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Chapter Sixteen
Flynn
WeekFour
“You have to send her home.”
The words bounced around in my mind as I stood in front of Laurel’s desk in the VIP suite she’d secured for herself while the show filmed. She’d sold a great pitch, filming the show in my small hometown. But she’d made it clear numerous times that she wanted nothing to do with Pine Cove Springs. And now she was poised to send a wrecking ball through the life that I wanted.
And for what?
“You can’t be serious, Laurel.” My heartbeat accelerated, alarm pulsing through my veins.
I hadn’t figured out exactly how I wanted to do it, but I already knew that by the end of this I’d be asking Harper to marry me. Only a couple of nights ago we’d sat in her café, exposing our hearts with more honesty than I’d ever given a woman. This was the last thing she deserved, especially after her horrendous breakup with Aaron.
Did Laurel know about that?
I couldn’t do that to her. Now that I’d seen a glimpse of what we could be, I wouldn’t walk away. Not without a fight.
Until now, we’d been ships passing in the night, robbed of what could be by time and circumstance. And loyalty to my best friend…
As if she could read my mind, she stopped reading the stack of papers on her desk and focused her attention on me.
“Flynn, I can make this miserable for both of you.”
“Why would you ask me to do this? She wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you convincing her to be.” My muscles quivered as I realized the truth: we’d been nothing but pawns. Laurel hadn’t cared about improving my reputation any more than she’d cared about Harper’s business.
“No one wants a show about peopleactuallyfalling in love, Flynn.They tune in for the drama, the unexpected. I misjudged the situation. I made a mistake.”
“A mistake? Laurel, you’re playing with people’s lives here, people’s emotions. She didn’t want to be here…” Goosebumps raced along my flesh, providing the sensation of the hairs on my arms standing at attention.
“Yet, she eagerly took the check we gave her. Flynn, I appreciate your nobility, but you both signed contracts, and you’re in breach of them. Harper was allowed to leave the grounds to put hands on her business every night because that was our agreement. You didn’t. And you two most certainly didn’t have permission to be sneaking off with each other at night.”
“Don’t blame Harper for this. I followed her there.” I didn’t regret the time we spent together, but I wished I’d seen Laurel for the snake she was.
“You know, my only regret is that I didn’t catch you two sooner. You better believe I would’ve had that placed mic’d up before you could blink.”
Thank goodness for small favors.The only thing worse than the current situation would’ve been if she knew everything we’d told each other, our secrets.
“I can’t do this, Laurel.” I straightened, fists clenched at my sides. “She’s played your game, but she doesn’t deserve this. If I have to send her home, I’ll quit too.”
“I dare you to try.” Her appearance chilled me to my core, wild eyes and a possessive smile. “I own you, Flynn Jackson. At least for the next little bit. If you leave, I’ll not only run to the press with what I can officially confirm. I’ll absolutely ruin you.”
Every reason I’d come on the show flashed through my mind. Was any of it worth it without Harper? Did I evenwantthe same things anymore?
No. I’d meant what I said about not wanting to lose my third and final chance with her. I’d run before we even had a chance. I’d run when we’d finally kissed because it scared me. I couldn’t run now.
“Do it then.” I crossed my arms.
“You don’t believe me?” She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
“Oh, I believe you. I should’ve known I was making a deal with the devil when I signed up for this, but you made it all sound so good.”
“I’m not sure you’re realizing the scope of the fallout, Flynn. Harper would just be another notch on your endless belt as far as the media is concerned. We have film of you with Amber before the show even started, everything from all the dates, the interviews with the women here, and the little bit of proof I have that you and Harper were sneaking around at all hours of the night. Remind me to thank Scott for pulling extra hours once I got suspicious.”
Cold dread settled in my belly.
“How could you have film of Amber from before this show? There’s nothing incriminating about what happened.”
