The Detective and Her Bachelor

Chapter 52

I gave her a shove, not wanting to cry. "Yeah, yeah. We get it. You're a big shot."

She scoffed, shuddering with repulsion at the idea of being followed by paparazzi due to her growing popularity. "Hardly."

Then we waved goodbye to our home, ready to move forward, together.

THREE WEEKS LATER

I was famous. In the most unfortunate way. Known for all the wrong reasons. My face was everywhere. My name on everyone's lips. My final detective look had sold out in Allie's stores minutes after the live show aired. Fights had broken out online, arguments about Decker versus Andrew after the episode of Decker kissing me was aired. Love triangle teams had formed and couple names were created.

And the joke was on all of them. I hadn't seen Decker or Andrew in weeks. Decker was now on the hunt, chasing a new mystery, and Andrew had continued on with the Reality Dating Show.

What did Andrew think about that kiss I shared with Decker? Was it the final straw? Did he decide to let me go when he saw it?

"Delle! Watch!" Misty shouted as she bolted down the dock and cannon balled into the crystal clear water, her face beaming with joy. We had been tucked away at the cabin for the last week, Misty's school agreeing to an extended time away after paparazzi began to show up at her school.

Misty had wanted a vacation, and Allie had delivered, taking us far away from the chaos that had erupted ever since my Detective Show and the Dating Show had aired.

I stood on the wrap around porch of the cabin we had rented in the mountains, watching Misty jump into the water over and over, squealing with delight as she burst through the surface, teeth chattering from the cold water, hair dripping wet. "DID YOU SEE THAT?!?" she called, the grin never leaving her face.

I smiled, trying to make it seem realistic as I shouted out towards her. "Yes! Biggest splash yet!"

My fingers tugged at the edge of my flannel shirt, feeling another wave of sadness wash over me as the woodsy scent of the trees on the shoreline brushed across my skin, dragging my mind to Andrew. My mind wrapped in a bubble of greenish blue eyes that sparkled when he laughed.

I closed my eyes and let out a slow, steady breath, pushing him away. Don't, Delle.

"Not getting any better?" Allie asked, walking out onto the porch and handing me a cup of coffee. I shrugged, staring out at the water again.

"You don't have to pretend, you know. It's okay to be sad," Allie said into the silence, pushing her long black hair out of her face as she stood next to me, eyes out across the water, nursing her own cup of coffee.

"I'm fine," I said dryly, not wanting to ruin our time together.

But Allie wasn't easily deterred, snorting before taking a loud sip of coffee. "SUUUUUUUREEEE. Totally believable. It's not like you just quit your job, currently have your face plastered all over the internet and after breaking a man's heart and got his grandfather thrown in jail, learned that he may still want you, which made you run away instead of admitting that you may want him—"

"See. Fine," I said sarcastically. "It was just a job, Allie."

"Lies."

"I just need a break from the paparazzi noise—"

"Nope," Allie said over the rim of her cup.

"And after I unplug for a bit, it will be like it never happened—"

"Total denial," she murmured.

I scoffed, my voice rising as I gripped my cup of coffee like a lifeline. "Allie, the show finished shooting two weeks ago! Andrew picked his forever person! And it wasn't me! I wasn't there! It's over! Let it go! It doesn't matter!"