Page 39 of The Love Dare
“Yes.” Winnie cringes and drops her face into her hands. Speaking to her palms, she adds, “But don’t worry. If his reaction is anything to go by, I won’t be making it through the night. So, he’s all yours.”
“Hey.” Warm fingers settle on her shoulder. “You don’t know that.”
“Yeah,” Charlotte adds. “Maybe he was just…shocked or something. Whatever he said, I’m sure he didn’t mean it. Men can be idiots.”
“Can be?” Harper scoffs.
“You know what I mean.”
Winnie lifts her head, looking from girl to girl as she fights back a fresh round of tears. “Why are you being so nice?”
The girls look at each other, then back to Winnie. Harper asks, “Are we not supposed to be nice?”
“That’s not what I meant. I just— Well—” Winnie waves her hands around, then finishes awkwardly, “Wouldn’t it be better for you if I’m not here, you know, to compete with?”
“Ohhh. Don’t be silly,” Charlotte says with a smile too kind to be fabricated. “I mean, I’m not going to lie. Tyler is a very attractive man, and I’m not oblivious to his bank account. It would be totally awesome to fall in love with him. But that’s not really why I’m here.”
“Yeah,” Harper cuts in as Winnie’s brows scrunch together. “Some of these girls are definitely cutthroat, but you’re safe with us. I promise. It’s sort of how Charlotte and I found each other. One of my stupid brothers wroteI love Tylerinside a heart on the back of my shoulder—in Sharpie!—and I had no idea. I must’ve been asleep or something. Anyway, I was walking around for two days with that crap on, and no one said a word. Not my roommates at the hotel, not the producers, not the assistants. No one. When I got dressed this morning, I heard a few of the girls snicker but I had no idea why. And then my guardian angel came over”—Harper pulls Charlotte in for a one-armed squeeze—“and whispered,Is that a tattoo or do you want to borrow my foundation?”
“A tattoo?” Winnie laughs.
“Everyone probably thought I was a complete psychopath.” Harper snorts. “I can’t really blame them for staying away. But I am forever grateful to this girl for stopping me before I went on national TV looking like a serial killer. We scrubbed at it for like half an hour, but it’s still there. I almost had to change my dress, but Charlotte is a miracle worker with a makeup brush.”
“It was nothing.” She waves the compliment away, but a little gleam sparkles in the corner of her eye.
“Don’t listen to her,” Harper insists. “She saved my life.”
“Well, you both saved my life,” Winnie adds gratefully. “I have no idea how long I’ll be here, and I’m guessing not very, but as long as I am, I promise, I’ll have your backs.”
“Same,” the other girls say in unison.
“Can I ask one thing though?” Winnie can’t help but add, her mind still snagged on what she heard before, that stubborn little thread refusing to snap. “You said you’re not really here for Tyler? So what, um, are you here for, exactly?”
“Oh, I’m a beauty influencer,” Charlotte explains, the utter flawlessness of her face suddenly clear. “I have about a hundred thousand followers now, but if I can boost that to even just half a million, my sponsorships will skyrocket. The exposure from the show will be huge, especially if I manage to stick around for a little while.”
“And I’m here to promote my business, Harper & Hemsworth,” Harper adds. “I took a cross-country road trip with my dog after college, and we sort of went viral. Right now, I do a lot of sponsored posts and partnerships and things, but I’ve been working on my own product line. My best friend is an absolute tech wizard, and he helped me put together a website with a storefront. I have everything set to launch while the show is on air, so I can take advantage of the publicity. And I forced my friend to submit an application for next season, too. He thinks I’m insane, because he’s kind of a nerd. But I always tell him he’s so cute. I mean, who the hell knows, right? It’s worth a shot. And if he gets on, he’ll help push my brand. Plus, added bonus, he might find love. It’s a win-win.”
“Right.” Winnie nods, her head spinning. “And is everyone here for something like that?”
“Pretty much.” Harper scans the room and starts nudging her chin in various directions. “Sarah and Anita are both fashion influencers. Oh, Amy and Bridget over there are too. Then Laura, Lauren, and Lenora—say that three times fast—are all injournalism or communications or something. Lainey is a radio host. Hannah G and Julie are both models. Then Hannah M is a food influencer, I think. Or a chef. Something like that. Can you remember anyone else?”
“Emily and Maria are both teachers, I think,” Charlotte says, before pursing her lips to think. “Beth and Naomi are in real estate, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Harper nods.
Winnie catches a flash of fluttering lace. The girl from outside. “What about her?”
“Mary Ellen?” Harper snorts. “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough.”
“Stop.” Charlotte elbows her in the ribs, then turns to Winnie. “She’s a singer.”
“Which is funny, because…?”
“Because she serenaded me in the limo, then introduced herself to Tyler through song, and I’m pretty sure I heard the sounds of a strained soprano practically shattering the window a few minutes ago. Every time I turn around, the girl is working it. I mean, I respect the hustle, but it’s a little obvious. You’ve got to at least pretend you’re here to find love.”
“But you’re not,” Winnie says, the cogs slowing to a halt as the realization fully hits. “None of you are.”
“No,” Harper concedes. Then she and Charlotte catch eyes and turn to Winnie. “Except you, I guess.”
