Page 5 of A Chance at Love

Whitney

“Ican’t believe you and Leo are back together,” says Jess. The two of us are unpacking our suitcases in one of the rooms upstairs. We’ve just gotten through filming the first elimination ceremony, and while most of the other contestants immediately started drinking and celebrating, Jess and I exchanged one look and snuck away for some decompressing time.

“We aren’t ‘back together,’ Jess,” I say. Okay, maybe it was a bad idea to pair up with Leo. But I agreed to it because he’s right—we do make a good team—and I’d much rather deal with being paired up with my high school ex than a douchey stranger. “It’s just for the show. But yeah. It’s crazy he’s here. I honestly never thought I’d see him again.”

“You think he’s hot, though, right?”

“Jess. Don’t.”

“Answer the question, Whitney. Hot or not?”

I sigh. “Of course he’s hot. You saw him, didn’t you?”

Jess grins. She pulls another pair of shoes out of her suitcase. “Just making sure.”

“It doesn’t matter, though. I’m here to win the money. Remember?”

“Shh! Don’t say that. There could be a camera guy around.”

“Pretty sure they’re all downstairs filming the interesting stuff,” I say.

“Anyway,” says Jess. “So if you think he’s hot—”

”Stop.” I roll my eyes. “I know what you’re about to ask. And the answer is no. I’m not going to sleep with Leo.”

“Why not?”

I unroll a dress and frown at the wrinkles in it. “Um, for all sorts of reasons? Because we have a past? Because it would open up an old wound? Because we’re on a national TV show?”

“So you want to,” says Jess, grinning. “You’re just making up excuses not to.”

“No. Drop it.”

“Why? It’s so much fun. What if you two fall in love? What if you get married and have babies and—”

“Jess!”

Suddenly I realize there’s another girl standing in the room.

“Sorry,” she says, smiling sheepishly. “Am I interrupting?”

“No,” I say, eager for any excuse to get Jess off my case. I love the girl, but I really could do without the pestering about Leo. As hot as he is, it’s not going to happen. “Come in! We’re just hanging out.”

“Cool,” says the other girl. “Thanks. It’s so nuts downstairs.”

“God, I know,” I say.

“I’m Samira, by the way,” she says.

“I’m Whitney,” I say.

“Jess,” says Jess. She squints at Samira. “You look familiar. Have you been on any other shows?”

Samira laughs. “Just one. I was on this Halloween bake-off show.”

“I knew I recognized you!” says Jess. “Wait, did you win?”

“Nope. This girl named Elizabeth did. She totally deserved to win, though. She got a husband out of the deal, too.”

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