The Reluctant Bachelorette (5 page)

“What about Mike?”

“James would be good.”

“Stan gets my vote!”

Jessa laughed. “Remember the bachelorette is under thirty.
Let’s not rock the cradle, people.”

A collective chuckle filled the room.

Taycee smiled and folded her arms. Too bad no one suggested
Luke. He’d be perfect. In fact—more than perfect. Taycee’s smile widened as she
pictured him having to compete with twenty other guys for the attention of one
girl. It would serve him right. A covert glance around the room, and Taycee
assured herself that Luke was absent.

“I vote Luke Carney,” Taycee blurted before she lost her
nerve.

“Oh yes, Luke would be perfect!” someone agreed.

“If Luke’s a bachelor, can I be the bachelorette?” an older
woman asked, making everyone laugh.

“Oooh, me too!” another woman called out.

From the back of the room, a deep voice cut through the noise
of the crowd. “Don’t you think I should be the one to decide whether or not I
participate?”

Crap.

L
uke stepped from the shadows
.
His dark eyes captured Taycee’s for a moment before they shifted to Jessa.

Taycee twisted forward and sunk low in her seat—the seat that
was smack dab in the middle of the aisle. Oh joy. Why couldn’t she have kept
her mouth shut? Seriously, was she the only one who never came to these
meetings? How did Luke even know about it?

“Consider it a welcome home jpgt, Luke,” Jessa said, smiling.
“I think it’s a great suggestion, especially since you only just moved back to
town. That way, no one can accuse you of having the advantage. Let’s put it to
vote. Who thinks Luke should be the bachelor to represent Shelter?”

Dozens of hands flew into the air, along with squeals and
cheers.

“I don’t think so,” Luke’s voice rose above the noise. “I’ve
got a lot going on right now and don’t have the time.”

Taycee rolled her eyes. No shocker there. Especially since he
couldn’t even take the time to make a promised phone call.

“You’ll be letting down a lot of people if you don’t say yes,”
Jessa said. “A lot of
potential customers
.” Heads bobbed up and down.

“Tell me who the bachelorette is, and I’ll consider it.”

Taycee’s mouth dropped open. Of all the self-absorbed, cocky,
egotistical—she twisted around to face him. “Oh c’mon, Luke, where’s your sense
of adventure?”

Calls of, “You’ll be great, Luke!” “You’re the perfect
choice!” and “Do Shelter proud and win that contest!” were heard throughout the
room.

Luke leveled a look at Taycee before he shrugged. “You’re
right. Fine, count me in.”

Taycee turned back, a satisfied smile on her face. Revenge
complete. She couldn’t wait to pop a large batch of popcorn and watch it all
play out.

“Fabulous,” said Jessa. “It looks like we’ll now have
twenty-one bachelors at the opening event. What will our bachelorette say to
that, I wonder?”

When the meeting dispersed, people flocked to the door,
anxiously grabbing flyers on their way out. Taycee lingered in her seat,
waiting for Jessa to finish answering a few last questions.

Two brown shoes stepped around her feet, and Luke planted his
tall, muscular frame in the seat next to her. Taycee reached for her purse,
ready to make a run for it, but Luke’s hand on her arm kept her in her seat.

“I don’t think so,” he said.

“But aren’t you anxious to get home and see who you’ll be
dating in a few weeks?”

“It’ll wait.” Luke withdrew his hand and crossed his arms. “I couldn’t
leave without thanking you for the nomination. Really, how thoughtful of you to
think of me.”

“I only meant it as a joke,” Taycee defended, not about to
explain why she’d really done it. “And it’s not like you had to agree to it.”

He watched her. “I’d like to see you say no when over a
hundred faces are waiting for you to say yes—especially when you’re being
accused of having no sense of adventure.” He shot her a pointed look. “I
couldn’t stand by and take that.”

“I didn’t think peer pressure worked on people after high
school.”

“Apparently I haven’t matured as much as you.”

“Apparently.” Again, Taycee wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
It was only a matter of time before someone else had suggested Luke’s name
anyway. Why did she have to be the one to do it?

Luke leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“Seriously, what did I ever do to you? Was bringing you lunch the wrong thing
to do? Do you like soggy sandwiches or something?”

No, what she didn’t like was being stood up—not that Taycee
was about to remind him of that. Or of any of the other reasons she’d done it.
Her flip flops tap-danced against the hard, wooden floor as she tried not to
squirm.

“I don’t know,” she said finally. “There aren’t many guys in
this town under thirty. Besides, you never know, maybe I just matched you up
with your future bride. You should be thanking me.”

“Let’s hope not. I’m not ready to get married.”

“You can make it a really long engagement.”

Luke’s lips twitched as he slouched back, resting his arm
casually on the back of Taycee’s chair. An unwanted shiver ran down her back.

“It’s really not a big deal,” he said. “I’ll just be as
un-charming as possible and get voted off right away. One opening social and
I’m out.”

Taycee frowned. It better not be that easy. “Um, yeah, great
plan.”

Luke smiled and leaned close, his arm brushing up against her.
“I know it’s been ten years, but you should still know me well enough to know
that I
will
get you back for this, Taycee Lynne.” With a wink, he stood
and left.

Taycee froze, blinking at nothing in particular. All her life,
her parents, brother, and close friends had all shortened her name to Tace. But
not Luke. From the day he’d discovered her middle name, she’d always been
Taycee Lynne to him. At one time, it had given her warm fuzzies inside. But ten
years was a long time ago, and that name should have long since lost its power.
Yet here she was, fighting those same warm fuzzies that wanted to make her
believe he’d just singled her out.

Good heavens.

It was only a nickname. Only a nickname.

Jessa’s heels clacked against the marble as she waltzed back
into the room. A surprised, almost worried glance shot Taycee’s way. “You’re
still here?”

“Just waiting for you.”

“Why?” It sounded a little too bright for nine o’clock at
night. Or maybe Taycee was just in a bad mood.

She stood and walked over to Jessa. “What do you mean, why? So
I can congratulate you on a great presentation. I still have no idea how you
convinced all those people that hosting a bachelorette show would be a good
idea, but you did. That has to be some sort of Guinness World record.”

“That’s because it
is
a good idea.” Jessa moved
forward, collecting the posters and collapsing the easel. Another poster rested
behind the podium, so Taycee reached for it.

“Oh, I don’t need that one.” Jessa rushed forward to grab it,
but Taycee held it up to get a better look, and then immediately wished she
hadn’t. The words “Meet Shelter’s bachelorette, Taycee Lynne Emerson” were
scribbled across the top, practically glowing in a white font against the
background of Taycee’s dark hair—hair that had been ridiculously glamorized at
some studio in Denver months earlier. Jessa had planned a girls’ day out and
had insisted on it. After some coercion, Taycee had grudgingly gone along with
it, but only after Jessa had promised that no one—not even Taycee’s
mother—would ever be allowed to see the pictures.

But now, here was one of them, blown up to ten times its
original size and smiling back as if to say, “Ha ha. Joke’s on you!”

Taycee’s hands shook as her fingers tightened, digging into
the edges of the poster. It had to be a joke. It
had
to be. Even Jessa
wasn’t capable of something like this.

“You weren’t supposed to see that yet,” Jessa said quietly.

“Yet?” Taycee glared. “When, exactly, were you planning on
showing it to me?”

Blue eyes shifted away. “I was hoping you’d gone home to see
it on the internet like everyone else. Then I planned to avoid you for a few
days until you’d calmed down.”

Taycee shoved the poster forward, right in front of Jessa’s
face. “You were going to show the town this tonight, weren’t you? Because you
thought I wouldn’t be here.”

Jessa took the poster and stacked it on top all the others.
“You’re perfect for the role, Taycee. Do you know how many application videos
came flooding in when we advertised that face?”

“It’s not even me!”

“Yes, it is.”

“I don’t look like that every day, Jessa. See this?” Taycee
tugged on her pony tail. “This is me! And these—“ Taycee pointed to her jeans
and flip flops “—so is this. This—“ a finger jabbed at the poster “—is
not
me. I am
not
a bachelorette, nor do I want to be. You’d better fix this,
Jessa! Right now! There’s no way I’m going on that show.”

“I can’t.” Jessa cringed. “In four weeks, twenty guys will be
arriving from around the nation to date
you
—not me, not another girl
from Shelter—
you
.”

“No.” Head shaking, Taycee took a step back. “How could you do
this? You’re supposed to be my best friend.”

Jessa’s eyes filled with worry. “Tace, don’t be mad—
please?
I knew you’d never go for it, which is why I didn’t ask you outright, but I
did
ask. Remember? The favor? You said you were good for it.”

Taycee’s head pounded. “Are you insane!”

“You’re the only one who can pull it off.”

“Don’t give me that.”

Jessa tucked the posters under her arm. “You are. Whether you
like it or not, or try to hide behind jeans and T-shirts, you’re gorgeous,
talented, smart, kind, and fun.”

Taycee jabbed a finger at Jessa’s chest. “Don’t you dare try
to smooth this over with flattery,” she yelled. “I don’t even know what to say
to you. This isn’t some funny little prank. This is my
life
!”

“You’re right,” Jessa said, her voice rising. “It is your
life. And it will still be your life after the contest. You’ve spent the last
eight years dating guys who never really interested you, so why should another
six weeks matter? Especially when it’s my aunt and uncle and the rest of the
town we’re talking about.”

“How dare you.”

“C’mon, Taycee, be reasonable and think about it. It’s not
like I had a lot of options to go with. Could you imagine Liza as the
bachelorette? People would stop watching after the first week. And Marie? Way
too shy. Steph? Cute, but way too ditzy.”

“You could have picked yourself, since you’re apparently
better than everyone else in this town.”

“That’s just it, don’t you see?” Jessa said. “I’d come across
as egotistical and vain. Not a good choice either.”

“Don’t forget conniving and manipulative.”

“Exactly,” Jessa said, though hurt reflected in her eyes.

Well, good. She deserved it. Jessa, who thought she knew
everything and could go around messing with people’s lives just because she
thought it was a good idea.

Taycee dropped the poster on the floor as angry tears
threatened to spill. She spun on her heel and ran from the room, increasing her
speed when her feet hit the sidewalk. How could Jessa do something like this?
How could she make Taycee the butt of some bad joke, plastering a Photoshopped,
fake face all over the internet and in how many newspapers? Regardless of the
needs of the town, it was wrong on so many counts.

For six weeks, Taycee would be forced to turn her life upside
down, and to prance in front of cameras, acting happy about being made to date
guys she had no interest in dating. She’d be questioned, filmed, and
broadcasted across the internet to who knows how many people. She’d be
demoralized.

All because of Jessa.

Taycee had seen the show and the schedule on the chart. Six
short weeks and you find your true love? Ha. Talk about a joke. Sure, the guys
grappled around the girl, romanced her, sought out her attention. Why? Not
because they were genuinely interested, not because they cared. How could they?
How could anyone say they were in love after a few meager dates? It wasn’t
real, it was a competition. Each guy wanted to win, and they’d do whatever it
took to do that, even fool themselves into thinking they might care.

But they didn’t. The large number of breakups after the fact
testified it wasn’t real. Rather, it was an exploitation of dating, romance,
and love.

And now Taycee would be the one exploited.

She stormed into her apartment and slammed the door, shutting
out the town and everyone in it who was probably now snickering at her expense.
Especially Luke.

Luke.