I step into my bathroom and close the door. I run the cold water in my sink and splash it on my face. It helps further clear my out of control hormones.
There’s a knock at the door. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.”
He hesitates. I know this mainly because the floor doesn’t creak. A full twenty seconds later—I know because I count them—he finally moves away, and I draw in a deep breath. His footsteps fade into the background. I turn off the water and look up at the mirror. Water drips off my face into the sink. I grab a towel and dry it off.
I might have been irritated at first, but I owe the woman on the phone a favor. She did me one by reminding me just what I have always known. Travis would never be interested in his cohost. He likes them busty and kind of stupid. Two things I am not or ever will be.
I just need to remember that sharing a house with Travis isn’t the same as being involved. I need to keep my hands off him and everything will be okay.
And I accept that all of that is probably bullshit.
Chapter Sixteen
Nancy
A few days go by and we start to think that everything was blown out of proportion. Well, I think that way. Travis disagrees. He keeps telling me that it’s only been a few days and that it’s hard to target me if he’s around. He does have a point. We are spending just about every waking moment together. EVERY. WAKING. MOMENT.
It’s been a really long time since we spent time alone like this. Syd would always be there as a buffer, making things easier to deal with. Now, it’s just us and we aren’t getting out much. Josh didn’t tell us to stay home, but we seem to both want to avoid people. And it is as hot as hades outside. We’re both born and bred Texans, spent the majority of our lives in and around the Austin and San Antonio areas, and even we are avoiding this summer heat. It is the hottest one we’ve had in the last decade, so it gives us an easy excuse to stay inside.
We don’t talk at all about the show. It’s like we both know it isn’t time, but it shimmers there in every conversation we have. We’re avoiding it. Travis, because he’s still trying to convince me that he’s changed. Me, because I don’t want to give up on that dream. I shouldn’t want to be part of that show anymore. Travis has been beyond disrespectful. If a man had treated Syd the way he treated me, talking down to me, being dismissive of any idea I’ve had this season, he would tell her to get a new job. But it was our baby. We took a chance and it paid off. Walking away was hard enough when he was being a dick. Now that he’s being understanding and sweet, it’s almost impossible. If the contract was still outstanding, I would definitely change my mind.
It’s Friday night and we’re hanging out at my house. There isn’t that much to do in Juniper after ten, other than Wyatt’s. Well, there is Texas Night Life, a dive outside of town with a BYOB policy. I avoid that place because it tends to have all kinds of problems.
We’re catching up on one of our favorite sitcoms. With our schedule during the season, we miss a lot and since there are a few shows we both like, we tend to stream them together. Or we did, up until last year. I avoided him all of our off season. Or as much as I could. It was the only thing that kept me somewhat sane.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Carter: You know I’m coming tomorrow, right?
I roll my eyes. I love him to death, but he takes a lot of work. His poor mother must have been overwhelmed. I know I would start drinking if I had a five-year-old Carter to deal with. As it is, he’s about Travis’ age and he’s barely slowed down. He also thinks the whole world revolves around him.
Me: I know.
“Who ya texting with?” I glance up.
“Carter wanted to inform me he’s coming tomorrow.”
His smile dissolves in the blink of an eye. He mutters something under his breath that I can’t make out.
“What’s up with you two? I thought you were on friendly terms.”
“We were.”
“But not anymore?”
He shakes his head and turns his attention back to the TV.
“What happened?”
He shrugs as he keeps his gaze glued to the screen, which is stupid because it’s just credits. I know he’s avoiding this discussion. “Travis.”
“I don’t like him sniffing around you. He has a reputation.”
This again. “Are you kidding me?”
He looks at me then. Anger shimmers in his eyes. “No.”
“You? The guy who finds himself a woman at each and every location? That’s rich.”
“What’s that mean?”
“You’re no better than he is.”
“That’s bullshit. I never lie about my intentions.”
“Carter never does either. Tell me this: Do you think all those women in little towns just want to bang you? You know a lot of them are hoping that you take them away.”
“That’s not true.” But I can hear the doubt in his voice.
“Besides, Carter and I have an understanding.” That understanding is that we are just friends, but I don’t have to tell Travis that.
“Oh, do you?”
As if to prove my point, my phone buzzes again.
Carter: Stay safe, Nancy girl, and remember we can also go hide in Vegas if you want.
I don’t respond because he doesn’t expect it. We have a truly platonic relationship. We’ve gotten to know each other better in the last month or so, and we even tried kissing. It would have been so great to lose myself in a fling with a man like Carter, but we knew right away that we had no spark. So, we decided on just being friends.
Travis snatches my phone up.
“Hey, that’s rude.” I take it back but not before he gets a gander at my conversation with Carter.
“Vegas? What the hell, Nancy?”
I stare at him wondering at this behavior. I thought that he just didn’t like Carter, but when I went back in my memory, I remember both of them getting along just fine. I have no idea what happened.
“I’ve already told him no. Other than the fact that it’s Vegas in July, I think a place like that isn’t a good idea right now. If I am being stalked, it would be worse than San Antonio. So many different people and all that. Josh said to stay put and for now and I’m listening to him.”
“Then why did Carter mention it?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I don’t have to explain my personal life to you.”
Oh, he does not like that. Anger flares in his eyes. “So, you admit that you do have a relationship with him.”
He says it in a tone that suggests having a relationship with Carter Hawthorne—one of the most eligible billionaire bachelors in the country—is about the same level as killing puppies and feasting on their blood.
“I do.”
Yes, I’m being an ass. I know what I’m implying, but the fact that Travis is judging me about this is beyond the pale. That jerk has a different woman in every location we film, but I can’t have a relationship with a very attractive man, who apparently finds me fascinating. He does. He told me the first night I met him and at least once a week since then.
“And when were you going to tell me?”