The Reluctant Bachelorette (31 page)

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“It’s the right thing to do, Jess.”

“And what if they walk?” Jessa’s voice escalated. “Is it also
the right thing to tell my aunt and uncle—two people I consider my parents—that
they’ll have to hand their farm over to the bank in a few months because you
can’t get over your obsession with Luke Carney?”

“That’s not fair and you know it,” Taycee snapped.

“You know what your problem is?” Jessa sounded angry.

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“You’re stubborn, that’s what. You’ve made Luke out to be this
perfect guy who no one can compare with, and because of that, you’ve missed out
on some great relationships in your life. Now you’re letting a guy like Jake
slip through your fingers as well. Is Luke really worth this?”

“Yes.” Taycee had never been more sure about anything.

“I hope so, because Jake is pretty amazing.”

“For crying out loud, Jessa! Enough about Jake!” Taycee
practically yelled. “Yes, he’s amazing, but do you know what? Luke’s amazing
too—and a way better fit for me. Again, this is
my
life.
My
choice. Back off.”

“Fine,” Jessa snapped. “As long as you promise you won’t say
anything to Jake and Miles.”

“Fine.” Taycee drove her thumb into the “end call” button and
resisted the urge to throw her phone across the room. For the millionth time,
she cursed Jessa for turning her into Shelter’s bachelorette. Not only had it
put her in this horrible position, it had driven a solid wedge into their
friendship, distancing them. Yes, Jessa had always been blunt and domineering,
but she’d also been someone Taycee could joke around with, talk to, and turn to
in both good times and bad.

Not so much anymore.

Taycee’s phone rang, and she nearly auto-rejected the call until
Luke’s handsome face appeared on the screen.

“Hey,” she answered, hoping she didn’t sound too upset.

“Hey yourself.” His voice instantly became a soothing melody
to her throbbing mind. “I was wondering if you’d had dinner yet.”

Her gaze flickered back to the kitchen. “I was about to open a
can of soup.”

“Seriously? Canned soup for Sunday dinner?”

“I didn’t make it to the store yesterday. It’s all I’ve got.”

“Want to come over? I’ve got some steaks marinating.”

The thought of spending the evening with Luke made Taycee want
to bolt to her car and drive as fast as she could. But she’d promised Jessa she
wouldn’t, and a promise was a promise. “I’d love nothing more than to come
over, but I can’t.”

“Got other plans?”

“If I did, I’d break them.”

Silence. “That makes about as much sense as . . . well, you
usually do, I guess.”

Taycee smiled. “It’s Jessa. She thinks that if someone saw us
together it would be bad for the show’s reputation. Which is probably true. And
since we need all the votes we can possibly get, I’ve promised not to see you
again until after it’s all over. So I guess this means I can’t come over
tomorrow night to help you out either. Sorry, Luke.”

“I guess I can wait another week.”

“Thanks,” said Taycee. “Although it will be more like a week
and a half since they pushed back the final vote until after that morning show
interview.”

“What?” The way Luke said it sounded like he’d have to wait
years, not weeks. It made Taycee smile.

“After that, I’m all yours.” She barely stopped herself from adding
“forever.” That might come across as a bit much at this point.

He let out a breath. “All right then. I guess I should be
grateful I got to spend yesterday with you. But that doesn’t mean I can’t call,
right?”

“Right.”

“Every night?”

“And morning,” Taycee added. “If you want. During the day
would be fine too.”

Luke chuckled. “Well, I’d hate to give you the chance to
forget about me.”

“As if I could.” Taycee hesitated, wanting to add something
but not sure how to put it. “Luke, I . . .” her voice drifted off.

“You?”

“I’d quit this bachelorette thing right now if there wasn’t so
much on the line. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.”

She swallowed. “I still have two more dates to get through.
Which means that even though I don’t want to, I still have to act like I’m into
both Jake and Miles. And well . . .” This was awkward. And embarrassing.
Something Taycee would rather not talk about, but she needed him to understand.

“Then I won’t watch,” said Luke. “What I don’t see won’t hurt
me, right?”

Relief flooded through Taycee as she heard those words. Pure
relief. As much as she’d dreaded getting through the last two dates, she was
more concerned about Luke’s reaction to seeing her with two other guys. But now
she didn’t have to worry because he trusted her enough not to watch. Or judge.
Or demand that she drop out.

“Thank you,” she breathed. For whatever reason, tears stung
the back of her eyes. Whether it was because she was already emotional from her
chat with Jessa or because of Luke’s willingness to understand, she didn’t
know. What she did know what that she now loved him more than ever.

“Just so you know,” Taycee said, holding the phone closer to
her ear as if it would somehow bring him nearer. “It’s always been you for me.”

T
aycee applied some lip gloss
and
stared at her reflection in the mirror. Alec had finally been voted off, much
to her relief, and Miles would be here any minute to pick her up. If it had
been up to her, Jake and Miles were the two she would have chosen from the
beginning. The two she liked the best. Still, she couldn’t wait to get the date
over with. Although she liked Miles and had fun with him, the sooner he dropped
her off, the sooner she could talk to Luke and get her mind off the fact that
she was a horrible person for deceiving two great guys.

Then after tonight, there would be only Jake’s date left.

Knock, knock-ety, knock, knock. Knock, knock.

Taycee smiled at the now familiar rhythm of Miles’s unique
knock. She would definitely miss him when he left town in another week. His
smile alone could brighten any day. And his energy—he was like a kid at
Disneyland.

Taycee smile as she opened the door. “Hey you.”

“Don’t you look prettier than a glob of butter melting on a
stack of wheat cakes.” Only Miles could pull off a line like that and make it
sound like a compliment. He stepped forward and kissed Taycee’s cheek before
his hand caught hers as he pulled her out the door. “Ready for a hick night out?”

“Did you just say ‘hick?’” Miles was always full of surprises.

He nodded as an easy smile split his face. “I thought I’d show
you some of my world.”

“So we’re flying to Oklahoma, and I get to watch you ride in a
rodeo?”

“Nah.” He grinned. “I decided to bring Oklahoma to you.”

Normally, Taycee would be intrigued and excited by such a
description. But all she could think about was how uncomfortable this “hick
night out” would be. Which was sad, because Miles was obviously thrilled.
“Sounds like my kind of night,” she said with a smile.

“One you’ll never forget.”

And it was that. Miles drove her to Denver where they ate
dinner at some over-the-top Denver version of a barbeque joint where troughs
served as sinks and peanut shells dotted the stained concrete floor. Their food
came to them on tin plates, and slow, twangy country music played in the
background.

“Wow, when you said hick, you meant hick, didn’t you?” Taycee
teased.

“I’ve always been a man of my word.” Miles paused. “Well, most
of the time, anyway.”

Taycee leaned forward over her plate. “I’m sensing a story
here. Do tell.”

“Okay, but don’t forget you asked for it.” He grinned, leaning
closer. “Back in high school, there was this sheriff who liked to pull my
friends over every chance he got. He used to hang out at a gas station in town,
ready and waitin’ for one of us to drive by. So one day, me and my buddy
decided to do something about it.”

Taycee’s hand covered his, stopping the story. “This isn’t
something that’s going to get you carted off to prison, is it? If so, I need to
remind you that you’re on camera right now.”

“Nah.” Miles waved away her concern. “Like I was saying, one
day we waited for the sheriff to take a break and go inside the gas station.
Then we snuck up and chained the rear axle of his car to a light pole.”

“You did not.” If Taycee ever thought of doing something like
that to Ralph, he would definitely update her mug shots.

“Sure did.” Miles’s grin broadened. “Then we hustled to my
cousin’s truck and waited for him to come back out. When he did, we sped down
main street as fast as we could.”

“What happened?”

“His siren sounded, and he took off like an inchworm stuck to
hot concrete. His tires screeched and gravel spewed everywhere.” Miles’s
laughter rang out as his hand slapped the table. “He was madder than a mosquito
in a mannequin factory. We spent a night in jail for that one.”

Taycee laughed so hard her sides ached, especially when Miles
added, “It didn’t solve our problem though. For some reason, that darn sheriff
started pulling us over even more after that.”

The story was exactly what Taycee needed. Miles soothed her
stress, making her forget about the cameras, the viewers, Shelter. She’d miss
him when he left, the way she missed Caleb or any other really good friend. He
was fun—the kind of guy she would have loved to hang out with in high school.

After dinner, they watched the first half of a demolition
derby, and then blitzed across town to catch the second half of a rodeo—just in
time to see some crazy lunatic on the back of a motorcycle barrel up a ramp,
through a ring of fire, and over a line of cars. Miles yeehawed the entire
time, and with his hilarious asides, the date was over almost as soon as it had
begun.

He drove her home and walked her to her front porch. “Well,”
he said, “this is it, I guess.”

“Thank you for a truly unforgettable date, Miles. You are one
of a kind.” Taycee meant every word.

“Kinda like you.” His arms circled Taycee, and he pulled her
close. Before she could say anything, his mouth covered hers in slow and
thorough kiss. It felt wrong, like she was kissing a good friend, but she let
it happen even as the guilt plucked away at her insides. She had to picture the
sweet, hard-working faces of the McCrays in order to keep from blurting out the
truth.

“Even if I don’t get chosen tomorrow, I’d sure like to keep
seein’ you,” Miles breathed in her ear.

The words echoed through Taycee’s head like a pounding hammer.
She resisted the urge to run inside and close the door firmly between her and a
guy who wanted more than she could ever give.

Taycee swallowed. She had to say something. No way could she
leave him hanging like that, especially with the camera filming their every
move, their every word. But what could she say that wouldn’t give him false
hope, while still keeping the viewers hopeful?

“Uh . . .” The words wouldn’t come. There was nothing she
could say.

“Speechless,” Miles teased. “I’ve been known to have that
effect on girls.”

“Overcome is a better word.” Taycee pasted on a smile and
forced herself to answer his question. “And yes, I’d like that too.”

Miles grinned, kissed her one last time, and left her with a
wink on her doorstep. Taycee shoved her key in the lock and disappeared inside,
barely refraining from slamming the door behind her in an effort to block out
the world, the stress, the knowledge that she’d just given a genuinely nice guy
a reason to falsely hope.

O
n Wednesday evening, Taycee
closed
her shop and walked the short distance to her apartment. There was a time back
in high school when she wanted guys to notice her, when she craved being asked
out on a date, and when the idea of more than one guy liking her at the same
time filled her teenage, girlish fantasies.