Love 'Em or Leave 'Em Read online

  Okay, so the getting-dumped part was true, but the perfect-match thing was total bull.

  "So you're on the rebound," Rachel stated. "What a drag. Was it serious? The guy you were with?"

  It was a sore spot Ashley didn't want to talk about. After dating exclusively for three years-at least she'd dated exclusively-it turned out that Ken was quite active on the side.

  Ashley swallowed the painful memories. "Suffice it to say, he'd been cheating on me long enough to join a singles club."

  "What a pig!" Rachel said.

  At the moment, Ashley felt all men were pigs.

  "You poor thing. But it was a definite blessing," Liz pointed out. "What if you'd married the creep? Best to be rid of him now."

  Liz and Rachel sympathized with Ashley's bad luck in career and romance, and agreed that this was a great place for her to relax, burn off some steam, and date a cute hunk while she tried to figure out life. The only problem was she didn't want to date Luke or any other guy.

  "So, what do you think of our bachelor?" asked Liz.

  "Not too hard on the eyes, but a little on the tall side for my taste," responded Rachel.

  "Not for me" Liz grinned. "He is the perfect size. I like my guys tall. It's nice to be able to look up at a guy instead of eye-to-eye. However, I wonder if this one has much of a brain. It's never a complete package, you know. If you get the looks, there's no brain."

  "You can't have it all," Rachel remarked. "I just hope he has a sense of adventure"

  "Are you kidding? Jocks are always full of adventure," replied Ashley. "They can't wait to climb the next mountain. I mean it literally. Guys like him are all about competition. They want to conquer the next challenge."

  "What did he say to you when you met him outside?" asked Liz.

  "He was actually very nice," Rachel said. "He introduced himself and welcomed me to the show."

  "Ashley, what did you think when you met him?" Liz asked.

  Not sure how to respond, she nibbled her lip before admitting, "I wanted to throw up"

  Liz and Rachel laughed loudly, attracting attention from some of the other women.

  "I'd love to see that," said Rachel. "What an opening." Trying to cover her reluctance to be on this show, Ashley said, truthfully, "I really hate cameras. And the idea that I'm supposed to open up to some total stranger in front of the entire country makes me nauseous." She gestured to the cameras with her arms. "Plus, I feel kind of like a piece of meat, as though we're new cars and this guy gets to test drive us all before picking one and driving it home." She leaned close and whispered, "Come on, don't you think it's a little bit creepy?"

  "True" Rachel smiled. "But, hey, a test drive could be kind of fun" Her eyebrows lifted in a playful manner. "Plus, you don't have to take the rose if he offers you one."

  "Oh, yes you do," interrupted Liz. "Didn't you listen at the contestant meeting? The show is leaving it all up to the bachelor. You can't bail out early even if you want to. It's all in your contract. Anyway, who in their right mind would want to bail out? This is going to be an absolute riot. I definitely want a rose. I want to see how this whole thing unwinds, and who he picks, and who he doesn't. It's a great study of human psychology"

  "So, what did he say when you met him?" Rachel asked again.

  Groaning, Ashley responded reluctantly. "Are you okay?' "

  "What? He asked, `Are you okay?"' Liz was confused.

  "You didn't actually throw up on him, did you?" teased Rachel.

  "No, I pretty much wiped out at his feet. It was quite a grand entrance. How many of the women here tonight can say they took a nosedive in front of the guy they're supposed to impress?" Her face warmed with embarrassment as she retold the story.

  "See, I even ripped the bottom of my dress" Ashley lifted her dress to show the torn hemline. "Do either of you have scissors? With my luck, the next time I take a step I'll get caught in this and take out half the room"

  "Unbelievable! You actually fell down in front of him! You are too much" Rachel giggled and Liz joined right in. She couldn't hold back. Ashley started to laugh too.

  "That's not even the worst of it," Ashley added. "I ruined a perfect pedicure!" She again lifted the torn dress high enough for them to see the gouged toenail and chipped polish.

  Their friendship solidified over more stories of life's embarrassing moments. But Ashley was the only one unfortunate enough to have hers caught on film.

  As the evening wore on, the producers made sure each contestant met and talked alone with Luke for a few minutes, before the first fateful rose ceremony. Ashley desperately hoped he wouldn't remember her.

  "Ashley?" A tall, skinny producer called across the room.

  "Yes?"

  "You're next."

  She set down her drink and joined him.

  "This way, please"

  The moment she had dreaded arrived. The producer directed her out of the main room down a wide, tiled hallway and around a corner. Her heart raced and she could barely breathe. She tried to calm herself. How hard can it be? I'll just be sure to make this bad enough that he won't want to keep me, yet not so bad that I'll humiliate myself on national TV.

  A comfortable rattan love seat was positioned in an open-air summer room, directly before a low, open window that showcased a spectacular view of San Diego in the distance. Twinkle lights hung from the trees in the garden area and the scent of lush flowering trees and shrubs drifted everywhere.

  Two cameras hovered above at different angles, one on Luke and one on the empty seat beside him. Microphone booms and lights also crowded the area. Ashley's stomach cramped in anxiety as she stepped over the cables to meet the football legend.

  "Hello again." He reached for her hand as he stood to greet her. With heels on, she only needed to look up a few inches.

  Unexpectedly tongue-tied and starstruck, she opened her mouth to say "Hi," but instead out came a jumble of nonsense. This time she stumbled over her tongue, not her dress. She looked up at him in desperation.

  Luke was quick to put her at ease. "Should I brace myself in case you try to tackle?"

  She tried to think of a way to steer the topic to something forgettable and uninteresting.

  "You know I'm Luke, but somehow I didn't catch your name when you made your entrance earlier." He leaned forward as though he couldn't wait to hear what she might say.

  Determined to overcome her nervousness, she responded, "That's because I didn't toss it out!" Immediately she laughed. "Get it? It's a quarterback joke! `Didn't toss it out.' " Her nervous laugher turned into a snort. Oops.

  Luke looked at her oddly, as though not quite sure what was going on.

  Did he think she'd fallen at his feet on purpose to get his attention? She hoped not.

  Smiling nervously as the joke tanked and knowing the cameras were on close-ups, she looked at him cautiously, unsure how to proceed. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm Ashley Reynolds." She paused. "Like the wrap"

  His face scrunched in confusion.

  "You know, like Reynolds Wrap" Please, someone shut me up!

  "Nice to meet you, Ashley Reynolds," Luke said cautiously, as though she'd truly lost a gasket. Nonetheless, he took her hand with his large powerful one that had won Super Bowls and looked into her eyes as though he wanted to imprint her in his mind for later.

  "Where are you from?" he asked.

  "Wisconsin."

  "No kidding." He smiled. "We're practically neighbors, then. Where in Wisconsin?"

  "Madison, so I wouldn't say we're neighbors."

  "Okay, so then you must know all about the Packers" He leaned back comfortably in the seat with his arm stretched behind her.

  She nodded. It wasn't possible to grow up in Wisconsin and not know about the team or its huge following. Articles ran in the newspapers and on the news every night from the national draft to each practice. Mostly the news was about Luke. He was the darling of the team, young and good-looking, with way too much confiden
ce and attitude.

  "Have you ever been to a game?" His blue eyes sparkled as he talked about his team.

  "As a matter of fact, I have," she replied, a smile growing on her face as she thought back.

  "Did you enjoy it?"

  "Yes and no. It was about three years ago on an ungodly hot fall day"

  "Yes," he said, watching her with interest.

  "Some friends of mine and I joined a bus tour. Not a pretty sight," she said, shaking her head. "We partied all the way from Madison, and then tailgated until we almost missed kickoff. Probably not what you wanted to hear."

  "No, go on," he encouraged.

  "I'm pretty sure we enjoyed the game. However, I honestly don't recall much other than the fact we did the Wave and danced every time there was a touchdown. You must have played a good game," she said, trying to look convincing, "because I know we danced a lot"

  Not wanting to feed his already overinflated ego, she added, "But I'm really a Cowboys fan, which is why I went to the game. Tony Romo is hot. Wow!" She pretended to fan herself from the instant flush at the mention of the Wisconsin-raised quarterback.

  "The Cowboys?" he asked in disbelief. "You need to get a life."

  "But the tailgating was amazing," she said to bring the discussion back around. "I've never had so much fun before."

  "It sounds pretty typical." He nodded in understanding. "My brother is always telling me about it. The stories are legendary. I see a lot of it getting started when I arrive hours before game time. Some days I feel like jumping the fence and joining in, but I have a job to do. Still, it's a lot of fun watching the fans bring in grills, loads of food, banners, and sometimes even live bands to play in the parking lot." He leaned back and crossed one leg over the other at the ankles. Masculine energy radiated off of him.

  "Sometimes I think the tailgating is more fun for the fans than the actual game"

  "No other fans tailgate like Packer fans," he commented. "Some party, but Packer fans have a lot of serious traditions going on"

  "They have to do something to keep warm"

  "I'm glad you had a good time, even if you don't remember me or the game" His eyebrows raised as he regarded her. "I don't remember you either," he teased.

  Ashley soaked in his essence. He was larger than life in demeanor and physical stature. Tall, broad, and muscular, he commanded a room as he commanded his team. And yet, he had the perfect boy-next-door face, including the faded scar on his upper lip. Put the whole picture together, and wow! He was fine looking! Over the years, she'd seen dozens of pictures of him in the paper, but he was much better looking in the flesh. Tonight he looked great in the dark jacket and turtleneck. Maybe it would be okay if she hung around for a little longer, just to enjoy the eye candy.

  The producer signaled that time was up. Ashley stood. "It's been a pleasure meeting you and finally putting a real person with all those news photos," she said.

  "I'll look forward to seeing you later, Madison." And off she went, confused, wondering what he meant. Luke had made it sound like he would see her later. Did he mean he would be keeping her around? She hoped not ... sort of. As she rounded the corner to rejoin the party, she felt glad she'd had the chance to actually sit down and talk with the famous Luke Townsend. He seemed like a nice normal guy.

  And he was a hottie.

  Never had Ashley seen such a display of powdered and glossed perfection. She couldn't believe how beautiful the women were. Each wore an elegant long evening dress fit for the Oscars. The picture the room made with all the gorgeous flowers and women should have been on the cover of Vogue.

  Producers, cameras, and lighting crew filled the great room, along with a variety of miscellaneous assistants who moved about. Furniture was pushed out of the way. The producers carefully placed the twenty-five contestants so each could be seen by one of the numerous cameras looming in the room. Luke stood on the other side of the room facing the women, a basket of long-stem red roses sitting on a table beside him. The excitement and tension in the room grew by the minute.

  A middle-aged man stepped up to the front and introduced himself. "Hello, may I have everyone's attention please?" The room quieted immediately with anticipation.

  "I'm Jim Davis, the senior producer of the show. I'd like to officially welcome you as we kick off what we hope becomes the first in a long line of `Love 'Em or Leave 'Em' seasons.

  "First, let's quickly review a couple of items. Cameras will be a part of everything. Expect to see them everywhere you go and catching everything you do" The women exchanged both nervous and excited looks at the mention of the voyeuristic cameras. "The only place they will not be allowed is in the bathrooms. I know it feels intrusive, but in a day or so, you will barely notice them"

  My eye. Ashley looked around the room filled with bright lights, power cables, cameramen, and producers. The last thing she could imagine was getting used to them.

  "Our cameramen are all professionals. Their job is to catch the fun and exciting moments, and to be as unobtrusive as possible. However"-he stopped pacing and faced them directly-"they are not allowed to speak to you and you are not allowed to speak to them. If you have any problems or concerns, please see me or one of the assistant producers, but only if absolutely necessary. We want to leave you on your own to interact and make this experience as natural as possible."

  "Finally, I'd like to remind you of the contracts you signed. You committed to participate willingly in the show until the leading man releases you. We have wonderful tape of all your entrances. Congratulations on a great start. Now, the show is in your hands so relax, have fun, and be yourselves."

  Too many experiences in Ashley's life were caught on film. Most turned out to be embarrassing and painful.

  Back in high school she'd become the target of a school prank. Tom Hanson was the dreamiest guy Ashley had ever laid eyes on. Her crush on him consumed her. Unfortunately, it annoyed Tom. Once he discovered her open worship, it became his life's mission to humiliate her. As the photographer for the school newspaper, his camera became a weapon of mass embarrassment. Her adoration had turned into humiliation when he'd put her picture in the school paper with the caption Most in need of a makeover.

  That had only been the beginning. Terrible pictures of her popped up everywhere. When she tried on costumes for the school play, he caught her unaware and captured horror on her face as she stood in her 32AA bra and "Tuesday" underwear, on a Monday. He took photos of her wiping her nose, and the time she walked out of the girls' bathroom with toilet paper stuck to her shoe. Whenever she did something stupid, which was often, he caught it on film. The jerk ran off copies of her bad underwear shots and put them up all over the school. She became pin-up material in many of the boys' lockers. There was no way to stop it. He even slipped slides of her into a science class slide show. After that experience, it had become her life's mission to avoid cameras, not to mention letting a guy know when you felt something for him.

  So far she'd already embarrassed herself when she'd tripped on her dress. Thank goodness she hadn't chipped a tooth. It made her more determined than ever to avoid the cameras as much as possible. She would stay under the radar. With so many women, it shouldn't be too difficult. She'd just live in the bathroom all day.

  It seemed like they had stood in formation for hours, doing nothing. Ashley's feet were killing her.

  Now, with the pep talk over, the producers were ready to roll. Bright TV lights around the room glared, and the host, Clay Stevens, made his big entrance. He sauntered into the room with a pseudoserious expression, as though about to do rocket science instead of working a game show.

  "Ladies, I trust you all enjoyed your opportunity to talk privately with Luke for a few minutes and make your best impressions," he said in his I'm-a-seriousjournalist voice. "Luke, are you ready?"

  Luke nodded, giving Clay the once-over. He couldn't seem to take his eyes from Clay's spiked and highlighted hair. It stood straight up from all the product. He probabl
y hired a highly paid person just to do his hair. What a waste of money.

  "You may now begin the rose ceremony."

  The electricity-charged atmosphere intensified. The air thickened with anticipation as each woman put on her game face. Some stood with overconfident looks while others gave pleading looks, as though sad, begging eyes would win his favor.

  "Pk...pk...pk..."

  What on earth was that noise? Ashley glanced to her left, sure she'd see a camera with one of its gizmos whirring.

  The woman beside her stood, fists clenched, her features stretched into a mask of frightening intensity, muttering "Pick me, pick me, pick me ..."

  A brassy blond from the first row whipped her head around, smile dissolving into a snarl. "Shush" Her smile returned and she notched it to dazzling as she faced forward.

  Ashley reached over and took the nervous woman's fist in her hand. "It's okay," she whispered. The tight knot of fingers relaxed a little.

  Ashley tried to focus on the stucco wall behind Luke's head and look as uninvolved as possible without calling attention to herself. If she could make herself unnoticeable, he wouldn't pick her. It was like sitting right next to the teacher at school. If they couldn't easily see you, they would never call on you.

  She really wanted off, but her promise to Kelli dictated she stay.

  And so it began. Luke announced names one by one. Each time the woman he named stepped forward, he asked her if she would accept the rose. Of course, each said yes. Lindsey, Kate, Jenny ... The names kept going. Then he said Rachel and Liz. It made her happy to see her two new friends make the cut. She could only think, I'll finally be able to get out of these toe-crunching shoes soon.

  Gwen, the "pick me" girl, Melissa, Meg ... As Luke got down to the last three roses he took more time. Perhaps he couldn't remember everyone's names, or maybe he just didn't know who to pick.