CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

S ebastian

It’s okay. I’m just going back to Ashcove. Where I haven’t been since I left. My fingers flutter.

I am Sebastian Archer, TV Host Extraordinaire. I am Sebastian Archer, TV Host—

“So, what do you think?” Ella asks with the sort of worry on her face that makes me think this isn’t the first time she’s asked me that question.

My mind is the same sludgy mess that Bryce and his friends once threw me into.

“Um...”

“About Willow’s and Flora’s family coming,” Luke says.

“Why would—” I scrunch my forehead together.

Families aren’t normally flown to the Mr. Right location.

“So I can evaluate my future in-laws,” Luke says, and his voice cracks, and he stares at his fingers.

“Oh.” I draw back. Frigid air blasts through the room. I’m not sure why Oskar said it was warm before. Maybe being born in Sweden wrecks someone’s internal thermometer or something. “Yeah...Whatever?”

“Maybe that cold is contagious,” Ella says, darting her gaze at Oskar.

I swallow hard. I’m normally articulate. Super articulate.

“You know, I would love it if I could speak to Sebastian in private,” Luke says in that formal voice he does sometimes as if he’s pretending to be a weatherman or something.

“That’s not necessary,” I say quickly.

Because they can’t be suspicious. They absolutely can’t be suspicious. Bryce is going to think it sufficiently hysterical that I’m there.

Luke’s eyes soften. “I just mean, I have some more thoughts on...”

“Your path to true love?” Ella suggests brightly.

Luke nods. “Exactly. I’m debating the merits of Flora versus Willow and I have some new insights I would love to put on camera as soon as possible.”

Ella’s eyes round. “You do?”

“Uh...huh.” He nods multiple times. “In fact, that’s probably why I’ve been distracted. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them.”

He gives me a meaningful glance, but it’s hard to believe it’s meant for me when he’s literally talking about true love with two absolutely gorgeous and eligible women all of America would rejoice if he picked.

“It can probably wait...” I say, because hearing Luke expound about another woman’s qualities isn’t exactly what I’m up for.

“We want content,” Ella says firmly. “And Luke is so rarely inspired...”

Luke’s skin pinkens.

“Maybe you can give us a preview?” Ella suggests. “See if it’s important.”

“Oh.” Luke swallows hard, his Adam’s apple rolling. “Right. So you see...”

Everyone stares expectantly at Luke.

Luke’s cheeks move from a pale pink to a more robust pink pink, the kind they use in ungenerously sized cardboard coloring boxes.

“It’s just...” Luke straightens. “Well, the fact that Flora will one day be a dentist is appealing. It would be so great to know I could open my mouth at any time, and she could be able to diagnose any teeth issues.”

“She probably would need more tools than just her head,” Oskar mutters.

Luke slides an irritated glance at him, much like a spy might who finds a Grindr hookup at a secret event.

“Fortunately, very fortunately, I have the funds to purchase my own dentist chair and any, um, equipment she might require. Like those metal pointy things.”

Daniela’s eyes widen, but Luke nods, clearly getting into the spirit of things, and he waves his arms around in total LA-style and I wonder if maybe he’s spending too much time with Ella.

“Oh, yeah. Like long toothpicks but silver. Not actual silver. Just—”

“Fake silver?” Oskar suggests, one eyebrow quivering dangerously close to a higher region of his forehead than his other one.

“Something like that. A dentist would know.”

Ella’s eyes soften. “Like Flora.”

“And we could have one of those pointy things with a mirror on it made from the same material.”

“Fake silver?” Oskar supplies.

Luke gives Oskar a grateful nod, like Oskar has just shown him a silver vein in nineteenth century Nevada and given him a pickaxe.

“And those fluoride creams in rubber teeth molds that almost make you gag.”

“You know a lot about dentistry,” Ella says.

“I’ve been giving it a lot of thought.”

“Well, this is about you finding true love. Your happily ever after. Your Juliet to your Romeo. Your Cleopatra to your Antony. Your Elizabeth Taylor to your Richard Burton.”

“None of those relationships ended well,” Oskar says.

“At least they all didn’t end in violent death,” Daniela muses, ever the optimist and glass not just half full but practically full expert.

“And Willow?” Ella breathes.

“Maybe he likes her because she’s training to be a doctor,” Oskar says.

Luke beams delightedly. “You have been watching the show!”

“Everyone’s been watching the show,” Ella says. “We’ve got the best ratings of any Seeking Mr. Right show. Not just Christmas edition.”

“Seriously?” Luke’s jaw drops.

“Yes.” Ella grins proudly. “That’s why no expense is too much to fly in anyone you want from either of these women’s families. The whole world is watching this journey. We’re now licensed to show this in twenty countries!”

“Gosh,” Daniela says.

“And we’re in negotiations now to show it in an additional twelve more countries.”

Luke’s temple pulses, and I think his fingers tremble, but he slides them down and rests them on his lap, even though that’s not something he does.

“So, what do you think about Willow?”

Luke blinks an amount of times more appropriate when walking about in sandstorms in the Middle East, but he moves his shoulders down and inhales. “Well, hockey players get injured too.”

Willow claps her hands. “So you could install a medical office instead of a dentist office in your new home with your future wife.”

“Yeah.”

“I guess the question is, which would you rather have in your house?”

“Um...” Luke rises suddenly. “I should talk to Sebastian about it. Please...”

“The man is inspired,” Ella says. She holds a hand to her mouth so Luke can’t see her lips. “It doesn’t happen often.”

“Sure,” I say helplessly. “Let’s, um, go find out your thoughts on true love.”