Page 17 of Catching Coy
Portia Hampton
“The biggest twist in Catch history. I promise, you didn’t see this coming.”
* * *
Bellamy foundherself back in her office the next morning, but not to catch up on any of her work. Instead the doors were shut tightly, the other women in the house confined to their rooms with crewmen standing at the stairs to make sure no one overheard their conversation. Nico Fox sat behind her desk, Agnes sat in the chair next to Bellamy. Coy and Zane stood behind Bellamy, and Portia sat in another chair along the wall.
“You sure you want to do this?” Agnes asked, the lines around her eyes pinching.
“She has to do this,” Nico interjected. He didn’t look displeased, Bellamy thought. When Agnes had brought him in earlier and explained the situation, he’d looked shocked. Then his eyes started dancing in a way that told Bellamy he could appreciate the story there, the uniqueness. Probably the same way he’d reacted when he found out that Gunner and Mae had been sneaking around for most of the season. It all fed the hype. The whole “no publicity was bad publicity” thing.
“No, I don’t want to,” Bellamy said to Agnes. No way would she let Nico railroad her into a decision. Behind her, Coy sucked in a breath, but he didn’t say anything. It had taken him almost an hour the night before to convince her to come with him to Agnes and make things official. “But I want to get to know Coy better. This seems like the right way, as crazy as that is, thanks to the show.”
Coy’s hand landed on her shoulder, squeezing lightly before he let go. “And what about our other arrangements?” Agnes went on. Though she was talking to Bellamy, she turned to Nico. “She can’t participate in the datesanddo all the cooking and managing of the Ranch House.”
“My mom has agreed to come back,” Bellamy explained. She laughed as she thought of the sigh of relief her mother had given over the phone about getting to give up the cruise. “It’s too cold,” she’d said, a hush to her voice. “I’ll offer your brother my spot. They’ll have way more fun.”
“She’s the regular cook during the summer,” Bellamy went on. “When things are too busy for me to handle everything. She signed all the non-disclosure statements too.”The Catchhad requested all of their staff do so, even the seasonal ones. They didn’t want word slipping out too soon thatThe Catchplanned to film at the Ranch House. “She can handle any management issues as well, if she needs to, until Roxy comes back in a couple weeks. She also agreed to return sooner than she planned.”
Agnes chewed on her bottom lip and then a smile broke loose as she turned to Nico once more. “It’s agreatstory,” she admitted.
“Better than even Gunner and Mae.” Nico beamed at Agnes, then Bellamy. “Coy told me how he fell for her the moment he walked through the front door. It’s beautiful.”
Though heat swept through her cheeks, Bellamy couldn’t help smiling as well. This was all crazy. She was going to compete for Coy. OnThe Catch.
She’d called Roxy the night before from her front yard, banishing Coy into the house while she discussed his crazy idea with her best friend. “I can’t believe I’m putting my heart out there, like all those girls do every season, on the chance that he might choose me,” she’d said.
Roxy had scoffed. “He’s gonna choose you.”
“He likes Lucy and Charlotte and probably Gillian, too. I’ve seen him with them. You know how this goes, Rox. We’ve watched it so many times. This is crazy.”
“Then don’t do it,” Roxy had said.
“That would be crazy too.”
* * *
Coy Jones, 27
Charleston, South Carolina
Shooting Guard for the Denver Mountaineers
“There’s been a spark between me and Bellamy since the first moment I met her. I wish Stella all the best, but when she left, it seemed like the universe telling me that it wasn’t an accident I met Bellamy first.”
* * *
The fanciest dressBellamy owned was the one she’d worn to Roxy’s wedding. It was a summer wedding, so the dress was white with a red, yellow, and gray floral pattern, in a flowing, boho style. To Bellamy, it looked like exactly what it was—a bridesmaid dress—not a sophisticated cocktail dress like she imagined the other women were wearing tonight. She didn’t actually know yet. She hadn’t seen any of them since the meeting that morning. For the maximum impact, Nico and Agnes didn’t want them to know why Stella had left or that Bellamy was joining the cast. Zane was going to drive Bellamy over to the gym in a mysterious, dark SUV instead of her riding with the rest of the women.
She stared in her mirror one last time. Agnes had brought the hair and makeup women up, and they’d made Bellamy’s shoulder-length hair look elegant and dramatic by doing a deep side part and glamorous, movie star waves. She did a spin in her dress. She looked pretty, nicer than even at Roxy’s wedding. But she didn’t compare to how she always saw the women ofThe Catchdressed. Agnes promised they’d bring in more dresses for her for the following weeks. Bellamy had joked that they might only need this one.
“We might,” Agnes had admitted. But then she’d winked and left the room.
A tap at her door interrupted Bellamy’s mirror-staring, so she took a deep breath and walked over. “We’ve got the all-clear,” Zane said when she opened it.
“This is crazy.” Bellamy put a hand on her stomach and shook her head. Butterflies had erupted in full force at seeing Zane at the door. At this crackpot idea actually being real. What had she let Coy talk her into? She should have just made out with him the night before and then convinced him to run off with her and forget about hisCatchcontract.
Zane offered his arm. “I’m pretty sure Coy will fire me if I don’t deliver you tonight, so let’s go.”
