“Um, Calla,” he said. “I was hoping we could talk. We hardly got a chance to get to know each other yesterday?—”
Before he could say any more, Sofia shot up off the couch and moved around me to latch onto his arm.
“You’re supposed to be getting to know your partner, silly,” she said in a singsong voice that sounded nothing like the one she had just been using with me.
“Oh, well.” Eli scratched the back of his neck. “You know, nothing is guaranteed, given the whole coming-in-last-place thing. I just want to get to know everyone.”
Sofia swatted his chest and giggled. “Don’t worry about that. The girls have already worked it out. They all understand we want to stay partners and no one is going to step on any toes.”
“Oh, well...” His eyes searched mine as if begging me to intervene.
What could he possibly expect me to say? I wasn’t about to insist on talking to him and then have to face the pettiness of Sofia’s jealousy. No, thank you. I wanted to just sit back, chat with Arnie, and have a drama-free evening.
“Come on, let’s go to the dining room.” Sofia tugged Eli away and he followed her reluctantly. The way she led him off was almost comical; he looked about as willing as a hostage being held for ransom as she dragged him across the room.
Sitting there alone, waiting for Arnie, I pondered whether this had been Piper’s vision when she’d roped me into this fiasco. How had the producers pitched it to her so convincingly that she’d believedthiswould be the only way to get me out of my shell? I supposed it shouldn’t have shocked me. I’d sensed both her and my mom’s concern for me. I’d overheard their hushed conversations many times.
They really shouldn’t worry. What if I just liked being on my own? Maybe this was what my life was meant to be like—a bit dull, but fine nonetheless.
“Here you go.” Arnie interrupted my thoughts by plopping down next to me and handing me the vodka soda I’d asked for.
“Thank you.” I lifted my glass and he clinked his against it.
“I’m surprised Eli didn’t pull you aside to talk.”
I nearly choked on my first sip. How could he possibly have guessed that? He noticed my confusion.
“He mentioned it to me when we were walking in here.Said he wanted to talk to you and didn’t want me to be taken by surprise.”
I tilted my head, trying to process that.
Arnie misinterpreted my expression. “I told him he didn’t need my permission,” he rushed to add. “We hardly know each other. I don’t think I have any weird stake or claim on you, or anything.”
I reached out and stilled his bouncing knee with my hand.
“Arnie, relax. I would never assume that you thought that.”
He blew out a breath. “Good, because I’m not like that, I swear. Eli—and whoever else—has every right to talk to you, and you’re the only person who has any say on the matter.”
“I don’t get why he wants to talk to me.”
Arnie snorted. “Seriously? Seems pretty obvious to the guys that you’re his first choice.”
“There’s no way,” I said in denial. What could we possibly have in common? “We’re practically from different universes. You must have misread something.”
“I highly doubt that. He stares at you all the time. Haven’t you noticed?”
I bit down on the inside of my cheek. Of course, I’d noticed. But I wanted to believe it was all in my head. I couldn’t handle a guy like Eli. Someone with all that experience. Someone who was known not to take women—or relationships—seriously. Despite his undeniable charm and attractiveness, I knew he would just be trouble.
I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. Not after Michael.
I’d already been emotionally damaged in other ways, and I refused to let Eli be another chapter in another heartbreak story. Being vulnerable on national TV was one thing, but being pitied for being the girl who couldn’t resist the wrongguy? That was a script I refused to follow. It was a cliché gone awry.
“How are you feeling about everything so far?” I asked, desperate to turn the conversation to Arnie and away from me.
He pulled off his glasses and wiped the frames before answering. “I don’t know, to tell you the truth. I guess it’s probably good that I’m pushing my boundaries, but the idea of meeting someone here and falling in love seems implausible.”
He could say that again.
