Chapter 13

chapter

thirteen

Damien

"What do you mean she just left?" I roar. I don't lose my temper often because I'm a pretty easy going guy. And also I would have been beaten to death by a hoard of angry Cajun women had I had much of a temper. But now, with the news that the love of my life has just left. Now, I'm fucking furious.

"I want to know what happened. She was right there with me." I point to the spot we were standing earlier. "Then one of your assistants called her over and just like that she was gone."

"Which assistant?"

I glance around the space and spot her over by one of camera men. "That one."

"Amelia, come here please."

Her eyes widen, but she scurries over to us. "Do you know anything about why Ms. Mathis has disappeared?" the producer asks.

Amelia shakes her head.

The producer, clearly done with this conversation, shrugs me off and leaves the set claiming a meeting with the network.

I turn back to the assistant producer. "Amelia, I don't care what you've done, but I know you just lied to your boss. I just need to know where my girl is." I feel like I'm fucking crawling out of my skin without her nearby.

I knew the moment I stepped out of my dressing room that something was wrong. The air around me felt wilted and sad.

Amelia bites down on her lip, then looks up at me. "I need to know what your intentions are for Caroline. She is a very sweet woman who does not deserve to be a pawn in some ratings scheme."

" Cher , I don't know what you're talking about. There is no scheme. At least not one I'm involved with. I'm in love with Caroline. She's my future, but I can't tell her any of that because she's disappeared."

Her eyes narrow on me. "You promise you're not lying?"

"Yeah, I've got a house full of bossy Catholic women at home ready to heap some serious guilt on me if I did."

She smiles. "Okay. I told her about the scheme and she left. Drove home. I assumed you were in on it after listening to Rochelle talk to Brandy."

"What scheme?"

"That you seduced her to boost the ratings of the show. Nothing is better than a competition than one that also has a love story."

"So you assumed I had tricked her and now that's what she believes too?"

"Yes. I'm very sorry."

"I get it. Thank you for trying to protect her. The world hasn't always been so kind to her. You said she drove home?"

"Yes. She left about an hour ago so you won't be too far behind her."

With that I race out of the studio and into my truck, then I high tail my ass to Saddle Creek.

An XX later I pull up to the town square right in front of the the colorful sign that declares the shop in front of me: Sugar Bakers.

I pull open the door ignoring the ring of the bell above my head. The people sitting at the small tables around the brightly colored eating area. The women behind the counter look my way and both smile broadly.

One of them waves me over and I hear whispers as I walk through the room.

That's him. It's gotta be him. Looks just like him. He's so sexy.

Par for the course these days which is strange but I'm getting used to it. Once they know I'm a normal guy they usually back off.

The short dark-haired woman points a pen at me. "You better be here to fix whatever you broke."

"That's totally why he's here, isn't it?" the blonde asks.

"Yes, here to fix the broken and get my girl. Is she in the back?" I ask.

They both nod and I hop the glass display case and stride into the belly of the bakery. It's a great space. State of the art kitchen, but there's Caroline, sitting on the floor against the wall, head back, eyes closed.

I move quietly to her and side. Then I slide down the wall myself.

She doesn't even open her eyes.

"I already said I didn't want to talk about it anymore, Gracie. Just stop asking. I know you wanna help," with this she lifts her head and opens her eyes and her words die in her throat.

"Hey Sweetness," I say. I reach over and thumb away the tears on her cheeks. "You left me back at the studio."

"I already know the truth, Damien. The cat is out of the bag. Well done. I'm sure the ratings will be sky high as the world watches the bad boy seduce and deceive the poor, starry-eyed girl. So you can go ahead and leave."

"That's not at all what happened. Do you want to hear my version?"

"Not particularly. I already know you hand selected me for the competition," she snaps.

"I did. I called the network and demanded that you be my partner."

She sniffs. "Why? Why would you do that to me when you didn't even know me?"

"Because where I come from love can hit you hard and fast. But when it does it buries itself so deep you can never shake it lose."

"What are you even talking about?"

"I took one look at your pretty face and I was a goner. Sweetness, I'm in love with you. You own me. I didn't pick you so I could break you. If anything, you have the power to break me."

"I don't understand," she says.

"That's because those mean old ladies starved you've."

She frowns. "No, as mean and cruel as they can be, they've always made sure I had plenty of food to eat."

"Not starved of food, but of love and affection. Hell, even basic human kindness."

She chokes on a sob.

"So much so that you don't even know what it looks like when someone is so in love with you."

Again I thumb away her tears, then I pull her into my lap.

"Caroline, as long as it takes I'll be by your side proving to you what love looks and feels like. I'll be patient, but I don't ever want to be apart from you again. Just being near you soothes my soul."

"You love me?"

"Yeah, cher , I love you."

"That Cajun accent is dangerous. It's probably best you don't talk in your videos or you'd have a lot of restraining orders to file.

"That so?"

She nods. "You're right that my family hasn't shown me an ounce of affection. But I have the very best friends. Those two women out there are my chosen family and they've shown me more love than I thought possible. So I do know what it feels like. Enough to know that I'm in love with you too."

"So we get our happy ending?"

She smiles. "Yeah, I guess we do."