As Ben wiped champagne off him for a second time, he noticed Rachel motion the cameras towards the other couples before directing her fierce gaze on him.
‘Upsetting a woman within the first two minutes is a new low, even by your standards.’
Ben gave his sister a loaded look. ‘Do I need to remind you that I don’t want to be here?’
‘No, but I thought you’d be able to pretend to be a decent guy looking for love. At least for my sake.’ She blew out a breath. ‘What did you say to her?’
‘I didn’t get a chance to say anything.’ He took a sip of his champagne – at least some of it would go down his throat – and tried to settle himself. Molly was fire; he was ice. It was part of why they’d been so explosive together. And part of why he’d had to hit the pause button on them. It didn’t mean he’d not been sucker punched at seeing her.
Just meant he was better at hiding it.
‘Ben.’ His sister’s sharp command brought him out of his head. ‘Please explain why one of my contestants – my most smiley, happy contestant – threw her drink over you and then fled to the ladies.’
‘Molly and I used to date.’ Rachel’s jaw dropped, and as she muttered something that sounded a lot like holy fuck, a burst of hope shot through him. ‘Is that going to be a problem?’
‘Of course not. Not a problem, definitely not a problem.’ She sounded like she was trying to convince herself. ‘Why didn’t I know about her?’
‘Because we didn’t see each other for very long.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘There’s something you’re not telling me. Was it a one-night stand?’
‘No.’ He swallowed, avoiding her eyes. ‘It happened three years ago.’
Her forehead scrunched as she mentally worked back. Then her expression softened. ‘How long after Helena?’
His throat locked up. ‘Not long enough.’
She winced. ‘Let me guess. You broke Molly’s heart.’
He didn’t think he had. Hurt her a little, yes, and he’d hated himself for it. But eight weeks shouldn’t have been long enough to cause any permanent damage.
It also shouldn’t have been long enough for him to still remember how easily she’d slotted into his side as they’d sat together on the sofa, her watching something awful on TV, him reading his book. Or for him to still have dreams featuring pretty redheads with flashing green eyes, a wide dimpled smile. And the most perfect rear he’d ever had the good fortune to smooth his hands over.
‘There must have been some pretty powerful chemistry between the pair of you for her to be so upset after all these years,’ Rachel murmured. ‘And for you to be looking so shaken.’
As his reaction to Molly wasn’t something he wanted his sister to witness, never mind the bloody cameras, he slipped on the mask he was usually good at keeping in place. ‘I’m surprised she’s here, that’s all.’
‘Sure. The pale face, the way your eyes keep darting towards the door she left through. It’s just plain old surprise.’
His body went into full alert as Molly walked back into the room, green silk dress sliding over all those glorious curves.
‘Oh boy.’
He turned to find his sister sporting a rather satisfied smirk. ‘What?’
She looked again at Molly, and then back at him. ‘Just thinking what dynamite TV this is going to make.’
Discomfort settled heavily in his belly. Bad enough being filmed dating a bland woman he knew he’d never be interested in, but being filmed with Molly? The idea of cameras seeing something he didn’t want them to see? Involuntarily his jaw clenched. He’d keep out of her way, make sure there was minimal interaction between them.
At least that way he’d avoid further drenching.
Ben slipped into the corner as Rachel signalled to the camera crew. A moment later they followed the women out of the room, apparently to film them getting seated and blindfolded ready for their matches. The discomfort resurfaced, making his stomach turn over. Whoever his sister had convinced herself was a good match for him, was going to be heavily disappointed. He wasn’t sure he was a good match for anyone, and certainly not for a woman who’d willingly applied to be on a reality dating show.
His mind swung to Molly. What had Rachel said about his match when she’d been trying to persuade him onto the show? Gorgeous, Molly was certainly that. This was her favourite show. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine it. Here to find her soulmate.
He baulked. He could just imagine how thrilled Molly would be if she found him sitting opposite her when she took off her blindfold.
‘Looks like the redhead doesn’t think much of you.’
He turned to find the stocky guy with the fake tan and a suit a size too small for his bulging muscles – Duncan, he recalled – giving him a dirty look.
‘I’m clearly not her type.’
The man nodded, as if that was a perfectly reasonable explanation for why he’d had a drink thrown at him.
‘Hope she isn’t going to do that to all of us she doesn’t like the look of.’ Marcus, a tall, handsome guy with deep brown skin and striking dark eyes, grinned over at him.
‘I’m not worried.’ James, Ben remembered. Looked like a rock star with his long straggly hair, pale white skin that hadn’t seen much daylight, and a rangy body squeezed into too-tight leather trousers. ‘I’m every girl’s type.’
Duncan snorted. ‘Hot girl like that? She’s after a guy who takes good care of himself.’
By pumping iron in the gym? Ben kept the thought to himself. The best way through the next four weeks was to keep a low profile, lurk in the shadows.
Avoid anybody liable to throw a drink, or a punch.
‘Gentlemen.’
He didn’t know whether to be relieved or terrified when Rachel interrupted their little bonding session to announce it was time to meet their matches.
Which meant it was also time for him to be blindfolded, he remembered belatedly as Lauren, one of the assistants, approached him holding a strip of black cloth. Seriously, how much worse could this get?
‘This is ridiculous,’ he muttered, to which she just laughed. They’d met when he’d had to have his backstory filmed. And hadn’t that been a joy, telling the camera exactly what he was looking for in his perfect woman when he wasn’t even looking for a woman, never mind a perfect one.
‘You’re a cynic, we get it.’ She put her hands on her hips and gave him a bright smile. ‘But put that aside for the next four weeks and think about the opportunity being here has given you. In a few minutes you’re going to meet the person a computer algorithm and dating experts have determined you’ve a high chance of falling in love with. Maybe even getting married to.’ Lauren clasped her hands together. ‘That’s soooo exciting, isn’t it?’
The woman positively oozed sparkle and joy. He didn’t like to tell her marriage wasn’t ever going to be a maybe for him; it was a hard no. ‘You’re clearly in the right job,’ he murmured non-committedly.
‘Oh I know; I love working on this show. And tonight is my favourite part, when you all get to see your match for the first time.’ His vision was suddenly obscured as he felt the blindfold cover his eyes. But then she huffed out a breath as it slipped. ‘Umm, can you duck down a bit? How tall are you, anyway?’
‘Six three.’
‘Tall, dark and handsome, huh?’ She secured it tightly in place. ‘Someone’s about to get lucky.’ The lucky women were the ones he wasn’t matched to, he thought grimly, but forced a smile. ‘Well then, are you ready to meet her?’
No. He wasn’t ready for any of it. Hadn’t been ready the last time he’d dated, three years ago and felt no readier now. Especially not under the watchful eye of TV cameras and the scrutiny of a viewing audience ready to lambast him for every faux pas he made. And he’d make a tonne of them, he knew that from bitter experience.
An arm slid round his waist, the touch familiar. ‘I know you’re cursing me right now, but this might not be as awful as you think.’ Rachel gave his side a quick squeeze. ‘You might even meet your future wife today.’
‘Not a cat in hell’s chance,’ he muttered.
‘You do know your feelings about marriage come from a hard, cynical part of you that needs to be excised or you’ll never be happy,’ she hissed back.
‘I’m not against love,’ he felt compelled to point out. Again. ‘Just the outdated practice of making it part of a legal pact.’
He heard a deep sigh. ‘Fine. I get the message. You won’t meet your wife today. Just, maybe, the love of your life.’
He shook his head, half irritated, half impressed. ‘You don’t stop, do you?’
‘Why would I, when winding you up is so satisfying.’ He heard the smile in her voice. ‘And so easy?’