Whose Bride Is She Anyway

by Dakota Cassidy

  Crap, crap, crap.

  “Oh, August, we’ll have so much fun, ” Kelsey cooed, running her fingertips along his arm.

  Not a single response, not one shiver, not even a tingle. August smiled warily, ever aware that the cameras were on him. “Yeah, it’ll be fun.”

  Preston Weichert babbled into the camera about when and where they would meet for this date. Some famous dried up lava pit.

  “So, August, how do you feel about winning the date with Kelsey? ” George the cameraman asked as he zoomed in on August’s face.

  August tempered his tongue before replying, “I guess we’ll see if Kelsey and I have anything in common for sure now. Gotta go get ready! ” August smiled cheerfully and ducked past George.

  Damn, damn, damn. He didn’t want to go on a date with Kelsey. He wanted to meet Tara in the cove. Stomping off to his hut to shower, he went to prepare for his date.

  Stop being a baby, his conscience berated him as he prepared himself mentally for a rendezvous he didn’t want to go on. Why couldn’t the competition for the date be something he could totally blunder? No, it was the luck of the draw and if he got any luckier he’d be a rabbit’s foot.

  His roommate Gordon poked his head into the bathroom. “You pumped or what, buddy? ”

  August slapped a grin on his face. “Yep, like a hot air balloon. ”

  Gordon shook his head. “Sure wish it was me going on that date.”

  August nodded with real sympathy. “Me too, Gordon. ” Me too

  “I’m outta here. Going to slug back some brews with the rest of the guys and ease my pain. Catch ya later.”

  August slapped on some cologne and wondered absently if Tara would like it.

  Shouldn’t he wonder if Kelsey would?

  He didn’t care.

  You know, you have no way of knowing whether you’ll enjoy Kelsey’s company or not. Can’t you just give this a chance? Isn’t that what Tara had said?

  Damn woman, she wasn’t just explosively hot, she was right.

  Reluctantly, August agreed that giving this a chance was the only way to prove to himself that he really meant his high school hard-on for Kelsey was over. His choices were few, and if he gave it a chance, then there would be no doubt. He only hoped Tara realized he was doing this for her, not because he wanted to. Their encounter last night had been volatile, to say the least. Physical attraction was important and his body definitely had some of that goin’ on for Tara. There was more too, he sensed it intuitively. If he’d met Tara anywhere but here, he would have dragged her off by her hair to his hut and had his way with her for the rest of the night. Circumstances wouldn’t allow that, neither would his air-tight contract, but as soon as it was remotely possible, he would find a way to be with her and ditch this show. This TV thing was a stupid idea, hatched from adolescent angst, and nothing more than a distant memory. Kelsey no longer interested him, but Tara did.

  * * *

  Okay, “giving this a chance” time was officially up. August wanted out.

  O-u-t.

  He was having trouble focusing on the words Kelsey was spouting, because well, she really wasn’t all that interesting and Tara was waiting.

  “Oh, August, who would have ever thought you’d turn out to be so darn cute?” Kelsey was gushing for the cameras again and turning him right toward them. They were sipping champagne from fancy glasses and eating strawberries with whipped cream.

  “Well, my mom always thought I was cute.” August smirked and winked at the camera that was about an eighth of an inch from his face, while popping a plump strawberry in his mouth. August knew he was supposed to pretend it wasn’t peering into his soul, but what the heck.

  He was getting much better at this. Very movie star-ish.

  Kelsey ran a pink-tipped nail down the front of his shirt. “Of course, she did. I did too, you know. ” She gave him a knowing smile.

  Oh, she did not either, his bullshit thermometer warned. He would not fall for this mountain of crap and it was pissing him off that he’d never realized before now what a liar she was. Just went to show you that a man’s head was definitely ruled by his winky.

  August tugged his earlobe to stop his thoughts from driving him insane. He wasn’t stupid anymore. Now he was just playing the game…and getting better at it by the second.

  It would seem someone tipped Kelsey off about August and she’d finally recognized him. A blast from the past. So, exactly what did Kelsey remember about August Guthrie? It was time to find out and do it so the camera crew had it all on tape, because the crap she was feeding him so far was all just that—crap.

  “Yeah? ” August challenged her. “When did you notice I was cute?” Atta way to toy with Kelsey’s gray matter, he congratulated himself. Answer that why don’t you? Was it before or after I helped you ace English?

  Kelsey tilted her head and widened her big green eyes in feigned interest. “It must have been in chemistry class.”

  “Did we have chemistry class together? I had Mr. Gambino, I don’t remember you being there.” August leaned back in the lounger, casually placing his arm around her shoulders, waiting for an answer, knowing full well there was no answer, nor any chemistry class. Speaking of which, wasn’t it funny that before he’d had all these muscles, Kelsey never looked twice at him?

  The low hum of the camera echoed in the silence of the quiet evening. One of the crew snickered. Probably George. He loved a good laugh.

  Kelsey placed a hand on his thigh as she wiggled into a more comfortable position. A position obviously best suited for lying. “No, I didn’t have Mr. Gambino,” she flashed a mind-blowing smile at him and shrugged. “Oh, well it doesn’t matter. I still thought you were cute.” Kelsey cuddled closer to his side and August let her. First, because nothing short of a crowbar was going to unglue her from him and second, all this false I-thought-you-were-cute-in-high-school crap deserved some looking into. Because if Kelsey thought he was anything more than an easy A in English he’d never been aware of it, but he was aware that she’d used him and maybe back in high school he’d talked himself out of it, but not anymore. If there was one thing that pissed him off it was a liar and she was lying. Making nice for the cameras and America, so they wouldn’t see who she really was—a stuck up, using liar.

  “Which did you think was cuter, my bifocals or my buck teeth? ” Raising an inquiring eyebrow August patted himself on the back again. Beautifully executed.

  “Oh, August…” Kelsey sighed as her eyes became shifty. “Let’s not talk about high school. Let’s get to know each other in the here and now. ”

  “Here and now” kind of sucked. There wasn’t a single thing he found interesting about her. They’d spent two hours up on this damn lava pit, swinging on a lounger, eating rabbit food and he was bored to tears. Kelsey didn’t remember him, but she’d let all of the free world watching think she did.

  Not gonna happen. August was having way too much fun proving she didn’t, which also made it easier for him to pursue Tara. Now the shoe was on the other foot and he was feeling omnipotent. If Kelsey had just been honest at the outset of this date—if she’d just been truthful about not really remembering him … but then that would make her look shallow. If America knew what August looked like in high school, and then they found out Kelsey Little never paid attention to him unless she was sucking up for a test to copy, she’d have to admit she was superficial at best. That would look really bad for America’s newest bride.

  August decided to take this game to another level and play it up for all it was worth to the cameras. For every test she’d copied off of him, for every night August had spent thinking this one test would be the one that made Kelsey notice him—he was going to screw with her. Just a little before he left this dumb fantasy behind for good.

  Catching Kelsey’s hand with his, August tugged her onto his lap and fought not to groan out loud. Damn, she was heavier than she looked. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?” The theory of evoluti
on?

  “You’re a graphic artist, right?”

  “Yep.”

  “That’s sooo interesting.”

  August fought back a yawn, remaining silent. How interesting?

  Kelsey leaned in next to him, hiding her mouth with her hand from the cameras and whispered into his ear, “Don’t you want to kiss me?”

  August pulled back, aligning his face with hers. To the viewing audience it looked like they were sharing a romantic moment. “Not really, I hardly know you, ” he whispered back.

  “But, isn’t this how we get to know each other?” Kelsey let her bottom lip fall into a pretty pout.

  “With our lips?”

  “We only have a month. ”

  “A month to what?”

  “Get to know each other, silly.”

  “But, this is only our first date.”

  “Do you have any idea how many men…”she stopped short, “—how many times I thought of kissing you? ”

  “In high school? You didn’t even know me.”

  “Yes, I did,” she hissed.

  “You did not, not the real August Guthrie. You only knew his IQ.”

  “Does it really matter now? You must have wanted to be on the show for a reason. They told me that we went to school together and you knew that before you tried out for the show. So that reason was me,” she hissed.

  “Yeah, that’s true,” he conceded, albeit begrudgingly and a stupid triple-dog dare .

  “Then why won’t you kiss me?” Kelsey was beginning to sound like a petulant child, whiny and sniveling.

  August tilted his head and pecked the corner of her mouth. “There, how’s that?”

  “Like the kind of kiss you’d give your grandmother,” she said dryly.

  “Grams never minded. Sorry, maybe we just weren’t meant for each other.” August was doing his best to worm his way out of this. When the jury saw the video tape, he was sure they would see that he and Kelsey had very little in common and zilch in the chemistry department. He’d be voted out and then he could chase some Tara tail back home.

  “How can you know that? We haven’t had a chance to get to know one another.”

  “I already said that, but you wanted to kiss me anyway. ”

  “And you didn’t want to kiss me?”

  August sighed, “I already told you, not yet.” What did she want from him, a lung?

  She wasn’t used to being turned down, that much was obvious. “Well, that’s fine.”

  “Good, so is this over?” August began to rise, pulling away from Kelsey’s clutches. Let’s get the hell outta dodge, was all he could think.

  Kelsey wasn’t letting go so easily. She tugged his arm, pulling him back down on the lounger. August tripped over his feet and landed on top of her. Kelsey giggled.

  August was trying to get a glimpse of his watch over all of her blonde hair. He spit spidery strands of it—coated with hairspray—out of his mouth. Shit, it was getting late and he wanted to spend some more time with Tara. As gracefully as possible, he untangled himself from Kelsey’s octopus like limbs and held out his hand gallantly. “Let me walk you to your hut.”

  Taking his hand, she used it as leverage to hurl herself at August. Throwing her arms around his neck, she tried to kiss him full on his mouth. As Kelsey hung from his neck, it was all August could do not to fall backward.

  August gasped and coughed loudly. Dayum, she had big bones.

  “Thanks for a wonderful time, August.” Kelsey batted her eyelashes, giving him a dreamy look.

  “Um, you’re welcome,” he grabbed her by the wrists and set her down as gently, but firmly as possible. He looked at the camera crew, “I think we’re done.” August departed as quickly as possible, leaving a fuming, angry Kelsey and a stunned camera crew behind.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Stupid head…

  Tara paced the length of her hut in her underwear. This was just wonderful. August had won the date with Kelsey. It figured, now he wouldn’t give a rat’s fuzzy ass about her anymore. He’d be too busy being bedazzled by Kelsey.

  Stupid head…

  She should have known. Tara Douglas was no match for Kelsey Little and she never would be. No matter how much weight she lost, no matter what kind of makeover she had, Kelsey was light years ahead of her in the snagging-a-man department. Hell, August auditioned for the show just because Kelsey was on it, so why would she think he’d end up any other place but with her. At least that’s what the gossip was in the jury pool, confirmed by Andy, that August Guthrie was hot for Kelsey in high school and he’d carried a torch ever since then. That was a long time to carry anything, let alone a torch. Tara couldn’t figure why this information had all of a sudden become a bone of contention for her. She’d known he was hot for Kelsey early on in the competition. So was he bullshitting her by telling her he liked her better? Just screwing around with her to occupy himself?

  Tara had auditioned for some of the same reasons August had, albeit she’d done it for slightly less than altruistic motives and it had nothing to do with a piece of ass.

  Her phone rang and Tara ran to grab it, knowing it wasn’t August because he had no access to her hut number, but she went for it assholes and elbows anyway. “Hello?”

  “Tara? It’s Mary. I’m just checking to be sure you’re okay. ”

  Well why wouldn’t she be okay? Tara cringed and cleared her throat. “Of course, I’m fine Ms. Mary. Why would you think I wasn’t?”

  “It’s the mother in me, what can I say? I noticed you didn’t eat at dinner and it worries me. Hunk picking is hard work. You need your strength. ”

  Tara’s heart clenched with warmth and guilt and then warmth again. Shit. Right now she really missed her mother. “I think it’s just the heat, Ms. Mary. I’m not used to it being from Colorado and all.” And the guilt over this mess she’d gotten herself into. Let’s not forget what that does to a girl’s appetite.

  “Well, have a little fruit or something for me, okay? ” Mary prodded.

  “I will. Promise,” Tara assured her. “Thanks for checking on me. G’night Ms. Mary. ”

  “Night, dear.”

  As Tara hung up she realized this was killing her or going to if she wasn’t careful. Why couldn’t she just slam Kelsey and smile while she did it? Because now I’ve changed my mind, Tara thought, and screwing Kelsey doesn’t seem like as much fun anymore. However, it obviously did seem like fun to August. The screwing part anyway.

  Tara sank to the bed, defeated. She had no right to August in the first place, so she shouldn’t complain. Her behavior last night was outlandish at best, so she’d just take her lumps and move on.

  Unethical was the word that came to mind, but nothing that couldn’t be forgotten now that August had the chance to meet Kelsey, he sure wasn’t go ing to tell anyone what they’d done because he risked being sued by the show. He’d forget all about her and skip off to Kelsey Little wonderland. Jealousy ate at Tara’s innards and a small tear nearly escaped her eye. She wanted August and was so close to having him she could taste it. Now that he’d spent some one-on-one time with Kelsey, Tara was convinced he wouldn’t give her a backward glance. Why would she want someone like that anyway? A hunky player with brains…

  Jerk.

  A scraping noise roused her from her pity party. Now what? Another stupid voting session? A secret meeting for the members of the jury? If she recalled prior episodes correctly, that wasn’t an unlikely possibility. Grabbing her robe, she threw it on and moved closer to the scraping, it was coming from the sliding glass doors. If it was one of those big, icky island critters they’d warned them about she’d scream.

  Moving the curtain back slowly, she found August on the other side of the glass, grinning at her.

  Unlatching the door, Tara slid it open. “Are you insane?” she hissed at him. Not only because he was taking such a risk, but because he was wearing a smile. A smile Kelsey must have left on his face.

  Stupid head. Had
he only come to do the “right” thing and let her down gently?

  August pushed his way in and closed the slider firmly behind him. “Maybe, but you didn’t show up at the cove. I do believe I’ve been, what’s better known as ‘stood up’.” He grinned again, this time clearly revealing his dimples.

  Tara narrowed her eyes at him. “You should be on a date with Kelsey, not here in my hut.” She couldn’t help the sarcasm in her tone.

  “Date’s over.” His rich voice rumbled, thick like chocolate sauce over a sundae.

  Tara tightened the belt on her bathrobe. “So soon? Gee whiz, that was a wham-bam-thank-you ma’am. ”

  He grabbed her around the waist and dragged her to him. “Do I hear bitterness in your tone, miss?” Carrying her over to the bed, he dropped her on it.

  Tara harrumphed, “Look, you shouldn’t be here and you know it. We’re going to get caught.”

  He shrugged his big shoulders and flopped down next to her. “I did what you asked and now, I’m done.”

  Tara scrambled to her knees, “What do you mean you’re done?”

  “I mean, I went out with Kelsey and it’s over.”

  “It’s not over until the jury votes you out.”

  “You can vote for me as many times as you’d like in or out, but the end result will still be the same. I won’t like her anymore than I did tonight. She’s just not for me. I didn’t know enough about her in high school and what I learned tonight left me cold,” August said, his face set in a hard line, his tone inflexible.

  Really? Tara wanted to scream and shout, jump up and down. Hahahahaha, Kelsey loses. Round one goes to the geek!

  Coolly, she replied, “Oh. ”

  “So, now is it okay if I really screw a competition for a date up?” August moved closer to her, his breath fanning her face. An index finger trailed over her exposed collarbone.

  “No, it’s not okay and we both know that. We’re doing something that’s really wrong. Let’s just wait and see what happens with the jury after they see the tape of your date. Maybe they’ll realize you don’t share anything with Kelsey and you can leave the right way, instead of leaving me here to possibly deal with gossip.”