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Stephanie [Last Name] met her friend Viviane like she did every Tuesday for lunch. Except this time, Stephanie was distracted as she walked into the BBQ Chicken Grille and even the smell of freshly roasted chicken and baked potatoes wasn’t enough to distract her.
The fair skinned brunette had wavy locks resting just beneath her shoulders, but she walked so fast, her heels clicking against the floor, her hair swished. All she could think about was her job at the local TV studio and what they had asked her to do. No, demanded was more like it. Stephanie expected fluff pieces working in a small town, she loved Sweet Falls, let’s be honest, but to ask her to interview the likes of Bret Mitchell....
The Wilderness Billionaire. Stephanie rolled her eyes at such a stupid notion.
It made her skin crawl! And her reason for being at the BBQ Chicken Grille completely escaped her for the time being.
“Steph! Over here!”
She snapped her head to the right and saw Viv, a petite short-haired blond, waving at her from a table against the brick wall. Stephanie forced a smile and a wave as she turned and headed over to her friend. “Sorry,” Stephanie said as she smoothed her long skirt and slid into the booth. As she put her small purse down on the table, Stephanie said her iced tea already waiting for her. Viv always knew what she needed.
“Maybe I should’ve gotten you something a little stronger. You look fit to be tied, friend!” Vivi sipped her own tea. “You’ll feel better after you tell me alllllll about it.”
Stephanie didn’t know where to start. “It’s work.”
Vivi tilted her head with a nod. “Naturally! What did Gary do this time?” She wore a well worn smirk. Her friend always knew what was bothering her.
Stephanie gestured with a flourish. “He won’t listen to reason. He assigned me to cover the Bret Mitchell book signing tomorrow. It’s a fluff piece which isn’t the problem.”
“Then what is the problem?”
Did Vivi really need to ask that question? “The problem is Brett Mitchell. Obviously.”
Vivi laughed and shook her head as she sat back against the booth. “If you don’t want to do it, I will. He’s dreamy, Steph. C’mon. He’s the Wilderness Billionaire! You don’t want to talk to him for five minutes?”
Stephanie scrunched up her nose and wished Vivi hadn’t used the man’s official show title. It made her stomach churn. “It might be ten with the hellos and good-byes,” Stephanie admitted. “But I don’t get your attitude. He’s a manipulator. A liar. He’s nothing but a reality TV show hunk—”
Vivi sighed. “You had me at hunk but that’s not such a bad thing. So, you get to stare into his dreamy eyes for ten minutes.”
“—with no integrity. He’s probably handed information and scripts beforehand. We all know how ‘real’ reality TV is. I don’t buy a lick of it.” The more she said, the more heat rose in Stephanie’s stomach. Her temper simmered and began ready to blow.
“Clearly but you know there are worse situations to be in. You’re a professional. Just do your job and get paid. It can’t be worse than covering the state’s biggest chocolate chip cookie can it?”
“At least that was for charity.” Stephanie laughed and sipped her tea. She stopped talking as the waitress came buy and took their order. They always ordered the same thing—Stephanie got the turkey club BLT and Vivi the chef salad with dressing on the side. Predictable, boring. It was just the way Stephanie liked things.
Small town life. Who could ask for more?
After the waitress moved on, Vivi sat back and crossed her arms. Her penetrating gaze intensified as she narrowed her eyes. Here they went, Stephanie thought. Vivi was going to pull out some judgement or the world’s best advice—or both.
“You better just say it,” Stephanie said and unfolded her napkin.
“All right but only since you asked.”
Stephanie snorted. Yeah, right!
“You take life too seriously. So what if Mr. Ruggedly Handsome’s show is partially staged? Maybe you’re right. Maybe you’re wrong but people like him. They’re entertained. It’s not the worst thing in the world. Sometimes we just don’t want to peak behind the curtain.”
“I’m a journalist. I’m supposed to be looking for answers. It’s my job to peel back the curtain. But instead I’m working in Sweet Falls, covering book signings and the latest salon grand opening.”
“People like what you do.” Vivi shrugged and looked apologetic. “You provide a service, a friendly face people are used to. So, if something in town really ever goes wrong, we’ll have you to tell us gently. There are worst things, Steph. Far worst things.”
Her friend was probably right. Maybe she did take things for granted when it came job stability and the service she provided for the town. Still, Stephanie hated the rich type who loved to strut their stuff. Maybe it was time for a change in topics.
“Enough about me, how are you?”
Vivi grinned with a shrug. “You know me. I got my job at the floral shop and then my dog at home. Life is good but maybe a little quiet.”
Maybe a little quiet sounded like an understatement of the year but Stephanie got it. After work she just wanted to be home too. There were worse things than to be a homebody.
“I was thinking, you know that new service in town. The dating service?”
Oh, here they went. “I did a story on them a few weeks ago.”
Vivi’s eyes sparkled with life and widened. “I know! That’s how I know you know them. We should try them out. Maybe see if we can book a double date. What do you say?”
Stephanie rubbed her forehead with a groan.
“Oh, don’t you start!” Vivi laughed and tossed her napkin across the way at Stephanie’s head. “I don’t want to be the ‘cat lady’ forever! I mean, I don’t even own a cat.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is spinster.”
Vivi yelped in horror.
Stephanie laughed. “I’m going to run to the bathroom. If the food gets here, don’t eat any of my French fries!”
“Deep fried?” Vivianne gasped in mock horror. “It shall never pass these lips. I have a figure to cling to, you know.”
Stephanie laughed. With a spring in her step, she turned the corner passed the booth. The soft lighting was warm and highlighted the natural coloring of the stone walls. She hurried along and turned the corner, slamming right into someone. His phone fell from his hand and Stephanie scurried to pick it up.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you coming.” Stephanie offered him his phone back as he brushed himself off.
“No worries there.” His voice was deeper than she expected. He straightened up and Stephanie took note of his broad shoulders and muscular pecs They filled out his button-down shirt just fine.
She stifled a nervous bout of laughter as he took his phone from her. His green eyes shined, and she realized he was familiar. She had seen him somewhere before and she couldn’t put her finger on where.
“I’ll catch you around,” he said with a wink. The wink, the voice...it couldn’t be.
Stephanie stepped out of his way and watched him leave with curiosity. She stepped against the wall and peered around the corner to see which way he went. The booth he stopped at was one where Christopher Sinclair sat. Then it dawned on Stephanie where she had seen this man before.
It was Bret Mitchell. The man she was set to interview tomorrow. Barely a few sentences and she was already weak in the knees for the man. The sound of his voice and the smell of his cologne....No, she had to nip this in the bud right away.
Stephanie was going to show him that an attractive body and a flirty wink weren’t enough to get her attention. She’d interview him tomorrow as planned—and she would go for his throat.
And then she’d get to the bottom of his success. One way or another.