The Reluctant Bachelor (14 page)

Rick glanced through them and frowned. “Who’s taking pictures at my diner?”

“That’s what I want to know.” Lizzie pointed to the top one. “Who’s trying to sabotage your life and my show?”

“And you think I know the answer?” He stopped at the one where he was wiping sour cream from her mouth. Winced. “This looks bad.”

“You think?” She snatched the photos from him and slammed them on the desk. “Who in town needs money bad enough that they would sell these?”

Wait.
No one he knew could do this. Would do this. Rick frowned. “You think it’s one of my friends?”

Lizzie glared at him, probably hoping it would wither him. Make him confess something. “Hollywood coming to town doesn’t happen every day. Maybe someone thought they could make an easy buck.”

“No one I know would sell me out.” He crossed his arms and looked her over. “But I’m sure you know a few who would.”

“This is why I wanted it done the regular way. A closed set. Controlled.” She rubbed her forehead. “Those pictures are all over the internet. It’s the lead story on tonight’s news. I got calls from the tabloids. It’s like the scandal with Bob all over again. This is a nightmare.”

Rick looked at the pictures again and tried to chuckle. “It’s not like they’re nude photos.”

Lizzie pointed at him. “Don’t make a joke of this. They’re damaging enough.”

She stalked away from him. Rick grabbed the top photo and perused it. Anyone with half a brain could see they had chemistry together. Even if there was nothing going on, his confusing feelings were now out there in glossy eight-by-tens. He followed Lizzie to a computer and pulled up a chair next to her.

He sighed and folded his hands in his lap. “So what do we do now?”

“We spin it.” She kept her focus on the computer monitor. Refused to look at him. “And we hope that a bigger story comes to take its place quick.”

Rick nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“And you stay away from me. We’re never alone. We don’t even have to talk to each other.” She glanced up at him, then back at her laptop. “If we’re not seen together, there’s no story.”

They worked together. How in the world were they going to avoid each other? “But you’re my producer.”

“Not for the next couple of days.” She clicked off her laptop and shoved it into a messenger bag. “I have something personal to take care of.”

When she started to step away, Rick grabbed her arm. “Won’t it look even more suspicious if you suddenly disappear from the set?”

She shook his hand off. “There’s nothing to see if I’m gone. And it’s only for a couple of days. Maybe a week.”

Rick looked around the room at the crew, who scurried here and there, answering phones, typing on laptops. “And who’s going to do the day-to-day producing when you’re gone?”

Lizzie nodded at a young man surrounded by crew members. He held a familiar clipboard. “I’ve promoted Troy. For now.”

Rick shuddered. “That guy rubs me the wrong way.”

“At least there won’t be incriminating pictures of you two all over the internet.” She hitched the bag higher on her shoulder.

“Those pictures only captured innocent moments between friends.” He wanted to tell her it was going to be okay. That they weren’t going to be driven apart by this. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

Lizzie looked up at him, tears threatening. “This might be my last season with the show. I’m on notice.”

He winced at the tears. He could handle anything but that. “Then you’ll get a new show.”

She shook her head. “If the network fires me, no one in Hollywood will hire me.”

“They’re not that powerful.” Only in her mind. Maybe he could help her see that. Maybe he could convince her that there was more to life than the show. The network.

Lizzie snatched the pictures from the table and shook them in his face. “These will ruin any chance for me. Who’s going to hire a producer who can’t keep scandal away from her show?” She slammed them back onto the table. “This is not a game to me, Rick. This is my life.”

He reached out and touched her arm. “It’s your job, Lizzie. Not your life.”

“It’s the same thing.”

“Then I feel sad for you.” He started to walk away.

Lizzie followed him. Practically stepped on his heels. “You don’t get to tell me how to live my life.”

He whirled around and faced her. “You’ve done a pretty good job of telling me how to live mine.” He motioned to everyone in the room, who had stopped talking to watch them. “I was fine before you all came here. I had a life before the show, and I’ll have one that’s just fine after.”

Lizzie smirked. “If your life was so great, why did I find you still stuck here after five years? What happened to your plans of getting out?”

Plans changed. Dreams did, too. Rick seethed and gritted his teeth. “When my dad died—”

“Right. He died. Not you.”

He opened his mouth to say something. Shut it. Then turned and walked out of the conference room.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

R
ICK
SAT
IN
FRONT
of the camera and rolled his head from side to side. Rubbed his knee, which had begun to ache. Troy had been doing interviews for the past two hours nonstop. What was he trying to do? Kill the show with boredom?

“Seriously. Can’t we plan one of the dates? Or plan the next elimination?” Rick glanced at Charlie, who looked as bored as he was.

Troy shook his head and consulted the clipboard. “The problem with Elizabeth was she focused on the dates, but the audience connects with the bachelor because of the interviews.”

“Have you ever watched the show? They love the conflict and the romance.” Rick stood and stretched to get feeling back in his arms and legs. “Trust me. They fast-forward the interviews.”

Troy frowned. “Well, Elizabeth said—”

“Lizzie’s not here.” Rick glanced at Charlie. “Sorry, man. I need to stretch my legs or something.”

Rick left his apartment and walked down to the diner. The lunch crowd had already thinned out, but he found Jeffy sitting at the counter, eating a plate of fries. Rick took the seat next to him. “Mind if I have one?”

Jeffy pushed his plate toward him. “Mr. Rick, we’ve missed you.”

Rick snagged a fry and dipped it in ketchup. “I’ve missed you, too, buddy. They keep me pretty busy.”

“When will this be over? I want to work with you again.”

“A few more weeks.” Rick ate another fry, then motioned to Shirley. “Can you get me a club sandwich and fries?”

“Sure, Rick.” She wrote his order down and leaned on the counter next to him. “Please tell me this show is almost done.”

He touched his chest. “You guys miss me that much? I’m touched.”

Shirley groaned and rubbed her lower back. “The lunch crowds are killing me. I deserve a raise.”

Rick shouted after her as she left, “You’ll get one.” He turned back to Jeffy and helped himself to another fry. “So what have I missed?”

“Shirley’s feet hurt and make her cranky. Mr. Ernesto is tired.” Jeffy bit his lip, then shrugged. “Did Mr. Eddie give you the picture?”

Rick stopped eating the French fry and frowned. “What are you talking about, buddy?”

“He took a picture of you and Miss Lizzie. Said he was going to give it to you. Like a surprise.”

Rick closed his eyes.
Right.
“Yes, those pictures were a surprise. Thanks for telling me.” He got to his feet and motioned to Shirley. “Can you wrap my sandwich to go? I have a phone call to make.”

* * *

E
LIZABETH
HAD
ELEVEN
missed calls on her cell phone when the plane landed in San Francisco. While in the air, she’d glanced out the window and marveled at the clouds that covered any view of the land below. Too bad she couldn’t live up there where problems wouldn’t find her. Where temperamental cast members wouldn’t make her life miserable. And internet rumors wouldn’t make her run away.

As if that was the problem.

The longer she’d thought about it, the more she’d come to believe that the photographer who had started all this was someone she knew. Perhaps someone she’d hired. The fact that they knew who to give the pictures to pointed to someone with inside knowledge of tabloids. Someone who knew the business. Someone who could get in touch with Wally Ray, promising a big story.

She regretted now the way she’d jumped all over Rick. He hadn’t deserved that, but he’d been there. Earnest and handsome as ever. She’d wanted to protect him from the press, but it turned out that she needed to protect him from herself.

She searched the concourse for a coffee shop that didn’t have a mile-long line. These endless days and sleepless nights were getting to her.

While she waited in line for coffee, she dialed her voice mail and entered her password. She listened to the first three before hanging up and dialing Devon. “I want that weasel off my set.”

“Elizabeth, you obviously got my message.”

The line moved up one step. If she didn’t get coffee soon... “Tell me I can fire him.”

“It’s not that simple.”

Frustrated, Elizabeth left the coffee shop and strode down the hall of the terminal, hiking her carry-on higher over her shoulder. “Eddie compromised the show for a couple of bucks. I should have known—”

“No one knew.”

She walked in the direction of the ticket counters. “Well, now that we do, I’m going back to take care of this.” She checked her watch and read the signs to see when the next flight back left.

“You have more important things to take care of right now.”

“I know.” She stopped walking and closed her eyes. “If I didn’t have to go take care of my mom, you know I’d be back on the next plane. This is my show.”

“Knowing it was Eddie doesn’t change the fact that you’re getting too close to Rick.”

She scanned the crowded hall and lowered her voice. “Rick is a good friend. There’s nothing going on. How many times do I have to say it?”

There was silence on the other end of the line. Elizabeth almost felt triumphant to make Devon speechless.

“You’re off set for a week, Elizabeth. Let the scandal blow over.” He paused while she let her carry-on sag to the floor. “In the meantime, keep doing what you planned. Take care of your mom.”

Elizabeth hung up with Devon and massaged her forehead.
Right.
Take care of her mom. Truth was, she had no idea what she’d find once she got to the hospital.

* * *

R
ICK
SAT
IN
one of the booths as the six women raced to serve their tables. Ernesto had mixed orders to see which women could keep them straight and which could handle the stress while staying positive. Melissa appeared to be handling it the best, providing the best service with a smile. Brandy, on the other hand, could spot the switches and change it back to the way her orders read.

If anyone had doubts about who would fit into Rick’s life, this competition was clearing any of that confusion.

Once the orders were served, they all joined Rick at the booth. Jeffy brought over plates of salads with little cups of dressing. Rick gave each of the women a wide grin. “You all did very well. My life can sometimes get like what you just did. What did you think?”

Melissa placed her fork on the table. “It would be a challenge to learn, but I think I could adjust.”

Rick agreed. She’d handled it really well. He could see her in the diner. He could see her living with him in the apartment upstairs, too. They’d probably want to find a house soon after the wedding. The place was crowded with just him.

Brandy shrugged. “It was fun to do, but I don’t think I could handle working at the diner day after day. Is that really your life?”

“For now.” Rick poured some French dressing over his salad while he changed Melissa with Brandy in the picture of his future. Even if she didn’t help out at the diner every day, she could still fit into his world. But then he’d always seen her here in Lake Mildred. “My whole life is the diner at the moment. And that means early mornings and long days. I wouldn’t expect my wife to work here unless she wanted to, but I do view our life together as a partnership.”

They considered that as they finished their salads. Jeffy brought out their turkey dinners and a basket of rolls. “Enjoy.”

After dinner, they drove back to the house for the elimination. Rick didn’t have any doubts which women were going home this time. Looked as if he was going to pull another surprise out of the bag.

* * *

R
ICK
STOOD
IN
FRONT
of the women. He knew what he had to do. Knew he had to make the right decision. And that was what this was. The necklaces felt heavy in his hand. As if they knew they meant more than a gold chain with a charm. He looked between them then nodded. “Brandy.”

She stepped forward. “Brandy, will you accept my heart?”

She gave him that smile that made him want to drop to his knees and hold on to her. “Absolutely.”

He placed the necklace around her neck, then kissed her cheek before she turned and joined the rest of the women. He separated the next necklace. “Melissa.”

Melissa also smiled as she approached him. He could lose himself in her beautiful face. No doubt. He found comfort in her. Peace. None of the soul-troubling passion he had once felt for Brandy, but he felt safe with that. As if he wouldn’t lose himself by loving her. “Melissa, will you accept my heart?”

She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Yes.” After the necklace rested around her neck, they embraced tightly. He almost didn’t want to let her go.

He looked at the necklaces in his hand then surveyed the rest of them. He pulled another necklace away from the other two then looked out and nodded again. “Becky.”

She practically ran up to him and threw her arms around him. “Yes, yes, yes.”

He chuckled at her exuberance. She would be joy and light in his life. She would bring laughter and fun. He put the necklace around her neck and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re willing.”

She winked at him. “You have no idea.”

She joined the rest of the contestants, who watched him. Waiting for the next name. Wanting it to be theirs.

He looked down at the necklaces. “I’m sorry, ladies. I won’t be giving out any more tonight.” When they protested, he shook his head. “I’ve enjoyed my time with you, but it would be unfair to drag this out any longer. Each of you is beautiful. Amazing. And deserving of love. But I don’t feel that you can find that with me.”

He approached them and took his time telling the other three goodbye. Leslie tried to hide her tears, but he could still see them glistening. “You’ll find the guy who’s right for you. I know it.”

She shook her head and walked away from him.

Man, he hated this part of the show.

* * *

E
LIZABETH
APPROACHED
the hospital room but paused before entering, unsure of what she’d find on the other side of the door. A nurse whisked past her into the room while she stood trying to decide. In a moment, the nurse came back out. “She’s awake if you want to see her.”

Elizabeth steeled herself and then stepped inside.

She let out all her air at the sight of her mother hooked up to machines. Both eyes were black with bruises, and a bandage covered her chest from what the cop had said was a slash from a butcher’s knife.

This couldn’t be happening. Shouldn’t be.

No, no, no.

She took a step forward and clutched the end of the bed. She hung her head and cried silently until the woman in the bed stirred. “Bethie?”

“Oh, Mom.” She walked to the head of the bed and collapsed into a chair beside it. Grasped her mother’s hand. “What happened?”

“I thought he loved me.” Tears squeezed from her mother’s bruised eyes. “But this...It’s not love.”

“No, Mom. It never is.” She leaned her forehead on her mother’s hand. “When are they releasing you? Do you have somewhere to go?”

Her mother stayed silent. Watching her. Finally, she said, “I was hoping I could stay with you.”

Mild panic rose in Elizabeth’s chest. With her? Could her mother fit into her life now? They hadn’t been close in years. Hadn’t lived together since she was sixteen and her mom had wanted to move to Arizona. She shook her head. “I’m not at home right now. I’m on assignment.”

Her mother swallowed. “You always are.”

“Because that’s my life.” It was always her life. In the past year, she’d been home a total of thirty-two days. If she didn’t need somewhere to go back to, she’d get rid of her apartment altogether and live out of a suitcase. Much like she already did.

Her mom closed her eyes and faintly squeezed her hand. “Oh, Bethie, I wanted more for you than some job.”

“This is not some job. This is a major show on network television. This is what I’ve worked for my whole life.”

“And what about love?”

The woman tethered to machines was going to lecture her about relationships? “We both can see where love can get you.” Elizabeth winced. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t—”

“I know.” Her mother squeezed her hand again. “I haven’t been the best example.”

“Not even close.” Elizabeth swallowed and removed her hand from her mother’s. “Why did he always come first?”

“He didn’t—”

“I was six, and you left me at a bus station while you went off who knows where doing whatever it was with your new boyfriend.” Elizabeth shuddered, pulled her arms closer to her sides and crossed them. Whether to keep out the chill or to protect herself, she wasn’t sure. She only felt the need to hug herself. “I thought you’d left me. I thought you were never coming back. I thought you stopped loving me.”

“I could never stop that.”

“You only call me when you need something. Not to say hi or to find out how I’m doing.” She stood. “You call me when your new man dumps you and you have to move out again. You ask me for money when he steals all of yours. You want to move in with me when you have nowhere else to go.” The tiny beeps of the machines filled the air between them. Elizabeth shook her head. “That’s not love, either, Mom.”

“Neither is your job.”

“My job makes sure I have somewhere to live. And food in my belly. Which is more than you did.” She hiked her purse higher on her shoulder. “I’m sorry that he did this to you. And I’ll pay for your hospital bills. But I can’t let you go home with me right now.”

Elizabeth’s cell phone chirped, but she ignored it. “I can help you find somewhere to go.”

Her mom turned away. “Just go answer your phone.”

She walked out of the hospital room, shut the door and dialed Troy’s number. “What now?”

“You need to come back.”

As if she didn’t want to. She needed this job even more now. The proof of that was lying in a hospital bed. “I’m dealing with some personal things. What is it?”

“Your boyfriend just changed our entire schedule.”

Elizabeth shut her eyes and tapped the cell phone on her forehead. She replaced it to her ear. “Is Rick there?”