“It all has to do with your application,” Millie tells her. I wouldn’t know since technically I didn’t apply.
“Obviously, but what’s on my application that doesn’t match up with Josh, but makes me compatible with Gary?” Amanda asks as her frustration level grows.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. I don’t know what types of questions were asked, or how they were answered. I’m in the dark and chances are if I had answered my own, I’d likely be with Gary. If Josh and I win, I’ll have to buy my mom a new car because if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here right now.
The three of us sigh when Josh and Bronx both turn and face us. Gary and Cole are in between them and it looks like Gary is hanging onto everything Bronx is saying. The guys are far enough away that we can’t hear what they’re talking about, but Josh looks pissed. His hand, the one not holding his beer, is flying animatedly through the air. There’s a lot of pointing in Bronx’s direction, coupled with head shaking.
“Excuse me?”
Our heads move together as if they’re on a rope as we all stare at Rebekah, who has moved closer to Amanda. We don’t respond, but Amanda and I both decide drinking is acceptable in this moment. The sucky thing is, Rebekah is smiling, all soft, sweet, and very innocent looking in her flower print dress with half her long brunette hair pulled up in a ponytail and matching ribbon—she doesn’t have a clue that we don’t want her here. Or maybe she does, but was told not to care. We’ve been at this game for two solid months and as much as Bronx is welcome eye candy, they’re intruders.
None of us speak, and even though the sound stage is loud and there are airplanes flying overhead, you can hear each of us breathing. Millie, Amanda, and I are just staring at her, waiting for her nose to grow and for her face to turn green. Yes, I know that’s a rude assumption, but she’s here to steal our money, and our fans. In the words of my eight-year-old cousin, ‘homey don’t play dat’.
“Are you always so perky?”
I had a feeling Amanda would be the first one to crack, and bravo to her because I’m not sure I would’ve done it. I don’t want to know Rebekah. Millie and I are friends and will keep in touch once the show is over. Amanda and I, we may meet each other for lunch if we happen to be in the same city at the same time, but it’s not as if we’d go out of our way to meet up. I can’t see myself ever seeing Rebekah outside of this house. She’s not part of the original three.
“I have a very positive outlook on life,” Rebekah says as she juts her chin out.
“Is that why you married a stranger and came onto a reality show to win money?” Amanda blurts out as I stifle a laugh. It’s not funny, it’s what we did, but I’m not sure any of us had a positive outlook on life except for Josh.
I glance quickly at him as he and Cole grill the streaks for dinner. The sun was blazing today and the night air isn’t much cooler. I wouldn’t mind a dip in the pool with Josh later, but that’s not likely going to happen if he’s angry with me. We still need to talk about the arrival of Bronx, which I have a feeling won’t go very well. My eyes travel over to Bronx, who is looking over here. Is he staring at his wife, or the three of us?
“Why are you here?” I ask, barely tearing my gaze away from Bronx, and when I do Rebekah is still smiling sweetly at us. Her hands are clasped and resting on her knee, showing off a dazzling rock. I tuck my hand under my leg and square my eyes at her, waiting for her answer.
“I’m here, just as you are, to win,” she replies as she stands, presses her dress down, and walks across the yard. Amanda begins to mimic her until she sees Rebekah talking to Gary. That alone is enough to get Amanda off her ass and over to where Gary and Rebekah are now in deep conversation.
“I’ll be back,” Millie says as she gets up and disappears into the house. I continue to suck on the straw that feeds me my delicious ice-cold cocktail while I lounge sloppily on the couch. Bronx is walking over to me and I know this isn’t going to be good.
“Hello, Joey.”
I start to sit up, and am assisted by his warm hands on my back and arm helping me into a decent position. Putting my drink on the table, I sit back and appraise him: no shirt, sun-kissed skin, and beads of sweat pebbling his chest. Everything in me is telling me to stop staring, but I can’t. Having him and Josh in the same general area with the freedom of touch, in the non-creepy way, should be a sin, a sin that I’d be willing to commit over and over again if forgiveness was easily given. To the hell with forgiveness, this house has two of the hottest up and coming actors and I want to sin. Badly.
“You’re staring like you’ve never seen me shirtless?”
“I haven’t. I mean, not really. Watching you play pick-up and having you sit next to me are two very different things. And you’ve changed … a lot.” I give him a once over before forcing myself to avert my eyes.
“Have you missed me?”
“Eh.” I shrug. I have, but haven’t. It was one semester of fabulous studying. “You’ve done well for yourself.”
“I try. Are you happy I’m here?”
I glance at Josh, who seems worried. He shouldn’t be. “Like I said earlier, it’s nice to have a friend in the house. Are you happy to be here?”
“Oh I’m very happy to be here,” he says, leaning closer to me. I can smell his cologne as it wafts over me. He smells like the sun and ocean. I’m temporarily mesmerized until he laughs and leans back.
Bronx takes my hands in his and starts to trace the lines in my palm as I fight my body’s need to shiver.
“This line here says you’ll have a long life.”
“Did you learn that from one of your movie roles?” I already
know the answer, but only realize it after I’ve blurted out my stupid question. His mother is some spiritual guru and his dad is a banker. Bronx’s parents are still married, making his life vastly different from Joshua’s.
“No, my mom—”
“I know what your mom does and your father, too. We’ve spent countless nights studying, remember?”