I had been utterly and completely swindled. Eli had managed to squirm his way into my most vulnerable places and make himself at home there. I had trusted him. I’d given myself to him. Ugh, I’dsleptwith him. Here I was, thinking I was falling in love, and he was just taking advantage.
Tears pricked my eyes again. Apparently, they hadn’t completely dried up after all. The pain in my chest wouldn’t be subsiding any time soon, either. Because even though I had just found out everything had been fake for Eli, that didn’t change the fact that it had always been real for me.
I sat there for a while, sitting with the loss of all the little things I had been looking forward to—mourning the life I’d thought I was about to have with the person I thought I knew.
The sky had turned a rosy pink, awaiting the sunset.
Wiping my cheeks, I turned to take in my surroundings. Would I be better off sleeping here, exposed to the elements, or walking back up the road in the dark? If I ran, I might make it back to the lodge before it was completely pitch-black. But if there was one thing this show had proven very clearly, it was that I had zero athletic ability.
I was still weighing my options when a white van pulled off the main road and into the campground. I melted with relief when I saw the familiar production logo on the side, and I waved. But as the van pulled into park and the headlights cut off, I dropped my hands.
Could Eli be in there? I was not ready to face him. I would rather have slept right there on the picnic table than get into a car with him right now. But it wasn’t Eli who stepped out of the van, it was Robert—trailed closely by Brady.
“Oh, thank God!” Brady exclaimed, before bringing a walkie-talkie the size of his head to his mouth. “We found her.”
“What the hell were you thinking?” Robert scolded, eyeingme up and down as I scrambled off the bench. “Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine. I’m sorry,” I stuttered, feeling guilty that my impulsive move seemed to have resulted in a search party.
“I won’t begin to lecture you on how dangerous it is to run off alone like that. You don’t even know the area,” Robert reprimanded.
“I’m so sorry,” I repeated.
Robert ran a hand over his face and sighed as he took in my swollen, bloodshot eyes. “Well, at least you’re alright. We would have found you sooner, but we all figured you had wandered somewhere on the grounds.”
“I shouldn’t have run off. I’m sorry.”
Robert waved his hand. “Stop apologizing. It all worked out. I’ll be waiting in the van.”
As he retreated, Brady stopped muttering into the walkie-talkie and cautiously approached me. “What happened?” he demanded. His fake sweet voice was entirely gone.
“I know everything,” I said, studying his reaction. If Shay knew, then he surely must know too.
The way his mouth fell open slightly before he snapped it shut gave him away. “Know what?”
I folded my arms across my chest. “About Eli and me. The big plan. I overheard him talking to his dad.”
“Shit,” Brady finally said. “I thought you might have when I saw them come out of the room right after you bolted.” He sat down on the bench I had just vacated. “I’m so dead.”
“So, you did know,” I confirmed.
“I mean, yeah,” he said, looking guilty. “It really isn’t a big deal, you know. Reality shows have heavily produced storylines all the time.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” I asked, keeping my voice as icy as possible.
He blew out a breath. “I guess not.”
We sat there in a heavy silence for a few minutes before Brady clapped his hands and plastered on a bright smile that almost glowed now that dusk was upon us.
“At least it’s all over tomorrow. You just have to get through the finale.”
“No way,” I snapped. “I’m not going back there and smiling for the cameras.”
“You have to,” Brady insisted. “There will be fines?—”
“Fine me, then,” I said stubbornly. I’d rather take out a loan than be exploited any more.
Brady let out a frustrated sigh. “Calla, be reasonable. It’s one more day.”
