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The horses started turning towards the barn, where a few staff leaned against the fence waiting for them. “I have this end table from Ikea. It’s nothing fancy, but when I moved out on my own, it was my first purchase for my apartment. Plus, I had to put it together, and nothing bonds you closer to furniture than blood, sweat, and tears.” Avery waited while they brought down the step stool for her to wobble onto. She slid unceremoniously off the horse's back, wishing she could be cooler in her dismount, but also proud to have gotten to the ground without breaking anything.
The breeze kicked up as they walked to the restaurant. When Quinn stumbled on a rock, Avery wrapped her arms around her waist. The camera crew followed, capturing every little moment.
Avery had a preconceived notion of what Quinn was like—spoiled and maybe a little shallow—but she was none of those things. Well, spoiled, yes, but that wasn’t her fault. Her uncle, who had raised her since she was eight, tended to overcompensate for her parents dying. She definitely wasn’t vain, though, since she just wiped the mud off her pants and continued walking.
“Do you have any siblings?” Quinn asked, nodding to the man who walked them to outdoor seating overlooking the sloping fields. There were heat lamps and flickering candles with enough sunlight to enjoy the view.
Avery groaned inwardly, not wanting to talk about her family. She didn’t want to think about the obligations waiting for her once the cameras stopped rolling. Right now, she wanted to have fun and stand out.
“Two half-brothers on my dad’s side. They’re all still in Minnesota.” Avery slid the chair back for Quinn to sit before scooting it forward. “If you were in your bedroom and we were texting, what would you take a picture of for me to get to know you better? Besides the cedar chest, which I’m quite curious to see,” Avery added with a wink.
“I love these questions. Okay, let’s see. I would take a picture of my pocket knife collection.” Quinn contorted her face into a playfully creepy glare, which morphed into a smile.
“And I would run away screaming,” Avery teased, reaching over to her water glass. The restaurant had a set menu, which allowed them to be fully present. “What’s your favorite knife?” She dipped a piece of bread in the olive oil dish, relishing the light flavor that hit her tongue.
Quinn sat silent momentarily, probably cataloging the collection since her eyes were swinging back and forth. “It’s quite an assortment, but I have to go with nostalgia. It’s a knife with my name etched on one side and Alaska on the other. The year before my parents died, they took me on a cruise. We got to see all these quaint towns. My dad bought that one for me. It was my first, but it kick-started the obsession.” Quinn’s eyes sparkled in the flickering light of the candle on the table. “I now collect them from wherever I’ve been or if they call out to me somehow. One of my newer purchases was this blade that flips open and has a rainbow-colored handle. It’s gorgeous. I saw it in the window of a novelty shop and had to have it.”
“That’s beautiful. I haven’t been to enough places to start collecting something, but I could see myself starting with something small, like those penny smooshers or something.” Avery’s eyes widened when she felt her leg caressed under the table.
“Not a bad idea, but not every place has those machines, and it would probably make you go mad if you started collecting something and a place didn’t have one.” Quinn shrugged with a kind smile.
“See, that’s why I’d need you. Always thinking ahead.” Avery tapped her temple. She stiffened when her eyes caught Stella sitting a discreet distance away. It was easy to forget this was all set up for a show. She tried to bury a twinge of guilt. Avery took a sip of wine, hoping to buy some time to settle her nerves.
“Okay, I’ll follow your theme of atypical questions. Let’s see…” Quinn tapped her upper lip. “I know. If you could be an animal for one day, what would it be and why?”
“Excellent question. I think an eagle. I’d love to see what it’s like to fly. Not in an airplane and not controlled falling like parachuting, but legit flying. Seeing the world from high above, with amazing eyesight. Just all of that.” Avery grinned, proud of herself. “How about you?” Her hand rested on the table. Quinn leaned forward, sliding her hand on top of Avery’s.
Avery leaned back when a server came by to set a plate in front of her. Mouth watering garlic tones hit her nose. Her tongue twinged in anticipation at the sight of pasta piled high. She didn’t mean to dislodge Quinn’s hand, but was too hungry to try and navigate eating with her non-dominant hand.
“Oh, this looks divine. Do you want a bite?” Quinn cut a piece of chicken and reached across the table. “I’d go the opposite and do something in the sea. Maybe a whale? An animal that can dive deep. I’d love to see what’s down there, but I’d probably get the blubber scared off of me. I’m curious to know what’s in the ocean, but maybe we aren’t meant to know.”
“Do you think there’s life on other planets?” Avery asked, noticing Quinn tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“How can there not be?” Quinn inquired, her eyes dancing at their conversation.
“Agreed.” Avery couldn’t believe how much she was enjoying her time.
“I shouldn’t say this, but this has been my favorite date so far.” Quinn reached across the table again, laying her hand on Avery’s.
Avery froze for only a second before relaxing into the touch, enjoying the physical contact. Her eyes met Stella’s again. Stella quickly looked away, seemingly highly interested in what Monica was saying, and didn’t look over again. Unsure why her gut was churning, Avery focused on Quinn. Wasn’t that why she was here? Plus, if she was honest, she was having a surprisingly good time and should focus on the moment.
“So, how do you feel about having all these gorgeous women vying for your attention? I imagine it would be quite flattering, but are there any downsides?” A tingle ran up her spine as Quinn ran her thumb over her hand.
“Hard. It's flattering but mostly just hard. Sometimes, I find myself frozen with indecision because of so many different personalities and uniquenesses. I find it difficult to tell who’s authentically into me or just here for the exposure or money. I go back and forth on everything and second-guess every decision I make. Take you for instance. I had no idea you were this awesome, and I almost missed out on a great night.” Quinn sat back in her seat, back in her head.
“I don’t envy being in your shoes. I’d probably be pulling my hair out if it were me, but don’t you get any ideas, okay? I’d hate to see anything happen to your beautiful hair.” Avery sent an endearing smile to her as she pulled her hand out from under Quinn’s to take a drink of her wine. The flavors burst on her tongue as a warmth spread in her belly. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” Avery slid from the chair and walked into the building.
On the way back from the restroom, she asked someone inside if they had a gift shop. Getting directions seemed straightforward, but after a wrong turn, she was staring at huge wooden barrels with a lot of steel around them. It must have been the bottling room where high-tech science crossed roads with thousands of years of wine-making tradition.
“It’s a beauty, isn’t it?” Stella stood behind her with a questioning tilt to her head. Avery didn’t turn, just studied Stella in the reflection.
She nodded. Her emotions were all over the place. Having Stella so close made her feel like her heart would beat right out of her chest.
“I’m glad to see you opening up more.” There was a crack in Stella’s voice that Avery couldn’t take.
Turning around, she assessed the dark rings under Stella’s eyes. “To be honest, it’s a bit awkward going on a date with someone when the…” She trailed off, noticing the mic pack sitting heavy on her body, not finishing the thought: when the last person I slept with is just a few feet away. At least the cameras hadn’t followed them.
Stella snorted, but stayed silent. What could they say at this point with their every move listened to and watched? She shook her head. “Gift shop is that way. Sorry, I heard you asking for directions.” Breaking eye contact, Stella studied the floor.
