exploits of every contestant are broadcast for the world. From make-outs to hookups and every scandalous detail in between. Milo and Natasha. Me and Jace. Courtney and Drake. Me and Lennon. Courtney and Milo. Teegan and Milo.
Damn, Milo, I think to myself, shooting him a look. He’s standing at the far end of the line, smirking at the screen.
No shame. At all.
Teegan and Jace. Jace is shirtless and Teegan appears to be drunk.
That has to be the night he carried her home.
I can see he’s trying to fight her off in the nicest way possible, but if you didn’t know what happened, it could look like foreplay.
More of Me and Jace. Me and Lennon. Bella and Milo. Bella and Lennon.
When the screen finally fades to black again, I’m relieved. I mean, sure, I only made out with two of them, but that’s two more than I planned to make out with when I arrived.
“As you can see, some people had more fun than others. And the longer they stayed, the more fun they had. We have to take another break, but when we come back, we’re going to find out how our final four have voted and if it’s real love . . . or just lust.”
There’s a makeup artist in my face as soon as we’re off the air. She powders my nose and messes with my hair before moving on to Bella. She barely clears the stage before Ed starts talking again.
“The moment you’ve been waiting for is almost here. Before the ladies reveal their choices, we’ve asked the eliminated contestants to guess who they think will make a love connection . . . if one is made tonight. Let’s take a look at what they think.”
Ed calls each person by name, and they reveal who they think is going to match up.
Most people pick Lennon and me or Lennon and Bella. Courtney and Gage pick Bella and Milo, solidifying my assumption that they were both insiders. When it comes to Jace, Ed has to call his name twice before he flips his card over.
Written in large black letters are our names.
Presley and Jace.
“As sweet as that is, Jace, you are not in the final four,”
Ed says.
“You didn’t say we had to pick from the final four. You made it sound that way, but everyone’s name was on that list. I know for a fact that Presley and I made a love connection.”
I want to add to his sentiment, but I’m not given the option. Claudia is standing off to the side, shaking her head at me, a stern look on her face.
I won’t miss that look after this is over.
Ed ignores Jace’s statement and turns back to face the camera, sending us into another commercial break that feels like it lasts ten seconds. All the eliminated contestants are moved offstage, and the final four are repositioned in front of the screen.
“It’s time. Ladies, I’ll give you the choice. Would you like to reveal your choices first or would you like the guys to?” Ed asks. After sharing a look with Bella, we both point to the guys. Ed laughs and turns his attention to Milo and Lennon, who have been moved farther away from us. “Gentlemen, please reveal which of these lovely ladies you’ve chosen.”
Milo flips open his card first, revealing Bella’s name.
I know the second the camera pans to Bella because she covers her smile and acts shy.
Lennon slowly flips his card open to also reveal Bella’s name, and that’s the moment she turns bright red.
“It looks like both gentlemen have chosen Bella. Before we reveal who Bella chooses, can you please reveal your choice Presley,” Ed says.
Waiting until Jace’s eyes are locked on mine, I slowly open my card to reveal his name. His smile falls, the look on his face breaking my heart.
What? Why? I chose him. I thought he would be excited. It was my declaration.
Looking down, I realize exactly why he’s now walking away.
In big black letters is the name Lennon.
How in the hell did Lennon’s name get on my card?
I’m furious.
Beyond furious. I know what I wrote on my card, and it’s been in my possession the entire time. Except . . .
Looking for Claudia, I find her sneering at me.
That bitch.
She had to have done something to my card. Swapped it with another one. Something.
Not that I can do anything about it right now.
“Presley has chosen Lennon. I know a lot of you were hoping to see a love connection between them this season, but it appears it may have been a one-sided relationship,” Ed says, drawing my attention back to the shit show I’m currently in the middle of. “And now, Bella. If you picked either Milo or Lennon, the two of you will be the first-ever winners of Love or Lust. Can you please reveal who you’ve chosen?”
A dramatic drumroll echoes across the field, causing my feet to vibrate as Bella slowly unfolds her card to reveal Lennon’s name. The cameras are all focused on her, so they don’t catch the look of surprise that flashes across Ed’s face. You can’t miss it in the sound of his voice, though, as he announces her choice before declaring them the winners.
Bella and Lennon are called forward and share an earth-shattering kiss.
Ed wraps up the show with details of the upcoming season. New location. New contestants. New hookups.
As soon as the cameras are done rolling, I sprint off the stage and go in search of Jace. He’s leaning against the side of the barn, arms crossed over his chest. He’s loosened his tie, and his suit jacket is nowhere in sight.
It doesn’t matter. He’s still the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.
His eyes are trained on the ground between his feet until I stop in his line of sight. When he looks up and our eyes meet, I see nothing but love.
I was expecting hate. Anger. Confusion.
Anything but the adoring look he gives me every time he looks at me. As if I’m his reason to breathe.
Because he’s become mine. And right now, my lungs are beginning to burn from lack of oxygen.
Slowly letting out my breath and sucking in another to alleviate the pain, I maintain eye contact with Jace, waiting for him to say something. Anything.
His actions have always spoken louder than words, and today is no exception. Closing the distance between us, he pulls my body against his and presses his lips to mine, stealing my breath and giving me his.
Epilogue
One Year Later
* * *
Bella’s laugh is infectious. Even nine months pregnant, she’s the life of the party.
“Sit down,” Lennon orders her when she tries to push herself off the couch, empty coffee mugs in one hand as she braces her other against the cushions.
“I’m pregnant, not an invalid,” she retorts but hands the dishes to Lennon with a smile on her face.
“How many days?” I ask.
“Two. The doctor says I can go into labor anytime, but if it doesn’t happen before my appointment on Tuesday, she’s inducing me. He’s a stubborn little guy.” Bella rubs her belly, a grimace on her face. “And he likes to kick me in the bladder.”
“Do you have to pee again?” Lennon calls from the kitchen.
The open concept of their new house is the perfect setup for entertaining. This entire weekend has been one big party. When the producers of Love or Lust asked everyone if they wanted to get together for a reunion special, with the premiere of season three in only a few more hours, we all agreed.
There were terms, though.
The first was they had to come to us.
Lennon wasn’t about to let Bella travel this far into her pregnancy, not that she would have wanted to.
The second . . . Courtney and Gage weren’t allowed to attend.
As soon as the camera’s cut on the finale, shit hit the fan. Gage and Courtney were outed. Not by me. That would be Milo. So much for keeping secrets.
Courtney ended up with a broken nose, courtesy of Teegan. Teegan a bloody lip thanks to Natasha. Gage and Callen walked away, each with a black eye. Milo’s doing. Poor Callen was trying to keep the peace and got caught in the middle. Lennon shattered a few knuckles in his right hand, though I never saw him lay a finger on anyone.
Bella, Kyra, and Drake were the only ones who didn’t get involved in the action, sitting off to the side while Drake filmed it all on his phone.
I would have thrown a few punches of my own, but I was otherwise engaged at the time.
Literally.
Jace was asking me to marry him, surrounded by dozens of red roses, while the rest of the contestants were fighting each other over stupid shit that happened on a reality TV show.
The reason I wasn’t allowed in the barn . . . Jace was setting things up.
Claudia . . . she was helping. This may have been an even bigger surprise than Jace actually asking me.
The name change on my card . . . Claudia’s doing, but it was so I would go searching for Jace after filming ended. She did what Jace asked her to.
And he had an even bigger reason for the change. He wanted the world to think I hadn’t chosen him. That what we had was only for the sake of good TV. He wanted the next step of our relationship to be ours and only ours.
And it has been.
We married five months after returning to Miami. It was a small ceremony held in our backyard. Naomi was my maid of honor, and Bella my only bridesmaid. Jace’s brother, Logan, was his best man, and Lennon his only groomsman. Only our closest friends, a few castmates, and family were invited.
Thankfully, the local press didn’t catch wind of it. They seem to like to involve themselves in our relationship. The only downside to Jace’s secret being revealed on the Love or Lust finale.
It wasn’t the only ‘big reveal’ they held onto until the end either. Natasha’s secret rendezvous in the bowling alley bathroom? Yep, they finally showed the footage. I should have been more shocked but I really wasn’t. If I’d given it more thought, I would have put two and two together. The cameraman she let bend her over the grimy bathroom counter – gross - just disappeared.
It took a lot of work to keep the wedding low-key, but it was worth it in the end. Especial
ly considering Naomi and Callen hit it off like I expected.
She was coming off a breakup which worried me at first, but after watching the two of them talk and flirt, I knew he wouldn’t be her rebound.
Kyra brought her boyfriend, Trey. After watching the show, her parents found out what her sister did and all hell broke loose. By the time the show was over and Kyra was back home, her sister was in the process of getting divorced. She had planned to get back together with her boyfriend, but couldn’t get over everything that happened.
It worked out great for her in the end. Trey is amazing. He compliments her personality perfectly and I’ve never seen her smile so bright.
Our wedding couldn’t have been more perfect.
Except when Bella puked during the ceremony. Right down the back of Naomi’s dress.
Looking back now, it’s hilarious. Especially considering that’s how she announced to Lennon that they were pregnant. At the time, it was chaos.
And the chaos continued, straight through the last few months as Jace and I remodeled our house, opened a new restaurant, and started talking about a family of our own. It’s been a busy time, and just when we thought things were about to slow down, we got the call about the reunion special this weekend, and here we are, at Lennon and Bella’s house.
They taped the show this afternoon. The rest of the cast ran off as soon as the camera’s stopped rolling. Most went back to the hotel to grab dinner and a drink before the premier of the new season.
Jace and I stayed behind to hang out with Lennon and Bella. Of all our castmates, we’ve stayed the closest. I thought it might be weird at first, having kissed Lennon, multiple times, but Bella doesn’t seem to have an issue with it. Not that we talk about it. Ever.
“No, I don’t have to pee,” Bella replies dramatically. “He just keeps using my bladder as a punching bag.”
“He doesn’t have a lot room to move around in there anymore,” Jace notes, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. Not that we can get much closer. We’re already sharing a chair.
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