Page 70 of Bargain with the Bachelor
His grip on the steering wheel didn’t loosen, but he uttered a tight response. “If that’s what you want.”
Though my suggestion had made sense to me when I’d said it, my heart shriveled at his easy acceptance. It wasn’t what I wanted at all.
“Yes,” I managed to whisper. “I think it’s for the best.”
Tucker was the only one awake when we made it back to the mansion. He was sprawled out on the couch with his laptop, snack wrappers piled on the table beside him.
“Hey guys. Where ya been?” he asked in a friendly tone.
Hunter grunted a one-word answer. “Out.”
“We went out on Reid’s boat,” I said, forcing a brightness I didn’t feel. “I needed to get some shots of the mansions from the water and the Eastport Bridge lights at night. It was beautiful.”
“Sweet,” Tucker said. “So, you two staying up for a while?”
“Oh, not me. I’m exhausted. I’m gonna head up to bed,” I said.
I needed this night to end, and I prayed Hunter wouldn’t feel compelled to walk me to the door of my suite.
Standing there with him andnotkissing him goodnight after this incredible “date” would be too heartbreaking.
Hunter scrubbed a hand through his short hair. “I should probably get some work done. I was gone a long time. I’ll hang with you for a while, Tuck.”
“Look at Doc—burning the midnight oil,” Tuck said with a laugh. “Settle in bro. Plenty of junk food to share and a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen.”
“Thanks.” Hunter nodded, but his gaze wasn’t on Tucker. Instead, his sad eyes locked with mine just before I turned to head up the stairs alone.
“Good night guys,” I called back over my shoulder.
“Night, Kristal,” Tucker replied.
Hunter said nothing, and I purposely didn’t look back to see if he watched me go.
It didn’t matter. As promising as our relationship had looked this morning, it was clearly over now.
And Snow White was done with waiting for Prince Charming’s kiss.
I was wide awake—and on my own.
Chapter Nineteen
Just Friends
Hunter- One week later
The great room had never felt so small.
Hot, bright lights blazed from every corner, and no less than twenty crew members were crowded into every available space.
Guys in sneakers and backward caps held huge cameras on their shoulders and awaited instruction from Hap while two women with cosmetics cases moved from Aiden to Paul to Kristal to me, making sure the “talent” was ready to begin shooting for the day.
Reid, who was still not thrilled with the whole thing, complained as he swatted away one of them, “I thought this was Tech House, not a makeover show.”
Hap had sent some dailies to the network he’d been talking to, and they were interested. Very interested.
They wanted to fast-track the pilot and have the shooting wrap up in a couple of weeks, which meant all hands on deck.
Even Tuck, who’d needed more undereye concealer than the rest of us, was there, though his mouth had been stretched in a semi-permanent yawn for the past half hour.
