Page 25 of Playing With My Heart Strings

When Sage—the last person I’d been talking to—and I return back to the main area, Jarrod is waiting for us with the rest of the group.

10

baylor

Drama, Drama, Drama

Dusty and Sagewalk back from their conversation as the rest of us stand around waiting with Jarrod.

“Dusty, it looks like that’s all the time we have for tonight,” Jarrod announces.

Dusty’s face falls a little, but in the blink of an eye, his expression reverts back to normal. He takes a deep breath. “Ladies, thank you for such a fun evening. I will see you all tomorrow night.” He gives Sage a hug then moves down the line. When he finally makes it to me, I sigh, letting my shoulders drop as I sink into the warmth of his chest, a gentle woodsy scent enveloping my senses.

I didn’t intend for that reaction—I didn’twantthat reaction—but there’s something about him that causes me to drop my defenses.

“Thanks, Baylor,” he whispers in my ear as a tingling sensation drops down my spine. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you,” I murmur back.

Any intimacy is cut short, though, as Jarrod whisks Dusty away, and we’re escorted to the vans to head back to the hotel that production has us staying at. It doesn’t make a lot of sense forusto be staying at one, but Dusty is already staying at the house we filmed in, and they want to limit our interactions with him off camera.

Sage, Aspen—unfortunately—and I are riding in the same car, and Sage sidles up next to me as we exit the axe throwing building.

“So, what do you think of Dusty?” she asks, quiet enough that Aspen can’t hear.

I shrug. “I think he’s okay.” I’m still skeptical of him, but I’m here for a reason, and as much as I want to trust the other girls, I have to play the part.

“Just okay?” She laughs, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“He’s different than I expected,” I admit. “I don’t know, I’ve only ever seen what the media portrays.”

She ponders what I say for a moment. “That makes sense. I feel like he’s got a deeper side to him, though. I had some really great conversations with him, and I think he’s really leaning into this whole process. It’s gotta be hard dating multiple people at once, so I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Aspen’s voice is monotonous and disinterested, like she’s only talking to us because she has no one else to talk to.

“We’re talking about Dusty,” Sage offers. “I think he’s got a deeper side than the country star persona he puts on.”

She scoffs a little. “I mean, he’s a celebrity, though. Sure, everyone’s going to have a deeper side, but at the end of the day, he’s still a famous musician. How different is he really to the rest of us?”

I’m not sure, but I want to find out, I think as she continues.

“We’re all just trying to make it, otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.”

I hate to admit Aspen has a point, but she does—everyone here is trying to get their big break. But at the same time, I have the insider info that Dusty never wanted to be here. If he was just like the rest of Nashville, like the rest of Music Row, then would he have complained so much about the exposure?

Sage and I both shrug, and the rest of the walk to the car is silent. Luckily, it’s only a short distance, and soon enough, Aspen is climbing into the passenger side and Sage and I take the backseats. It’s been a long day and I’m ready to flop down on my bed for a deep slumber, so I find myself zoning out the entire car ride back to the hotel.

The next morning, the rest of the girls—Valerie, Morgan, Jordan, and Abigail—leave for their group date with Dusty, but Katherine, the other girls who went on the group date last night, and I are driven to the property where the speed dating took place.

I personally would rather stay at the hotel, but we were told we can’t spend all day in our rooms. Probably so the crew can get footage of any drama that happens between the girls who aren’t on the date.

We are fortunate enough that we don’t have roommates, because with my luck I’d get stuck with Aspen. I take it as a small blessing that once the day is over, I can at least have a little bit of privacy.

When we arrive, I get out of the car and reach my arms toward the sky, stretching out my limbs. Aspen shoots me a glareas she exits the vehicle she was in and walks toward the house without giving me a second glance.

I shake my head, rolling my eyes, as the rest of the girls and I follow.

We all plop down on the sectional couch in the living room, and silence overtakes the room. There’s no TV or music—although, I’m sure we could listen to Dusty’s music on a loop if we really wanted to. Just the company of five of Dusty’s other girlfriends and the hidden cameras placed around the house. Kind of weird if I think about it too much, but reality TV has always stretched boundaries and norms.

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