Bailey rolled her eyes. “He’s not my type.” Even if the memory of him holding her, his scent of musk and manliness, had caused her to inhale a little deeper than was decent. She really hoped the cameras hadn’t picked up on that.
“And what exactly is your type? You’re not still pining over Mark, are you?”
She sighed. Mark Drummond had been everything she’d thought handsome, with his chiseled good looks, lean build, and floppy brown hair. Some had said he was beautiful, and his accent had certainly been. And while he could dance like an angel, his personal life wasn’t quite the same, and while she didn’t like to judge, a Christian girl had to have standards about the man she might wish to have as a romantic partner. Even if she couldn’t always be so choosy about partners in the world of dance.
“You still like him?” Poppy crinkled her nose.
“No. Not like that.”
“Luc is a Christian, at least.”
“Is he?”
“Oh my gosh, Bailey. He and Franklin are in the same online Bible study group. You know, along with people like Mike Vaughan, and Ryan Guillemette, and Chris Thomas.”
She frowned. Those names were vaguely familiar…
“Please tell me you know who those guys are.”
“Look, I’m sorry, but I’ve been so busy that I seriously can’t put a face to those names. Although I might’ve talked to some of them yesterday.”
“What? And you didn’t tell me?”
“There’s been a lot going on.”
“As soon as Franklin gets back from his honeymoon, I’m going to get him to call you and fill you in on everything you need to know about Luc.”
“Please don’t. I’m getting the feeling that everyone is trying to ship us, or something, and I don’t need that kind of pressure in my life.”
Poppy stared at her. “Maybe you do.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if he’s really as bad at dancing as you think he is, maybe giving the public something to wonder about would be a good reason for them to keep you two around.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so tired I’m not following.”
Poppy smiled. “Look, if the audience are supposed to vote for you, and people think you and Luc are an item, then they’ll want to see what’s going to happen. You see it all the time with the couples who have chemistry. People always wonder if they’re a thing—”
“But we’re not. We have contracts that forbid it.”
“But the audience don’t know that. And they’ll be wanting you two to be a thing. You’re so cute and pretty, and he’s so big and tough-looking, they’ll think it’s classic opposites attract and want to see you dance in some of the sexy numbers.”
“Oh my gosh.” A wave of… something rolled over her. Sexy numbers? With Luc? She swallowed.
“Now don’t pretend that doesn’t interest you. I know you, Bailey Donovan. You’ve always had a thing for those Latin numbers, haven’t you?”
“Ugh.” She closed her eyes and covered her face. She might’ve enjoyed the energy of Latin dances, but her dad had never been a fan. What would he think seeing his daughter dance like that on TV? “To be honest, I’m struggling to imagine Luc doing any form of ballroom dancing, let alone the Latin numbers.”
The samba. The salsa. The rumba. The tango. All of them were about creating visuals that were hinting at a particular activity she’d never participated in. She’d always had to act those roles, projecting a sexiness she didn’t necessarily feel, when asked to teach those classes. The thought of having to own that sensual swagger and perform that kind of role with Luc was… disconcerting. To say the least.
“Have they told you what next week’s dance is supposed to be?”
She sighed. “I haven’t dared look. It’s been enough to get through everything this week.”
“You should find out. See if it’s something that might get the crowd going. And if so, then you’re in with a better shot of staying around.”
“Are you seriously suggesting I pretend I’m in a relationship with Luc so people vote for us?”
“In a nutshell, yes.”
“Oh my gosh, Poppy James, I didn’t realize you were so devious.”
“It’s not devious, it’s called strategy. And you need the money, right?”
“Well, yes. It’s helpful to have the network pay for the studio hire, that was an unexpected bonus, but I don’t like the thought I might be deceiving people just to get another five grand.”
“You’re not deceiving. It’s all part of the entertainment industry. It’s a show, it’s pretend. Just give the people what they want. And you and Luc Blanchard being a couple is what they want.”
“He won’t though. He doesn’t want to be on the show a second longer than he has to.”
“I thought he wanted to raise money for his mom’s cancer charity?”
“I think he wants to get back to hockey as quick as he can. This is just a momentary aberration in his life, not something long term.”
“Or maybe it’s a God-given opportunity for two Christians to meet and spend time together, in a way they might not normally do. For goodness’ sake, Bails, he’s a millionaire, he’s an athlete, he’s not bad to look at—”
“Have you seen his hair?”
