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“Are you sure the company is legit? Who has interviews at night?”

She shrugged. “I’m going on a tour and meeting with the owner, Victor Crawford. He said he spends most of the day in the studio with musicians, so the only time he can meet is later in the evening. This is New York City, not po-dunk Grimm County. That’s how successful people do things.”

“So you would really leave me like that? You’re going to abandon me? Leave me to do it alone? Like Ginger?” He didn’t give a shit about her skipping out on the final arraignment. Hell, he’d skip it too if he could. But leaving Grimm without him? Permanently?

Jeannie’s head reared back. “I know you did not compare me to your crackwhore of a mother.”

Al raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t an unfair comparison. He’d loved both women. And both women had left him.

“After everything I’ve done for you? After everything I’ve given … You know what? Kiss my ass, Aloysius. You don’t have to worry about losing me to this other company, because I quit. You hear me? I quit. Not because I have another job offer. But because I. Quit. You.” She turned, her ponytail whipping in the wind.

Al buried his face in his hands. He fought the urge to call out to her, to beg her forgiveness, to beg her to stay. She told him from the beginning that she didn’t want morefrom him, and he had to accept that. Besides, there were two women fighting for him right now, both eager to get a proposal and spend their lives with him. He’d be damned if he spent another second chasing after someone who didn’t want him.

He slowly lowered his hands, ready to find his ride and get out of there. As he looked up, he found the shocked face of Diane, standing there with her camera. She’d recorded everything. Of course she had.

Chapter 35

Ablack SUV with the letters NYPD splayed across the side pulled up to the set. Al watched as a uniformed officer stepped out of the driver’s side and opened the back door. Iona stepped out, looking elegant in a silver sequined dress, like she was ready for the front page of a magazine.

This was it, the final elimination. He’d been unsure of a lot of things with this dating show fiasco, but of this choice, he was certain. Iona was a sexy, confident, strong woman, but there was something about her he couldn’t get past. It was one thing to be snarky. He liked snarky. Jeannie was snarky and he loved that about her.Likedthat about her.But Jeannie’s snark came with rolled eyes and a playful grin. Iona was just mean.

She stood in front of him, and he reached out to hold both of her hands in his. “Iona, I feel privileged to have gotten to know you over the last few weeks. I don’t think our paths would have crossed otherwise, and I’ll be forever grateful to this show for introducing us.” All lies, big fat lies. He’d gone back to memorizing them though, after being caught reading them by Jazz. At this rate, he was going to owe Marina a month of free drinks.

Iona smiled, her teeth bright enough to rival Shane’s.Shit.She must think she’s going to be picked. Things were about to get awkward.

“However,” he began, and her smile faded, “I have stronger feelings for someone else. While there was a lot of evidence of our attraction, there wasn’t enough for me to move forward. Our case for love has been dismissed.”

Iona jerked her hands from his and stared at him in silence.

Al looked around, hoping one of the crew members would step in. Lindsey looked almost gleeful, rubbing her hands together as she stared at the video feed on her laptop.

“Um, so I guess this is goodbye.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” she finally said, hands on her hips.

“Oh. Um, no, I’m serious.”

“You’re picking that mousy, cheap lawyer over all this?” She waved a hand over her body.

“This is about you and me.” Al tried to deflect her anger.

“You and me? Since when has it been about you and me?” She motioned to the crew surrounding them. “It’s been you,me, and the twenty cast and crew of this bullshit TV show.” She shook her head. “You’re going to be sorry.”

“Oh, I think I’ll be—”

“I have a mouth like a fucking hoover.”

Al’s eyes widened.

“If you’d have just let me show you, but now you’ll never know. And trust me, that homey bitch doesn’t have the skills I have. Fuck it. I’m glad you didn’t pick me. You are a fucking joke. A goddamn himbo. You say you’re a deputy, but what kind of cop models underwear and posts selfies all day? You’re fake, the show is fake, and I bet that bulge in your pants is fake.”

She flipped her hair and stalked back to the SUV. Al blinked, shaking his head. As far as breakups went, that was probably the worst. Worse even than Betty Silverstone. He chuckled, remembering how she’d egged his side of the duplex and painted dicks all over his car.

He turned to find Jeannie, so they could reminisce, only to remember she was gone. She was at that interview for a new job away from Grimm County, away from him. His heart clenched and he took a deep breath. Would he ever stop seeking her out to share life’s moments?

***

“Marina, I need some advice.” Al turned away from the cameras for privacy. It was ten o’clock at night. There’d been a massive fire a few blocks over that had delayed filming by hours. All the sirens and low-flying news helicopters were incompatible with an intimate garden setting, according to Lindsey.