Page 65 of Most Eligible
“Bottoms up, kids!” Lainey says. “Roland will be here in just a few minutes.”
Olie squints at the lime-green liquid in her glass, then shrugs. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
I grimace as I take mine. It’s barely two. Or actually, here, it’s four. Close enough.
“Smile, Georgia!” Lainey calls. “Roland will be here in just a minute and you don’t want him to see that hideous expression, do you?”
“It’s just my face,” I say, and Lainey rolls her eyes. I down the Jell-O shot and pucker my lips into some version of a smile that makes Brooklyn giggle as she passes me a beer.
Rhett steps forward from the crowd of producers. “Welcome to Music City, USA,” he says.
Olie winks at me.
“We have an amazing week planned for y’all,” Rhett continues. “I hope everyone is rested and ready to hit the ground running. While we’re here, there will be two dates. A group date and a one-on-one. The group date is going to be a bit of a challenge, but I think you’re all up for it.”
“Ooh,” Chloe squeals. “What’re we doing? Singing?”
“If we’re singing, then y’all are outta luck,” Olie says. “I was professionally trained in opera from birth to age twelve.”
Rhett clears his throat. “No. No singing. It’ll be single-elimination paintball. The last woman standing wins extra time with Roland.”
Everyone sits up straighter.
Addison takes a demure sip of her beer, peering at me over the rim of her glass. I bet she’s looking forward to covering me in paint.
“But for now,” Rhett says, “since we like to keep you on your toes—the first one-on-one is today.”
I let out a breath of relief. It will be Brooklyn, there’s no doubt about it. Not only that—if Roland is out with her, I’ll be able to take a long nap.
“Who do you think it’ll be?” Philippa asks, rubbing her hands together. Her beer sits next to her, noticeably untouched.
“I hope it’s me,” Addison simpers. “I just feel such a strong connection with Roland.”
My eyes are itching to roll so far back they won’t see the light of day for weeks.
“Georgia, what do you have to say about that?” Lainey cuts in. I look at her, surprised that she’s interrupted, but I guess they can cut it out in postproduction.
“I—nothing?”
“This woman pushed you off a ladder, and you’re just going to roll over?” Lainey hisses.
My face goes red as all heads turn to me.
“She didwhat?” Chloe gasps.
I look at Addison who shrugs as if to say,Might as well.
“Addison, repeat your line,” Lainey says.
Addison smiles coyly at me. “I just feelsucha strong connection with Roland.”
“Not surprising, since you slept with him last week,” I blurt out.
Addison stares at me, eyes wide, and despite everything she’s done, I feel a little bad. It doesn’t taste good to be the villain.
“I’m not going to apologize for the connection that Roland and I have,” she retorts.
“Well, if you get the one-on-one today, I hope you point out that it’s not fair,” I say, a touch of poison seeping into my voice.
