More than Distance

31

I shoved a huge bite in my mouth so I wouldn’t have to answer right away. “I don’t know. Pass.”

“You can’t pass. I answered all of your questions, including the two about my s*x life. Would you rather I asked you about that?”

“No!” I took a long breath and smoothed out my napkin. “Okay. I guess things changed when my mom’s talent agent recruited me in high school. After getting sick and losing my hair and all the other things my body went through, modeling made me feel beautiful and confident again. It let me be in control of my life for the first time in ages.” I stared into my tostada bowl so I wouldn’t have to look at him. “It’s stupid, I know.”

“It’s not stupid.” He reached across the table and took my hand. I was so surprised I jumped. Heat raced from his touch to every part of my body.

“Thanks.” I squeezed his hand once, before letting go. “I do sometimes wish I’d majored in engineering, like I’d originally planned. It’s too late for that now though.”

“You could still go to graduate school.”

“No way. My major was in theater. I’d have to take a ton of classes to get the right prerequisites and that would take ages. Not to mention how much it would cost.” I shook my head. “I’ll have to figure something else out.”

“It would take some time, yes, but you’re one of the smartest people I know. You’ve always been good at math and science. You’d whip through those classes easily.”

His praise gave me a tingly feeling all over, or maybe that was from the margarita I’d already finished. Either way, I couldn’t help but smile at him. “I’ll think about it.”

I got up to use the restroom and found one of the other competitors, the blond Barbie girl whose husband seemed to be her matching Ken doll. She reapplied her lipstick and gave me a big smile.

“Having fun so far?” she asked, with her slight Southern drawl. Or Texan, maybe?

“Very much. I’ve always loved the show, so it’s amazing to be on it now.”

“I hear ya.” She held out her hand, which had long pink nails. “I’m Brenda.”

I shook her hand and smiled. “Carla. Nice to meet you.”

“It’s a pleasure.” She practically beamed at me and I felt bad for judging her so harshly before. “Is that your boyfriend with you?”

Her question caught me off-guard and I didn’t have a ready answer. “Y-yes. Sort of. We just got together so we haven’t really used that label yet.”

“Ah, I know what you mean. My husband Ron didn’t want to call me his girl for months. Finally I told him if I wasn’t his girl then I was going to date some other guys on the side. That fixed that problem right quick.” She winked.

“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.” I wiped my hands and headed for the door. “Have a good night.”

“Thanks—and good luck tomorrow!”

“You too.”

I returned to Ryan with a smile on his face. “I just met that blond contestant from the South in the bathroom. She was really sweet.”

Ryan scowled. “Be careful. She could be trying to play you.”

I rolled my eyes. “She’s not trying to play me.”

“Maybe not, but every other couple on this show is our enemy. Don’t forget that.”

“There’s no harm in being polite to someone.” My good mood was gone now. Why did Ryan have to be such a grump?

We finished our meal, then walked back to the elevator. Once in the lobby, Ryan stopped. “I’m going to ask if they have another room available.”

Wow. Was sharing a room with me that bad? “We don’t have the money for that.”

“I’ll put it on my company’s account.”

He went to the front desk and I turned away with an ache in my chest. Perhaps it was for the best. I’d loved him for years, and then I’d avoided thinking about him for years, and now I couldn’t escape him for more than five minutes. We were stuck together for as long as we were on the show. Separate hotel rooms would make this all easier.

Outside it had begun raining, one of those wild summer storms that promised thunder and lightning. I so rarely saw rain in Los Angeles that it captivated me and drew me closer. I moved toward the giant window at the end of the lobby bar and stared out at the downpour, my palms on the glass.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A dark-haired man at the bar asked me. He swirled a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

“Yes, very.”

“Not nearly as beautiful as you.”

I stiffened. Ryan appeared out of nowhere, resting his hand on my lower back protectively. “Don’t call her that.” His voice could cut through diamonds.

“Sorry, man. Thought she was alone.” The guy scurried off to the other side of the bar, followed by Ryan’s gunfire eyes.

“You don’t need to scare away every guy who talks to me.”

His hand dipped lower, nearly brushing the top of my butt. “Yes. I do.”

Thunder rolled through the hotel, so loud it made me jump. Three seconds later, a huge crack of lightning split across the sky, so big and bright it left spots in my eyes. For an instant, I saw the river and the flat land across it. Then it all faded to black again.

“There are no rooms available.” His fingers traced faint patterns against the back of my dress. “You’re stuck with me.”

His words made me shiver. “Too bad,” I said, though I was secretly relieved.