The Husband Hunt (a novella) (The Bachelor Series) by Kiki Abbott Page B

the girls were waiting for her to participate in the fashion show. They’d be wondering where the heck she was. She slid into the car and Crane backed out the driveway, with Jaxie still thinking what words she’d use tomorrow to announce she was out of the competition.
                  Crane pulled up to the same azalea bush, told her to keep her chin up, and she smiled at him. “Thanks. For listening.” Exiting the car, she ducked into the darkness of the property’s foliage to sneak back into the house. It wasn’t until bedtime, when Jaxie slipped between the white sheets of her reality show bed that she realized Crane had said he wasn’t married. Her eyes flew open and her heart skipped several beats. What had he said exactly? That he didn’t have a wife anymore and he was parenting alone. Either the mother of his children deserted them or she died. And Crane had kissed her as they stood in the driveway to Liam’s house. How could she not have remembered that? It had been in the midst of her confession and right afterwards she’d been concerned about looking all puffy-eyed walking back into the house, instead of being concerned that Crane kissed her.
                  As she lay in her bed trying to remember the kiss, Jaxie realized Crane must like her a lot to jeopardize his position with the show by kissing her. She was sure that she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
                                                                               *  *  *  *
     
                  “Good Evening Ladies, Liam,” Crane stood at the front of the room where everyone had been assembled. “Liam, as you know, one of these lovely ladies has to leave tonight and it’s time to make your decision.”
                  Jaxie thought she saw a flicker of amusement in Crane’s eyes as he spoke. This was the moment she would stand up and ask to speak to the show’s host in private but Crane turned quickly and exited the room. Jaxie rose from her seat on the couch and followed Crane out of the room to the hall. She could hear the murmurs behind her. The other girls would be wondering where she thought she was going. Just as she reached the hall that separated the living room from the vestibule, she called his name. “Crane.” He turned around. A cameraman followed her and swung around in front to film her face. “I mean David, can I talk to you?”
                  Several more cameras joined in to film, not wanting to miss whatever was about to happen. Even though they stayed far enough away to allow the conversation to feel private, both knew they were wired for sound and cameras were pointed at their faces.
                  Jaxie moved in. She wore a silver jumpsuit that Phillip had made and insisted she showoff before she left the show. “You look smoking hot,” he’d said with the fashion confidence of someone who’d spent their career dressing women. If ever she was going to get Hollywood offers for a cooking show, the silver jumpsuit was bound to help.
                  Crane looked at her like he had no idea what she’d say to him privately with the cameras rolling in a semi circle around them. Good acting .
                  “I want to leave the show. I can’t stay.” She shook her head, not sure how much to say on camera. Three crew members rushed in, hovering near her words.
                  “Get Liam,” someone whispered just loud enough for them to hear.
                  Jaxie looked around at the other staff members. “I’m sorry,” she said, but obviously this was good stuff because several of them had smiles and twinkling eyes as they scurried around to get every moment, every shot for the show.
                  “Are you sure about this, Jaxie? We’re going to bring Liam in here and there’ll be no