Now
“Mama?”
“Hey there, sugar,” her mother said. “Ol’ Lenny swears up and down he brought you home from the airport. I said he must be two cans shy of his usual six pack because you’d never waltz back into town without seein’ your mama first.”
“Um...well, I was going to call you.”
“And your fingers broke?”
Bonnie braced her back against the slider leading to the patio of the Truehart mansion.
She clutched the handset to the landline tighter. “I thought I’d be out of here yesterday.”
“You’re on that reality dating show we brought to town, aren’t you? Sugar, that show is something your aunt Beulah came up with to help bring more women into Stone Ridge.”
“Aunt Beulah did? I thought this was Winona’s deal.”
No wonder Bonnie was here. Her Aunt Beulah had literally brought her home as she claimed she always would. This was a rotten, backhanded way to do it.
“Beulah has her hand in it, too. The whole thing was really her idea. You know how she gnaws on and on about bringing more women to town. She finally got Winona on board and everything started to come together. She wouldn’t stop bugging Sean until he finally agreed.”
She scoffed. “It couldn’t have been that difficult to get him to agree to date all these women at once.”
“He hasn’t seriously dated anyone else since his engagement to Robyn, so I’d say he’s about due.”
The memory brought out a sharp and swift pain. “Things aren’t going well for me in L.A.”
“Come home, we’ll bake pies.”
If only it were that simple this time.
“I want to, but…I’m still on the show. Sean won’t let me go yet.”
“Oh, he won’t let you go, will he? He did just fine twelve years ago.”
“Mama, don’t—”
But before Bonnie could stop her, Mama launched into her yearly diatribe:
There weren’t enough women in Stone Ridge and Sean managed to chase one of the good ones out. If Sean had married Bonnie, then she wouldn’t have left Stone Ridge. He wouldn’t have been engaged to Robyn, a woman from Kerrville, of all places. Bonnie would have stayed close to home and hearth and given her plenty of grandbabies by now. Instead, here she was, still without any grandbabies from her only daughter.
Of course, she did have five from her two sons, but she glossed right on over that part.
It didn’t matter how many times Bonnie explained that she’d wanted more than marriage and babies, somehow Mama didn’t hear it. It was easier to lay the blame at Sean’s boots.
When she took a breath, Bonnie inserted, “Anyway, I hope to be out of here soon and then we can spend the rest of the time I’m here together.”
“You won’t be gone if Sean Henderson has a lick of good sense left in him. Who could possibly be better for him than you?”
“There’s a schoolteacher. She’s younger than me and could give him the children he’d like.” Bonnie bit on her lower lip, regret piercing deeply.
“You could, too. Now, lookie here, we have Winona just had herself twins! She was thirty-nine at the time, sugar, two years younger than you. And then went on to have one more before she closed up shop. A girl! Plus, I read about a fifty-year-old woman who had a baby. It’s science.”
“It’s not too late for me to give you grandbabies?”
“As long as you’re happy.” She sighed deeply.
This meant: nope, it’s not too late.
“I’ll get right on it.”
Chuckling, she said her goodbyes and hung up with her mother before walking inside. On the filming schedule, later this afternoon they were to film individual interviews with the rest of the crew. The winner of the event would then be chosen, by Sean, for a date a couple of nights later at the Shady Grind. A “private” date which would be filmed. If she happened to “win” she couldn’t imagine a greater invasion of privacy, especially after that kiss in the barn.
He’d pulled her to him, and she’d gone all in, reasoning and rules abandoning her in a rush. Losing her head in the process. The same electricity and heat still raged between them. The same itch of the woman she’d once been had her eager to touch him. To run her fingers through his hair and along the rough scrape of his beard stubble. The same warm and solid desire pulsed through her when he’d crushed her to him. Their kisses were hot and fierce. Fiery and explosive. Just like their relationship had been.
But hot and fiery tended to burn itself out. Best to remember this.
She still didn’t have good sense around Sean. Exhibit one: the barn.
The crew had set up in the den by the massive and ornate stone fireplace. Tabitha sat on a stool in front of the camera, having changed into something a little less flashy. Emphasis on little.
“I like have this incredible connection with Sean. It’s like we were meant to be, you know? Oh, gosh. He’s like so ridiculously handsome. And like a real cowboy. My first boyfriend was a cowboy. I didn’t think I’d be attracted to, like, an older man. At first, I wasn’t sure, but wow! He’s so hawt! I mean, like it’s kismet!”
Older man? Now he’s an older man?
“And do you think he feels it too?” Lori asked. “The uh…kismet, as you say?”
Tabitha blushed and canted her head. “I hope so…”
“Okay, let’s try that again,” Lori said. “There’s a strange light behind Tabitha. Where’s that coming from? Elton, can you work on that?”
“Can I work on the sun’s rays?” Elton deadpanned. “I’ll get right on it.”
“All right, all right! Let’s go again.”
“I feel this incredible connection…” Tabitha’s words drifted away as Bonnie went up the steps.
She found Angela and Jessica in Bonnie’s bedroom sitting on her bed.
“Where were you?” Jessica said.
“I helped put Grace back in the stable and clean up a bit. Wade and Daisy got called away.”
“And we all know how you know your way around a horsey,” Angela said.
“Right. We all know who won the date. It’s just a matter of time before we find out for sure,” Jessica said.
“Calm down, girl,” Angela said. “We need to put our heads together and find out how we can get Tabitha outta here. Who’s gonna tell him she’s not in this for the right reasons?”
“Do we…have to do that?” Bonnie said.
“It’s in the script, isn’t it?” Angela cocked her head and looked at the ceiling as if reading it.
“We should let Sean decide.” Bonnie sat on the edge of her bed next to Angela. “He will figure it out.”
“What am I even doing here?” Jessica whined. “I can’t get his attention. Not a man like him.”
Angela beckoned between her and Bonnie. “We think you’re the best one for him. We can help you.”
“You can?” Jessica went wide-eyed.
Bonnie wasn’t too sure about this anymore. Sean’s words were ringing in her ears: I don’t need your help. But also, his kisses were buzzing on her lips. She wouldn’t mind some more, too, if they could figure out a way to do this away from the cameras. And it wouldn’t be fair to encourage Jessica when Bonnie had already kissed Sean. But the answer to that dilemma was laughably simple. She wouldn’t kiss him again. Problem solved.
“Well, um…sure. We can try but Sean is so stubborn he’ll do what he wants anyway.”
“Most men don’t know what’s good for them.” Angela pounded the mattress. “Mark. My. Words.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing here.” Jessica said again, a stuck record.
She threw herself on the bed and sobbed. Bonnie and Angela were on either side of her immediately.
Bonnie rubbed her back in gentle circles. “Hey, it’s okay. I know how tough this is, but you deserve to be here as much as any of us do. Maybe more.”
“No,” Jessica hiccupped through her sobs. “I mean, I don’t even know why I’m here. I was supposed to…suppose to…get married today.”
Bonnie and Angela exchanged a look.
“Um, what?” Angela finally said. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I had a fiancé up until a month ago. He called off the wedding which was supposed to be today!”
Oh crap.
“I want to go home,” she wailed. “I shouldn’t be here.”
Rubbing Jessica’s back, Bonnie had no more doubts: she was the house mother.
And perfect Jessica would be going home.
“This is reality TV butter,” Angela said, as together all three of them watched Jessica give Sean the news. “Delicious.”
Sitting on the patio bench, Jessica and Sean were having a quiet talk. Both miked, with the cameras rolling, an audience, but otherwise an “intimate” heart-to-heart.
“I bet this show breaks ratings when it comes out,” Tabitha said, holding up one finger, then another. “We have everything. Ex-girlfriend, a jilted fiancée with regrets, age gap with a younger woman.”
Bonnie bristled at being relegated simply to the status of “his ex.”
“I don’t think it would be fair to you for me to stay any longer,” Jessica said to Sean. “I’m not ready to move so I shouldn’t be here. Sorry. I thought I could do this.”
“That’s okay,” Sean said. “Break-ups are tough. I know.”
“Cut,” Lori said. “Okay, Sean, you really could look a bit more upset by this.”
“Huh?”
“We need the drama. You realize now that this is never going to happen and she’s a beautiful woman.” Lori waved her hands in the air. “C’mon!”
“Right. But I’m not an actor.” Sean straightened and tugged at his collar. “Let me try again.”
Jessica smiled sweetly and at least seemed to be enjoying her moment in the limelight. Maybe there was a little bit of an actor in everyone.
Except Sean.
“I can’t lie. I’m sure disappointed but you have to do what’s right for you.” Sean uttered the words with stilt and all the sincerity of a cattle rancher announcing he planned to go vegan.
“I think you’re really special and very handsome,” Jessica said.
“Thank you. I think…you’re really special too,” Sean said. “Too bad you have to go.”
“Ah hem! Good grief, I should be the bachelor,” Lori interrupted, clearing her throat. “That should be: do you really have to go?”
“You’re right. You’d probably do a better job.” Sean muttered, then stood and held his hand out to Jessica. “Are you sure you have to go?”
“I’m afraid so,” Jessica said, taking his outstretched hand. “But I’ll never forget you.”
“Ooooh, she’s good,” Tabitha said. “Nice touch.”
“Sounded insincere,” Angela said.
“You think?” Bonnie snorted.
“I wonder if she and her ex-fiancé will get back together when she goes back home. I love a good reunion story!” Apparently suddenly realizing what she’d said out loud, Tabitha caught Bonnie’s eye. “I mean, but not when so much time has passed.”
They watched as Sean walked Jessica to the Hummer where Lenny stood holding the door open. The camera followed, taking first a shot of Sean standing woefully at the end of the driveway, hands in his pockets, studying the ground. Lenny drove a few feet away, then stopped the Hummer. Elton climbed in with his camera equipment, cursing when he bumped his head. He would presumably record more of Jessica’s sentiments and perhaps a tear or two. Or three. The girl really could call them up.
Sean finally walked inside the house and joined them in the great room, followed by the second cameraman and Lori.
“Well, I guess it’s no surprise to y’all that Skippy, uh, Bonnie won the event today. She’ll be going on the date with me tomorrow night.”
“Aw, really?” Tabitha pouted. “I thought I did pretty good.”
“Skippy.” Sean cleared his throat and tipped his hat. “Would you go out with me tomorrow night?”
“I’d love to.”
“Wait a second here,” Lori said, sounding thoroughly disgusted. “You can’t sound so eager, Bonnie. I mean, really! If he’s interested, you’re suddenly not. How is this difficult? Am I the only one who cares?”
“No, I care! Very much,” Tabitha said.
“So do I,” Angela said, pointing to Tabitha. “Far more than she does.”
Honestly, Bonnie resented the criticism since she was the professional here. Even Lori didn’t have as many credits as she did. Yes, Bonnie had checked on ImDb.
But everything had changed since she’d arrived. She’d forgotten this was a job and that she was here for the drama factor.
The reason for forgetting was due to one reason.
Not her lack of professionalism.
Not her lack of memory.
Not her back of talent.
Sean.
He was the reason she’d forgotten everything.