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

took the last remaining white rose on the table. For suspense, he looked at each woman. And then he looked at Julianne who appeared to be ready to leave.

He smiled, took a deep breath, and said, “Julianne.” Chapter 4

Julianne did not hear him at all. She was so focused on leaving and she was confused when the other ladies standing with her turned around to look at her with their fake smiles, all for the camera of course. She raised her eyebrows and then her eyes went to Zach standing in front, holding a white rose, grinning at her wickedly.

“What—”

“Go on girl, get your ass up there,” one lady slightly pushed her.

“What—”

“Julianne,” Zach was looking at her with an expectant look, holding the rose out.

She could say no.

Yes, she could do that.

But then she remembered the contract she signed with Jack Carter.

She couldn’t say no unless the Bachelor chose not to pick her. Her eyes went to Jack Carter at the corner of the room and the guy appeared to be shocked as well. And when he saw her looking at him, he grinned, lifted his hands with palms upward and shrugged.

She could remember his words very well: I know getting out will be easy for you and it’s like I’m giving out the position you want so easily so I think it will be best if I include that in the contract, he had said when she questioned him why they took her right not to accept the rose. She thought nothing of it back then, certain that she would not get picked.

But the devil standing before her holding a stupid white rose seemed to find it funny to have her around.

She glared at him, snatched the rose from his hand, and without as much as a grateful remark stormed towards the rest of the ladies who did get a rose. And when the camera focused on Brent once again as he entered the scene, she slipped away and entered a corridor, not really knowing where she was leading. She was too furious and too angry to care if she ever went missing.

“Where are you going?” Fatima said behind her.

“Leave me alone for a while, please,” she whispered. “How did you find me anyway?”

“It’s my job to make sure everything’s in place and you are not where you are supposed to be. So please, let’s go back.”

“Tell them I’m not feeling well,” she said. “I have a very intense headache right now,” she faced the woman. “Where’s my bedroom?” she asked.

“You’ll be sharing it with one of the ladies,” Fatima told her after a long time of looking at her. “Let’s go this way. You want me to call the doctor?”

“You have a doctor?”

“Just in case something goes wrong. Precautionary measures since we’re on an island.”

“No, I think a rest will make me feel better, thank you,” she lied.

Fatima led her to the end of the hall and up the big staircase. There were at least seven rooms up there and Fatima took her to the last one at the end of the hall, their steps clicking on the wooden floors. “This is your room. Your bags are in there, I think.”

“Thanks,” she murmured and went inside. It was not that big, but it was good enough for her. There were two single beds and a large window that overlooked the sea. The sea she was supposed to be on any minute now to go home.

“Do you need anything?”

She was startled to learn that Fatima was still there. “No, you may leave. Thanks again,” she smiled and sat on the bed near the window.

Fatima nodded and hastily went back to her work downstairs. Julianne stood up and paced around the room, still holding the rose in her hand.

“The bastard,” she murmured angrily. “He promised me!” She hurled it across the room where it landed on the wooden floor with one petal breaking away.

No, he didn’t.

“It was close to a promise!”

No, it was not.

“Arggh!” she cried out in frustration. She wanted to break something.

She could hear laughter ringing out downstairs. I’m in hell, she thought.

It’s your fault. If you didn’t sign that stupid contract, you won’t be here. If…

If…

It was too late for what if’s. She already doomed herself for another few days. She should have known Zachary Astor was lying. She should have known…

But why did he pick her anyway?

To annoy you, of course.

To make fun?

That must be it.

Julianne grumbled on and on for another five minutes until she finally decided what to do.

 *****

Zachary did not question why Julianne did not join them during dinner or why she suddenly disappeared after receiving his rose. He already knew the answer to that.

He grinned, already imagining her beautiful face crunching with anger.

She’ll get over it, he thought. What could be so important that she has to go to tomorrow than being in the show?

For the moment, he enjoyed the company of the other girls who were just so happy to have gotten a rose. They won’t be too happy in the end, he said to himself.

 *****

There were a lot of things not being shared on television, things that would not be too pleasing for the eyes of those who were not on the show and who were watching in their couches or their beds. No, no dirty stuff yet, but close to that.

After dinner, Zach decided to take a little swim in the ocean with some other ladies that were courageous enough—or desperate enough—to impress him and the raging cold waters. Good thing about the dark skies and water? No one would really know—even the cameras—what was going on underneath the gentle, splashing waves.

Hey, he was a man and a man would not pass up the chance to have a little touching game with beautiful and awesome bodies.

“I had a chance to dance with you once, you know,” Chloe purred, her arms around his neck, the water splashing their bodies.

“Yeah?” he raised his eyebrows. He couldn’t remember.

“Yeah, at a bar. But that was a long time ago,” she waved off.

“Hmm, wonder why I can’t remember. I would definitely remember you,” he said, going along with her story.

“Well, yes, but I was with someone else back then,” she said.

Under the water, Zach’s hands were too busy that he couldn’t think of an answer.

“Just want to let you know though that I’m really glad you picked me first tonight,” she giggled.

In the darkness, Zach cringed. He didn’t like women who giggle. Never liked it.

“Hey, we’re freezing out here, Zach!” Amanda shouted not too far away.

Zach laughed and leaned closer to whisper into Chloe’s ear. “I guess we’ll have to postpone this little thing we have going on. The other ladies might not like it,” he winked at her and pushed away. As he did so, was sure he heard her moan in protest. He ignored it and swam his way towards the other ladies.

It was much, much later, when all the cameras were out and left them free for a while, that Zach finally decided to go to his own cabin, just near the one the ladies were staying at to have a rest. There were a lot of protests coming from them when he playfully ran away, leaving them—in their bikinis—cold in the ocean.

He intentionally chose to be separated from the girls and it was a good thing a little cabin was built by his father a long time ago. They used it for themselves when they had guests coming over and if they wanted no part of the clamor. And now, he was using it to have a little separation from the noise called ladies.

After taking a warm shower, he wrapped a white towel around his hips, turned on the television, and made a drink for himself.

Brent had told him the only live thing they broadcasted was the rose ceremony and that there would be a replay tonight and he would want to see it for a little tiny reason: Julianne.

He wanted to see her face once more when she heard her name called out. He was grinning stupidly when his door suddenly burst open and there, standing, framed in the doorway, was the angry tiger with her amazing brown waves blown by the ocean wind, looking at him like he was the worst person in the world.

“Jules!” his smile died down a little bit. And funny, he felt a little nervous just then—and conscious? Given that he was half naked, and that there was a woman in the room, any guy was entitled to feel that. But he—Zachary Astor—was not supposed to feel that way. But with Julianne present, he felt it for the first time. One reason was that she didn’t look like she cared he was only clothed with a piece of towel around his hips. The other reason was that she looked so darn beautiful—even when angry—and he would love to jump right at her.

He decided against that last part because he was sure she would kill him if he ever did that.

“You lied to me,” she said through clenched teeth. “You told me you’d let me go home!”

Okay, it was time to defend himself. “No, I didn’t. And if I said so, you shouldn’t have accepted the rose then if you are too eager to leave, right?”

“That’s because I can’t!” she shouted, closing her eyes in the process. God, he really hated her glasses. He couldn’t point out for certain how long her lashes were with those thick rims.

“What do you mean? I don’t really get it. I know you ladies can decline a rose. I read it in the contract.” He looked confused now.

“I signed a different contract, you moron. Do you really think I spent my useless hours lining up to be here? No, I was aiming for a job!”

Uh, this was really going on a route beyond his understanding. “What? I don’t really understand.”

“Forget it,” she cried, closing her eyes, her hands on her hips. She breathed deeply, and then let it out. Her brown eyes opened with the same fire in them—not the fire he wanted to see though. “Why did you give me a rose? Were you trying to be funny or provocative?”

Zach knew his answer should be safe if he wanted to tame the woman down. “No, I wasn’t. I actually, honestly like you.”

She scoffed loudly. “You like me. Well, get this,” she walked towards him and he took a step back. Why did he take a step back? He should have met her halfway. “I don’t like to be here and I very well don’t accept that you like me and I will never get to like you if that is your goal here!”

If he was not seeing her face right now, and if she was someone else, he would immediately think she just said that to challenge him and to make him want her even more. But it was the first time—the first time—that he honestly learned and believed that there was still a woman alive—apart from those he left crying—who didn’t like him at all. It was clear on the look on her face, on her pursed lips and her fired-up eyes.

He was speechless. “You don’t like me?”

“What a stupid question,” she said