Romancing Miss Right (13 page)

Miranda jerked awake, rubbing at the keyboard
imprint on her cheek as her assistant burst into the editing bay,
waving his tablet triumphantly.

“We have a winner,” Todd declared. “One of
the crazies from the tip line turns out to not be totally insane
after all. Turns out one of our boys has a secret girlfriend back
home.”

That cleared away the last cobwebs of sleep
in a hurry. “Seriously?”
There is a God
. “Which one? Never
mind, who cares? Is she willing to appear on camera?”

“Already signed the release,” Todd said
triumphantly. “She can be on the nine o’clock flight up.”

Miranda looked at the clock on the wall. Six
thirty in the morning. They had twelve hours to put it all together
before the pre-Elimination cocktail party. Perfect. “Todd, remind
me to give you a raise. Or a pony. Your choice.”

He laughed. “I’ll take the raise. Ponies are
a pain in the ass.”

“Good call. Get the girlfriend on that plane.
I’ll meet her at the airport and prep her on the way. In the
meantime, get me Pendleton. We’ll need him to do a Tactful Concern
About These Rumors scene with Marcy, so she can confront the Suitor
before we bring in the girlfriend to confirm it all.”

Todd turned, already on his phone to carry
out her orders, when Miranda called him back.

“Wait. Which Suitor is it?”

“Craig.”

A smile spread across her face. “I’ll be
damned. It’s Christmas.”

#

“He didn’t tell me where he was going.” The
perky little blond sniffled, dabbing at her eyes with a linen hanky
she’d probably brought along just for that purpose, and blinked
tearfully at the cameras. “I thought it might be a reality
show—Survivor or something—he’s always wanted to be on television,
but then a friend mentioned seeing someone who looked like him
among the Miss Right Suitors at a Renaissance Faire and I put it
all together. I just can’t believe he would do this to me.”

Miranda frowned. The “girlfriend” was as fake
as a three dollar bill, but her story was surprisingly credible.
Miranda muttered a question into her handset, the one linked to the
earbud in Josh Pendleton’s ear and a moment later the question came
out of his mouth, smooth as silk.

“Why didn’t our background checks turn up
that he had a girlfriend?”

“We both wanted to keep our relationship
quiet, since we work together and sometimes people can take that
the wrong way. I thought he was protecting me—not wanting people to
think I’d slept my way to the top—but now I have to wonder how many
other times he cheated on me because no one knew he was taken.”

Miranda told Josh to wrap it up—they had what
they needed from the girlfriend for now. Time to put her on ice and
bring Marcy in for the
I’m afraid I’ve received some troubling
news
portion of the proceedings.

It was a busy day. And as long as Miranda
focused on the busy, she didn’t have to acknowledge anything else
that had happened in the last twenty four hours.

#

“Marcy, I’m afraid I’ve received some
troubling news about one of our Suitors.”

Marcy stepped back, making sure to stay out
of the camera’s line of sight as she admitted Josh Pendleton into
the Miss Right Mansion. She screwed her face up into concern and
said, “Is everyone all right?”

Feigning a surprise she didn’t feel, she led
the way into the main sitting room. Fifteen minutes ago two camera
crews and hair and make-up had shown up to get footage of her
gathering her thoughts for tonight’s ceremony. Since they didn’t
normally film her preparation and she’d already received the
Compatibility Tests, she’d have to be a fool not to suspect
something was coming. The show didn’t waste two camera crews on
thought gathering. Not even on a slow week.

“I’m afraid not,” Josh intoned gravely,
taking a seat in an armchair and leaving her to perch on the couch.
The cameramen were already in position, obviously having coached
Pendleton on where to sit. “I’m just going to come right out and
say it, Marcy,” the host said, pausing for dramatic effect, letting
the moment build until she was ready to throw something at him.
“It’s come to our attention that one of our Suitors may have a
girlfriend back home.”

Marcy gasped—hoping it didn’t look like she’d
expected precisely that. It wasn’t exactly unheard of in the
reality dating world. “Who?” she asked breathlessly.

“I’m afraid it’s Craig.”

Something in the vicinity of her heart
lurched. “Of course it is.”

Josh frowned, his face twisting with concern.
“You don’t seem surprised.”

“Well, he did say he wasn’t here for love.”
No, she wasn’t surprised, though she was far more disappointed than
she cared to admit.

Josh nodded somberly. “How would you like to
proceed?”

It was tempting to tell him to have Craig
pack his bags and go. To not even speak to him. But that felt too
cowardly. She wasn’t afraid to face anyone. Especially one lying,
pretend Suitor.

And the show loved a good confrontation.

“I’d like to talk to him.”

Josh nodded again—all respectful and grave,
as if they were planning a funeral. “We’ll set that up.” His face
contorted into sympathy. “His girlfriend is here as well. Do you
want to…?”

“This isn’t about her. It’s about him
lying.”

“Do you want me with you when we confront
him?”

Again that cowardly temptation. She stomped
on it. “No. I’ll talk to him alone.” Or as alone as they could be
with two camera crews and hair and make-up looking on.

Josh nodded. “I’ll get that arranged.”

Which meant Miranda would wave her magic wand
while Josh had a cocktail beside the pool. So much sleight of hand
in Show Biz.

Craig fit right in. The liar.

So he was a snake after all. She couldn’t
pretend to be surprised. His I’m-an-open-book act had been hard to
buy from the beginning. But she did feel strangely…
sad
to
have been proved right about him. Sometimes right was no fun.

They set her up in the garden. Wardrobe
thought a deep blue sundress was suitably somber for the
confrontation. After long debate amongst the stylists, her hair was
left down around her shoulders and make-up was kept natural. Then
he arrived.

Craig walked in with his usual swagger, dark
hair gleaming in the last of the evening sun. “Couldn’t wait until
tonight to see me again, doll face?”

She didn’t bother with a preamble. “I
understand you have a girlfriend, Craig.”

He barked a laugh. “Cute. Why did you really
want to see me?” He threw himself onto the patio chair facing hers.
Then he seemed to realize she wasn’t laughing and the amusement
fled from his face. “You aren’t serious.”

Marcy looked to the segment producer hovering
nearby. “I don’t think I got her name.”

“Marta Kirsch,” Linus provided.

Marcy turned back to Craig. “Seems you’re in
a relationship with Marta Kirsch.”

“That’s bullshit. I don’t even know who that
is.”

“Well, she seems to know you.” Marcy
immediately regretted not having Josh next to her for this. She
hadn’t gotten all the details. Hadn’t examined the proof. Somehow
she hadn’t expected Craig to deny it. He was caught. She’d thought
he would admit it.

“They work together,” Linus prompted, bless
him.

Craig’s face instantly darkened with equal
parts recognition and anger. “Marta at Midnight? Are you kidding
me?”

Marta at Midnight
. Was that when they
met? Clandestine rendezvous?

“And you just believe this?” Craig growled.
He launched out of his chair, making the camera crews scramble, but
he was only stalking to the edge of the patio and back again,
pacing angrily. “No proof needed. Of
course
I’m a two-timing
prick, is that it?”

That had pretty much been it, but Marcy
hesitated to admit it in the face of his anger. “Why would she
lie?”

“Because she’s a grubby little fame whore who
wants her fifteen minutes and thinks she can get it by
piggy-backing on me,” he snapped. “I’ve never touched her—not that
she didn’t make it very apparent when she first started working for
K-Rock that she’d be willing to do whatever it took to advance—but
I wasn’t interested then and I’m not interested now. I don’t even
fucking
like
her. I can get you a dozen witnesses who will
swear I’ve never looked twice at Marta. She’s just the girl sitting
in my chair until I get back.”

A weight she hadn’t been aware of lifted,
leaving her light with relief. He didn’t have a girlfriend after
all. He really didn’t. She shouldn’t be so happy about that.

He stalked around the patio, then stormed
back until he was looming over her. “But this isn’t about her. You
just believed her. I was already tried and convicted before I
walked in the door today. You actually think that of me. You think
I’m the kind of guy who would make out with you while I was with
someone else?” His black eyes glittered angrily. “I’m not a
cheater,” he bit out. “If I had a girlfriend, there is no way in
hell I would ever lay a finger on another woman. And that you would
think that of me—”

“Craig.” She stood, putting a hand on his
chest, feeling his heart racing beneath her fingertips. He was
genuinely angry. There was nothing fake about the flush rising up
from his collar. Obviously fidelity was a button. “I didn’t know.
We’re only starting to know each other and Josh came to me with
this story that… I guess I just thought they’d checked it out.” She
took a half-step closer. “I’m sorry.”

She knew she shouldn’t, but she liked seeing
him riled up like this at the threat to his honor. Craig Corrow had
honor. Who knew? He was more than just a shallow exterior. He was a
one woman man. And that was hot as hell.

“Forgive me for believing the worst?” she
asked.

“Yeah, I forgive you.” The fight seemed to
drain out of him. “I’m sorry I flew off the handle like that.” He
grimaced, then admitted, “My dad cheated. With my mom. Though she
didn’t know she was the other woman until she was pregnant with me
and he bailed. I swore I’d never be that guy.”

Ouch. No wonder he’d reacted so strongly.

He put his hand over hers where it rested on
his chest.

“You aren’t,” she said. Underneath all his
bad boy exterior, she was starting to wonder if Craig Corrow wasn’t
such a bad guy after all.

His dark eyes met hers. It was the most
natural thing in the world to rock up onto her toes for a kiss.
They’d had searing kisses before. Mind-melting ones. But this was
something different. An apology. An offer. A request. It was asked
and answered with surprising tenderness.

She rested back on her heels, and his lips
clung for a moment longer before he lifted his head.

“I should start getting ready for tonight,”
she said.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Another brush of his
lips against hers. Then he was gone and she sank back onto the
patio chair, resisting the urge to fan herself.

Craig Corrow. Who knew?

#

“Is she here?” Craig waited only until he was
out of Marcy’s earshot before turning to the nearest producer. “I
want to talk to that lying little bitch.”

Miranda appeared through a nearby doorway. “I
assume you mean Ms. Kirsch. I’m not so sure that would be a good
idea.” The producer cocked her head, considering. “Though if we
could film it…”

“She won’t be honest if she knows she’s on
camera.”

“She doesn’t have to know. She signed the
blanket release. We can film her without her knowledge.”

“Well?” he demanded.

Miranda studied him and smiled. “I’ll set it
up.”

#

The room was perfect. If Craig hadn’t known
it was riddled with hidden cameras, he never would have suspected.
All but climbing the walls, he waited for Marta. The Elimination
Ceremony was in less than two hours and he still needed to put on
his suit, but he wasn’t letting his accuser slink off without
facing him.

Vindication on national television was going
to taste sweet as hell.

The door opened and he spoke almost before
the little blond crossed the threshold. “What the fuck, Marta?”

She shut the door behind her, scanned the
room for cameras, and held out her hands placatingly. “I know it
was pushing it, but can you blame me? It’s national exposure,
Craig.”

“I know. Why the fuck do you think I’m here?”
He shook his head. “I’m not surprised you wanted a piece of the
fame, I’m just surprised you had the brains to figure out where I
went and how you could use it to your advantage.” Her gaze
skittered away from his and he groaned. “You didn’t, did you? Let
me guess—one of the listeners put together where I went and you
just figured you could tag along on my notoriety.”

“I didn’t think you’d be mad. This will
increase your airtime.”

“By calling me a cheater on national
television. Did you think I would thank you? That I wouldn’t call
you out as the liar you are?”

“I didn’t think it would matter. She’s bound
to figure out you’re not marriage material and drop you anyway. I
figured we’d both get a little airtime before she wises up.”

“Thank you for that flattering assessment of
my romantic appeal. Go home, Marta. Keep my job warm for me. But I
wouldn’t get too comfortable, if I were you. Even if I leave K-Rock
to go on to bigger and better things, no one wants to work with a
saboteur.”

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t get too comfortable
either, Romeo. You always were an asshole, and sooner or later,
little Miss Right is bound to figure you out.”

He shrugged. “Just as long as it’s
later.”

Chapter Fifteen

“
Hawaii is the perfect
place to fall in love—”

Miranda frowned, leaning over Todd’s shoulder
in the editing bay as a lei-bedecked Marcy gushed about the passion
of the islands. “No, no, not that segment. Fiji. The tribal village
with the school.”