Page 48 of Kicking it with my Fake Fiancé
I sighed and rushed onto the field. We played an excellent game and by the time we’d made our way to Jock Strap for a celebratory drink, I was checking my phone every five seconds to see if Davis had sent us a response from the seller.
Bennett was the first to notice. “What’s got you so glued to your phone today?”
I looked at Matty, who gave me a quick nod. “We put an offer in on a house.”
“That’s great,” Cam said. “Which house?”
“It’s an old Victorian in historic Port Grandlin. There are dozens of houses out there that need fixing up.” I put my phone face down on the table and tried to ignore it. “We had Jake come take a look and he had high hopes.”
Levi grinned. “I’m glad he helped out. I wasn’t sure if he’d work out on the team. Seems like he’s got a sort of grouchy attitude. He wasn’t too bad with you guys, was he?”
“Not at all,” Matty reassured him. “He was very professional.”
“Good.” Levi nodded and looked around. “Not that grumpy assholes haven’t been reformed before.” He winked at Cam, who rolled his eyes, but with a smile on his face.
Parker put his beer bottle on the table with a clunk. “So what work needs to be done?”
“Most everything. It’s a really old house and it’s been neglected for decades.” I recapped what Jake had told us about the repairs he saw. When I finished, the guys murmured their sympathies.
My phone vibrated on the table then, and I picked it up quickly to see a text from Davis.
Davis: Offer accepted. Congratulations, you’re going to be homeowners!
I looked at Matty, whose brow was furrowed in concern. “We got it,” I murmured. “We got the house.”
As the guys cheered around the table, Matty smiled wide. “That’s great news.” He squeezed my hand. “I’m so glad.”
Before we had even a minute to celebrate, my phone rang in my hand. I frowned and answered the unfamiliar number.
“Hello?”
“Doug Cutler here. I’m calling for Jared Collins.”
“Speaking.” I pushed myself away from the table and made my way to the front of the bar, stepping into the fresh evening air to take the call. “What can I do for you?”
“Jared, I was the executive producer for your season ofDestination Love.”
“I remember.” My stomach churned.What could he possibly be calling for?
“Well, listen. Your season is currently airing and let me tell you, you’re one of the most popular couples we’ve ever featured.”
“Thanks, Doug.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“Here’s the thing. I’ve set up shop on a new show.”
“Okay…”
Doug cleared his throat. “It’s a home renovation show.Heartland Overhaul. We’re looking into setting up shop in a few small-ish towns and helping the locals renovate old buildings. Because you’re such a popular couple, we were wondering if you’d be interested in participating. We’ve identified quite a few buildings in your area that could use some help, and our plan is to hire local construction crews to do the work—sort of give back to the community—instead of bringing in our own teams. We’d love it if you and Matthias would consider coming on board as homeowners.”
I laughed incredulously. “Why would we want to work with you again?”
He cleared his throat. “Well, we have a new producer on. Great young guy. I have a feeling you’ll like him. And we don’t inject drama in these home makeover shows. At least, not relationship drama. Besides, we’ll pay for the repairs.”
Well, that part didn’t sound so bad. “You won’t believe this, Doug, but Matty and I just put an offer in on one of those houses that needs a little TLC.”
“See? That’s perfect. Look, you don’t have to decide now, but run it by Matt and we’ll talk again. Maybe Monday or Tuesday, if that sounds good.”
I hummed. “Sure thing, Doug.”
