Who do you love?

24

With everything that happened in the day before Calum had almost managed to forget that they were set to leave the mansion that evening. Hell, he had pretty much managed to forget everything except Teal Davis the night before.

That morning, however, the idyllic haven he had imagined in the wake of their perfect night together had crashed down around him when he had woken up to an empty bed. He dreaded the thought that this scene seemed awfully familiar. He just hoped his suspicions were wrong and this wasn't Teal practically repeating her actions from the night they had kissed.

He held out hope though, especially when he caught sight of Teal in catering as he headed on to set. At least she isn't hiding away in her condo this time he thought. That had to count for something, right?

"Mind if I join you?" He asked after he had filled a plate. Her head snapped up, her eyes meeting his and he wondered how she hadn't noticed his presence. He had noticed hers as soon as he had entered the space.

"Wh—uh, yeah. Yeah that's fine." She stuttered, moving her bag off the bench and allowing him a space to sit. Anthony, Lorenzo, and Pete—their usual dining crew—were missing and he gestured with his hand around the table silently asking her where everyone was.

"Um...I don't know. I think some of them got called to set today even though it was supposed to be an off day, something about making sure we had enough transition shots before we fly out tonight." She told him.

He nodded and used his fork to pick at his food, a medley of fruits and grains."Are you excited for Bali and Australia? You ever been?"

She was quiet for a moment, avoiding his gaze and trying to work out what to say before she turned her head to look at him. He swallowed forcefully as her hardened eyes stared at him.

"Are we doing this?" She asked him and he dropped his chin a hair trying to understand the meaning behind her words.

"What do you mean?"

"This, the small talk." She shot back.

"I didn't exactly know where we stood as far as public conversations if I'm being frank." He said evenly. "The last time I kissed you, you hid from me for a week. We did a whole lot more than kiss last night so...I don't really know what to do or say."

Teal was the one unsure what to say at that point because he made a fair point.

"Just seems odd is all," She mumbled. "To, ya know, have such great sex and then brush it off." She immediately lifted her glass of water to her lips, diverting her blue eyes away from his brown ones as her cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment, thankful that there was only one other occupied table anywhere near them.

"You thought it was great?" He asked with a smirk and she whipped her head back around to study him.

"You didn't?" She asked, worry evident in her voice.

"I thought it was fucking amazing. I'm just glad to know you thought so too. It's good for my ego." He teased with a smile and she huffed out a laugh.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence then, the same question on the tip of both of their tongues but neither of them brave enough to ask it yet.

Calum swallowed down a bite of an orange and then bit the bullet. "What's this gonna mean for us, though? What are we going to do?"

Her eyes shot down to her hands, ther thumbs fighting each other as she stared at them and he almost wished he could take the question back, he was acutely aware that he was almost definitely about to be upset by her answer.

"I'm not really sure there's anything we can do, Cal. Last night was...amazing. Probably the best night I've ever had." She said and though he wholeheartedly agreed he could sense the 'but' coming. "But, you have a contractual obligation to the show to finish filming and this is my job, we can't just say 'fuck it' and ditch because we discovered we have feelings for each other."

"Why not?" he shrugged.

She gaped at him and he stared back innocently like he hadn't just suggested they blow off the show that everyone around them had been working on for months and filming for six weeks.

"Because the network would lose millions, Calum. We'd...we'd be the star crossed lovers who brought down a television empire. I would never get another day of television work in my life."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" He asked her and she stared at him incredulously.

"Yes, Calum! Are you fucking joking?"

"No, I just—look, it wasn't that long ago you were telling me you wanted to make television that mattered. This isn't that so why do you care if they won't hire you back?" He seemed genuinely confused but her patience for this was wearing thin.

"Those jobs don't just fall out of the sky. You have to pay your dues and work your way up. I'm already not taken seriously by some of the crew because they know my brother got me this job. If I were to top that off with running away with the show's star I'd be the laughing stock of producers everywhere."

Calum sighed and sat his fork down, the metal clinking as it hit the plate. "So... then what do we do?"

"I guess we just play it off. Just act like we have been. It's only a few more weeks, right? Then the reunion in March and you're free of your contract and I can walk away from the show."

"And you'd really be okay with that? Me having to pretend to be interested in these girls for six more weeks? Because it was just last night you told me how much me being with them in front of you hurt, now you're telling me to carry on like this for another month." He raised his eyebrows in question.

"I mean it's definitely not ideal." She told him, rolling her bottom into her mouth. "But I don't think we have another plausible option. We're both better off with no one knowing what's going on here."

"And what exactly is going on here?" He questioned, his eyes apprehensive and nervous, his teeth gently biting his lower lip.

"I—I don't really know." She said, flustered and not quite ready to put all of her feelings on display like that.

"Because I want to be absolutely clear about this, no confusion. I like you, T. I like you more than any woman I've met in years and when all this is over it's you I want to be with." His words were barely whispered, he didn't want anyone to overhear them. "Come here." He said, standing and gesturing for her to follow after him.

He turned the corner and scanned the area, making sure there were no prying eyes or ears before he cupped her cheeks and pulled her into him.

"I get why things have to stay quiet but I just want you to know, you are the only one I want. When this is all over we'll be together. Just hold on to that until this ends." He promised, tilting his chin downwards and capturing her lips with his. A promise of so much more in only a simple kiss.

AN: AHHHHHHH

IT'S HAPPENING

What could possibly go wrong with THAT?

Lol. This ain't y'all's first rodeo. (Unless this is your first book of mine, in which case, buckle up buttercup)

Ily but y'all might not love much longer,

Sav

PS: happy thanksgiving! I'm so thankful for all of my loyal readers who have supported me for so long and my new readers just the same! I love you always!