“So you were able to get the fire going? That’s great. I’m really happy for you guys.”
“It probably doesn’t beat donuts, but one step at a time.”
I flushed uncomfortably. “We looked like real ass**les eating those, didn’t we?”
“Not at all,” he said. “I would have done the same thing in your shoes.”
“I doubt that,” I said. “You’re too nice.”
His mouth twisted into a half smile. “So everyone tells me.”
Huh. It seemed like Jendan didn’t care to be referred to as a nice guy. Still…he was. He was one of the nicest I’d ever met. “Was that the wrong thing to say?”
“Nah. Just seem to be stuck with a case of ‘nice guys finish last’ lately.”
“Oh. Did you finish last on your other show?”
“House Guests? Came in second, actually.” His smile turned rueful. “First loser.”
“Ouch.”
“Tell me about it. I lost to a guy that played dirty. I guess that’s the kind of game play people respect.”
“Seems like it.” I studied him. He was handsome, but more than that, I liked his face. I liked the way the edges of his eyes crinkled just a bit when he smiled, because it told me he smiled often. So he wasn’t a ‘bad boy.’ Kip was, and look where he’d gotten me. “So are you going to try and play rough this time so you can take home the money?”
“I thought so, but now I’m a few days in and…” he shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s in me to backstab and be a jerk just to get ahead a few spots.”
He sounded like me…except I was still vowing to get ahead those spots. “Yeah, but if it gets you to first place?”
“What’s better, my self-respect or a million dollars?”
“The only person that would say that is someone that already has money.”
He laughed. “Good point.”
That made me curious. “What do you do for a living?”
Jendan ran a hand through his hair. “I probably shouldn’t say.”
“I’ll say if you say.” When he still hesitated, I offered my information anyhow. “I’m a waitress.”
“Isn’t that what everyone says when they’re lying about what they do? Waitress or construction worker?”
His grin was teasing, but I felt a burst of shame. “Well, I was going to college, but I dropped out. Not that that makes things any better.”
The grin faded. “Oh, you were serious?”
My shame deepened. “Sorry if I don’t have some super fancy job. I’ll just go.”
“No, hey, wait—” he grabbed my arm. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be an ass. I just thought you were joking.”
“Waitressing is very respectable,” I said in a hurt tone, not looking at him. “And I really should be getting back to camp.”
“Don’t go,” he said softly. “Please.”
It was that ‘please’ that made me stop. I looked over at him. “I really am a waitress, you know. There’s nothing wrong with it.”
“I know. I came off as an ass. I’m sorry.” Those gray eyes pulled at me. “I’m a stunt man.”
I blinked. “Like, the guy they set on fire in the movies?”
His mouth twitched. “I mostly jump out of speeding cars and the occasional building, but yes.”
“Oh wow,” I breathed, imagining that. Then I gave him a curious look. “What the hell are you doing on a reality TV show?”
“Well, for one, I’m not loaded. I’m comfortable, but not loaded. And I tore my MCL last year, which limits the work I can do.” He shrugged. “It’s not a long-term career, you know? So I’d kind of like to open my own martial arts school. Have something else to do when I’m too hurt to do much else.”
“Back-up plans are important. I should have had one for when I dropped out of college.”
“How come you dropped out?”
“Um. Because of how the game turned out last year.”
“How did the game turn out?”
He looked at me, genuinely curious, and I suddenly realized he hadn’t seen the show. Well, damn. I pursed my lips, trying to think of how to explain. Then I remembered the whole ‘lousy lay’ thing and supposed it didn’t matter. “So last year, I had a crush on Kip and he strung me along to get my vote. The TV show edited it to make it seem like I was a bit of a ho.” I crossed my arms over my br**sts, feeling a little vulnerable.
Wasn’t hard to do, given the fact that I was standing in front of a hot na**d guy, totally na**d myself.
For a moment, Jendan looked…angry. “They did what?”
“They, um, edited it badly.” I mean, sure, I’d chased Kip, but we’d done nothing but kiss on the island. I didn’t think that was worth the slut shaming I’d gotten. “After that, I got harassed by some people online and at school and I just thought it would be easier to disappear for a while.”
“So why are you on the show again?” His frown had become fierce, his body language angry.
Well, now I felt stupid. “I guess I don’t learn from my mistakes?”
“Annabelle,” he said, reaching for me. Then he pulled back, as if self-conscious of my nudity. “I’m not judging you. I just don’t like that they’re using you like this and then deliberately setting you up for round two. That’s not fair to you. You’re more than just a storyline, and they can’t wreck your life just because it makes good TV.”
I knew what he was saying was the truth. But I was already here, and trapped with Kip, so it was just pouring salt into a wound at this point. “Preaching it to the choir. But I plan on turning things around this time. I want to show people a different side of Annabelle Tucker. I’m playing different this time. More cutthroat. Less naive.” Hopefully. “And zero island romances.”
Silence fell between us, and I thought of the charged emotions that had been running electrically through my body the moment I came into his presence. So much for that. Now Jendan was going to lose interest, like every other guy that wanted nothing but a quick hook-up.
But he only shrugged. “Sounds like a good plan to me, as long as it allows friendship.”
“It does,” I said lightly, feeling relieved. That was unexpected. “Still need me to help you make fire?”