Los Angeles

by Carlan, Audrey

  She takes a couple of steps back, giving me space while pushing her hair off her neck. She presses her lips together. “Does she know that? In my experience, all men are dogs, and they never tell a woman what they really think. Usually the woman finds out the guy’s not as committed as she is when she hears about her man in bed with another woman.”

  Damn, this woman has some issues hiding under the surface, some demons the next guy she finds is going to have to unearth and get to the heart of in order for them to find happiness together.

  “I’m glad you’re a good guy and didn’t take what I was offering. Not a lot of guys turn me down, even when they’re in a relationship. I sure hope your Skyler knows you’re so committed, since you haven’t put a ring on her finger or anything.”

  Spear. Right to the heart.

  I frown. Do women expect that?

  I mean, I get that women want their men to be so into them they take that ultimate step, but we’ve already got a house together, dogs, share just about everything. Sky and I have talked about our future. She seems ready to take that leap, maybe even a little eager to, but I’ve been worried that she’s doing it to substitute for something she’s missing, like her ex-best friend and her parents. Now that things are settling in, I want her to be happy and confident in the fact that I’m not going anywhere. I guess an engagement ring might go a long way toward showing her that in action instead of my just telling her that I’m committed.

  “Shouldn’t you be getting back?” Royce gestures with a chin lift to where the other female contestant is being chatted up by the producers, getting her orders for the next day.

  She hops and then claps her hands, twirling around. The move is exactly like something my Sky would do. My heart clenches at the thought of Skyler back home, all by herself, waiting on me. At least I hope she’s waiting. Not pining, but at least thinking about me too.

  I groan and rake my fingers through my hair, leaning back and looking up into the dark abyss of the studio ceiling. Pipes, walkways, and a variety of other equipment, all painted black, crisscross paths like a spider’s web above our heads.

  Royce puts his hand on my shoulder. “That woman don’t know shit about you or Sky. Don’t take anything she said to heart, hear?”

  I frown. “Yeah, but doesn’t mean it doesn’t make me think.”

  “Thinkin’ is good. What you did, pushing her off without being a dick, was kind. You took the compliment and told her like it is. You’re into your woman. You’re all about her, and she’s got no in. Period. No harm done on either part. She made her play; you thwarted it. That’s done.”

  “Still, she had a point. Sky and I have been talking about the future, about marriage and kids. The whole enchilada.”

  “Did you come to a conclusion?”

  “Not really. She seems ready to move forward, but—”

  Royce interrupts. “What, you’re not ready? Puh-leeeze. Brother, you’ve been ready since the two of you fell all over yourselves in London working the James case.”

  “Yeah, and then all hell broke loose in our world, but most especially in hers. I don’t want to rush into something when her head isn’t clear. Sky needs to want to be my wife because she wants nothing more in life than to build a life with me, not because it’s an answer to all the loss she’s sustained recently.”

  Royce sucks in his bottom lip so it disappears before he lets it go to speak. “I think you need to give your woman a little more credit. She’s smart. Not the type of woman who doesn’t say it like it is. If she says she’s ready, brother . . . she’s ready. A woman doesn’t fuck around when it comes to putting on that white dress if she’s got her man willin’ to give it to her.” He purses his lips. “I say you roll with it and buy your girl a big rock to prove you’re all in.”

  “Is that what you would do?”

  “Damn straight. That’s what I did do a long fuckin’ time ago when I thought I had it all. Wish like fuck I’d sealed the deal before shit went haywire.”

  I reach out and grab Royce’s shoulder and give it a squeeze. “Things happen for a reason. Back then, it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe that time is still coming, maybe not. Only time will tell, but I do know one thing for certain.”

  “Yeah . . . What’s that?” His dark gaze meets mine.

  I grin wide. “I’m going to enjoy the hell outta watching you two figure it out.”

  Royce narrows his gaze and pushes me away. “Fuck you.”

  I laugh heartily and catch up to where his long strides are eating up the concrete floor heading to the back door.

  “As a matter of fact, I take it all back,” he says. “I hope she leaves your punk ass for a rock star. A girlie-man type with long-ass hair, a belly ring, and a tattoo that says ‘Mother’ across his heart.” He points a long dark finger at me. “That would serve you right.”

  I can barely contain the wheezing that comes with the uncontrollable laughter spilling out of me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Well, I did, but in a good way!” I try to catch up to him, but I’m still laughing hard, which hinders my ability to move quickly.

  As he walks away he lifts his hand above his head and flips me off.

  9

  SKYLER

  It’s showtime. My palms are sweaty, and my knees are shaking. I clench my teeth and watch as the live audience screams when Parker and Royce are introduced and walked to their special seats in the judging booth. The plan is in place, and today is the day. There’s no going back from here.

  Royce and Parker sit, and the host announces the first set of three men, then moves on to the woman. She’s a brunette, pretty, very girl-next-door looks that will connect easily with the viewers. It’s ideal for a show to have individuals who viewers can swap places with in their minds. She’s not exactly thin or thick. She’s average sized, with a simple beauty about her.

  The host introduces each man and then the woman. While Parker and Royce are watching I wait for it to happen as planned.

  Louise rushes over to Parker and Royce when the cameras are off them, leans down, and whispers something frantically in their ears. She has another man standing behind her. Royce and Parker both stand up, but Louise shakes her head. Parker ends up coming with her while Royce stays behind and the other man sits next to him, taking Parker’s place in the booth.

  I know for a fact that Louise just shared that Jimmy Jones Handle, whatever his name is, had a family emergency and had to leave. There was no emergency, but Parker and Royce don’t know that.

  Louise will be freaking out behind the scenes, telling Parker the entire show is a bust and that she’s screwed. Parker will offer to help in any way he can.

  While I wait, it feels like a hundred years have gone by and, as planned, Parker and Louise do not return. The contestants go through the first half hour of the show, the woman picks her guy, and the audience roars with glee, clapping loudly for the new match.

  “You ready to rock and roll?” Elliott’s hand curls around my bicep and nudges me toward the side of the stage.

  I follow behind her, hoping that Louise was able to pull magic out of her ass and set the next part of the plan in place.

  When we get to the curtain where Tara is standing, she gives us a cheesy smile and a thumbs-up. I sneak a peek through the black curtain and hold my breath.

  Lamar walks onto the stage as Rod introduces him. He looks polished in a fine black suit that plays against the bright color of his dress shirt and his dark skin.

  The crowd whistles at his entrance. He does this weird move where he kisses two fingers and makes a peace sign to the audience, which I don’t get. Is it supposed to mean peace and love? I don’t know.

  Next up is a young blond guy who looks like he strutted right off the pages of Abercrombie & Fitch, complete with a white cable-knit sweater tied around his shoulders, a rich-boy smirk, and a golden tan that sets off his pretty blue eyes.

  And then it happens: the audience goes quiet as the third guy doesn’t come out yet.
I cross my fingers and my legs in a gotta-pee dance move, hoping against all hope that Louise made it happen. Then I see a pair of arms push my man out onto the stage. He stops and looks at the camera, shakes his pristine navy suit jacket, and casually buttons it while walking up the steps and onto the platform.

  “And here we have Jimmy Handle,” Rod says without looking, until he sees another stage person shake his head and wave a hand to Parker. Rod looks his way. “Oh wow, we have quite the treat for the audience and the show. It looks like the third contestant is actually International Guy’s very own CEO, Parker Ellis. Looks like he’s left the judging booth to participate in tonight’s Mix and Match!”

  The crowd goes absolutely bonkers.

  My man gives a sexy smile he’s perfected and that always hits the mark, making my panties wet from it. Especially when it’s blazing down on me when he’s hovering above my body, naked. Parker gives the audience a little wave, and the ladies lose their ever-loving minds, screaming so loud I want to cover my ears to save my eardrums the pain.

  He makes the universal hand gesture for the audience to settle; then he puts his finger in front of his lips in a shushing gesture.

  “Okay, well, after that little surprise, let’s have you meet our female contestant. One who I’m sure has no idea who’s sitting on this stage right at this moment. Let’s play along with it, shall we, friends?” Rod asks the audience, and they nod, pump their fists, and clap.

  “All right, and your prospective match tonight is . . . Ms. Tara Darling.”

  Two and two get put together as Tara walks out, and the entire crowd gasps. I can’t help but have a very recognizable look after so many blockbusters, and Parker and I have had a rather public relationship. Their seeing Tara and how much she resembles me is a surprise. After the initial shock wears off, the crowd once again goes berserk, screaming, yelling, laughing, clapping, and stomping their feet.

  Rod makes a gesture for the audience to simmer down so the game can begin. That’s my cue to move around to the side of the stage. Ellie follows me, her hand on my back in a supportive manner.

  Tara asks the guys her first question, ones that I’ve already written for her.

  “Contestant number one, if you could fall in love anywhere in the world, where would it be?”

  Lamar licks his lips and nods. “Excellent question. I’d have to say Paris, because it’s known to be the most romantic city in all the world.”

  Tara shimmies in her chair. “Oooh . . . I like. How about you, contestant number three?” she asks Parker.

  He cocks an eyebrow and looks right at the camera. “Anywhere. New York. London. Rio. The only thing that matters is I’m standing in front of the right woman for me.”

  “Awww.” Tara touches her heart. “So sweet.”

  While Tara asks number two a question, I start walking on the stage from where Tara entered. The audience goes dead silent. One of the stagehands rolls up a television on Tara’s side of the wall, showing the three guys so that the two of us, as well as the audience, can see them respond. We want the audience in on it so they realize that this is all a setup and don’t yell out my name.

  I put my fingers up to my lips the same way Parker did and make a point to show the screen, and tiptoe to stand next to Tara. When I get there, she grins. I stand by her side and hand her another card. A special one.

  “Contestant number two. If you could have your dream girl—I’m talking celebrities—who would yours be and why?” Tara says.

  Josh grins wickedly at the camera. “Dakota Johnson. Any man who sees her in Fifty Shades of Grey . . .” He shakes his hand and whistles. “Whoo weeee, absolutely stunning woman.”

  I make a point to shrug my shoulders and nod, then shake my head while pointing a thumb at my chest without saying anything so I don’t ruin the surprise. The audience chuckles.

  “Contestant number three, same question,” Tara says.

  Parker grins and shakes his head. The audience laughs even louder, all smiles on their faces and shimmering eyes centered on the stage, their necks twisting from one side of the stage to the other where Tara and I are.

  “Hands down, my dream girl is Skyler Paige. There is no substitution for her beauty, intelligence, that smokin’ hot body, and how big her heart is.” He looks straight into the camera, and the audience this time makes a collective aw sound at his statement.

  Tears prick my eyes, but I hold them back and patter my hands against my heart so the audience here and at home gets the real experience of what’s happening.

  I hand Tara another card.

  “A follow-up to that question then, since you seem so smitten. If Skyler Paige were here right now, professing her love, faith, and commitment by getting down on one knee and asking you to marry her, would you?”

  The camera zooms over to Parker and gets close-up. I watch the screen in front of Tara, and the entire room fades around me. There’s nothing in this moment but the man I love on the screen in front of me. I barely refrain from reaching out and tracing his beautiful face.

  Parker licks his lips, closes his eyes, takes a breath, and opens his eyes again.

  Love. Honesty. Determination. All flash across his face as I wait with bated breath.

  “Absolutely, yes.”

  I smile wide, take my cue, and grab the little black velvet box I had set on the table next to Tara.

  I step down the few steps and move around the wall.

  Parker sees me and stands up. He looks left and right as if something is happening, but he doesn’t know what it is.

  “Baby, what are you doing here?” He points to Louise. “I got thrown into this show! You can ask the producer. There was no way I was going on a date with someone else. I swear!” He makes a “safe” gesture with his arms and hands the same way an umpire would call a play in a baseball game.

  I smile wide and stretch my arm out for him. He takes my hand and steps right up to me. No delay whatsoever and no distance. Just the way I like it.

  “What’s going on?” He smiles but looks completely confused.

  The cameras zoom in closer to both of us, but I ignore them. In this industry you have to.

  With my heart in my throat, I take a breath and look right into his smiling face. “Parker James Ellis. You came into my life during a time when I thought I’d lost it all. With your smile, your support, and eventually, your love, I came out of that strange place better than I’d ever been.”

  Parker cups my face and caresses my cheek with his thumb. His other hand is holding mine against his chest, right above his heart. I continue, needing him to know how I feel.

  “We had the hardest year of our lives. People we loved got hurt. Still, you were my rock. The one calm spot in a sea of crashing waves. Always there for me. By my side through it all, taking away my pain and filling me with hope and love. I want that forever.” My voice shakes, and a tear slips down my cheek. “I want you forever.”

  I take a deep breath and let it out, looking intently into his beautiful blue eyes. “So today, in front of millions of viewers and this live audience, I’m making the ultimate leap of faith, and I’m going to ask you to take it right by my side.”

  I step back, keeping hold of his hand, and get down on one knee.

  His eyes widen to the size of saucers, and he tugs at my hand. “Peaches . . . ,” he whispers.

  I shake my head and clear my throat so the words I’m saying are loud and clear to him, and to everyone viewing this moment.

  “No. I kneel before the man I love, showing you and the entire world that there will never be another man for me. I’m ready to make it official. You and me, against it all. Forever.” I close my eyes as tears gather and my voice wobbles. “Parker James Ellis . . . will you marry me?” I open the black velvet box to show him the simple, thin, handsome platinum wedding band I picked just for him. Its beauty is in its simplicity and lack of frills, just like the man I love.

  Parker swallows and looks up at the sky. “My wom
an is always outdoing me.”

  “Well . . .” Fear ripples down my chest as I wait with my hand out, my heart balancing at the tippy-top of my fingers for him to take. Begging him to.

  “Come here!” He grips me under my armpits and hauls me up and into his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist, thanking God himself I had the foresight to rock a sexy jumpsuit that allows for the gesture. With one hand wrapped around my ass and the other around the back of my head, he smashes his lips over mine. He delves his tongue deep, instantly taking the kiss to a heated one thousand degrees and then some, before he eventually lets me go and rests his forehead against mine.

  “Skyler, I’ll marry you today. I’ll marry you tomorrow, and every day after until we take our last breath, if that’s what you want. I give everything I am, all that I have, to you.”

  I smile wide. “I love you.”

  He kisses me softly and then makes a funny face. “Always a dramatic event with you, Peaches.” He kisses my nose, dips his head into the crook of my neck and shoulder, and inhales deeply. When he leans his head back, he smirks. “Now gimmie my ring,” he announces, and a burst of laughter and clapping rings throughout the room.

  I slide down Parker’s body and pull out the ring, dropping the box to the ground. I take his hand and slide it on his left ring finger. “There.”

  “Your ownership mark? Right where it’s supposed to be.” He tunnels his hand into the back of my hair, cupping my neck. “Woman, you are crazy. Crazy beautiful. Crazy mine.”

  “Crazy in love with you.” I smile and accept his kiss. Eventually he lets me go, and the audience goes wild as ever, chanting, “SkyPark, SkyPark, SkyPark,” at the tops of their lungs.

  Parker puts his lips to my temple and whispers, “You know now I’m going to get a ration of shit from Ma and Pops because you did the asking.”

  I lift a shoulder and drop it. “I think they’ll be happy with the end result.”

  He grins wide. “I think you’re right.”