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

was seated. Pauline and Tanya pushed her on her feet and told her to do it.

Pauline and the others were clapping their hands while cheering her name.

“Okay, I think we’ve taken enough for today,” Jack’s voice boomed, stopping everything, and silencing everyone. Even the camera guys looked stunned and confused for a moment. “Zach is tired, right, Zach?”

Zach, for the love of him, nodded his head vigorously and shot to his feet. “I’m sorry, Kim, but I think we’ll have to do it next time,” he gave a wink and then his eyes met Julianne’s. She could see the relief in them that she almost laughed.

Zach was not the only one who looked relieved. Kim appeared like a big stuck needle was finally pulled out from her foot. She was absently looking at Jack Carter whose back was turned as he wrapped his things up.

Julianne reminded herself that she should talk with Jack tomorrow. Obviously, something was going on between the two of them, but neither was courageous enough to talk.

 *****

Julianne was sitting alone outside the balcony that night. Most of the girls had already gone upstairs to sleep, but it seemed that one was still up.

“Hey,” Kim’s voice said behind her. Julianne looked over her shoulder and smiled faintly.

“Hey,” she greeted back. “You’re still up?”

“I can’t sleep…” Kim said, walking up to her and stood beside her. “So, listen, I was just wondering…we were wondering…” Julianne could sense she was trying to say something.

“What?”

“Me…and the girls…we were wondering what’s going on between you and Jack?”

Julianne tried to hide the knowing smile on her lips. “No, there’s nothing. We’re just…friends,” she looked at Kim as she said it and surely, the relief she saw was too great that it made her smile. “Why?”

Kim’s face flushed. “Nothing, I was just wondering—”

“You know, I think he likes you,” Julianne decided to just blurt it out. The guy was an ass for letting this drag on and Kim was still being reluctant.

Kim looked stunned. “Who?”

“Jack,” Julianne shrugged. “I think he likes you. I’ve seen him many times looking at you, you know. And I’m pretty sure you were the reason why he stopped that lap dance.”

Pure joy washed over Kim’s face. “Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure.”

“You’re not just saying this because you know that if I...that if I go to Jack, you will have less competition, are you?”

Julianne chuckled. She, at least, admired the lady’s tactful remark. “No, I’m saying this because Jack is being a stupid man and you’re being shy. You two should really talk.”

“I’m not talking to him, he always annoys me.”

It was Julianne’s turn to be surprised. “You talk to him always?”

“Yeah, every morning in the island, he would join me for a run. And he’s been annoying as hell, so you must understand why I have difficulty believing you.”

Julianne chuckled. The sneaky bastard was having his morning run to be with Kim? All the while she thought he was doing it for fitness’ sake.

“Don’t worry, he’ll come around,” Julianne finally said, looking at Kim with a smile. A plan started to form in her mind.

 *****

“Hey,” she whispered to get his attention. She found him in the kitchen, making a bowl of cereal. Zach looked up with a grin.

“Hey, Jules, glad you came to talk to me. You don’t usually do that.”

“I have a huge favor to ask,” she came near him, her voice low.

“As long as it doesn’t concern sending you home, sure,” he stated carefully.

“First, I want to ask if you like Kim,” she looked at him.

“Of course you know the answer to that,” he looked at her dryly. “I don’t like anyone else other than you. But I don’t like you either because I love you.”

She ignored his last remark and said, “Then help me get Jack Carter alone—”

“No,” his face suddenly turned dark and serious.

Julianne looked at him incredulously. “No what? You haven’t even heard my request yet.”

“If it concerns that guy, I don’t think I can help you.”

“This is for Kim,” she insisted.

He looked at her with a confused look. “What are you talking about?”

Julianne looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was around. “Jack likes her, she likes him.”

“And you want to play cupid?”

“Yeah, sort of,” she shrugged.

“You should think about us first before you go helping others,” he said with a boyish frown.

She glared at him and he sighed.

“Okay, fine. What do you want me to do?”

“Talk to Jack. Think of some ways that the two of them can be alone.”

He was frowning as he thought about her words. Then his eyes looked up at her and they were already glittering playfully.

“I got a better idea,” he winked at her.

 *****

Zach didn’t like Jack Carter. That was already given. But if Julianne was right and Jack was having this big crush on Kim, he could get the guy out of the picture. He had nothing to lose if he could help the director get a new girlfriend. As long as it was not Julianne, of course.

He found the man by the stables, looking at his horses.

“Hey,” he said, walking closer. “No date today?” he asked casually.

“None as far as I know,” Jack Carter answered.

“It was a really wrong call last night, man,” Zach said, feigning annoyance.

Jack frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, you know what I mean,” Zach grinned at him. “Kim was about to give me a lap dance. Who wouldn’t want that?”

Carter’s face turned dark and Zach wanted to jump up and down with joy. So Julianne was right! The guy was really into Kim. Good.

“Why did you call it off anyway?” he asked when Jack did not answer.

“Because I know you didn’t really want that lap dance?” Jack snapped at him.

“And?” Zach prodded.

“And what?”

“And you like her, don’t you?” he gave off a knowing grin.

“Who?”

“You know who I’m talking about, man.”

Jack scoffed. “No, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Kim,” he arched his eyebrow at the director. “Care to tell me about it?”

Jack Carter looked at him for a very long time before the man sighed and shook his head. “Julianne told you.”

“Nah, I guessed it myself,” he lied.

“It’s nothing,” Carter answered.

“Hmmm…” Zach frowned. “That will be a problem then.”

“Why?”

“Because I was planning on taking the girls hiking tomorrow and Kim was adamant on being left behind. I think she will have to come now that you won’t take matters at hand and bore her to death here.”

Jack Carter snapped his head towards him in surprise.

That very moment, Zach knew he was able to succeed.

 *****

“Hey,” Julianne called Kim’s attention later that afternoon. She found the lady in the living room, reading a book.

“Hey,” Kim hid the book behind her and coughed.

“What are you reading?”

Kim’s face flushed. “Nothing,” she said nervously, tucking her long black hair behind one ear.

“Is it my book?” Julianne chided.

And she was surprised when Kim smiled guiltily and nodded.

“Really? You’re reading my book?” she asked in disbelief.

“It’s really great,” Kim said shyly. “Just don’t tell the others,” she added in a whisper.

Julianne made a motion of zipping her lips. “So, anyway, I talked with Jack earlier and he kind of told me he wants to spend more time with you.”

Kim’s eyes glittered and danced with joy. “Really? He said that?”

“Well, not directly, but he agreed to meet you tomorrow for some time alone.”

“But Fatima said we’ll go hiking,” Kim frowned in disappointment, remembering the announcement they got earlier.

Julianne’s shoulders sagged, “Well, that’s a shame.”

A long lingering silence followed as Julianne stared at Kim’s concentrating look. The woman was obviously thinking hard. Slowly, finally, she raised her eyes to Julianne and said slowly, “Well, maybe I’ll be sick tomorrow.”

The two of them chuckled at the wicked idea.

 *****

“So?” she asked Zach, hope in her eyes, later that night.

“He said yes,” he shrugged. “It was easy. How about Kim?”

“She said she’ll be sick tomorrow,” she snorted.

Zach laughed. “Those two better not talk about the talk they had with us.”

Julianne nodded with a laughing grin. “They will hate our guts.”

“But I’m excited for that hiking tomorrow though,” he looked at her straight in the eyes.

“Yeah, me too,” she nodded and looked around. “We better get inside. The ladies will be coming down any moment.”

Zach nodded and started to lead her back inside the house when a honk caught their attention. Frowning, Zach shielded his eyes with his hand as he peered to see the owner of the vehicle coming their way.

“You have visitors?”

“No, but now I think I do,” he said slowly, his heart beginning to hammer for no apparent reason. And then his eyes widened in surprise when he recognized the vehicle. “I’ll be damned!” he exclaimed. Chapter 21

“Who is it?” Julianne asked, curious now. Zach did not answer, she was sure he did not even hear her question. He was gazing, stunned and stupefied, at the four wheel drive that had stopped just a few meters away. “Zach?” she asked once again, her heart beginning to hammer as well for no reason at all.

“Shit,” he murmured. “That bastard…I’m going to kill him!”

Fatima and some of the girls rushed out the door. They must have heard the car from inside. Julianne stepped away from Zach. There would be trouble if she was found with him.

“The bastard…” she heard Zach mutter under his breath again. Finally, the car’s headlights switched off and the man hopped out from the driver’s side. Julianne frowned. Liam?

“Hey, man! Glad to see me?” Liam howled with a grin. His eyes turned to the ladies by the door and he waved his hand, “Hello, ladies!”

No one answered. Aside from Tanya and Julianne, no one else knew who he was.

“What the hell did you do, man?” Zach asked when Liam jogged towards him.

“Nothing,” his friend shrugged. “They wanted to come along, I offered them a ride, and here we are.”

They? Julianne’s eyes flicked back to the vehicle and her heart stopped. What the hell!

A man and a woman were just getting out. She knew them very well. Hell, everybody knew them very well.

The woman, though she was showing the signs of aging, was as fair as…Julie Andrews. She still had that charm few women had when they got older. She was the living embodiment of grace. Julianne saw it in her eyes and her smile when she greeted her son.

“Honey…” Mrs. Astor’s voice said as she went near her son, her husband, looking grumpy and all so powerful, holding her by the elbow.

On the other hand, Mr. Astor was completely different from his wife. He looked strong and well-built for his age, and maybe that was why he gave off an aura that said, ‘Don’t talk while I’m in the room.’ But he sure looked like Zach.

“Mom…” Zach sighed, his eyes shooting daggers at his friend before he turned to the woman with a smile. “Dad…” he nodded at the old version of himself.

“She has been insisting to see you,” Mr. Astor said, disapproval in his voice. He looked around and added, “Why don’t we talk alone?”

“Sure,” Zach nodded his head. “Let me introduce you first to my guests,” then he bent down and planted a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “Glad to see you, mom.”

As he straightened back to his full height, Zach met her gaze for a second. Something in his gaze