Page 42 of Catching Coy
“There’s a behind-the-scenes video of you. Agnes let Lucy come back to show it to me.” He gave a dry laugh.
“And?” Bellamy asked. She didn’t have access to any of that. Agnes was strict about Bellamy’s internet time. Bellamy couldn’t even get work done to defray the boredom.
“It says the only reason you came on the show was to protect the reputation of the Ranch House.”
Bellamy sucked in a breath. She vaguely remembered the confessional, but not all of the details. But the fact that Coy was calling? It meant that Lucy had done exactly what Gillian had predicted.
“And you believe it? After what you just told me—that the show made you kiss Charlotte to tell a story?” Her voice rose along with her fear—and anger. She recognized that to her surprise. Anger that he would accuse her by calling her to ask for an explanation.
“I don’t know, Bells.” Frustration spilled from his voice. “It’s your words. It’s you saying you’re here for the Ranch House. I had to spend anhourconvincing you to join the cast and take a chance on me. So yeah, maybe I’m worried that maybe you were concerned about what would happen if I kept flirting with you, so you went into damage control.”
“You think all of this? The nonsense I’ve put up with for this show was fordamage control?” She was shouting now. “It took an hour because I didn’t want to dothis, Coy Jones. I’m so done.” She hung up the phone. Hopefully he’d liked that kiss with Charlotte.The Catchwas about to get its most dramatic season yet, and they didn’t even know the half of it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Bellamy Hansen, 27
Little River, Wyoming
Manager, The Ranch House at the Arrow C
“The hardest part about deciding to join this show was knowing that, in the end, I had no guarantees. Maybe it all works out. Maybe it doesn’t. I’ve fallen hard for Coy … but so has everyone else.”
* * *
Coy had noidea what to expect as he stepped up onto the porch of the Ranch House for his dinner with Bellamy’s family and friends. He had a dozen pink carnations and a smile as fake as Lucy’s feelings for him. Agnes and Nico might be forcing him and Bellamy to finish this out, but at least Agnes hadn’t pushed Lucy back in his face after the scene at the theater.
Bellamy came to the door, pushing open the screen. He took it back—his smile was as fake as Bellamy’s. “Hey.”
“It feels like it’s been forever,” he said, handing her the carnations and pulling her into his arms. It felt too good and not like an act for the cameras.
“Yeah.” She pushed away. He leaned over to kiss her, following Agnes’ storyline for this evening since both he and Bellamy had told her that acting natural wouldn’t be an option the producers liked. Bellamy turned at the last moment so that he caught her cheek. He flicked his gaze toward the cameras on the porch and let her slip away from him.
He thought he’d processed the whole thing. Watching that video over and over, trying to find more meaning in it than the few simple sentences. He’d gone over their connection, their moments together, how he was falling in love with her. But he’d thought he had something with Lucy too. It was only distance that had opened his eyes to that as well.
Now he just wanted time alone again. Even if the last two days in Denver he’d missed Bellamy far more than he should have.
She headed inside. “Everyone is so excited to meet you. You know, officially.” She laughed, but it sounded like she was trying too hard.
“Great; me too.” A glance over at Agnes told him his response was just as hollow as hers. The producer was rolling her eyes.
“Mr. Jones!” Kendra Hansen hurried forward when they came inside, taking Coy’s hand in hers. “I’m so happy to see you.” Worry flashed across her expression, but it was gone in an instant.
“Coy,” he corrected.
Mr. Hansen came to stand next to Bellamy’s mom. He was just taller than his wife, with the same shade of brown hair, though Bellamy got her blue eyes from her mother. “Coy.” He stuck out a hand. “I’m Dallin Hansen.”
“Hello, sir.”
Behind them Roxy stood next to Taggart Dubois. Bellamy shuffled her and Coy over to them. He glanced down at her, but she was eyeing Roxy. The smile on her friend’s face could barely be called that.
“Hello again, Mrs. … er.” He forced a chuckle, realizing he wasn’t quite sure. He thought that Bellamy had said Taggart’s real last name was Turner, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Roxy; just call me Roxy.” Some of the tension melted from her expression.
“Tag Turner,” her husband said from beside her. “I must say that I’m somewhat shocked you’ve chosen Bellamy over that really enthusiastic woman you brought to hear me play. She was a truly devoted Taggart Dubois fan, and there’s not a better class of women out there, is there, Rox?”
“Stop it, Tag.” Roxy laughed and glanced over at Agnes. “They’ll edit that nonsense out, right?” she asked in a low voice.
