Authors: Sarah Gates
‘No, there’s another photo shoot. With Luke,’ a crew member explained, ushering her back into the larger room with Luke in tow. ‘It’ll be used for promotion of the finale, just like the earlier shots. But we also have
The Australian Women’s Weekly
here to get their pictures for the feature on the final couple.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ she couldn’t help muttering.
‘Tell me about it.’ Luke weaved around a cluster of crew members. Anna’s breath caught as he gave her a wry look. They’d dressed him in a fitted suit, midnight black with a matching narrow tie. Anna’s knees went weak, even if Luke also wore a deep frown.
‘You’re needed back in wardrobe.’ Their guide pushed Anna in the right direction.
‘What? I can’t just wear this?’ Anna waved her hands over the cocktail dress. The sound of giggling from the opposite corner of the room distracted Anna from her complaint. Only when she looked up did she realise Luke had slipped away, joining the other contestants, who wore sweeping formal gowns, Liu Kun in yellow and Jessica in red.
Anna ignored the tight feeling in her chest. So what if Luke hadn’t spoken to her? It was probably due to her determination to be kicked off the show and leave him with two equally smitten women, neither of whom he wanted.
She walked into wardrobe and one of the women held up a blue dress. Anna stepped into the gown and joined the others. She pouted and smiled. She linked arms with her fellow finalists. She hugged Luke, adrenalin rushing through her body, while Liu Kun did the same on his other side and Jessica acted as the jealous fourth wheel.
Then they took turns to pose as a couple with Luke. Anna watched as each of the women pressed themselves against him. At the end of each session, the photographer instructed them to kiss. Anna swallowed hard as first Liu Kun, then Jessica, locked lips with Luke. Each breath she took was a dagger to her chest.
Before she knew it, it was her turn. She practically stumbled into Luke’s arms. She let him hold her. They looked at each other like they were in love; like he’d just chosen her in the finale. He got down on one knee with a ring in his hand. Anna let all her repressed feelings rush to her face. Feelings that she hadn’t let herself truly acknowledge until now.
She loved him. She was in love with him. The idea of him on one knee for her, made Anna want to cry.
‘That’s perfect. Now, we just need the final kiss,’ the photographer called.
Luke’s eyes caught hers. Anna couldn’t have looked away if she wanted to. He leaned forwards and Anna found herself arching upwards. Her lips parted and his pressed down. Both arms slipped around her waist. Anna lost herself. She raked her hands through his hair before remembering that they were in a photo shoot.
As if sensing her hesitation, Luke slipped his tongue into her mouth. Everything exploded. Every nerve flooded with light and warmth and longing. Anna melted into him, moulding her body into his until Luke was everywhere, touching every part of her and still his mouth pulled her deeper, his tongue setting fire to her desire.
By the time he broke away, Anna had long since relinquished the ability to control the kiss or herself.
‘All right. We’re finished here.’
Everyone was staring at them. The usually busy crew had all stopped, eyes wide and locked on Anna and Luke. Shock and hurt played across the faces of the other contestants. The photographer grinned. Although they’d pulled away, Luke’s hand rested on Anna’s lower back.
‘Lunch has been prepared in the boardroom.’
‘I can guide them.’ Luke brushed off the crew member who approached them. He led the women, still in their over-the-top formal wear, through the building with surprising familiarity.
‘Did you spend a lot of time here?’ Anna asked, not sure whether he’d answer.
‘Yeah, as a kid. My dad practically lived at the office. I used to hang out here sometimes.’ Their fingers brushed. Anna fought the urge to grab his and hold on.
‘Did you ever want to work here?’ Jessica asked. She took three quick steps and caught up to them.
The corridor was too narrow for them all. Anna dropped back. Instead of the cameras, it was Liu Kun and Jessica holding Anna in check. Their presence was more sobering than any lens. She was ruining everyone else’s happiness by messing around with Luke. By pretending she was a contestant. By falling in love with a man on national television. A man who lived on the other side of the world and who had an income the size of a small city’s budget.
‘Sometimes. But it’s not for me,’ Luke replied to the question that Anna had already forgotten.
He led them into a room lined with tables pushed up against the walls and piled high with platters of food. Anna’s stomach rumbled at the sight. She grabbed a plate to serve herself. Several couches were positioned at one side of the room, angled so the cameras would have a good view. With nowhere else to sit, she took a seat in the corner and rested her plate on the arm. She ignored the crew member adjusting the camera and tripod to point in her direction.
A minute later Luke claimed the seat next to her, his thigh against hers with only the thin layers of her gown and his suit pants between their skin. A flush rose to Anna’s cheeks. She pursed her lips together. The camera was watching and the other women glared. The food lost its flavour in her mouth. She was acting like a lovesick schoolgirl crushing on an actor in a film. Luke was handsome, kind, funny, attentive. He was quick to smile and loved to tease her. He was a product of Kate’s genius casting: a man any woman could fall in love with. And Anna had done just that.
The fantasy was too powerful to ignore. It had taken her over as they posed together, like a real couple. Everything felt right when she was in his arms. But that was exactly the problem. Anna’s future was in Sydney. Her dessert café was all she’d ever wanted since she was a little girl standing on a chair making cupcakes with her father. Luke was a snowboarding coach. He needed snow. He needed to travel with his athletes. His life wasn’t compatible with that of a café owner who spent her time baking and dreaming about new ingredients and techniques, watching cooking shows and scanning through Pinterest for presentation ideas.
Anna tuned out the meaningless conversation. It was the first filmed moment of peace in a long time, with Luke at her side and no pressure to have a deep, earth-shaking moment of connection or heartbreak to entertain the viewers. The producers left them alone to talk. As none of the anecdotes they shared were particularly funny or insightful, Anna was almost positive the interaction wouldn’t make it into an episode.
Even the camera crew seemed relaxed. A few of them indulged in the food. That is, until an older stately man appeared in the doorway. Anna noticed him immediately; he was in her direct line of sight. And she felt the moment that Luke caught sight of the man—he stiffened beside her and placed his hand on her leg.
‘Dad!’ Luke stood, placing his plate hastily where he’d been sitting and moving forwards to greet his father. Instead of the embrace Anna expected, Luke stretched out his arm. There was a strange intensity to their handshake. ‘What are you doing here?’
So this was Tyson Westwood. The media mogul had to be about sixty years old. His suit looked like Luke’s, at the height of fashion. His hair had a trendy cut. Other than that, there was nothing familiar in the man’s face, figure or height. Anna stared, trying to find the parts of his father in Luke. Even with them side by side, Anna found nothing. Luke must take after his mum, just as Anna took after her dad in every single way.
‘My assistant told me
Love Elimination
was filming here today.’ He had a deep voice, with an authoritative tone that Anna hadn’t heard in Luke. ‘I thought I would come meet the lovely ladies.’
Tyson Westwood strode to the couches, ignoring the crew. His introductions to each of them were stilted, clipped and professional. There was nothing warm about him. Anna suddenly understood Luke’s reservations when he talked about his relationship with his father. Tyson’s speech was so careful and measured it could have been scripted. It was only the startled crew that proved his visit was unpremeditated. They moved around him like interns around a CEO. Everything about the man was hard. Even the lines on his face. Anna couldn’t imagine the man before her dealing with a child, much less his own. She wondered if Luke’s entire childhood had been as hard as Anna’s in the years after her father died.
‘You must be Anna,’ Tyson Westwood said, claiming her hand for a firm handshake. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you. According to my staff, my son has taken a particular liking to you.’
Had Luke not spoken to his father about the show? Anna’s brow furrowed before she could remember to keep her face blank.
‘Do you watch the show, Mr Westwood?’ she asked.
‘No. I don’t get time. But I look forward to getting to know the winning woman after the finale.’ He glanced at Liu Kun and Jessica, as if including them in the sentiment.
Anna exhaled. She shouldn’t be this nervous. It wasn’t like she and Luke were dating, or that she’d be around to see who he chose in the finale. In all likelihood, she’d never see Luke’s father again.
‘You mustn’t see each other often, with all the travelling Luke does,’ Jessica suggested. ‘Do you get to watch him compete at all?’
‘No.’ He didn’t expand on his answer. If he’d been perfectly friendly before, he was definitely wary now. Anna saw Luke shift his weight.
‘I don’t know if I could’ve watched,’ Jessica continued, as if oblivious to the social temperature of the room. ‘It seems far too dangerous. I would’ve been scared to death every time to see a loved one at the top of those massive mountains.’
Did she not know about Luke’s accident? About his injuries? Anna’s heart went out to the man only a metre from her. Had he only told Anna about it because he cared for her, maybe more than the others? She was sure it wouldn’t be a secret, not to anyone who took the time to google ‘Luke Westwood’. Anna wondered whether the same could be said of the relationship between father and son. Luke hadn’t told her much, but would she have found the answers if she’d searched for it on her phone—before it had been taken away with Hadie?
A flash of colour entered the room and distracted Anna—a young blonde woman. Her bright pink dress was remarkably similar to the one Anna had been forced to wear for the interview. It certainly didn’t fit with the black pants and
Love Elimination
shirts worn by the crew members. Besides, the woman looked too young to be doing anything but coffee runs or answering fan mail.
Anna frowned as she guessed the reason the woman was there: she had to be another contestant. Had the producers decided Anna, Jessica and Liu Kun weren’t making for exciting television? Or perhaps with Anna’s reluctance to finish the show, they knew they needed someone for Luke to connect to? If that was the case, Anna thought they’d chosen poorly.
Tyson Westwood trailed off midsentence when he saw the beauty. She gave him a flirty wave, wiggling her fingers in his direction.
‘Ah, Becca. Was I keeping you waiting?’ Tyson Westwood held out his arms. To Anna’s utter astonishment, the young woman crossed the room, stepped into his embrace and planted her lips firmly on his. Bright pink lipstick transferred onto the older man, like she was marking her property. He only chuckled.
Anna saw Luke’s body stiffen. Either he didn’t know about his father’s lover or he didn’t approve. From his expression, Anna guessed it was a combination of the two; Luke’s face gave the impression he was being strangled. Anna wanted to reach out and take his hand, but he was too far away and the cameras were watching.
‘No, no. I was early. Your assistant told me you were here,’ Becca said.
‘Well then, come meet my son and the women from
Love Elimination
.’
Becca kissed each of them. Anna didn’t move as the woman touched her lips to Anna’s cheek. Luke seemed to be frozen midway between her and his father. The only part of his body to move were his eyes, as they grew wider and wider.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Especially you, Luke. Your dad has told me so much about you.’ Becca finally backed away, only to place her arm around Tyson’s waist.
‘That’s weird. He’s never mentioned you.’ Luke’s sharp reply came hard and fast.
‘Only because he wanted to tell you in person,’ Becca cut in. Anna’s eyes hadn’t left Luke but she was sure she sensed the hardening of his father’s expression. Had they forgotten they were being filmed? The rest of the room watched the exchange like a tennis match. Tyson didn’t seem like the type to let his personal life air to millions of viewers—or even talk to his own son about it, apparently.
‘How long have you been together?’ Jessica asked. Anna glared at her for engaging with Tyson’s lover when she should be on Luke’s side. They were all supposed to be dating Luke, competing for his affections. Surely they should also support him as he was confronted by what looked to be a frilly gold digger targeting his father?
‘Almost a year now.’
‘A year?’ Luke growled. The scowl on Luke’s face was entirely unfamiliar. Even in his worst moments, Anna couldn’t remember ever seeing him so angry. With no other distractions, Anna was left to think desperately for an innocuous question she could ask Becca. One that was polite and wouldn’t tip Luke over the edge. Possibly one that calmed him down.
‘How did you meet?’ Liu Kun asked suddenly.
‘We met online,’ Becca replied. Her every second glance went to Tyson, but the older man seemed content to glare at his son. Whatever silent exchange they were having, it didn’t look good.
‘What website? Sugardaddyforme dot com? I hear that’s where Geoffrey Edelsten gets his hook-ups.’
* * *
‘Luke Michael Westwood.’ Luke flinched at the use of his full name. His father seemed to be struggling to keep his voice even. ‘May I have a word outside? Without your microphone.’
His father gave him a steely look and spun on his heel, striding for the door and out into the corridor. Not even Anna’s widened eyes could break through the building turmoil inside Luke. Ignoring the pretty blonde who’d suctioned herself onto his father, Luke followed him, ripping off his microphone as the crew stood back.