Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“That’s so sweet of you, Kipton. Your parents are both so lovely.”
I sighed. “They’ve given up so much for me, it’s the least I can do. I hope to lift some of the stress they’re under.”
Lincoln put her other hand over my own. “You’re doing an amazing job, even if you hate doing the show.”
“Is it that obvious?” I asked, laughing.
“No,” she replied. “Hunter told me why you were doing it, and that you had huge reservations as well. But I think you’re both doing great, and I have a feeling by doing this show, it will change your life. For the better.”
“I hope so,” I said quietly before I turned my gaze to her computer.
Lincoln pulled up the now-recorded video of Hunter in the Truth Booth. When he appeared on the screen, I ignored the way my heart tripped over itself.
“Today’s date… Lord, where do I begin? I thought it would be fun to go for a ride and show Sarah the ranch. I love this place. It’s in my blood, and someday I hope to be working alongside my brother helping to run it. When Sarah showed zero interest in hearing about it—while attempting to stay on top of her horse—I knew things weren’t going to work between us. I said when I started this journey that I’d be truthful to each of the women, at all times. Some might think it was cruel of me to tell Sarah I felt no connection at the end of the date, but why string her along if I know that’s the truth?”
He looked away for the longest time before he let out a humorless laugh. Turning back to the camera, he said, “I guess it’s on to the next date.” He reached up and swiped the little device in the booth to the left. He exhaled, then stood and walked out of the room before the camera faded to black.
“He looks so tired, and it’s only the beginning of the show,” Lincoln said. “He has…what? Eighteen more girls?”
I nodded.
Lincoln looked at me and grinned. “Should we watch Sarah’s Truth Booth?”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “I think we need to now!”
When Lincoln pulled up Sarah’s, neither one of us thought it would be less than thirty seconds. Sarah sat down, smiled at the camera…then held up her middle finger.
“Fuck you, Hunter Shaw. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on. You probably kiss like a fish and fuck like a—”
Both Lincoln and I gasped as the video abruptly ended, our hands coming up to our mouths at the same time. A promo for the show popped up with a recorded message from me.
“Thank you for watching Swipe Right. Tune in Wednesday for our next date!”
When the video ended, Lincoln and I slowly turned and looked at each other. Screwing up her face, Hunter’s mom asked in a lowered voice, “Is it weird I wanted to know what she was going to say?”
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Five seconds later, we were both laughing hysterically.
Chapter Fourteen
HUNTER
The house was quiet as I sat on the sofa and drank a beer. I was aware of the camera that faced into the living room, and I looked up at it. I hated that it recorded everything, always. The only place I felt any sense of privacy was in my bedroom and bathroom.
I lifted the beer to my lips and took a long pull. The date today had been a joke. I thought about how Kipton picked up Sarah’s lie immediately when the date was revealed. About the horses being ready, indicating they knew what the date would be all along. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Jack about that after I recorded my bit for the Truth Booth. Jack had left before I was finished.
A light knock on my door caused me to look up. What I really wanted to do was ignore it. Instead, I got up and answered.
Dustin, my roping partner and one of my best friends, stood there with a shit-eating grin on his face. “You look like you need to go out. Dude, I came as soon as I saw her—”
I put my hand over his mouth and jerked my head to the camera. He looked up and rolled his eyes, but got the picture.
“You drove here to tell me I need to go out?” I asked, motioning for him to come in.
“I did. I thought maybe we could do some riding this weekend in your uncle Tanner’s arena.”
“That’s a great idea. Good way to get my mind off things. Beer?”
He shook his head. “Nah, I’ll be designated driver tonight. Blue Moose?”
I placed my empty beer bottle on the kitchen counter. “You mind if I see if Rose wants to join us?”
Dustin’s eyes lit up. I knew he liked Rose, but she had already nipped that in the bud a few years back. She liked him as a friend and that was it. “What about Blayze and Ryan?”