house, knowing she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone that she’d be the next to leave the show.
* * * *
In the next few days, Jaxie felt a lightness of spirit she hadn’t had in months. For whatever reason, she did not miss Brent anymore. She didn’t care if Liam asked her out on a group date or a one on one, and it was much easier to really get to know the girls in the house, knowing she was out of the running. Even Crane looked happier and joked with her around the house. On the night before the cocktail party, while a group was out on a date, Crane took her aside and asked if she had a few moments to work out the logistics of how she’d leave the show. He’d pick her up in the driveway if she could slip away.
Jaxie tried to sneak out the patio door from her bedroom that led to the pool and was almost home free when one of the girls noticed her exodus. “Jaxie, we’re going to do a funny fashion show upstairs in a few minutes. Where are you going?”
“I’ll be there in a few. I just need some alone time,” she lied.
Walking to the far side of the property, she heard a car pull up in the driveway. This had been their plan. Jaxie was able to quietly open the passenger door which was beside an azalea bush and slip into the front seat. Crane waited in the driver’s seat, and as soon as she closed the door, they took off down the driveway to the other house, down the road which was empty until Liam returned from his date.
“This feels so naughty, sneaking off like this,” she said, and looked over at him, realizing that their seats were very close. Under different circumstances she might have touched his cheek, put her hand on his thigh.
“It’s better if no one knows you’re going to leave tomorrow so I haven’t told the other staff.” They pulled into the driveway of a modern house perched on the edge of a hill overlooking a vast valley. Crane killed the car lights and they sat in the closeness of the dark car. “This is where the Bachelors stay. We can go in, if you like,” he said.
Jaxie didn’t care if they went in. She hadn’t realized it was such a secret amongst the crew but honored what Crane thought was best. “We can talk here. How do you recommend I do this?” She swiveled to face him and he turned too, rubbing his chin in thought.
“I think you need to go to the cocktail party as if nothing is wrong. When I enter the room to tell Liam to take some time to consider his choice, you can ask to speak to me. We’ll leave the room together, you can say that you are bowing out, you know that Liam is just keeping you here but that you don’t want to take up a spot for one of the girls who is in the competition to find a husband when you know that you and Liam only feel friendship. That sort of thing.”
Jaxie nodded.
“Don’t mention that you are going home to reconcile with your football player boyfriend,” he added.
“What?” Jaxie was confused.
“Don’t say that on camera.” He looked away.
“But it’s not true.”
“Well, whatever you meant. You said when you kissed Liam, you thought of Brent. I assumed that’s why you are leaving the show.”
“No.” She was horrified at the thought.
“Okay, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I guess it sounded like that. I’m leaving for the reasons we talked about the other day. Not for Brent. Thank God. During my time here I realized that I called it wrong with Brent. We’re not a good match, and he was right about that.” Jaxie didn’t want him to think she
* * * *
In the next few days, Jaxie felt a lightness of spirit she hadn’t had in months. For whatever reason, she did not miss Brent anymore. She didn’t care if Liam asked her out on a group date or a one on one, and it was much easier to really get to know the girls in the house, knowing she was out of the running. Even Crane looked happier and joked with her around the house. On the night before the cocktail party, while a group was out on a date, Crane took her aside and asked if she had a few moments to work out the logistics of how she’d leave the show. He’d pick her up in the driveway if she could slip away.
Jaxie tried to sneak out the patio door from her bedroom that led to the pool and was almost home free when one of the girls noticed her exodus. “Jaxie, we’re going to do a funny fashion show upstairs in a few minutes. Where are you going?”
“I’ll be there in a few. I just need some alone time,” she lied.
Walking to the far side of the property, she heard a car pull up in the driveway. This had been their plan. Jaxie was able to quietly open the passenger door which was beside an azalea bush and slip into the front seat. Crane waited in the driver’s seat, and as soon as she closed the door, they took off down the driveway to the other house, down the road which was empty until Liam returned from his date.
“This feels so naughty, sneaking off like this,” she said, and looked over at him, realizing that their seats were very close. Under different circumstances she might have touched his cheek, put her hand on his thigh.
“It’s better if no one knows you’re going to leave tomorrow so I haven’t told the other staff.” They pulled into the driveway of a modern house perched on the edge of a hill overlooking a vast valley. Crane killed the car lights and they sat in the closeness of the dark car. “This is where the Bachelors stay. We can go in, if you like,” he said.
Jaxie didn’t care if they went in. She hadn’t realized it was such a secret amongst the crew but honored what Crane thought was best. “We can talk here. How do you recommend I do this?” She swiveled to face him and he turned too, rubbing his chin in thought.
“I think you need to go to the cocktail party as if nothing is wrong. When I enter the room to tell Liam to take some time to consider his choice, you can ask to speak to me. We’ll leave the room together, you can say that you are bowing out, you know that Liam is just keeping you here but that you don’t want to take up a spot for one of the girls who is in the competition to find a husband when you know that you and Liam only feel friendship. That sort of thing.”
Jaxie nodded.
“Don’t mention that you are going home to reconcile with your football player boyfriend,” he added.
“What?” Jaxie was confused.
“Don’t say that on camera.” He looked away.
“But it’s not true.”
“Well, whatever you meant. You said when you kissed Liam, you thought of Brent. I assumed that’s why you are leaving the show.”
“No.” She was horrified at the thought.
“Okay, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I guess it sounded like that. I’m leaving for the reasons we talked about the other day. Not for Brent. Thank God. During my time here I realized that I called it wrong with Brent. We’re not a good match, and he was right about that.” Jaxie didn’t want him to think she
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