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That night, Snow slept in Hunter’s suite. She hadn’t wanted to be left alone—even with Juliet there, she’d wanted to be as close to Hunter as she could. So Juliet had come with her. The two women had slept on the pullout couch while Kassie had shared the bed with her dad. The next morning, Hunter’s parents had come to pick the little girl up. Hunter had assured them the culprits had been caught and he had one thing left to take care of before he took Kassie back.
He knelt in front of his daughter, holding her hand and gazing at her like she was the most precious thing to him in the world. “Will that work?” he asked her. “You’ll be safe with them, I promise. And then as soon as I’m done, I’ll be right back by your side.”
“Thanks, Daddy,” Kassie had said, throwing her arms around him.
Once they’d made it to the studio, Snow had been greeted by Amira, Oswald, and May. She’d shared a fond embrace with Hector, who’d expressed his worries for her and his relief that she was okay. She’d gotten made up, and now they were waiting for one of the other producers to arrive.
They were slated to do one more show, one that would offer more of a happily ever after update rather than the ominous announcement Hunter had made the day before.
Snow traced her fingers along Hunter’s and filled him in on everything Eloise and Tys had confessed. About Eloise’s jealousy of Snow. About her frustration that Hunter had refused her request to host aHeartthrob’s Most Wantedfeaturing a seasoned bachelorette rather than someone Snow’s age.
“She said I didn’t get the game,” Snow explained. “She said I didn’t know Hollywood and how low she had to stoop to get into the roles she played in her television experience. That it wasn’t fair that I hadn’t had to do the same. It sounded like lunacy and jealousy all at once.”
Hunter opened his palm, giving Snow more space to trail her fingers over his skin. “I have no doubt there was some foul play, but that didn’t mean she had to force anything on you.”
“She said it wasn’t fair that I was selected over her daughter. She wanted to bring Heartthrob down—and I got in the way.”
Hunter’s fingers closed, lacing with hers. The touch was so warm, so complete. “I’m so sorry,” Hunter said. “I should have followed my gut. I should never have listened to Eloise’s advice where you were concerned. I had no idea she would stoop this low.”
“It’s okay.” Snow didn’t blame him. How could she? It was thanks to him that she was still alive, that she was still here.
Hunter’s fingers trailed to the sores on her wrists. “That looks pretty bad,” he said.
Snow nodded. “It’s no picnic.”
He swallowed and lowered her hand, withdrawing his away from her. “Can you forgive me, Snow?”
She straightened and gaped at him. His attractive face was bent into a frown. A frown she wanted to erase. “There’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t know this would happen. No one knew.”
“We looked into Tys before he was selected. We did background checks on all these guys.”
“If they have no previous criminal record, then those checks wouldn’t show anything,” Snow said. “I think Eloise may have had a hand in his selection.” She had banked on Snow giving him more of a chance than she actually had, from the sound of things.
“That would make sense,” he said. “Seeing as how he was dating her daughter.”
“Any idea where her daughter ran off to?”
“The police found her. As an accomplice, she’s been arrested and taken to the holding cells along with her mom and Tys.”
Snow exhaled, feeling a little better after the news. “That’s good to know. What a stupid thing for them both to do. You know, I contemplated how this would affect my life and Kassie’s too, but look how it’s going to affect theirs.”
“Yeah,” Hunter said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“There was one major difference between what Eloise accused me of and the truth.”
“What’s that?”
Snow gazed at the empty studio as Amira stepped through. The host’s shoes were silent on the prepared stage floor. “I didn’t come onHeartthrob’s Most Wantedfor fame, Hunter. I was genuinely there to fall in love.” She met his gaze.
His piercing eyes held hers. “And?”
She smiled. “I think we’re onto something.”
The studio filled, and Luis got her mic’ed as usual. May checked her face one more time, and then Snow stood beside Hunter as the six remaining bachelors were welcomed onto the stage.
Snow smoothed a hand over her stomach.
“Are you ready?” Hunter asked.
