First Date (18 page)

“Lila, I’m really not putting on an act.” Addy prayed that God would help her say words that would bring healing. “I am genuinely sorry for the way I behaved this morning.”

For a moment, Addy thought Lila’s dark eyes were softening, but only for a moment.

“Look, Addy, just stay out of my way, all right?” Lila turned and walked off before Addy could say anything more.

Addy sighed and looked out toward the woods.
How I wish I could just escape for a while
.

Chapter 28

W
elcome, ladies and gentlemen, to tonight’s very special episode of
The Book of Love
.” Hank gazed into the camera and informed the millions of viewers watching live that tonight five girls would be asked to leave and one very special surprise announcement would be revealed.

When the show returned, Hank introduced clips of the girls enjoying their days spent in Denver.

Jessica flew down the slopes like the pro she was. “Welcome to my house.” She waved to the camera and smiled.

Kara wobbled but was able to make it down the intermediate slope. Several of the girls remained in the lodge, enjoying hot chocolate and playing board games. Addy found that snow skiing was very different from waterskiing, and she often lost her balance as she tried to navigate her way downhill.

Of course, Hank made sure to get shots of me falling
. Addy watched the large screen and glanced at Jonathon in his usual spot to the left of the girls on The Mansion’s front lawn.

While the shots of the girls at the spa played on the big screen, Hank walked over to Jonathon and whispered in his ear. Jonathon smiled and stared at Addy. Hank noticed the direction of his gaze and frowned. With his hands moving all over, Hank was trying to convince Jonathon of something. Hank pointed to Lila, then patted Jonathon on the back. Jonathon glanced at Hank and shrugged.

What is happening over there?
Addy didn’t have time for further thought, though, because the last commercial break was ending and the eliminations were about to begin.

“I loved this week.” Jonathon gazed at each of the girls. “You all looked beautiful at dinner. I enjoyed getting to know you a little better there.”

The girls were all facing Jonathon with toothpaste-commercial smiles.

“I know America sees it, but these girls are great. We’ve got champion skiers, national finalists in debate and dance, award-winning cheerleaders . . .” He went on, and the cameras stopped at each girl as Jonathon mentioned her accomplishments.

“You learned a lot about our Top Twenty this week.” Hank stepped in beside Jonathon and put his arm around the younger man’s shoulders.

“I sure did,” Jonathon said. “In fact, I spent yesterday watching the editors compile the raw footage from their time in Colorada, so I was able to learn even more about them.”

Several of the girls stiffened. Even Hank took his arm off Jonathon’s shoulder and paused. “Really? Unedited? And what did you discover?”

“Heather loves bacon, Jessica loves sports drinks, Kara is very much a morning person. And Addy . . .”

“What about Addy?” Hank leaned in.

“Addy stays after each meal and cleans up the plates and cups left by the other girls. She brings water bottles to the guards, and in one clip I saw her helping one of our assistant directors tape down wires before a session.”

“Look at that,” Hank jumped in. “I am being told it’s time to go to commercial.” Addy looked around and saw no such signal, but Hank continued on. “Stay tuned, folks, because as soon as we come back, we’ll find out which five girls are going home!”

During the break, the girls vied for one last shot at Jonathon’s attention. They leaned forward, crossed their legs, and did everything possible to get him to notice them.

Addy looked over at Kara and saw her friend wiggle her eyebrows toward Jonathon.
He noticed me
, Addy thought.
Silly things like cleaning up and he noticed them. Maybe . . . No, I can’t go there. He’s just being nice. There was nothing else to say about me, after all. No awards or state championships. He had to say something
.

But as much as Addy tried to reason with herself, she couldn’t stop the way her heart hammered in her chest every time Jonathon looked her way.

Addy blinked hard as she realized the show had started once again and Jonathon was standing to announce the girls who would be leaving.

Three girls Addy knew just casually were asked to leave. Each cried when given the red daisy but managed to hug Jonathon and tell Hank thank you for the opportunity to be on the show.

“The next girl I’ll be asking to leave is . . . Sarah.”

Sarah’s face went white, then tears filled her eyes. She was genuinely shocked. Anger followed closely behind her shock, but she hid it well, turning to hug Lila and wave goodbye to her “dear friends.” She then walked up to Jonathon and took the daisy from him, hugging him a little longer than necessary before walking out of the room.

“The final girl leaving tonight is . . . Renae.”

Renae reacted in much the same way as Sarah, except she looked from Hank to Addy with a frown. Hank shook his head slightly, and Renae took her daisy and hug from the president’s son and walked off.

Jonathon sat down and Hank again commanded the cameras. “This chapter isn’t over yet, folks. We have a shocking twist coming just after this commercial break.”

The girls were talking all at once. Hank said nothing but smiled haughtily, and Addy wondered what “shocking twist” he had planned.

She didn’t have to wait long. The show was running later than scheduled, so the commercial break was only one minute long. Hank was told he had forty-five seconds to make the announcement. He smiled at the camera as if he had all the time in the world.

“Until now,
Jonathon Jackson
has chosen the girls who will be asked to leave
The Book of Love
. But the producers have decided that, from now on, that choice will be made by”—eyebrows up and big smile—“the viewers.”

The girls cheered. Lila made sure to send a smug smile Addy’s way.

Addy looked at Jonathon. He was as surprised as the girls. She could tell by the set of his jaw that he was not happy with this announcement. She followed his gaze to Hank, who shrugged and turned back to the camera.

“Next Tuesday, you’ll see each of the girls in her hometown, at her school and with her family. And then
you
will choose which girls deserve a chance to go to prom with Jonathon Jackson and which girls need to have their chapters ended in . . .” He motioned for all the girls to join him.

“
The Book of Love
.”

Chapter 29

A
ddy bit her fingernails and looked out the window of her trailer. She thought her heart would jump right out of her chest when Hank announced they’d be going home this week.

What am I going to do? Everyone’s going to know Mike is my uncle
.
Eric said it’s better to keep that a secret or we could be in trouble with the producers
.

Addy tried to pray, but her nerves wouldn’t allow it. Her mind was racing, all kinds of scenarios running through it—Mike would lose his job and they’d end up homeless; or even if they did get to keep the house, all of America would be so upset that Mike and she would be forced to move to another country and live incognito for the rest of their lives.

The last of Addy’s nails were gone when Mike knocked on her trailer door. Addy could barely keep up the pretense of guard-escorting-contestant as they rounded the corner and walked to the car that would take Addy to the airport, headed for Florida.

As soon as the car was loaded and the pair were sure they were far enough from The Mansion to avoid being seen by the paparazzi, Mike began laughing.

Addy hit her uncle on his arm. “How can you be so lighthearted when I’m scared to death?” Addy rubbed her temples. “I mean, really, Uncle Mike. What are we going to do? We can’t let people know we’re related. But we can’t lie because everyone in Tampa will know it. I thought about having you wear a disguise, but someone at home would say something. Besides, we can’t lie. I know we’re not telling the whole truth right now. But we’re not
lying
. Not exactly, anyway . . . Say something, Uncle Mike. And stop laughing.”

“Addy-girl, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that much in one breath before.” Mike grinned. “Relax. God saw this coming and he has it all worked out.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, I hadn’t told you because I didn’t know if you’d even still be here this week . . .”

“Hadn’t told me what?”

“This is one of my weeks to go with the National Guard,” he explained. “I was just going to cross that bridge when I came to it. I was afraid if you knew I’d be gone, you’d be upset. But I’d already told Eric, and he agreed before I came on. It’s on the books and everything. Official.”

Addy let the news sink in. Mike would be gone for a week. It was planned. When asked, she could truthfully say her uncle was off in the Georgia woods, working to protect his country. No one back home would question it because Mike, a retired sergeant in the U.S. Army, had been training young soldiers with the National Guard for the last twelve years.

He had retired from the service when Addy’s parents died, choosing to stay in Tampa near MacDill Airforce Base, where he had served his final term with the military. He had easily gotten a job with the Tampa police force, but because of his expertise in outdoor survival, he had been requested to spend two weeks a year training soldiers in rural Georgia.

Mike winked at Addy. “No need to lie or worry or break our cover. How about that?”

Addy took a deep breath.
How about that?

She looked out at God’s beautiful creation—the gray rocks bordering the highway, water trickling down from high above, green trees and shrubs on the hillsides—and realized how little she appreciated God’s majesty. That he could create the beauty around her and yet still be involved in the seemingly insignificant details of her life was astounding.

“Amazing,” she said.

“I’m going to ride with you into the Tampa International Airport. My stuff is already at MacDill, thanks to my buddies at the precinct, so I’ll get a cab and go straight there. The Lawrences have agreed to pick you up and take you home. They’ll take over from there.”

Addy was excited to see her principal and his wife, Addy’s fourth-grade teacher. Mr. Lawrence was a talker, but Mrs. Lawrence had always understood Addy’s need for privacy. Between the two of them, Addy would be cared for and protected. They weren’t Uncle Mike, but they were familiar and kind.

“And,” Mike continued, “Eric just happened to be the assistant director assigned to your trip. He’ll arrive tomorrow.”

Addy didn’t think things could get any better.

“And if you can handle more excitement, I have something else for you.” Mike pulled a cell phone from his pocket. “This is from Jonathon. An official White House phone.” He looked over at Addy and twisted his mustache. “I like that boy, Addy.”

Addy felt her ears get hot and bent forward, her hair covering them so Mike wouldn’t notice.
I am not having this conversation with Uncle Mike. That is way too embarrassing
.

“Now I know you’d probably rather not talk to him in front of me, but I think this car will be about as private as you get the next four days. So I’ll just sit here and drive and pretend I don’t hear a thing.”

Addy opened the ultraslim phone, pressed the Phonebook button, and immediately saw Jonathon’s name. She pressed Send and waited, her stomach in knots as she heard the phone ring.

“Addy?” Jonathon whispered. “I can’t talk right now. But I want to talk. Can I call you back in ten?”

Addy assented, her heart thumping. An incredibly long ten minutes later, the phone rang and Addy willed herself to wait until at least the second ring before she picked up. No sense letting Jonathon know how anxious she was to hear his voice.

“Addy.” Jonathon sighed. “I’m so glad you called. I was afraid you might not.”

“Are you kidding? I feel like an international spy. I would have preferred the phone come in a shoe or something, though. That would be more exciting.”

Jonathon laughed. Addy thought it was the cutest laugh she had ever heard. Then she winced. She really
was
turning into one of those silly girls she had always ridiculed.

“Addy? Don’t think when you’re on the phone. I can’t see your face. I just hear breathing. I feel like I’m in a horror movie.”

“Sorry. Where are you?”

“I’m in my favorite place—the cutting room. I love watching all the uncut footage and seeing how the guys edit it. It’s unbelievable, Addy. I mean, these guys are so detailed. They have to make sure whatever cuts they make line up. If a girl’s head is on the upper left side before the commercial, that’s where it has to be afterward. And with computers, they can do a little work and—boom—it’s there. I’ve seen them playing around and making you guys say all kinds of things—one word here, another there, from different times. It’s hysterical. They’ve been teaching me too. I’ll come in sometimes and watch, and every once in a while, they’ll let me help.”