Page 78 of Rule 2: Never Join a Christmas Dating Show

“There’s a picture?” Sebastian frowns. “Of us? Wait...”

My stomach sinks, and I exchange wide-eyed glances with Sebastian. He is on work mode though. His voice doesn’t tremble. It doesn’t wobble.

I wait as he opens a picture on a phone. He scarcely flinches.

“That’s nothing,” Sebastian says. “The bellboy asked us for a selfie.”

I rise from the bed, but he gestures for me to sit down.

“Selfies involve people squeezing together, Ella. That’s the whole concept. Remember that selfie Ellen did all those years ago with over a dozen people? None of them had rumors about one another. Of course, I’m right. That’s why you called me. This is nothing, I promise. They’re going after Luke because of the two same-sex couples on his team. He is a heterosexual man on a heterosexual dating show.”

Sebastian lies easily and smoothly.

What ever happened between us last night, it was not heterosexual.

“I have to go, Ella,” Sebastian says. “Luke is awake. Yes, I’m taking care of him. He’s the star of our show. I’ll get some video of him today. Mateo can put it on social media.”

I frown. That’s why he stayed? Because he wanted to make some social media posts of me?

I remind myself that’s not true. I know it’s not true. I know the reason he’s here is because I asked him. I insisted Dr. Novak get him. I remember that much from when I woke up yesterday. I remember missing him. I remember being in a doctor’s room and wondering where he was.

I hope he explained that away.

It suddenly occurs to me there can’t be a future between us. Dating show host seduces the TV show’s previously straight Mr. Right and claims him for himself?

I cringe.

“How are you feeling?” Sebastian says, his voice softer.

“Just sore,” I say.

He nods.

I don’t tell him I feel like I’ve been thrust into a tornado’s eye, that I’m spinning, that I don’t know if I can survive. I feel like I’m wrecking everything around me.

Sebastian’s career.

My career.

I worry that I’ll anger Blizzards team management, even though I’ve never even annoyed them before. I worry that I’ll hurt Falcon Productions and the producers I’ve met.

I worry that I’ll hurt the women I’m supposed to be dating. They might all consider it for pretend, but do they want to see speculation that I might be dating the host?

I worry I’ll be traded away from the best friends I have in the world, from Troy and Finn and Noah and Dmitri. Even Axel. Even Vinnie with his sullen glowers to the world. And Evan whom I’m far too intimidated of to consider a friend, but whom I respect on and off the ice.

No, all of that I leave unsaid. I don’t want to upset Sebastian. I don’t want his face to fall and for him to say he should have stopped the kiss before it happened, that he never should have kissed me back, never should have slept in my arms.

Because despite all those things...Sebastian likes me. I’m sure of it. The man I’ve watched for years on any screen I could find.

He likes me.

He feels the same emotions I do. At least somewhat.

I lie back in bed. “It’s going to be a good day.”

“Um, Luke? The bellboy posted a picture of us that’s going viral.”

“That’s too bad.”