Page 9 of Ever's Last
“The girls arrive tomorrow morning, and tomorrow evening you will meet each one.”
“So, I have to wear a tux?” I hate wearing a tux. I hate dressing up, period. I like loose-fitting clothes that don’t make me feel like they’re constricting airways. I get hives just thinking about scratchy fabric.
“No, we’re not doing that on this show. You’re going to look like a bonified cowboy. Linc back there is going to help you with that. The stylist bought the clothes you’ll need. For the most part, you’ll be in jeans and t-shirts. You can wear the combat boots that you love during the day. On date nights and at eliminations, you’ll be dressed in boots, Wranglers, and a cowboy hat. People are going to love this.”
I groan because I don’t love it. I do not love any part of this. The only thing on my mind right now is finding out who that angel was and why she was familiar.
Chapter Seven
Ever
What an idiot! I guess riding a horse isn’t like riding a bike.
I hate that he still looks good. Like a hot, stunning, bearded wet dream. I hate that. Would he be doing a dating show if he looked like a bum? Probably not, but it still sucks. I’m glad he didn’t recognize me. I still can’t get over how my surgeries have changed my appearance and I’m the one staring at it in the mirror every day.
For years, Memphis has plagued my thoughts. I will admit I had followed him throughout his career through social media, even cheered a little when he got his heart broken by that witch Skye. Okay, I didn’t cheer, but at least he felt what it was like to get his heart ripped out. Deep down, I still care about him but I have closed my heart off to him. He doesn’t even deserve my friendship, but for some reason I want to give it to him. My heart is torn in two.
I needed him. I needed him after Skye said all those hurtful things to me. I needed him after my surgeries and therapy. Hell, I needed him during all that time. He left town without a good-bye. He never even bothered to call and check on me. Maybe falling off that horse knocked some sense into him now, since I couldn’t back then. And maybe he will apologize. Doesn’t mean I’m ready to hear it, though.
He doesn’t show up to the BBQ after the horse incident. Good call. It means one less day I have to look at him.
Sad thing is, I’m still thinking about him when I lay down. I even dream about him. When we were younger, he was a part of every waking moment and every dream I had. And then when he left, I still thought about him and dreamt about him. And then the time came to move on and he was no longer in my mind or my memories. He didn’t exist to me anymore. But today brought all those feelings back, and I’m still thinking about him when I wake up the next morning. I hope these next few weeks pass by fast. I shower and dress, knowing there are a ton of things to get done. First up, feed the crew breakfast.
Sal hired a crew to help us out as well. They’ve already set out the tables and serving trays and warmers. My dad and Austin are going at it at the stove, Ivy is cutting up fruit, and Linc is pouring juice and milk into pitchers.
“Morning, sleeping beauty.” Austin smirks in my direction.
“Sorry. Won’t happen again.” I stick my tongue out at him. He just laughs. I did sleep in a little longer than I wanted to, and I blame Memphis for that. Since seeing him again, he’s consumed my thoughts, my dreams. I tossed and turned, remembering him as my friend and not as who he is now. I was up all night thinking about that fateful night. I was up all night thinking about everything.
Ivy and I take the platters out to the tables and the crew arranges them. This is an elaborate setup and decorated beautifully, all posh. This table belongs in a party magazine. I can only imagine what dinner will look like, except tonight there is no dinner buffet. Tonight, there is a date we all get to watch. Memphis meets the girls and he chooses one to take on a date. While we still have to feed the rest of the crew and the girls, we’re going to do something easy like ordering pizza or outsourcing it. Dad has a shrimp boil prepared for that the date.
We will meet the girls very soon. Uncle Sal is already at the airport picking them up. I wonder who they are, what they do. I wonder if Memphis will even like them. Why do I care?
“Ever, they’re here.” Well, that was fast.
“I’m really curious about what kind of women they found to do this,” I wonder out loud.
“Me too.”
The women file out of the van and I suddenly feel like a small fly. Even Ivy shifts a little bit. Some of the women I recognize. They’ve graced the covers of tabloids as the flavor of the week. Others look like they should be on covers. All are breathtakingly beautiful.
And then they open their mouths. “Thisis where we’re staying?” All twenty of them are looking at the house, some in awe, some in disgust.
“Nope,” Uncle Sal chuckles, “that’s where you are staying.” He points to the tents set up. They each get their own, and there’s a makeshift shower in each tent and a porta-potty behind it. And they’re heated. It doesn’t snow in this area, but it gets chilly.
“What? I’mnotstaying there.” The one who asked the question in the first place looks dismayed at the fact that she’s glamping. Don’t know why. Doesn’t she know that people pay good money to do what she’s doing for free? She’s pretty, skinny, with red hair and green eyes. But the frown on her face is out of place.
“Look, ladies, you signed on the dotted line. The contract stated this wasn’t a conventional dating show. You want to win Memphis over, then you’re staying in the tents. You’re not allowed in the main house unless given permission.”
“But how do we do our hair,” a pretty blonde asks from the back.
“You will find that everything you need is in those tents.” Uncle Sal grins.
“And food?”
“We will get to that later. Working hard will win Memphis’s heart.” I almost laugh at that. These girls are going to blow a gasket at what Uncle Sal has planned for them. They have no idea what is going to happen. He is right about one thing— this will win ratings and possibly another season. Wonder who would be the next one to do a show like this. Maybe Linc? I’d love to see that. An average guy looking for love. There’s the pitch. I should mention it to Uncle Sal. I think it would be good for the guy. He’d meet new people, see new places, and hopefully find love. He deserves a happy ending.
Chapter Eight
