Page 61 of Heart to Heart
“You’re a quick one,” Kamila finger-gunned at Jacqueline. “Which of the three of you will it be? I have the results in my hot little hand.”
Kamila held up an index card, smiling coyly at the camera. “Okay, first up, we have—” They looked up at each of our faces with a poker face that would make any Las Vegas card player jealous. “Bianca.”
“Of course,” Sasha muttered next to me.
“Next, we have,” Kamila paused for dramatic effect as some form of intense music played for viewers at home. “Tatiana.”
“Oh my gosh, no way!” Tatiana exclaimed. Despite waiting with bated breath, I was happy for one of the women who I knew wasn’t a total fake to get a private date with Tristan.
“All right, there’s one more slot remaining. Who is it going to go to? Who will the lady be? Who is going to have some alone time with the talented and oh-so-hot Tristan Tate?”
“You’re killing us,” Charlie groaned.
“Well, Charlie, you may as well go back to bed because that lady is Avery.”
Holy shit.
“Even the audience can see it,” Sasha whispered, squeezing my arm.
On the one hand, I was unnaturally excited. While, on the other hand, I felt my stomach drop thinking about our almost kiss, and I just about tossed my cookies when Kamila followed up their announcement with, “Grab your bathing suit, Avery. You’re up first.”
“You know,it’s completely fine to talk about the elephant in the van,” I said after fifteen painfully silent minutes had passed between Jay and me on our way to wherever I was meeting Tristan.
The strings of my turquoise bikini brushed against my back, reminding me that I was going to be partially naked in front of him, not to mention the entirety of theHeart to Heartfan base, which made me want to hop on a plane back to Michigan. Tristan had seen God knows how many actresses and models in various states of undress throughout his career. Women with personal trainers who didn’t have the same appreciation for cupcakes that I had. Would he be put off by what he saw when he looked at me?
Why do you even care? He already told you he’s keeping you here. Whether or not the sight of you turns him on is irrelevant.
“Don’t you mean the elephant in the room?” Jay asked.
“No. According to Sasha, that elephant is most certainly in the van with us right now.”
I laughed, noticing the shade of red that overspread Jay’s face. Before today, I wouldn’t have thought anything could rattle that man.
“How,” Jay cleared his throat, “how is she?”
“Oh, you know, unfulfilled, but she’s walking straight again, so there’s that.”
“Are you finished?”
“I think you should be more concerned about whether Sasha finished. But I guess that one was on me. Had I opened the door twenty seconds later—” I trailed off, the evil side of me relishing watching Jay squirm in his seat.
“Thank you, even though you’re being unbearable right now. Thanks for being a good friend to Sasha and not saying anything to anyone.”
“That would be a pretty dick move of me, don’t you think?”
“Yes, but you would be well within your rights. Our relationship, or whatever it is, is breaking all kinds of rules. Sasha would be humiliated if she were kicked off the show, and I would be fired.”
“Don’t you want her to quit the competition, though?”
Jay fell silent as I listened to the sound of tires gliding down the highway. When he spoke again, I wasn’t expecting what he had to say, “No. I can’t give Sasha the life she deserves.”
“But you can give her everything she needs, and that’s far more important. Plus, I think she kind of likes you. You know, as much as Sasha can like anyone.”
Jay glanced up at me briefly before falling silent again for the rest of the drive.
I tooka deep breath as I stepped out of the van and onto the walkway in front of an estate stone building in polar white, flanked by fields of lavender in the hills. It had a chateau chic vibe, perfect in both location and appearance for a spa. Which I quickly realized it was.
That fact alone made my pulse race. And it only quickened even more when Tristan, dressed in a white button-down, long-sleeved shirt, untucked and flowing loosely over a pair of khaki pants, emerged from the rustic wooden front door. His face brightened when he saw me, turning into a smile that revealed blinding white, movie star teeth as he walked to me and drew me into him. It was reflexive, the smile that overcame me like a wave crashing to the shore.
