Fever Dream (Emerald Lake, #1)(91)

I drop my eyes and groan out a pained chuckle because she’s on to me, and there’s no point in denying it. Plus, she doesn’t seem all that upset by the development.

“Sorry,” I say lamely. But I’m not sure what to say to a girl who spent weeks living on my family farm, doing daily activities, all to have me possibly fall in love with her—or at least choose her as the winner.

Catherine smiles. “Don’t be. It’s been… kind of a privilege to watch this whole thing develop. I spotted it early on and thought to myself, how unique to be on a show where we’re all looking for love, and there you are, finding it where you least expect it. That’s just how the world works, isn’t it?”

I stare at her dumbstruck. There’s a thoughtful, tenderhearted vibe about the woman, and I find myself flattered that she’s noticed the connection between Julia and me for so long.

It strikes me that maybe Catherine noticed before either of us did.

“Well”—I dust off my hands—“I don’t know what to say other than that I very much appreciate your mature approach to my being a fucking mess.”

She throws her head back and lets out a hearty laugh before dusting a bug off my shoulder, which I’m sure the cameras will twist into something far more than it is.

“Happy to be of assistance. Now, should we try these things out?” she says, tugging at her harness.

“For sure,” I reply, trying not to be distracted by Richard ranting and raving behind me.

“You’re done. Fired! We just missed that whole conversation thanks to your incompetence. Get the fuck off my set!”

My jaw ticks as I turn to glare at the man. But he doesn’t see me, instead he’s shouting at the drone operators to get close enough to capture audio.

The entire crew has resorted to keeping their eyes downcast, focusing on their tasks and trying to escape his scrutiny. Julia too. Which only makes me want to go check on her.

But I don’t. Instead, I focus on the person who has arrived to do our safety checks. And when all of that is set, we begin.

We glide from platform to platform. The crew relies mostly on drone footage and tactfully placed cameras. Mountain vistas stretch out below us, and gently burbling creeks spill over dark moss-covered rocks, the stream of water disappearing between thick sections of Ponderosa pines.

We hit the first platform before the drone catches up. I can hear Richard blowing another gasket, but Catherine doesn’t spare him any attention. Instead, she turns to me and whispers, “If you need help with Richard or getting in and out of your house or anything like that, just let me know. If I can’t find my own love story, I want to be able to tell my kids one day that I played a part in making a real one happen.”

I don’t know what I was expecting her to say after we launched across a deep valley with the wind in our hair, but it wasn’t this.

“Are you serious right now?” I can’t tell if she’s fucking with me. “This just seems… I don’t know. I’m suspicious after all the drama that’s unfolded with the other women. I—”

“Listen, Emmett, I came here because I had the time, because I was single. And because sitting in my house recording a true crime podcast with only a few weekly listeners was fucking depressing. I figured I had nothing to lose, and I don’t. And helping two people who do have something to lose make it work, well, that takes nothing away from me. If anything, it would bring me great joy to stick it to Dick Wad and Evelyn.”

My eyes bug out because that might be the meanest thing I’ve ever heard this woman say.

She only proves me right when she clarifies, “Stick it to them in a subtle and mature way, of course.”

The hum of the drone draws near and I catch sight of it speeding toward us. Part of me wants to laugh because this entire exchange is so absurd, but the other part is touched by her offer.

Plus, she seems to agree that Richard’s true and rightful name is Dick Wad, which automatically means we are on the same team.

Without a second thought, I reach forward and shake her hand. “Deal,” I say.

“Deal,” she responds.

“What did they say? Please tell me someone got whatever they were shaking on? None of you can do your jobs at all?” Richard’s seething voice echoes across the canyon and this time all it does is make me smile.

A smile that carries me through the rest of the date.





CHAPTER 36


Julia


“OKAY, SO YOU’RE going to sneak around the back, and I’m going to distract Emmett and the cameras at the front.”

I nod at Catherine, trying not to giggle at how excited the woman looks. She literally claps as she bounces on her feet. Me? I’m feeling a little sick about it. But Emmett and I both agreed that it would look strange if he left his house and didn’t come back every single night.

Which is what we have been doing all week. So we’re flying over the radar in order to fly under the radar—or something like that.

“I feel like I’m pulling off a heist! This is so romantic.”

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” I mutter, walking beside the taller woman as we head toward my car.

“No way.” She bumps her shoulder against mine with an unexpected level of camaraderie. “This is fun. Someone here might as well fall in love, and it sure isn’t going to be me.”