The Cowboy's Reality Bride Page 7

  Justin’s fake smile appeared again. “Sorry, man, crew only.” Nope, he appeared irredeemable. Tyler wondered why he continued to work for the show as he certainly didn’t seem to enjoy it. The money must keep him around. “There is a coffee pot in the kitchen though. Feel free to make your own if you have time.”

  “Right, I will. Are we done, Laney?”

  “We are.” She took a long sip of her coffee and smiled at him. “Go make yourself a cup. You probably have half an hour.”

  Half an hour. It wasn’t much, but if he wanted to make it through the day, it would have to be enough. He wandered into the kitchen which was nearly the size of the women’s shared kitchen and set the coffee pot percolating. A quick search through the cabinets rewarded him with not only a mug but sugar packets as well, and he poured the drink and sat down.

  Justin appeared a minute later. “Okay, for one of the group dates, we’ve planned a horseback ride along the beach. We figure that will let you discern which women can handle being around horses. You own them, right?”

  Tyler raised a brow at him. Was he serious? “Yes, I own horses. Several of them. Kinda goes with owning a ranch.”

  “Right, and the other group date will be a paintball adventure. You said you wanted an adventurous woman, so we hope this will let you see those willing to risk it all.”

  Tyler nodded. “Okay, those sound fine.” He took another sip of his coffee hoping he’d be awake enough to stay on a horse and aim a gun.

  “For your solo date, we’re planning dinner and dancing. Have you decided who you’d like to take?”

  “Uh,” Tyler rubbed a hand across his forehead. It would be easier to think if he’d had more sleep. “Do all these dates happen today?”

  Justin stared at him. “You’ve never filmed before, have you?”

  “If I had would I be asking these questions?” Tyler spoke the question quietly into his mug before taking another sip, but if Justin heard him, he ignored the remark.

  “The first group date will be today. The next one tomorrow, and the solo the day after.”

  “So, if it’s only one date, why are we up so early?”

  Justin rolled his eyes. “Because we must make sure we get the coverage we need. That could take hours and the beach lighting is best early morning and evening. If we film in the morning and don’t get what we want, it gives us the opportunity to film in the evening as well.”

  “Right.” Tyler’s head was spinning from the explanation. A simple answer would have sufficed, especially with his lack of sleep. “As for the solo, I’ll choose Heidi.” She interested him, and she seemed like someone who would enjoy dancing.

  “Great. I’m going to inform the women. Be ready to go in fifteen minutes.”

  Fifteen minutes. He stared into his almost empty mug. Just enough time for another cup of coffee.

  “Good morning ladies.” Justin sounded way too chipper to Laney, especially for someone who had gotten less sleep than she had. Was he a vampire or something? Or just so used to the schedule that his body no longer fought it? She stifled a yawn and leaned against the wall as he continued.

  “There will be two group dates. One today and one tomorrow. During these group dates, Tyler can decide to give you a hat early, meaning of course he plans to keep you around, or he can let you go. There will be one solo date this week before the ceremony where Tyler will cut another five of you at least.”

  “If all the girls cut are in one room, can we spread out then?” one of the girls asked. Laney had dubbed this one Barbie due to her long legs and tiny waist. The other girls in the room shot her angry glances but Laney just rolled her eyes. She was used to women like this girl - the fashion world was full of them. “What?” Barbie shrugged. “I don’t do three other women in my room.”

  “We’ll talk about room arrangements after the ceremony,” Justin said. “Now, we have decided on the date for today and these are the women going. Melody-” the Barbie flashed a knowing smile at the other girls, “Lila-” Melody’s smile faded as she realized she wasn’t on the solo date, “Cassidy, Jessica, Michelle P, Debra N. and-”

  Justin paused for dramatic effect as he looked around the room. Laney wished he would just hurry up. The sooner this date got started, the sooner it could end, and she could get some sleep. “Is he always like this?” she whispered to Maryanne.

  “Always, and he gets more dramatic with each episode, but he makes the best coffee.” She held up her mug with a smile and then took a sip.

  Laney couldn’t argue with that. Though she had been apprehensive about taking the coffee when he offered it, it had turned out to be one of the best tasting blends she’d ever had.

  “Kanina,” Justin finished. “You seven have fifteen minutes to get ready. We roll out then.”

  Laney flattened herself against the wall as the women erupted in a frenzy. The seven women who were picked jumped up and began pushing their way down the hall to the bathrooms. Grunts and shouts of “Hey, watch it” carried into the living room. Some of the remaining women got up and wandered toward the kitchen. The few that stayed began a conversation about where they thought the date was taking place and who might be lucky enough to get the solo.

  “What do the women not going do all day?” Laney asked Maryanne. With no television and no phone, she wondered what they had to amuse themselves.

  “Most of the time, they just lie around the pool and talk. They also have a small workout room, and a closet full of games.”

  “Games?”

  Maryanne flashed a mischievous smile. “Yep, old fashioned board games. If they get too bored, they’ll pull them out. It’s generally good comedy when they find the Twister game.”

  Laney shook her head. She’d thought this was a serious reality show, but the more she learned, the less serious it seemed. She straightened as Justin made his way over to them.

  “Laney, you need to grab your supplies and head out front. You’ll be riding with Tyler to the location.”

  “Oh, okay.” Laney tried to control the fluttering in her heart at the thought of riding alone with Tyler. If only it were under different circumstances. “Guess I’ll see you there,” she said to Maryanne before heading out to grab her supplies.

  She packed everything she thought she might need in her travel case and then glanced in the mirror. She couldn’t compare to the contestants but that was no reason not to look her best.

  As she exited her bungalow, she saw Tyler leaning against a black limo, his hat pulled low on his eyes. “Hey,” he said when she approached. “I guess we’re riding together.”

  “That’s what they tell me.” Her voice sounded trembly in her ears, and she hoped he wouldn’t notice.

  He opened the door for her and stepped back. “I’m rather glad. You can punch me if I fall asleep.”

  Laney laughed as she climbed into the limo. “I thought that was your job, to keep me awake.”

  “I guess we’ll have to look out for each other.” He climbed in beside her and shut the door.

  Laney’s pulse quickened at the nearness of his body. His hand lay only inches from hers on the seat, and she was close enough to feel the heat radiating off him. Wall. She needed her wall. “So, tell me about your ranch.” Maybe conversation would take her mind off the masculine scent of him that was wafting her direction.

  A smile lit his features. “It’s a nice place. Six hundred acres with a creek bed that runs through it. In the evenings, you can see the sunset for miles - oranges, reds, and pinks. Nothing beats a Texas sunset. Am I right?”

  It had been ages since Laney had seen a Texas sunset. Even when she’d stopped home briefly, she hadn’t taken the time to step outside and watch the sun set, but she did remember enjoying them in high school. She also remembered wishing Dallas Nixon would invite her out to the lookout point all the popular kids frequented Friday nights when football season was over.

  “Yeah, nothing beats a Texas sunset. I bet it’s even better on horseback.”
>
  “It is. There’s this great spot at my ranch where the sun glistens off the creek…”

  He trailed off and Laney knew he was thinking the same thing she was. She’d probably never get to see that view on his ranch because he’d be sharing it with some other woman. Laney cursed the timing of their meeting.

  “It sounds lovely,” Laney said and then she flew forward. Her head collided with Tyler’s jaw and stars filled her vision.

  “Sorry about that,” the driver’s voice said through the intercom. “Some kid chased a ball into the street.”

  “Are you hurt?” Tyler asked. His hands were on her face sending shots of heat every place his fingers touched, but Laney couldn’t focus on his face. She was still seeing double.

  “I think I’m okay, but man you have a hard jaw.” His hands dropped from her face, and she blinked a few times until the stars receded and his two faces became one again. Was he smiling at her?

  “Yeah, so I’ve been told.”

  “You’ve had a lot of people hit your jaw?”

  His smile faded, and his eyes shifted to the side. “Not anymore.”

  Laney could tell there was more behind his answer, but his face had turned to stone, and she knew better than to press the issue. Perhaps he would tell her when he was ready.

  13

  Tyler wasn’t sure whether disappointment or relief filled him more when the limo stopped. He didn’t know what he’d been thinking talking to Laney about his ranch like that. Almost like he was inviting her out when he knew he couldn’t, but there was something about Laney. Something open and friendly that made him think of home and want to spill his secrets. He almost had when she’d teased him about his jaw. But she wasn’t one of the contestants. She was his makeup artist, and they paid her to hang out with him. He would do well to remember that.

  Perhaps that was the difference. He felt more comfortable around her because there was no pressure. He didn’t have to think about giving her a hat or sending her home. He didn’t have to try to imagine her fitting in his life back home, but he could. He could see her riding out with him to check the horses and then watching the sun set across the creek. He could see her sitting on his wrap-around porch, when he built one, drinking coffee with him and talking about the day. But he needed to get those thoughts out of his mind. Laney wasn’t a contestant, and he had seven women waiting for him that were.

  The door opened, and Tyler stepped out first holding out a hand to help Laney without thinking about it. She placed her hand in his and his fingers tingled at her touch. How long had it been since a woman had made him tingle with only a touch? Too long, but that didn’t matter. He needed to stop thinking about Laney and start thinking about the other women on this date.

  “Do I need a touchup?” he asked when she stood beside him.

  “Nope, you look good. How do I look?” Her fingers reached for the bump on her head, but he caught her hand before she could touch it.

  “You look fine. Just a little bump, but don’t mess with it.”

  Her eyes dropped to their clasped hands before returning to his. “Okay.”

  “Okay,” he dropped her hand - he shouldn’t have been holding it in the first place, “let’s go ride some horses then.” Tyler led the way to the beach where the guide was waiting with ten horses. As Tyler did a mental count, he realized Laney wouldn’t be riding with them today, and he wondered why they had sent her then. He hoped she wouldn’t get too bored waiting for the group to return.

  The women hadn’t arrived yet, but he could see a limo pulling up behind the one he and Laney had ridden in. He glanced around for Laney, but she was standing several yards away and staring out at the ocean. He wandered what she was thinking, but only briefly as the women’s voices reached him.

  “Horses? Is he serious?”

  “Put on your game face, Jess. It’s too early to go home.”

  “Yeah but horses are so smelly and gross.”

  Tyler couldn’t tell which women had spoken as they approached in a group, but they obviously didn’t know their voices would carry. While he wasn’t sure who the second woman was, she had called the first one Jess, and the only Jess had to be Jessica who had just earned herself a ticket home. Any woman who didn’t like horses would never make it on his ranch.

  He put on a smile as they approached. “Welcome ladies. As you know, I live on a ranch. I spend most of my day on horseback and while my wife wouldn’t have to ride with me every day, I want a woman who is comfortable riding. So, we are going for a ride down the beach.”

  “Awesome,” Cassidy said. “I have always wanted to do this.” A few other women nodded their ascent, but he noticed Jessica and Melody kept quiet. Melody must have been the other voice he heard. While he wouldn’t cut her right now, he would keep his eye on her as he wasn’t sure she was here for the same reason he was.

  “Pick a horse, ladies, and our guide here will get you set up. Except for you, Jessica. You can go back to the house and pack your bags.”

  Jessica’s mouth fell open and several other jaws followed suit. “What do you mean? I’m excited to ride.” Her voice rose into a shrill pitch, and her eyes darted to Melody as if asking for backup.

  “Actually, you’re not. Any woman who thinks horses are smelly and gross won’t fit in my life. I’m not sure why you’re here, and I’m sure you’ll make a great wife to some man someday, but it won’t be me.”

  “But… I…” She looked around at the other women, but none were willing to back her up. She turned to Maryanne who was the closest thing to a producer in the area. “Can he do that? Just send me home?”

  Maryanne looked as if she were holding back a smile. “He can indeed.”

  “I... but… fine,” she spat the word at Tyler. “I didn’t want to live on a ranch anyway. I came on this show to grow my Instagram followers, and I’m sure I’ll do that.” She turned to Melody, venom flowing from her eyes. “Just so you know, Melody isn’t here for you either. She’s here promoting her brand.”

  “That’s not true.” Melody lunged for Jessica who jumped out of the way but continued to taunt her.

  “Yes, it is. Ask her about her channel.”

  Tyler shook his head and stepped forward. He could not believe this nonsense though he probably should have known there would be women coming on the show for their own chance at fame. “That’s enough. Both of you can head back to the limo. I’m sure the driver will be glad to take you home to pack.”

  Melody stopped attacking Jessica to turn sugary sweet eyes on Tyler. “There’s no reason to send me home too. She’s making up that story because I didn’t lie for her.”

  “That may be,” Tyler said, “but I’m not a fan of your behavior just now either. I’m looking for a woman who shows grace and composure in all circumstances. So, again, you both can go now. Good luck.”

  Melody narrowed her eyes at him as if she were going to say more, but finally she whirled around and stalked off leaving Jessica to stumble after her.

  “Well, now that the excitement is over, who’s up for a ride?”

  The five remaining women cheered and picked out their horses. Tyler looked around for Laney and nodded as she flashed him a small smile. He didn’t need her approval but getting it felt right.

  “Has that ever happened before?” Laney asked as soon as Maryanne shut the door behind them. They had dropped off the footage to Peter and Justin, stopped by the kitchen for some ice for Laney’s head, and then hightailed it to Maryanne’s bungalow to discuss and relax before dinner.

  “No, but that was great. Peter is probably going to be angry because those two would have caused drama and drama is good for ratings, but man it was nice to see Tyler put them in their place.” Maryanne collapsed onto the sofa and sighed.

  “Right?” Laney sat down sideways in the chair, putting her back against one arm and throwing her legs over the other. She placed the ice bag on her head and tried not to grimace. “I worked with women like Melody a lot in New Y
ork. It was so tiring listening to them complain about everything and never being able to tell them to knock it off. You don’t know how many times I practiced drawing a scar or some hideous birthmark on their head shots.”

  Maryanne’s eyes widened. “You did no such thing.”

  “Okay, I didn’t,” Laney said with a roll of her eyes. “I never even saw their headshots, but I thought about it.”

  “Her face reminded me of Mr. Cuthbert’s in high school. Remember that day when you showed him the petition?”

  Laney’s free hand flew to her mouth as the memory came back to her. “He was so mad. I think he would have kept me from graduating if he could have found a way.” Laney had never been a fan of injustice and she fought hard for things she considered unfair. When the principal had shut down their new stage her senior year because someone graffitied the ‘Exit’ sign, Laney had typed up a petition and gathered signatures from the students. Then she had taken the petition to the district office. The woman in charge there had sent her back to Mr. Cuthbert, but she must have called and said something to him because when Laney, Maryanne, and Jennifer, their other friend, had arrived, he had been fuming.

  “What was it he said?” Maryanne asked. Her face scrunched in thought, but Laney didn’t have to try to remember. His words were forever imprinted on her mind.

  “You went above my head,” she started. Maryanne’s eyes snapped open and she finished the statement with Laney, “to a woman?”

  “He was such a jerk,” Maryanne said shaking her head.

  “Yeah, but he taught me strength and the importance of standing up for what you believe in. I think I’d kind of forgotten that over the last few years. Thank you for reminding me.” Laney thought back over the months she had worked for Madame Bonavich and realized she was just as bad as Mr. Cuthbert had been if not worse, and yet Laney had taken her abuse day after day. How had she let the opinion of one boy who had never noticed her and who she’d probably never see again influence her life so profoundly?