The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire (6 page)

“And if you lose?” Jake winked broadly at the camera. “What will it be like to be Evan Mortimer’s wife—the wife of a billionaire?”

Bella turned pale, and looked like she might be sick. “If I lose, I’ll lose my home and my clinic…and more than one hundred animals will lose their lives,” she stated baldly. “I don’t think I’ll care who my husband is if all that blood is on my hands.”

“Cut…cut!” Madelyn yelled. “For crying out loud, our audience doesn’t want to think about slaughtered animals. Try it again—you can’t say blood.”

Bella looked stunned and it was plain to Evan she hadn’t been acting, nor had she been trying to be melodramatic. She obviously believed that the animals she cared for would die if she lost. Her distress gave him a momentary pang of guilt, but he tamped it down. He’d take care of that little problem himself if he won by farming the animals out to a shelter and writing a check. Nothing to it.

Jake composed himself back into his high-eyebrowed pose. “And if you lose? What will it be like to be Evan Mortimer’s wife—the wife of a billionaire?” he repeated.

“Ummm….boring, I guess.” Bella shrugged. “I wouldn’t have anything to do.”

Boring? Evan felt like he’d been slapped. Being his wife would be boring? He was a billionaire, for crying out loud. Women would kill to marry him!

“Cut! Boring? Are you kidding me?” Madelyn stalked over to Bella. “This is television. Play to the audience. You can’t say boring. The audience doesn’t want to be bored. Never, ever say boring. Roll cameras!”

Jake leaned forward a third time as Evan tried to force a smile back to his own lips. Wouldn’t do to look like she’d surprised him. He planned to remain calm, unfluttered and completely in control at all times.

“And if you lose?” Jake boomed again. “What will it be like to be Evan Mortimer’s wife—the wife of a billionaire?”

Bella blew out a breath and looked straight at Evan.

“It’ll suck.”

* * * * *

Bella nearly laughed out loud at the look on Evan’s face. The hotshot must think every woman in the world was standing in line to marry him. What a pretentious, egotistical snob. Madelyn was bad enough for insinuating she’d blow her chance at five million dollars for the privilege of bedding down with Mr. Money for a year. Fat chance of that. If Fate truly hated her guts and she lost, she’d make the lawyers write it right into his precious pre-nuptial: No sex.

Evan was staring at her again, his dark eyes cold and hard. Oh, she’d ticked him off good, hadn’t she? Poor little rich boy was used to getting anything and everything he wanted at the snap of his fingers. Well, count her out of that game.

After a couple of chirpy comments about her answer, Jake launched into a description of their first day of competition.

“We will meet at the starting point tomorrow morning at eight. Good luck to both of you, get a good night’s sleep…and enjoy your final supper!”

On cue, two perky waitresses began to set platters heaped with delicious food upon the table, until the space between them was full of dishes, each one more appetizing than the last. Unfortunately, her appetite was gone, so while she scooped some salmon, new potatoes and salad onto her plate, she only picked at it. The cameras still rolled, which made her ultra-self-conscious about chewing, and she kept dabbing at her face with her cloth napkin for fear of drips.

“What made you become a veterinarian?” Evan asked, startling her so that she dropped her fork to her plate with a clatter.

“What do you mean?” she said, picking it up again. She didn’t feel like rehashing this question.

“Was there a particular incident with a pet that made you choose your line of work? A cat who met a bad end?”

“A dog, actually,” she forced herself to say, the muscles of her face tightening. “Caramel. A family pet.”

“What happened to her?”

“She was struck by a car.”

“So you decided to save all the other dogs.”

She glanced up to see if he was making fun of her, but his voice had softened, and genuine sympathy shone in his eyes. Locked with Evan’s intelligent, questioning gaze, she sensed he was someone she could open up to.

Oh, hell no.

“I decided to do my best,” she said, hoping her clipped tone would signal an end to that line of questioning.

Evan studied her intently but changed tactics. “Have you done a lot of camping?”

Camping? “I was a girl scout for years,” she said cautiously.

“So…not for the last decade?” He helped himself to a steak.

Bella thought back. The last time she spent a night in a tent she’d been ten years old. “Something like that.”

“The gear has changed a lot.”

“Really?” She pretended to be bored—
screw Madelyn
—but secretly began to worry. What if she couldn’t pitch her tent at night? And what would it be like sleeping alone in a tent in this…wilderness? She didn’t scare easily, but this was bear country and as much as she hated horses…she hated bears more. She slid a glance at Madelyn who conversed in whispers with Ellis in the corner of the room. What would the director do if she found out about her fears?

Exploit them to the fullest, no doubt.

Her unease grew as she considered what she’d do if one of the challenges involved riding a horse. Could she get over her old fears and do it? Or would her campaign to win the show come to a screeching halt?

Would she lose and have to marry Evan?

“Yep. It’s no biggie for me, though,” Evan continued, oblivious to her rising panic. “I camp all the time. I like to rock climb, so I get out into the wilderness every chance I get.”

“You also brag every chance you get, don’t you?”

Damn, had she said that out loud? Her mother would send her to her room for days if she heard her speak like that to a dinner companion. If there was one thing Sylvie prized, it was good manners. Her family excelled at good manners.

Evan sat back. “At least I don’t blame my greed on helpless animals.”

This time she deliberately dropped her fork. “I beg your pardon?”

“If I don’t win, hundreds of animals will be slaughtered,” he mimicked in a high-pitch whine. “Please—spare me. You think anyone’s actually going to buy that sanctimonious act?”

“There’s nothing to buy. Everything I say is for real. Not like you—you probably hired someone to write you a script for the show. I’m not worried about what’s going to happen out there tomorrow, because I bet whenever you “go camping”—she finger-quoted the words—”you take along at least five other people to cook, clean, set out your clothes, put up your tent and carry you down the path to your destination. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m tired and frankly,” she turned toward the camera crew with a defiant look, “I’m bored. I’m going to bed.” As soon as she’d crossed the room and pushed through the door to the corridor, out of sight of the cameras, she raced down the hall to her own room.

Once inside, she rushed to the bathroom, locked the door, and began to scrape the makeup off of her face. Why had she let Hannah persuade her to go on this stupid show, anyhow? She hated Madelyn and Jake…and she despised Evan Mortimer.

CHAPTER FOUR

Evan stood at a trailhead at eight the following morning dressed in khaki convertible hiking pants, boots, a black t-shirt and sun hat. He sipped the coffee Ellis handed him as soon as he got out of the SUV that conveyed him here from the lodge, and watched the crew scurry around to set up the morning’s first shot. Bella stood across the clearing clutching her own cup in two hands, as if she was trying to draw heat from it, although the fall morning was already getting unseasonably warm.

Madelyn barked orders to all and sundry like an army lieutenant. The sun blazed in a clear sky, throwing all the mountains surrounding them into relief. They’d seen two bears and several elk grazing by the side of the highway as they made their way here, but although he’d kept a sharp lookout, he had yet to spot any of the mountain goats the park was known for.

Another SUV pulled up and Jake Cramer stepped out, followed by Natalie the makeup artist, a hairstylist and a third assistant whose job seemed to be to get yelled at.

“Great—Jake’s here. Let’s get started!” Madelyn said. “Evan, Bella—stand here.” She pointed to a spot on the ground. “Jake—you’re here.” She indicated another spot, facing them. Ellis took the coffee out of Evan’s hands and led him to his place. A moment later Bella stood by his side.

“Ready to get your ass kicked?” Evan said to her, figuring he might as well liven things up.

“Ready to die a slow, painful death?” she returned, her glare positively venomous. Evan was momentarily taken aback—he’d just been engaging in some friendly banter—but then he grinned. When was the last time anyone had spoken so freely to him? Apart from Nick and Amanda, that was. Most people treated him with kid gloves, as if billionaires were an entirely different breed who might explode at the slightest provocation. Bella just treated him like…dirt. It was kind of refreshing.

“I’m ready if you are,” he said.

“Roll ‘em!” Madelyn shouted.

“Evan, Bella, it’s great to see your shiny, happy faces this morning—the first morning of a grueling five-day contest of strength and stamina and cunning designed to push both of you to the limits of your endurance. I suspect you won’t look quite so shiny or happy at the end of the day.” Jake grinned as if the prospect pleased him no end. “Each day you will travel a number of miles. Each morning and afternoon, you will also encounter a challenge—an activity you must complete that offers the chance to pick up five points. Once you’ve reached the finishing point for the day, you will find supplies to set up camp for the night. Do you understand?”

Evan nodded. So did Bella.

“Cut!” Madelyn pushed forward. “Nodding does not make for good television. If Jake asks you a question you answer out loud. If he doesn’t ask you a question, keep your mouth shut. Got it? Let’s take it from ‘Do you understand?’”

Jake leaned forward, his expression serious, and repeated his line. “Do you understand?”

Enthusiasm, huh? “Yes,” Evan shouted.

“Cut!” Madelyn put her hands on her hips. “Seriously? Save the drama for later, this is only day one. Take it again,” she waved to Jake.

Jake seemed put out, too. Evan frowned. He wasn’t used to getting yelled at or taking directions. A glance at Bella told him she was enjoying this all too much.

“Do you understand?” Jake intoned a third time.

“Yes,” Evan said, hoping he sounded confident and calm.

“Yes,” Bella echoed in firm, but measured tones.

“Good. Here are your maps.” Jake moved forward to hand each of them a colorful, laminated tri-folded map. “These show your starting point, the ending point and the location of the two challenges. Grab your daypacks and set out as soon as you’re ready. Let the fun begin!”

“Cut! Okay you two—that’s your cue to cheer, shake hands and run for your packs! Roll ‘em!” Madelyn interrupted to say.

Evan exchanged a look with Bella. “Uh…right on,” he said unconvincingly.

“Yay?” she said.

“I don’t hear you!” Madelyn hollered.

“All right!” Evan said, hoping he didn’t sound like a complete idiot.

Bella let out a whoop that made his ears ring, grabbed for his hand and shook it awkwardly, and sprinted for her daypack. Evan hesitated for only a moment before he raced after her, unwilling to let her get a head start. She already had her pack on and was consulting her laminated map when he caught up. As she strode off quickly toward the trail, Madelyn bellowed, “Hold on—where are you going?”

“Um...I’m following the trail,” Bella said, halting in her tracks.

“Not so fast, chickie. You need your crew. Paul, Nita, you’re with Bella. Chris, Andrew—you’ll take Evan.” She tugged Bella back into the clearing as the crew members hustled over. A cameraman and assistant assigned to each of them, Evan noted. The assistant held a microphone and both packed extra equipment on their backs.

“Here’s how it works,” Madelyn went on. “One—your camera crew will be on your tails every minute of every day except for powder breaks, of course. If you’re not answering nature’s call, they have the right to monitor and record every move you make and every sentence you utter. No matter how tired, frustrated, annoyed or just downright ornery you might be, you may NOT take it out on the crew, do you hear me?” She waited for them to answer.

“Got it,” Evan said.

“Sure,” Bella said.

“Good. Two—your camera crew does not exist. I repeat—they do not exist. No matter what, you do not look at them, speak to them, ask them for help, ask them for a drink of water, ask them if you are headed in the right direction. At challenges you’ll find additional camera crew in position. At night there will be crew members camped nearby, but out of sight. You may not interact with them. They will not answer you. They will not help you.” She looked from Evan to Bella to make sure her point was driven home. “Ignore all crew members at all times, unless they give you a direct order. These guys are trained professionals. No matter how many times you break this rule, they will definitely ignore you.