The Consequence of Revenge (Consequence 2)

But we were already at the next hut. Gina’s hut. One camera was placed to the side so it could watch all reactions, while the other was facing us.

Max knocked.

Gina answered on the first knock, nearly sending Max sailing to the ground, since he’d clearly assumed he’d have to knock twice.

“I’m ready,” she announced, barreling out of her room, wearing a camo dress. It had slits on both legs all the way up to her hips. Holy crap. I had to hand it to her, though, with her sharp features, tall figure, and all-around exotic, yet sometimes scary, good looks, it worked. It really worked. And it made me feel kind of . . . vanilla next to her rainbow.

“You look great.” Max smiled warmly and offered her his other arm. It was awkward to know we were both on a date with the same guy and at the end of the night one of us was leaving.

Earlier I’d thought for sure I had nothing to worry about.

But Max was talking to Gina like he was actually interested in her.

“Oh, so that’s why you like pine nuts!” He chuckled. “Awesome, and when did you discover you wanted to be part of a nudist colony?” Blah blah blah. “Fascinating. Oh, Gina, you’re so funny.” Laughter, more laughter. Gag me. I chugged my wine and tried to engage in conversation, but every time I opened my mouth Gina interrupted me.

Finally. After our feast of salmon on the beach, it was time for Max to take each of us aside. They stopped filming for a few minutes to let us know exactly how long we got with the Bachelor. We were also instructed to plead our case as to why he should keep us. Were we there for him? Or the money? Or both? What did we hope to gain by staying?

“Why are you here, Becca?”

“Why is the money so important to you?”

“Would you ever choose love over money? What would cause you to choose love instead?”

The questions just kept coming and the more they fired them at me the sicker I felt to my stomach. I was in way over my head. I’d never counted on developing feelings for Max—at all. I mean, I’d watched these shows. I’d made fun of that girl, the one who cried when she got kicked off. If I got kicked off, I wouldn’t cry, but I’d be seriously disappointed and not, I realized with a sinking feeling, just because I’d lost the money.

By the time the cameras started rolling again, I’d had three glasses of wine over the course of two hours and was feeling sluggish and sick.

Max had taken a long walk with Gina while I sat and watched. She laughed, he laughed, she laughed again. Oh, look, the wineglass is about to get crushed in my hand.

“Okay, guys.” Rex walked up. “Both camera crews on Gina and Max. Becca, go ahead and relax a bit.”

Relax, ha.

“So . . .” Reid appeared out of nowhere and sat down. “Killer dress.”

My eyes narrowed. “Thanks.”

“Nervous?”

“Nope.”

“Liar.”

“Can you be anything but yourself right now?” I asked. “It would be really helpful.”

“Myself?”

“Arrogant and irritating.”

Reid smiled. “He doesn’t like her, he’s just doing it for the cameras.”

I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked down at my empty plate. “I wasn’t even thinking about Max.”

“That’s lie number two.” Reid reached for a wineglass. “Is this Gina’s or Max’s?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I answered sweetly.

“I’ll take my chances.” He sipped.

“I really wouldn’t.”

“So Max . . .” Reid set the wineglass down. “I’m glad I caught you before he got back. He’s super embarrassed about this and I wouldn’t even bring it up if I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal but . . . he has this thing about women touching his leg.” Reid leaned in and whispered, “Totally calms him down on dates. It’s weird, I don’t know why it soothes him but it really does and the fact that you’d make him feel good after he dumps Gina, well, it would mean a lot to me, as a brother.”

I eyed him suspiciously while at the same time telling my heart to stop slamming against my chest. Was he really going to choose me over Gina? “Why don’t I believe you?”

“My charm.” He nodded. “It throws women off, makes them think I’m being flirty and suggestive when really I’m just breathing the same air. I mean, I put my pants on the same way everyone else does, by jumping in with both feet.”

“Uh, Reid, people don’t really—”

“Sure.” He waved his hand into the air. “I date models for fun and my left dimple has its own Facebook page”—he flashed said dimple—“but I’m just a man, Becca. A hot-blooded, well-endowed—”

“Stop.” I held up my hand. “You’ve made your point.”

I heard shouting and then a slap cracked through the night sky as Gina ran off toward her hut.

“Shit.” Reid shuddered. “Girl hits hard. It’s crucial, Becca, you really need to comfort him. I don’t care that it’s a TV show. Hearts are still involved and as much of an ass as Max appears to be, he hates breaking them.”

Reid got up from his seat and gave my shoulders a squeeze before taking off in the other direction.

Max approached with the camera crew, still rubbing his face. By the time he reached the table it was starting to flame red. Poor guy. Maybe Reid was right, Max just needed comfort.