Make Me Over_ Getting Real - Leslie Kelly [69]
His fingers clenched so tightly on his glass that he feared he’d break it. Needing to, he flung it toward the fireplace, watching as the remaining alcohol sent the flames shooting even higher and the shards of glass disappeared beneath the ash.
“I’m gonna kill that producer,” he growled.
“No, you’re not,” Jacey said evenly, “because he’s my father, and you owe me one for telling you the truth now.”
He didn’t even stop to analyze that tidbit. He could focus only on Tori. “She knew this? From day one? From the minute we met?”
Jacey shook her head. “No. None of the women found out until that first Sunday morning at breakfast.”
The first Sunday. The morning after they met. After their first time in the greenhouse when he’d asked Tori to stay…and she’d agreed. That, at least, was some comfort.
Jacey continued. “The women all thought they were part of a social makeover show, and they still are. You were just a…side benefit.”
The glare he shot her would have made some women back away. Jacey swallowed visibly, but rose from the couch and stepped closer to him, anyway. “You’re supposed to be a smart guy, Professor.”
His teeth were clenched so tightly together, it was hard to get words past them. “Your point being?”
“Meaning, stop being all pissed off long enough to think it through.” Her voice lowered and her expression softened. “Really think it through, Dr. Bennett. Why Tori left and when she did it.”
“She probably left so she wouldn’t have to look me in the eye when I found out I’d been duped and deceived by her and every other person in this house of lies.”
“By which point,” Jacey continued, “she’d have been a million bucks richer. Or are you going to deny that you tried to tell her something very important during your sleigh ride this afternoon?”
That made him pause. A million dollars. For a declaration of love. Which he’d not only been about to offer her today during their ride, but he’d also said to her Sunday night. Out of camera range, true, but he’d said it. So when you came right down to it, Tori had already won the game, she’d only had to prove it by getting him to say it again. On tape.
But she’d stopped him today. Given up her chance.
It made no sense. If she’d stuck around for the money, why the hell would she have thrown it away, walked away when it was within her grasp?
“Are all men totally stupid, or just the smart ones who analyze things too much?” Jacey said, sounding impatient and disgusted.
“Oh, my God,” he whispered as the truth dawned with all the warmth and brilliance of a morning sun. He felt like someone had thrown him in a blender, spun him around for a couple of weeks, then tossed him out, only to learn he’d been transformed into something good. Something amazing.
A man in love. A man who was loved in return.
She’d thrown away her chance at a million dollars—a huge sum of money that could have done wonders for her and for her family. And she’d done it because she’d known that if she’d stayed, if she’d won the money, Drew would never know the truth.
That she really did love him.
He thought he was right. He hoped he was right. But there was only one way to be sure. Only one person who could tell him.
“Where is she?” he said, already striding toward the door.
Jacey hurried after him. “At a hotel in town. But it started snowing again an hour ago, really heavy. I just heard the roads closed back down because the plows can’t keep up.”
Drew’s whole body tensed in frustration. “There’s got to be another way.”
Suddenly, he thought of one. Pausing only long enough to give Jacey a slight nod, he said, “I’m going after her. I’ll say thank you for telling me now, but that doesn’t mean I’m forgiving you for what happened here.”
She nodded, her eyes suspiciously bright. That hint of brightness gave Drew pause. His curiosity getting the better of him, he asked, “Why’d you do it? Why’d you tell me tonight and ruin the big TV moment?”
Jacey shrugged. “Maybe