Kiss and Confess (Love Unscripted Book 1) Read Free Page A

it,” Burt barked.
    “He’s such a teddy bear,” Jen said.
    People on the show called the director Curt Burt behind his back, which was one of the more polite nicknames for him. The guy wasn’t known for his warm and fuzzy side.
    Jen consulted her clipboard. “Expert interviews first. Contestants directly after.”
    Luke’s fingers went cold in the warm sun. “Yeah, contestants. About that…”
    Jen looked up. “What’s up?”
    “Any chance you’d switch with me? I produce your couple and you produce mine?” He tried to keep his voice casual, offhand, as though the request wasn’t anything significant, but knew he’d failed when he saw curiosity spark in Jen’s eyes. She had just opened her mouth to respond when Tasha Winter, the third member of their producing team, walked up to insert herself into the conversation.
    “You want to switch? Why?” Tasha demanded. She looked at Jen. “Something’s up.”
    Luke stifled a groan. He looked from one woman to the other, trying to decide how much he had to reveal.
    Tasha removed any doubt. “Talk,” she ordered. “You picked the woman up from the airport. Is she a demanding bitch, is that it?”
    Luke’s stomach clenched. Couldn’t be further from the truth. “No.” His answer was terse.
    “Is it something else?” Jen asked, laying a hand on his arm. “Come on, you can tell us.”
    This wasn’t going well. “Thought I’d like to try something different. More challenging. Maybe I take the gay couple. They’re guys. I’m a guy. Could get a good story out of them.”
    “What, if they have a bro to talk to?” Tasha asked drily. “The gays are mine. Jonathan said so. Don’t you go trying to take them.”
    J. Jonathan Sims was the executive producer of the show, their boss. Mostly, he stayed out of the way, but when he made an assignment, it didn’t get questioned. Jonathan fired more people than he hired.
    Luke turned to Jen. “Your couple, then. The athletes. I run. I could go with them. Make sure we don’t miss anything.” He rubbed his upper arms, hating the desperation he heard creeping into his voice.
    “Oh, sweetie, why would you think I couldn’t do that, too?” Jen, who teetered on the plump side and favored morning donuts over treadmills, smiled up at him, but he could see her gritting her teeth.
    “You can. Of course.” Giving up, he jammed his hands into his pockets. He never should have said anything. Bad move. These two could sniff out a cover story like bloodhounds. “Forget it. Just an idea.”
    Tasha tapped a finger to her chin. “Just an idea,” she repeated slowly. “Do you believe that, Jen?”
    “I do not, Tasha.”
    “So give it up.” Tasha’s fingers beckoned him impatiently. “Tell us what’s wrong with the two you’ve got.”
    “Hey,” Burt shouted from the door of the house. “People. Let’s go.”
    “You heard him,” Luke said to his colleagues.
    When he started for the door, Tasha put a hand out to stop him. “Come on, why do you want to switch couples? Now that I think about it, you volunteered to pick that woman up at the airport. Gotta be a good reason for you to haul your ass out there on a Sunday.”
    He exhaled. “It’s not a big deal. I just used to know her.”
    “Used to know her or used to date her?” Jen asked.
    “It was a long time ago. Way, way in the past.” He made a vague sort of gesture.
    Jen and Tasha exchanged looks.
    “Used to date her,” Luke conceded. Which didn’t exactly cover it. He’d dated a lot of women. Charley was in a category all by herself.
    “Interesting,” Tasha said.
    Irritation pricked at Luke. He gave Tasha a hard smile. “Forget I said anything.”
    “Not likely,” Jen said to Tasha.
    “Not likely at all,” Tasha agreed. “But I like the turn this is taking. It’ll be great to have you as producer for your old girlfriend and her new love.”
    “Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Jen said cheerfully.
    Luke began striding