Talking to his mom helped too. Even though she couldn’t respond, he felt better knowing he’d told someone how he felt about Jodi. She meant the world to him. He just prayed they could survive the insanity that tonight would bring to their relationship. He hoped she could see through the bullshit and know that nothing on that stupid show was real, no matter what happened.
She was a strong woman. He knew she would be there for him in the morning. Smiling. Anxious. Ready to put Cold Feet behind them.
Cold Feet was the name of the show, but Tuck definitely didn’t have cold feet when it came to Jodi. His entire body was warm.
Chapter 20
A few hours later, as Tuck left the nursing home, he felt lighter than he had in days. He just needed to get through tonight and tomorrow morning, and then he could move on.
He’d completely forgotten about the blond man who had tried to get his attention when Tuck entered the facility, so Tuck was extremely surprised and a lot furious when he found the man standing in the parking lot next to Tuck’s car.
“What the fuck, man? Do you people never give up?” Tuck asked.
“Please. Just let me explain. I have information that will help you out.”
Tuck slowed his gait as he approached. Something about this man was off. The guy wasn’t a fan. He didn’t want a picture or an autograph. He looked nervous and exhausted. He’d also waited for several hours. So, whatever he had to say must be important. Tuck hoped he didn’t regret giving the guy the time of day. “What is it?”
The man held out a single piece of paper.
Tuck took it from him and lowered his gaze. It took him several moments to realize what he was looking at, and then he muttered. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I wish I was.”
Tuck’s heart raced as he considered the implications of this new information. “Are you willing to go public with this?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
“I’m heading to the studio now for the final episode of Cold Feet. You willing to come with me?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter 21
Both Joanne and Maria met Tuck at the back entrance to the studio and ushered him and his companion inside. They were tight-lipped until they rushed both men into a dressing room and shut the door.
“Is it true?” Joanne asked. “I mean I heard what you said in the car, but I’m gonna need proof.”
Josh, as Tuck had found out was the man’s name, held up the same paper he’d shown Tuck a half an hour ago. “It’s true.”
Maria cleared her throat. “Why are you just coming forward now? It’s been months.”
Josh shrugged. “I had hoped to settle things with Katia without getting dragged before a camera.”
“But you’ve changed your mind?” Joanne asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you willing to appear on the show tonight?”
“I’ll do it under one condition,” Josh stated.
“What’s the condition,” Maria asked, her voice leery.
Josh pointed at the paper. “You make that go away for me. I want to walk away from that woman and never have to deal with her again in my life.”
“Done.” Joanne spun on her heel and headed for the door. She was grinning from ear to ear as she glanced back. “Would you mind keeping this little nugget to yourselves? I’d love nothing more than to have Josh walk onto the set and drop this bomb on the entire nation at the same time Katia hears it.”
Tuck groaned. Not because he cared. He didn’t. He just wanted this all to be over. Josh coming forward like this changed everything for him. He was just so damn tired.
As soon as Joanne disappeared, Maria settled Tuck in a chair and handed him a script. Dave, her assistant, popped his head in, and Maria told him to grab his laptop and get to work. They needed to rewrite the script practically from scratch.
“What about Katia? You want me to change hers too?” Dave asked.
“Nope. She doesn’t deserve the head’s up. You work on getting Tuck’s lines figured out and we’ll let Katia flounder in the wind.” She laughed maniacally. The world of reality TV truly was a crazy one.
Not ten minutes later, Joanne rushed back into the room and handed Tuck a manila folder. She was grinning again. “Look it over. See what you think.”
Tuck reluctantly opened the folder and lowered his gaze. For a moment, he thought his eyes were deceiving him. Finally, he lifted his head and handed the folder back to Joanne. “Not gonna happen. Sorry.”
She looked shocked. “Ah, come on. At least think about it. The show did so well, we’ve already been given the green light.”
He met her gaze. “Listen, I’ll be honest with you. Although I never cheated on Katia and followed to every section of my contract, I did meet a woman. I can’t wait for all this to be over so I can pursue her finally. No way in hell would I consider starring on season two of Cold Feet. Not even for a million dollars.”
Joanne’s face lit up as if he’d just told her he’d love to do it. “Well, I can’t promise a million, but I can get the network to pay you far more than you made this time. And, if the woman you’re pursuing is as amazing as you seem to think she is, we’d be happy to look into casting her as the bride-to-be.” She clapped her hands together as if she had it all solved.
Tuck shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”
“Don’t you think you should at least talk to her? See what she thinks?”
“Nope. She would laugh me out the door and I’d never see her again.”
Joanne humphed. She handed him back the folder and patted it. “You think about it. Talk to her. You two can come in and meet with us later this week. We’ll work with you to come up with a plan that works for everyone.”
Oh, lord. She was insufferable. “This is not going to happen, Joanne. Not in ten thousand years.”
She ignored him. “Do you have any idea how popular you are on this show? Have you seen your social media following?”
“No. I don’t care.”
“You have three times as many followers as Katia.” Her voice rose. “You’re the nation’s sexiest bachelor. You have to consider our offer.”
Fuck me. “No.”
“Don’t say no. Think about it. Read it over. Talk to your girl.” She left in a flurry of movement before Tuck could respond. He reached over to the trash can and dropped the folder in the bin.
Dave laughed without looking up. “Can’t blame ya, man,” he muttered under his breath as he continued typing. This was a cutthroat business. Tuck couldn’t figure out why anyone would want to work in this industry. These people never slept. They worked sunup to sundown.
Tuck had been in some tense predicaments many times in his life. His years as a SEAL had put him in some of the most stressful situations imaginable. The past week working in the bar had on occasion also stressed him out. Last night in particular.
But nothing compared to Hollywood. His acting days would officially be over in about three hours. All he could do was hope people forgot every detail about him as fast as possible. He did not want to spend his life looking over his shoulder dealing with crazed young girls who thought he was the sexiest man alive. What a joke.
The only person whose opinion mattered was Jodi’s, and for her sake he prayed no one hounded them for the rest of their lives.
Chapter 22
Jodi settled into the corner of the sofa, legs folded and tucked under her. She wasn’t slouching, however. She sat ramrod straight. She couldn’t get comfortable. She picked up her second beer of the evening and took a long drink, hoping with enough alcohol she could survive this final episode of Cold Feet.
Her dad wandered into the room from his bedroom and headed for the fridge. He returned with his own beer. “Please tell me you’re not going to watch that shit.”
She glared at him. “Stop it. You know there’s no way I could ignore it. It’s the last episode. I’m going to see the ending.”
Her dad sighed and dropped down into the armchair next to the couch.
“You don’t have to watch it with me.”
He took a sip. “Yeah, I think I do. You might end up over there needing a box of tissues and a shoulder. I’ll be here.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not going to cry. I’m going to have a party. This is cause for celebration.”
“Did you know he emailed me his resignation this morning?”
Jodi stiffened. “What? Why?”
“Said we didn’t need him anymore since we solved the mystery.”
“Of course we need him.” Her voice was absurdly high pitched. Why would he do that?
“Jodi, don’t get in a huff. You can tell him that yourself tomorrow. Give the man some time off first though. He’s worked his ass off for months. He’s probably exhausted.”
“But why would he quit?” She fisted her hands on her knees, her chest pounding.
“You made it perfectly clear to him many times that we couldn’t afford him, honey. I’m sure he thinks he needs to lighten our load.”
“But that’s not true anymore. We’ve made more money since he started. He brought in more business. He’s part of the team. We need him.” She realized she sounded desperate.
Her father chuckled. “You don’t have to convince me. I doubt you’ll have to convince him either. Chill. He was just doing what he thought was right.”
“If we continue with the same level of increased business as we’ve had lately, we’ll be able to buy the storefront next door. Expand. Add a kitchen. Maybe increase our beer selection. It would be cool if we had several microbrews on tap. They could rotate each week. We could represent all the local microbreweries. That’s what other bars are doing.”
He smiled at her in that way that said he agreed and she was preaching to the choir. “Hon, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Your idea sounds amazing, but we would need a lot of cash for a down payment like you’re suggesting. We haven’t brought in that kind of extra money to stash away for over a year. One month of increased sales is not a strong enough reflection of the future. The area has more bars nowadays. Competition is stiff.”
She leaned forward. “That’s why we need a kitchen and more variety. I know we can do it. I’ll talk to Tuck. He’ll agree.” He has to.
She shifted her attention to the television as the opening credits started. As she turned up the volume, she hoped to God she wasn’t mistaken about Tuck. Surely, the reason he quit was because he thought he was a liability. She would set him straight. She needed him. In her bar. In her life. In her bed. She wasn’t about to let him go. Not without a fight.
Was she really going to have to fight for him though?
Last night when he’d left, she’d been certain he was all in. He needed to wrap up this last show, and then he would be hers. He’d said so several times. He’d looked at her like she was the only girl in the world. She hadn’t imagined it. She knew she hadn’t. Tomorrow morning after he left the courthouse, he would be all hers.
It didn’t matter that they hadn’t even kissed. Her gut told her he was it for her. The one. She was in love with him. Maybe it was unconventional to be so certain about a man she was basically no more than friends with, but the universe wouldn’t dare put the perfect man in her path and then make them sexually incompatible. That would be too cruel.
Her body lit up every time he was in the room. His did too. She’d seen the evidence many times. She’d spent the past month thinking about him night and day. Her vibrator would no longer charge fully. He made her panties wet and her nipples stiff every time he stepped through the front door.
The sex between them was going to be explosive. She knew it. She would confirm this tomorrow at noon without wasting a second. Fuck lunch. All she wanted was the freedom to finally get naked with her man.
“I just don’t want you to get your hopes up about expanding. That’s a long shot and far off in the future,” her father added.
“Shh. It’s starting.” She pointed at the television and braced herself for whatever was about to happen.
Katia was the first to come out, followed by Tuck. For a moment, Jodi ignored Katia to focus on the man who made her heart throb. He had an odd look on his face that concerned her. It was a combination of frustration and delight. His brow was furrowed, but he was almost smiling.
He looked amazing. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a white button-down shirt tucked in. He had on loafers. His hair was its usual short-cropped perfection. His bulging biceps revealed the tattoos that extended under his short sleeves. He was delicious.
Katia was wearing a pale-yellow sundress that fit too tight across her chest and insisted she was the vision of sweetness and innocence. Was anyone buying that shit? She even wore matching yellow sandals instead of heels. If anyone was watching that knew nothing about this show and her antics over the last several months, they would think she was pure and good.
The two of them sat on a loveseat that was angled to face the audience with a single chair across from them where the host was seated. Jodi recognized Cameron DeSantes from the previous episodes. He had also hosted several other reality shows with New Millennia Media in recent years. The man was smooth. He could work an audience.
There was a live audience behind the camera, and as the cameraman turned around to pan over the guests, Jodi noticed the wedding party was all seated in the front row. All sixteen of them. Even Brittany B and Dawson, both of whom fans were convinced Katia was sleeping with.
Jodi was relieved when the camera cut back to Tuck. He looked uncomfortable, and was leaning away from Katia, his elbow on the arm of the sofa. Katia was leaning into his side, her hand wrapped possessively around his biceps.
Jodi thought she might vomit and the show was just beginning. She had to endure two more hours of this crap.
“So,” Cameron began, looking directly into the camera. “Welcome, everyone, to the final episode of this first season of Cold Feet. The network has been so pleased with the public response that you will all be happy to know that the show has already been extended for a second season.”
The audience roared with excitement.
“I can also tell you that more than one person who starred in the first season will be returning. Hopefully, by the end of the night, we’ll be able to reveal their identities.” He chuckled as the camera swung back toward Tuck and Katia. Katia’s face lit up as if this was news to her. She nearly bounced in her seat.
Tuck, on the other hand, looked like he might actually kill someone with his glare. Cameron was the current recipient. Jodi shuddered. Had they invited Tuck to come back? She had never considered the possibility. She knew he hated this show with every fiber in his being. She also knew he needed cash, and money talked. There was a possibility they had offered him more than he could refuse. After all, if they cut Katia from the show, his life wouldn’t be nearly as miserable. Was he considering something like that?
Jodi glanced at her dad. His gaze was on the television, his elbow on the arm rest, his chin on his palm. He was staring at the TV, looking pensive.
“In addition,” Cameron added, “I’m one of the few people privileged to know there will be an enormous surprise twist in this evening’s episode. Not even everyone on set is aware of the twist.”
Jodi sucked in a breath. Twist? What twist? Did Tuck know about this?
Oh, yeah. He did. The corner of his lip lifted just enough to confirm it. Maybe most people wouldn’t have noticed, but Jodi did. Katia looked a little confused on the other hand. She even licked her lips and glanced at Tuck, who ignored her.
For the next several minutes, Cameron introduced the wedding party and gave a recap of the first month of on-set filming. Finally, he turned to Katia and Tuck. “So, you two have built up quite the fan club in the last few months. You’ve become an internet sensation. There’s even a hashtag for the two of you. Tuckatia. How have you handled the notoriety?”
/> Katia laughed and waved a hand through the air. “It’s been the most fun of my life. I can’t believe how supportive people have been. Renee Switz and Elizabeth Grand are following me. It’s just amazing.” She fanned herself as she mentioned the two superstars and then hugged Tuck’s arm and swatted at it playfully. “Tuck’s not into all that. He never even checks his socials. I bet he’s not even sure how many followers he has.” She giggled and leaned into him as if they were the perfect couple.
He stared down at her for a moment and then turned his gaze back toward Cameron.
Cameron addressed him next. “You certainly have been the quieter of the two since the beginning. Fame wasn’t something you sought out, I understand. In fact, until a few months ago, you were an active Navy SEAL, am I right?”
“Yes.” His first and only word. Jodi almost laughed. He had no trouble speaking at all when he was with her, but he either preferred to keep his words to a minimum on the set or he’d been told to.
“Acting wasn’t on your radar?”
“Nope.”
Cameron looked a little uncomfortable. “You’re actually a friend of Nick Nelson, an active SEAL, who appeared several times in the early episodes as a security guard, right?”
“Yes.” Tuck nodded. He gave up nothing else.
Cameron chuckled uncomfortably and looked toward Katia. “I see what you mean. He’s a man of few words.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Sometimes it’s frustrating, but really, can you blame him? I talk enough for both of us.” She tipped her head at him adoringly. Gag.
Jodi wanted to go through the screen and rip her manicured hands off his body. Deep breaths. Hold it together.
The show went on like this through several commercial breaks, Cameron bringing in one or two of the wedding party for their thoughts about the show from time to time. It was actually a little boring until he asked Brittany B and Dawson to join them on stage after a commercial break. The two of them stepped up and took seats on the loveseat that had been added next to Cameron.
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