Blind Reality (36 page)

One of the other hosts, Beverly Blake, fans herself while the other three blush and Cindy Drew says, “Isn’t he to die for?” causing the audience to become louder.

“Tell us, what were you thinking when you signed up for
Married Blind
?” Hayley Gunner asks. She’s the focal point of the show and married to one of the network’s big wigs.

I smile toward the viewers and tilt my head slightly before looking at the hosts. “Honestly, I signed up so I could help the community center I grew up in to start a rebuilding effort. With the economy the way it’s been, funding for centers like this—ones that help the youth stay off the streets—is hard to get. I’m trying to pay back everything that was given to me.” It’s the same lie I’ve told a few times to save face from the drunken incident that landed me on the show.

“I sense a but coming,” says Beverly Blake.

“I fell in love,” I state before I realize the words are coming out of my mouth.

The ladies gasp, but it’s the audience members who catch my attention. I can hear rumbling amongst them and the last thing I need is for Joey to be on the receiving end of bad press from the fans.

“You guys are going to love Joey,” I tell them as if I need their approval. “She’s very excited to meet you all.”

“I have to say, Josh, the chemistry between you and Joey was
hot
!” Allison Avery fans herself. “How much of that was acting?”

“None,” I answer matter-of-factly. “From the first kiss, I knew.”

“Well there you have it, ladies. Joshua Wilson is officially off the market,” Hayley Gunner announces, much to the displeasure of the audience.

As soon as the commercials are rolling, our microphones are shut off. Cindy Drew leans over and asks, “Are you legit married?”

I nod, and start removing my microphone. She shakes her head, tsking while doing so. “I think a lot of your fans were banking on this ending as soon as the show was over. We heard one couple has already filed.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I say, as I stand. “But this is the real deal.”

The moment I’m off stage, my cell starts to vibrate in my pocket. It’s Matt, and as much as I don’t want to speak with him, he’s my agent, so I take the call.

“Hello.”

“You must’ve lost your mind.”

“No, my mind is fully intact. Do you have a new contract for me with a new co-star?”

Matt sighs, sensing that the topic of Joey and my interview is off the table for discussion.

“They want both of you,” he says.

I motion for my PA to follow me out the door and into the waiting car. The driver knows where to go and my PA works on my outfit for the next show.

“Not gonna happen, Matt. I don’t want to work with Jules, ever.”

“You’re really going to throw away a movie deal because of some mail order bride?”

I clutch my phone tightly and grit my teeth. “You listen to me. You work for me, not the other way around. I’ve already fired Jason. Don’t make me fire you as well. Joey is my wife and the shit that Jules pulled while I was on the show was deplorable. Jules and I are done, and I will not work with her. If the producers want me, find another female lead.” I hang up without giving him a chance to respond. My PA is staring at me wide-eyed, fear masking her face.

I toss my phone in the empty seat beside me and say, “All right, who’s next and what am I wearing?” as calmly as I can without scaring the shit out of her.

“D
on’t be nervous,” Lou says as she grabs my shoulders. Nervous is an understatement. I’m about to go on
The Tonight Show
with Steven Freaking Rogers. Cue inner fangirl screaming moment. Compared to the people he’s had on this show, Josh being one of them, I’m nothing. I’m small potatoes. I’m the tiny speck of pepper that lands where you don’t need it—the brushed aside piece that lives on the side of your plate until your plate is cleaned and the pepper is gone forever. That’s how I feel right now. Tomorrow, no one will remember me as Joey Wilson, instead they’ll know me as the desperate girl who went on reality TV to find a husband and got lucky and wound up married Joshua Freaking Wilson for three months.

My life is full of ‘freakings’.

I should’ve said no to this press tour and just gone home. At least in the comfort of my room, I can sit in silence and eat bonbons, not worrying if my butt is getting big. Yet, here I am, in New York City for the first time, appearing on TV. This is different from being in the
Married Blind
house, though. I can’t explain it. Even though we were shooting live and the cameras were always on, sitting down in front of a live audience, with people standing outside of the window with their signs, feels so different.

Lou is right, its nerves, but I don’t know how to get rid of them. Most of the questions I’ve faced on the morning shows have been easy: How was the show? What did you like? What’s it like being married to Josh? Those types of questions I was prepared for. What I wasn’t prepared for was karaoke with Steven. I know he plays games and does sketch comedy with his guests, but I’m just a mundane girl who went on a reality show and married an actor. At the end of the night, I’m still just Joey, a soon-to-be divorcee.

The media junket is a circus. Wake up before the sun—forget about being tired from jet lag and the press parties we’re required to attend—and show up at the studio. Lou has picked out a different outfit for each show, even though most are filmed on the same day, and has arranged for my hair and make-up to be done at each venue. The primping, prodding, and the occasional pokes quickly cause tension. I don’t know how Josh can put up with this day in and day out. I think I’d start batting hands away and demanding that I do it myself. This is my last appearance. I’ve been here almost a week and it’s time to head back to LA.

Bronx and Rebekah are with Steven now and I’m able to watch from backstage. They’re playing his version of the
Newlywed
game and Bronx is struggling to keep his answers PG. Rebekah, of course, is very prim and proper, giggling at just the right moment when Bronx reveals his answers. They make me sick, but in a good way. We’ll be going to dinner tonight, along with our PAs, and I’m hoping that I can get to know Rebekah a bit more. Her time was short in the house, with her entering when the season was almost over, and we didn’t start off on the right foot.

This part of the show ends and Steven is walking off stage. He high-fives his staff, stops in front of me and takes my hand.

“It’s great to meet you, Joey. I’m looking forward to our segment.”

Before I can respond, he’s whisked away and I’m left standing there like an idiot with my hand still sticking out.

“You’d think you weren’t married to a movie star,” Lou says as she pushes my stiff hand back down to my side. “Are you going to hurl?”

I shake my head, and swallow. “I’m fine, just shocked that he even knew my name.”

Lou rolls her eyes and leads me back to the make-up chair. She pushes me to sit and instructs the make-up girl that I have sweat spots that need to be covered on my face.

“Steven is one of the best in the business. He does his research on his guests so he doesn’t have to rely on cue cards. He wants to be personal and make sure you enjoy the interview.”

“That’s good, right? Or not, because he could bring up my ex and I really don’t want to talk about him on TV.”

Lou sighs and sits down on the small counter under the mirror. “He won’t bring up your ex or anything about your life prior to being on the show. Be careful of how you answer, though, because if you were to answer why you went on the show and you say because you found your ex with your best friend, he could run with that. So be mindful.”

“Okay,” I reply, trying not to add a list of things to my already frazzled brain.

“Five minutes.” A man wearing a slew of headgear walks by yelling at everyone. The make-up artist finishes and Lou takes my hand and leads me to the back of the stage where I will walk on. Another person is waiting and starts adding a microphone to my dress and the belt I’m wearing. For a day I didn’t have to wear one, and I already hate it again.

“My next guest scored big on this season’s
Married Blind
when she found herself kissing none other than Joshua Wilson. Please welcome Joey Wilson.”

I step out, wave at the crowd, and shake Steven’s hand again. He asks how I’m doing while the music plays and he waits for me to sit down before he takes his seat.

“Welcome, welcome.”

“Thank you. It’s so great to be here.”

“So what’s it like to have your life filmed twenty-four hours a day?”

I take a drink of the water that has been set out for me, stalling so I can craft my answer accordingly. “It’s like living under a microscope, and if you’re up when everyone is sleeping, you can hear the cameras moving, or following you. That’s creepy.”

“Are the cameras
everywhere
?” Steven winks, causing me to laugh.

“Except the master suite.”

Steven pretends to be shocked, but we both know he knows all about the show. From what we were told, he’s a big fan, which is why he brought us all on here. “So let’s cut right to the dirty, …you know, since you brought up the master suite. What’s it like kissing Josh Wilson? I think all those women want to know.” He points to the audience and they start screaming. I can’t help but smile. At least they’re not slinging insults at me.

I bite my lower lip, contemplating how I should respond. For me, kissing him was magical, earth shattering, and way more than I ever thought it would be. Hell, I dreamt about that moment and for it to come true—there are no words. But no one needs to know that.

“Well I guess that would depend on what time of day you’re asking about, Steven.” My attempt at being funny is met with resounding laughter. I’m mentally patting myself on the back for being quick on my feet. Truth is I don’t care what time of day it is, each kiss is better than the last.

“Did you ever expect to be kissing Josh Wilson?”

“Oh gosh, not in a million years. We’re kept pretty much in the dark, pun intended, until after the first kiss. I believe I passed out when I saw him.”

“You did. We have the footage.”

Lovely, just want I want to be reminded of
. I turn and watch the clip and everyone sighs when Josh touches my cheek with his hand. As I watch his lips press against mine, my fingers graze my lips, yearning to feel the burn once again. Last week when I saw Josh, I should’ve jumped in his arms and kissed him one more time, just so I had a fresh memory of what it felt like to be kissed by him. As soon as I hit the floor, I can hear the laughter of a few people in the audience. Thankfully there are more ahhs being thrown my way.

“I guess he’s just that smooth,” I say, with a shrug.

Everyone erupts with laughter and cheers. Score one for Joey. I can’t help but maintain my perma-grin. Any fear I had about being on this show has been quickly dissolved. Steven is fabulous.

“How in love are you and Josh?”

“Oh I don’t know. I guess as in love as any couple that spent the past ninety days together.”

“Hmm, I wonder if Josh feels the same way? Let’s see what he had to say this morning.”

No, let’s not because he doesn’t feel the same way
, but I can’t say that. The producers have asked that we keep up the pretenses of being married so that people will believe in the show’s magic. This time I turn cautiously in my chair to watch the clip.

Josh’s face lights up the screen, bringing tears to my eyes. I miss him already and it’s only been a week. I don’t know how it’s going to be when I’m not seeing him ever again. This heartache is going to be a hard one to get over. Not because he’s my celebrity crush, but because I truly fell for the man he is. I love who he is on the inside and had hoped we’d have some type of future together.

He’s surrounded by four women I love watching. I even tried getting tickets once, when Josh had a new movie coming out, but to no avail.

“I fell in love,” he says before adding, “You guys are going to love Joey. She’s very excited to meet you all.”

He’s in love?

I’m excited to meet everyone?

Wait … he’s in love?