Cold Hearted Bachelor

She shakes her head, her blonde hair wisping about as she does. “No, we have a better idea.” She smiles up at me, and I can’t help but beam back at her.

I love the way her mind works.

“Ready?” I ask her.

She nods. “Who wants to hold the camera?” she asks her family. She hands her phone off to Spencer after he stands from the couch, his arm outstretched.

Once everything is set up, Paisley and I are smiling for the camera, telling the world everything that’s been happening.

Ok, maybe not the world, but Paisley’s followers.

The good thing about her last few videos gaining popularity is that the majority of her followers are people in this industry. People who know the Vanderweirs. More importantly, people who do business with the Vanderweirs.

We show the video of Jackie and Rhonda in a loving embrace finished off by a kiss, coming out of a hotel room, that my own mother was able to score. Next, Paisley plays the recording of Jackie explaining how she was indeed blackmailing Paisley.

“I never had an affair with Chuck. In fact, I’ve never seen any evidence that Chuck has ever been unfaithful to his wife. He’s always been a kind man, and a wonderful businessman.”

We sign off, and wait, hoping this video blows up enough to end this whole thing.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” my mother asks.

“Hopefully it’ll be over in a few days,” Paisley answers.

Brian rises from the couch. “Let me just say one thing.” All our attention is on him. “I’ve always thought of you like a son, Vaughn. And, I’m so happy that you and Paisley are together.” He focuses on Paisley. “Your mother always thought you two would end up together.” Then, he turns his attention back to me. “Whatever happens, I don’t want this to affect you two. I don’t want this to come between this family. We’re stronger than that. Vaughn, I trust you to look after my daughter.”

My chest swells hearing these words. “Thank you, sir.”

“Stop with the sir business.”

We all laugh, and I hold Paisley close.

A few hours later, as we’re all sitting around the Watts’ living room, after Mrs. Watts cooked one of her famous lasagnes, Paisley’s phone dings.

She pulls it out of her pocket and sits up straight on the couch.

“What is it?”

“This has definitely worked. I think.” She hands the phone over to me.

“Twenty thousand views. Is that a joke?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Look at the comments. There’re people coming forward with all kinds of stuff about Jackie and Rhonda.”

I smile. “This is unbelievable.” I give Paisley a quick peck on the lips and then hand her back the phone so she can read all the comments.

“This has to be the end of this,” Spencer says.

“And the beginning to something amazing.” I hold Paisley a little tighter.

Epilogue

Paisley

Five months later

* * *

“Pea, get in here. It’s almost on,” Vaughn calls out.

I grab the bowl of buttery popcorn from my new kitchen granite counter and head off into my living room that we finished decorating just today.

After word got out about what Jackie and Rhonda did things moved pretty quickly. Our video ended up getting over forty thousand views before we were contacted by Chuck’s lawyers. Needless to say, Chuck won his court case against Rhonda.

The Vanderweirs nearly disowned Rhonda, and I haven’t been keeping up with her life, but I heard her and Jackie moved away where they could get a fresh start.

Best of luck to them both.

Not really.

I can’t be too angry with the way everything worked out, because sometimes I think if I’d never been stalked would I have gotten together with Vaughn? I like to think we would have eventually found our way to one another, because we’re meant to be together.

I sit next to Vaughn on the couch, and hand him the bowl of popcorn. “Did I miss it?”

“Not yet.” He holds the remote, facing the TV, and turns up the volume. The music plays and I nearly close my eyes. “What are you doing?” Vaughn asks when he sees my eyes closing.

“I don’t know if I can watch myself on TV.”

He kisses the top of my head. “You’ll be perfect.”

Right. That’s the other thing that happened. Pea lovers united across America to create something amazing. Ha ha, just kidding. I’m still trying to get that to happen one day.

No, but something even better happened.

Vaughn and I were contacted by a network. A home improvement network that wanted us to host a new show. Can you believe that?

They said we had such great chemistry on camera that they wanted us to host a home makeover show. Of course we said yes, and tonight is the first night we air.

It’s been such a whirlwind of excitement over the last few months that I can hardly keep up.