The Husband Hunt (a novella) (The Bachelor Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

about dribbling sauce, Jaxie was enjoying herself immensely. The other girls were sweet, and fun, and feeling each other out, as well as checking out Liam.
                  Feeling more regretful as the hours ticked on, Jaxie finished off a piece of chicken, wondering how she even thought to come on this show. Although it was fantastic to get out of Washington and away from the whole Brent thing and work, it was difficult to pretend that Liam was husband-worthy for her. Come to think of it, Brent was getting less husband-worthy with every new experience.
                  After the picnic, Liam asked for one on one time, first with the girl named Bethany, then with Jaxie. When he held out his hand and asked her to take a walk with him, she slipped her hand into his and they strolled over to a grouping of trees where the crew had set up a love seat and a bottle of white wine chilling in a silver urn.  Before the cameras could set up the shot, Liam leaned in and whispered to her, “Brent’s girlfriend, right?”
                  Jaxie whispered back. “I’m sorry,” looking regretful.
                  His next words were like music to her embarrassment as he plucked off their microphones so the busy crew wouldn’t be distracted while they set up the cameras and arranged the lighting screens. “It’s okay. Did you guys break up, or what?”
                  She nodded and shrugged. He looked confused but she tried to explain by saying, “we just broke up and I was recruited to be on the show the day after.”
                  “Okay, let’s roll,” someone said.
                  To anyone watching the couple on the couch, it looked like two people were simply getting to know one another. One of them was a football player, the other a food critic. “Are you on T.V. in Seattle?” he asked.
                  Jaxie thought she detected suspicion in Brent’s eyes. “Yes, just locally.”
                  Then he asked the zinger. “When was your last relationship?”
                  “It ended last month.” She held her chin in place, not willing to look down on this one.
                  “That’s kind of soon. Don’t you think?”
                  “Not necessarily if it ended amicably and for the right reasons.” A shake of her head punctuated her message. “But, I think you should know that he was a football player.” She waited.
                  Liam shrugged his muscular shoulders. “I’m okay with that. As long as it’s over.”
                  She nodded, but in her heart she was wincing. Why had she done this show anyways? After admitting she’d been involved with a football player, Liam did not delve into who she dated, even though he could’ve exposed her on national T.V.—a fact she found chivalrous. The two made small talk for a few minutes, cameras stopped rolling and they eventually walked back towards the picnic.
                  He stopped her halfway. “Are you here to find love, Jaxie?”
                  Now she felt like the biggest con artist ever. Looking at the grass by her feet, she took a deep breath, fully prepared to tell him the truth. “Well,...” But when one of the production assistants approached them, she never got the chance to come clean. They did exchange a look, and both were wiser for the words not spoken.
    *  *  *  *
     
                  Girls poured out of the Escalade in the mansion’s driveway, now home from the cowboy date. They handed in their cowboy hats to a young man. Jaxie was the last to get out of the car, wanting to finish a conversation with the driver about how to make a béchamel sauce. Stepping out of the car, she added her hat to the pile and noticed Crane exiting the house. “Date card came.” He motioned back towards the door and the five girls from