The Bachelor by David Dower (read along books TXT) 📖

now-favorite tree away from everyone when she noticed the pump boat approach the docking site. Zach and Chloe seemed to be enjoying their time together, she noted and she didn’t want to even recognize the initial reaction she had. She didn’t care what Zach did with the other women. She would be out of here after the top four so…

She returned her attention back on her work. She had been doing a sequel to her successful story so she needed full concentration. But the peace she wanted was soon to be shattered by the sound of laughter coming near. It was Chloe’s mirthful chatter and laughter that irritated her most.

Julianne shook her head. She totally gave up her plan knowing it would be useless now that Zach knew about it. And even if he didn’t, she would have given up anyway because it didn’t seem to have worked. Worse, it even made him more curious that he didn’t leave her alone.

Intending to get inside the cabin before Chloe and Zach did, she closed her computer and briskly walked all the way to the cabin in and was surprised that Brent was already there with all the cameras and lights. Jack Carter was at the back and he gave her a nod as she entered.

“What’s going on?” she asked Pauline in a whisper.

“Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you. Brent’s got an announcement to make.”

Julianne did not bother to answer her friend’s question because the doors opened once more. Chloe appeared, her skin now slightly tanned. Zach followed close behind, his hand under Chloe’s elbow.

“How was the date?” Brent asked the two of them.

“Great!” Chloe answered.

“It was good,” Zach nodded. “What’s this?”

“Just a little announcement,” Brent said and looked at Chloe, and when she understood what he meant, she laughed and walked to join the other ladies, giving Zach a flying kiss.

Julianne frowned, taking out her glasses and pretended to clean them with her shirt so she wouldn’t have to meet Zach’s gaze. It felt weird to know that he just came from a date with another lady. She knew it would not be the last time he would go on a one-on-one date, but still, it felt weird.

“Now that everybody’s here, let’s begin the Rose Ceremony,” Brent said with a smile.

A loud collection of gasps and horror rang around the room. No one expected that news. Julianne, now with her eyeglasses back on, could see that even Zach was surprised.

“Surprise,” Brent said when no one spoke. He motioned his hand and a table was wheeled in with ten white roses. “Zach, after your great date, you will now have to face yet another difficult task. A lot has happened since the last Rose Ceremony, right? You girls worried us with that vanishing act you did that led to a search and rescue, didn’t you?”

The girls laughed and Julianne closed her eyes, her face flushing, remembering it was that night that she decided about her plan that got busted.

“And last night, you all had another chance to interact with Zach during dinner.” Brent turned to Zach who was now standing beside him with a blank expression. “Zach, I know you still need to know more about these ladies, but this is part of the show. You need to choose ten and send home five. Are you ready?”

“I guess so,” Zach answered, finally a smile creeping up his face.

Julianne was not at all excited, knowing she would receive a rose, but she was anxious. She wanted Brenda and Pauline to stay.

“Ladies, if you please?” Brent said, asking them to get up. They did and once again, they were all standing in front of Zachary with their gloomy and solemn faces.

She saw Zach take a deep breath the moment Brent left the scene, took one rose and said, “Julianne,” he announced, his voice so sure. And it was the first time he said her real name after he decided for himself to call her Jules. Though she hated being called first, she liked the sound of her name from his lips.

The glances the ladies threw her were a mixture of shock and awe and hate. Pauline nudged her and she walked towards Zach, her face expressionless. She could see in his lips that he was trying hard not to break into one of his stupid grins, though he was smiling down at her as he handed her the rose.

“Will you stay and spend another week with me?” he asked.

What is he up to now? She asked in her mind. He knew she didn’t have a choice and by the twitch on his lips, she was sure he was teasing her.

“Yes,” she mumbled and snatched the rose from his hand, turned, and walked to the other side of the room where Fatima was waving.

“Chloe,” Zach called out and saw the change in Chloe’s face from one of that of ire after hearing Julianne’s name being called first, to one of pure happiness and hope. After handing Chloe the rose with the same question he asked Julianne, he took another rose and looked at each of the ladies. His eyes landed on Vivienne. Not in this lifetime, he thought and looked at Pauline. “Pauline,” he announced and added, “just don’t get lost again, okay?”

Julianne’s friend laughed and took the rose.

Then he went on and called Stella, followed by Hanna, Jenny, Amanda, Kim, Penny, and finally, Tanya who appeared near the fainting state.

As soon as Tanya’s name was called, completing the top ten, the ladies went to say goodbye to each other with tears, some fake and some genuine. He could see that Julianne hugged Brenda tightly.

“Well, ladies,” Brent broke the drama, much to Zach’s relief. “I’m sorry but you have to pack your bags and go home.”

Zach walked to the five ladies and gave each of them a peck for goodbye.

Julianne was sad to see Brenda go, but she was at least relieved that the Dumb Pair were gone, knowing if they stayed any longer, they would only be the laughing stock of the rest of the ladies. Across the room, as they drank their wine as a little celebration, her gaze met Zach’s.

Now, he knew she was back to normal. Mission failed.

She sighed, knowing he was back on the game. Chapter 12

Zach was starting to get restless in the island. The days were just the same and the activities were getting boring. He thought he would have much fun living in an island surround by gorgeous women, but he was wrong.

He was wrong because he only wanted one woman but the problem was, she didn’t want him. If only she would open some tiny little window, he would be happy to play Tom Hanks for another Cast Away movie as long as Julianne would be his Wilson. Anything just to wash away the frown on her face every freaking time he came near would be great.

Yes, yes, the last time he wanted the old Julianne back. But he just couldn’t stand her frowns any longer. He wanted to literally stretch those edible lips of hers sideways and upwards to form a smile. He couldn’t understand even until now why he was acting so desperate. Honestly, he really believed the feeling would wear off, but it was not. In fact, it was getting worse. And the only things holding him back from making a fool of himself were the reminder of the bet and the camera following him wherever he went.

He needed to stress out, he decided, and went for a swim. Well, it was more like a hundred-meter laps, really.

Julianne was a constant subject running around his mind and he had to control it before he went crazy.

 *****

Julianne was outside the cabin, sitting at the bottom steps with her computer on her lap, when Jack Carter’s low baritone voice spoke above her, his shadow blocking the sun. “Hey,” he said with a smile.

“Hey,” she smiled back. “No work?” she asked.

“Na, nothing much. I just have so much work whenever there’s a date or during the official Rose Ceremony,” he sat down beside her and supported his weight by placing his hand behind him. “What are you doing?” he asked curiously.

“Nothing,” she said and closed her computer in haste. “Just some work…”

Jack frowned, “You don’t have a work yet,” he said. “Not until you get out of here, anyway.”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I really wish you did not give me that damn contract.”

“Hey, I honestly did not think you would make it this far. No offense of course,” he quickly added.

“None taken,” she smiled lamely and looked ahead.

“But now that I was able to observe you from day one, I think I understand why Astor keeps giving you a rose,” he uttered after some awkward silence.

“Yeah, because he likes this game so much,” she huffed, thinking of the real meaning behind her words.

“No, because you’re actually interesting,” he answered too honestly.

“Interestingly weird?”

“Interestingly not like any other,” he phrased and Julianne noted something in the way he said it that alarmed her senses. Not the way Zach could, but in a different, normal way. It was like she was talking to a normal guy that she knew she could get to like in time and after being surrounded by Zach’s annoying presence for many days, it was refreshing to actually be in Jack Carter’s company.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It was intended to be one,” he shrugged. “He spends a lot of time with you lately and almost everybody notices that,” he said after a while that she almost felt lost at the sudden change of subject.

“He likes annoying me, that’s all,” she answered with a frown.

“Don’t trust him,” Jack’s voice was serious and she snapped her head towards him.

Her first impulse was to tell him he didn’t know Zach that well, but she stopped herself. Zach was a character she couldn’t just defend. He was someone whose reputation preceded him and plus, she didn’t know him that well and Jack might be right after all.

“You don’t have to tell me that,” was all she said.

 *****

As Zach made his way back to shore, he spotted Julianne and Jack Carter sitting outside the girls’ cabin once again.

What’s this all about this time? He wondered silently, a frown forming on his face. They didn’t look like they were having fun, but they surely looked like they were having a moment. Julianne was looking at Jack the way she had never looked at him before and it pissed him off. The man should be out there doing his job. What the hell was he doing here talking to his Julianne like he was on a freaking vacation?

Unlike last time, Zach decided he should shower and dress first before he would interrupt their little moment together. He had to act cool, he thought.

“There’s a date scheduled for today,” Fatima told him the moment he stepped out his door fifteen minutes later.

“Where?” he asked.

“On a nearby island,” she said, looking at her clipboard.

“With?”

“A group date with Tanya, Julianne, and Hanna,” she answered.

Zach skidded to a stop and Fatima almost bumped into him. “Who else are coming?” he asked.

“The usual…the camera guy and some crew you want to bring with you.”

“What if I’m taking the ladies somewhere