And that’s why she didn’t want to be on a show like this. Stupid drama and jealousy and backbiting. She’d fallen into an icy river, and out of the three of them, only one seemed concerned about that vital fact.
A bowl filled with some sort of meaty stew appeared under her nose, and she looked up.
“I thought you might be hungry,” Angus said softly. With the light of the fire, she could see a small smile. It held a warmth she hadn’t seen from him yet.
She wrapped her hands around the bowl, and the warmth spread through her fingers. “Thank you, but you should pay attention to them.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. “They’re desperate for it.”
He sat about a foot away from her. “Oh, I’m well aware of their desperation, but they’ve had my attention. I want to know how you’re feeling.”
“I’m fine.” She chewed her lip. “I’m told I have you to thank for rescuing me.”
Shrugging, he stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and said, “You’re my responsibility while you’re on this show. You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me.”
Of course, his actions were once again part of the show. Everything was about the show and his image. She was still grateful he had rescued her, regardless of his reason for it.
Penelope took a few bites of her food, and it took a control she didn’t know she had to keep from scarfing it in the most unladylike way. It was as good as it smelled. Whatever they’d used to thicken it wasn’t affecting her blood sugar either. Typically, she could feel it pretty quickly if it were going to. “This is…this is really good.”
“Aye, I may have shown myself to be a glutton.” He chuckled.
Cameramen slowly moved their cameras around. Maybe she’d sell her camera and get a flip-phone when she got home.
She finished her stew and set the bowl down. “Thank you.”
“You’d missed dinner.”
Before she realized what she was doing, she moved to where she was only inches from him and palmed his arm. “No, thank you. I was told what you did for me. Jumping in, pulling me to safety. I’m sorry, but I don’t remember much about after I fell in. Are you okay? You didn’t get hurt because of me, did you?”
“Naw, I’m fine. I was mostly worried about you. Too bad you didn’t reel in that fish.”
“Me too.” She’d messed up the group date and his fishing trip and created chaos for the crew. Why did she always have to be so stupid? Her vision grew cloudy as she silently chastised herself. “I’m sorry I ruined the group date. I should’ve remembered about the drop-off.”
Angus tipped her chin up with one finger. “You don’t strike me as the kind of woman to seek attention, so I doubt you did it on purpose. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”
Oh wow. This close, it was all she could do to breathe. Her gaze drifted to his lips, and her pulse jumped. It would be nothing to kiss him, and there was no doubt in her mind she’d enjoy it. She needed to get away from him, or she’d be a shell by the time he was done with her. “I need to stay away from you. Far, far away.”
He dropped his hand and sighed.
“I don’t hate you. I don’t.” She stood. “I just can’t be around you.”
Angus came off the log and faced her. “What did I do this time?”
Penelope raked her hand through her hair. “Nothing. There are three women who want nothing more than your attention. They want to be here. They…” What could she say? They wanted him? They didn’t. They wanted what his fame brought. They wanted red carpets, parties, and hobnobbing with other famous people. “Just be careful. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Penelope, wait…”
But she didn’t stick around to hear him finish. She sped to her tent and zipped it closed. She was done. He’d been too close, and she’d been so tempted to kiss him. He was about as close to perfect as anyone she’d ever seen. Add the heroism of pulling her out of a river, and he moved into the knightly realm.
Only she didn’t need to dwell on that. There were three other women vying for his attention, and Penelope needed to keep herself out of it. An accident had them showing their claws, and she wasn’t interested in fighting for a man. If she were, she’d still be with Tom.
No, she was doing to the right thing. The smart thing. Staying away from Angus was for the best. Not only for her, but Angus as well. Zora, Amber, and Jeanie would be the excitement this show needed.
She would do better at keeping her distance from this point forward. The last thing she needed was Angus’s name stamped on her heart.
* * *
What a way to kill a camping trip. A tent, a camera, and Vincent.
“Penelope, how are you feeling this morning?” he asked.
She shrugged. At least he got her name right. “A good chunk of my pride is missing; otherwise, I’m fine.”
“Do you remember what happened?”
“No, not really. Just falling and then waking up later.”
Vincent held her gaze a moment. “Well, how would you like to see it?”
Penelope started to shake her head, but the video fired up. Her heart pounded as the entire fiasco played out in front of her eyes. Angus had hit the water seconds after her. There was no way he’d even considered that he might get hurt or washed away with her. He’d just plunged right in. Then he’d carried her to camp, made sure she was taken care of, and stayed with her until he was sure she was warm.
A sprig of hope bloomed like a flower growing through concrete. Angus had taken such good care of her and was so gentle. Her cheeks warmed as she watched him hold her in her sleeping bag. So it hadn’t been a dream.
Maybe he was genuine. Was there a real chance he could truly care about her? Her judgment had proven off in the past, but maybe she wasn’t as stupid as Tom made her out to be. How could she have known anything was wrong with her last relationship when the lies were so well told?
The video stopped, and Vincent smiled. “Pretty heroic, wouldn’t you say?”
The lump in her throat prevented anything other than a nod.
“Too bad you were too out of it to appreciate all that one-on-one time.” He wriggled his eyebrows and grinned as she shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Another video played with Zora and Amber giving their account of events and then their opinions of her. When it stopped, she was fighting back tears. That sprig of hope had withered.
She sniffed and wiped her nose with her coat cuff. “I wasn’t seeking attention. Angus and I have nothing going on. I don’t know him.” She hung her head. “What he did was…selfless and brave. I don’t know what else to say.” She pushed out of the chair and darted out of the tent.
Now she was going to have to live with at least two women who thought she was an attention hog. Her initial thought was correct. She needed to stay away from Angus. Amber and Zora, they could claw each other’s eyes out if they wanted. Penelope was out.
Chapter 18
While more exciting than he’d liked, the trip to the ranch had been relaxing and fun. It would have been even better if Penelope hadn’t nearly drowned.
The individual dates he’d gone on were okay. He had a bit of an ornery streak, and his date with Zora had them mucking out stalls. She’d been none too happy with him, but they’d gone to a nice restaurant at the end, and that seemed to make up for it. She’d tried for a kiss, but he couldn’t do it. In his mind, it would have been like kissing Clara, and his lips were never touching hers ever again.
The dates with Amber and Jeanie went as expected. Amber was a milder version of Zora, and Jeanie was the girl next door that every boy loved and every girl was jealous of. Her personality was bright and cheerful. He’d even caught himself trying to like her, which hadn’t been his plan at all, but she was so likable.
Penelope…the woman was pure aggravation on legs. And no matter what he did, he couldn’t shake her from his mind. There was something about her that called to him. He liked that she challenged him. She didn’t ta
ke what he said as gospel. She was normal and down to earth, and for some reason, those qualities seemed to be just what his soul was crying for.
Since they’d returned to the lodge a week ago, they’d gone on a sightseeing tour of Helena for a group date. It was a three-day trip with shopping, a concert, and a fireworks show celebrating a local hero returning from military service.
To mix things up, Barb had given him control over the next individual dates. For his own peace of mind and so he didn’t feel rushed, he gave himself two days with each bachelorette. It wasn’t until his second day with Zora that he kicked himself. He’d picked her because there was no chance of a relationship, and the more time he spent with her, the less of a chance she had. If Clara had a twin, it would be her.
Amber, well, she was…Amber. If he was looking for a red-carpet date she would be perfect, but he wasn’t looking for a relationship with anyone, and if he was, she’d never make the list. At least, not anymore.
He’d taken Jeanie to a state park. It was relaxing. They walked trails and rode horses, and if he had to picture a perfect date, it would have filled the bill. He’d also need to stick his hand in a light socket to get even a tingle.
Today, he had a date planned with Penelope, and he could already feel the tension building in his shoulders. He was going to have a fight on his hands, and he knew it. Of course, they could threaten to go after her sister and that would fix it, but he hated that. He wanted her to want to go out with him.
“I’m not going.”
He closed his eyes as Penelope’s voice drifted through his door. “And it begins,” he said as he threw his covers off and got out of bed to pull on some clothes.
The second he opened his door, he could hear all four women engaged in what seemed to be a battle.
“What’s going on?” he asked as he stopped in the great room.
Penelope’s gaze caught his. “I’m giving my date to one of them.”
Zora smiled. “I’m good with that.”
Angus exhaled sharply. “I’m not.”
“Why not? They want to date you,” Penelope said. She raked her hand through her hair and shook her head. “I’m so tired.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Can someone explain to me what’s really going on?”
Amber crossed her arms over her chest. “Nothing.”
Jeanie cut her eyes from Zora to Amber. He thought she’d speak up, but she shoved her hands in her jean pockets and clamped her lips shut.
His diving in after Penelope had turned Zora and Amber into jealous, unlikeable creatures. Not that they showed those colors in front of him or that he’d been shown any footage, but he’d heard whispers. It had started the night she came out of her tent and thanked him for rescuing her.
Penelope’s shoulders sagged. “I’m not going on a date with you.”
“Don’t you think I have a say in this?” Angus asked.
“No. Because it takes two, and I’m not playing. It’s like being on a seesaw by yourself.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “Do you really want your sister in trouble?”
She narrowed her eyes. “If the only way you can get me to date you is by threatening my sister with jail time, perhaps you’re a little more desperate than I thought.”
Hot anger hit him square in the chest. “Penelope, I’ve put up with a lot from you. But this date isn’t optional, and you know it.”
“I’m not going.”
“I saved your life.”
She scoffed. “I knew that was going to come back to bite me. Of course you’d use that as a way to manipulate me.” She turned to Zora and Amber.
Angus had forgotten they were even there.
Penelope waved her hands at him. “See? That’s why he jumped in after me. Not for me. For ratings. To hold it over my head. He doesn’t have a thing for me. I’m not his favorite. Are you happy?”
Zora cocked her hip and smiled. “I’m only happy because you’ve hurt him yet again. Maybe if you do that enough, he’ll send you home.”
Angus knitted his eyebrows together. Even if Penelope had hurt him, it wouldn’t have been on purpose. He had the feeling that Penelope didn’t operate like that. She genuinely cared about people. This show was hard on her, and she was having trouble adjusting.
Penelope’s mouth dropped open as she turned her gaze to Angus. Her eyes turned glassy. “I—” she said and stopped, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t ta—” She squeezed her eyes shut, took in a shaky breath, and said, “I can’t do anything right.”
Amber traded looks with Zora. It was almost as though they’d worked together to provoke her.
Turning, Penelope kept her gaze from his. “I’m not going on a date with you. Do what you have to do.”
The moment she was gone, Angus set his hands on his hips. “I’m not really sure what just happened, but if I’m not going on a date with her, I’m not going at all. So, whatever you hoped to gain out of this isn’t happening.”
He stormed to his room and shut the door. He and Penelope were making progress. It was slow, but progress nonetheless, and those women had something to do with her not wanting to go on a date with him. If they’d made her miserable, there was a good chance she’d actually wanted to go and they’d forced her to back away.
Hopefully, he had set them plenty straight so they wouldn’t try that again, but he had a feeling they’d be just as catty on the last day as they were on the first.
* * *
That evening, a dateless Angus stepped into the interview room. He’d tried everything in his arsenal to get Penelope to go on a date with him, but she wasn’t going.
Vincent shook hands with him. “It’s good to see you, Angus. Do you like being back at the lodge?”
“It’s a nice place, but I’m more at home on a ranch.”
“How was the group date?”
Angus carefully considered his words. He still had six weeks of filming left, and he needed to keep viewers tuning in. “It was fun touring Helena. I enjoyed my time with them. It’s going to be hard to choose when the twelve weeks are up.”
“You’ve gone on three individual dates since you returned from Helena. Are you closer to picking Mrs. MacLachlan?”
“It’s too soon. There are qualities I like about each of them, but I’ll be taking it slow with the final pick.”
“Penelope is becoming quite the challenge,” Vincent said, his voice laced with the typical talk show fake sadness. “Does it bother you that she seems to want nothing to do with you?”
As if Angus would answer this honestly. “I knew from the beginning that it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s just part of the show.”
“Well, she’s certainly not easy, but the fireworks are fun to watch. Did it hurt to hear her say you’d used pulling her from the river as a way to manipulate her?”
A lot and deeply. “Uh, it cut a little.” And she’d regretted saying it. His theory that Zora and Amber provoked her seemed more like what happened. In fact, she’d been speaking to them when she said it. “But in this industry, I’ve learned to let things roll off.”
“That’s the spirit. We’re halfway through filming. Anything you want to say to the audience?”
“Keep watching. You’ll be as surprised by what happens as I am.”
They cut the camera, and Angus stood, shaking Vincent’s hand. Halfway through, and it already felt like he’d been filming a year. By the end, he’d be so over it that he might very well retire from acting.
Chapter 19
Penelope pulled at her collar as the interview with Vincent started. What could they possibly ask her? She’d avoided Angus for two days, and it had been a challenge. He wanted her to go on a date with him, but she wasn’t budging. Barb even stepped in, threatening Paige. It still wasn’t enough to get Penelope to go.
With the cameras rolling and Vincent eyeing her, she felt like a microbe under a microscope. Why was he just staring at her? Add a blinding light, and
it’d be an interrogation.
Finally, Vincent broke his silence and asked. “You really don’t want to be here, do you?”
“I think I’ve established that.”
A video played of her fight with Angus from a couple of days before. The look on his face when she said that he’d rescued her for ratings made her ache. She knew that wasn’t true. The only reason she’d said it was for Amber and Zora.
Those two had been giving her nothing but grief since he’d rescued her. Snide remarks about her being unfit to be on Angus’s arm. Little digs about her hair and weight. That Angus couldn’t possibly see anything in her, so, obviously, he only rescued her for ratings. They’d provoked her that morning, Zora and Amber ganging up on her, making her miserable. All they could talk about was her date and how it was unfair since she got all that time alone in the tent with him. It had heated her like a kettle, and she’d blown her top.
Vincent stared at her as the video stopped. “What do you think about that?”
Penelope hung her head. What could she say? Anything and everything was being used against her. She’d hurt Angus, and he deserved better. “I…” Her heart was on the floor. “I shouldn’t have said it. I only wanted Zora and Amber to leave me alone.”
“But you did see the look on Angus’s face. You hit pretty hard with that accusation. Do you really think he’d risk his life for television ratings?”
He was kicking her while she was down and then stepping on her with spiked shoes. “I saw it. I hurt him. That’s not the kind of person I am. I don’t like hurting people.”
“If you could say one thing to Angus right now, what would you say?”
Without a doubt, her words would be used. “I would say I’m sorry.”
Mending The Billionaire Movie Star (MacLachlan Brothers Romance Book 1) Page 9
