His jaw clenched.
“The producers like to isolate contestants for a few days to keep them from the media before they enter the mansion,” Chantelle explained. “We brought in Max as a replacement at the center. Things there will be fine.”
“Okay, let’s go back to the announcement, please,” the lady behind the lens instructed once more.
Were they kidding? Easton turned a look over his shoulder, desperate for a way out. The aisle leading toward the entrance would be blocked for days. But, if he recalled correctly, there was an emergency exit in the rear beside the kitchen, just beyond the men’s room.
And as luck would have it, the booth behind him was clear.
At once he flung his arm along the back of the booth and hoisted a foot onto the bench. “If you’ll excuse me…” Hunching on the bench now, Easton hurdled the divider and landed on the bench behind him. He dodged the hanging light in time to land in the empty part of the aisle. Onlookers sat in booths, gawking as whispers broke out over the crowd.
Darkness cased him in the narrow hallway as he strode toward the glowing green sign. A small child and her mom exited the ladies room, but Easton breezed right past them with ease.
“Where’s he going?” a little voice came.
Anywhere but here. Who cared what they made of it? Let them think he was rushing to the men’s room, nauseous or camera shy from all the attention. Let them think he was making some cowardly escape. Easton didn’t care what they assumed. Max was replacing him for the upcoming group at the center? Great. He’d make his escape alright, and Easton didn’t care if they brought on an entire search party; he’d disappear until he wanted to be found.
With that thought, Easton shoved open the dark exit door and made his escape.
Chapter 15
Ivy released a deep sigh as she stared at her new office surroundings. It seemed impossible that three days had gone by without a word from Easton Sparks. His sister, Chantelle, had reached out to her shortly after he’d angrily ended their call. With Ivy’s permission, Marsha had given Chantelle the number, which had been, in some ways, a saving grace. At least Ivy could talk to someone who cared about him too. Who was concerned for his well-being.
During their rather lengthy phone conversation, Chantelle explained what happened at the diner. He just got up, stomped into the other booth, and went right out the exit.
Ivy couldn’t help but play that horrific moment again and again. …was nice doing business with you, Ivy. She kept waiting for the recollection to lose its punch, but it never did. It seemed to grow more powerful instead, the mere recollection zapping every sense of peace Ivy owned. He actually thought she’d betrayed him, that this was all about business to her. That was the worst part of all.
It felt as if electric eels were swarming throughout her insides, bumping into vessels, crashing against nerves, and disrupting the rhythm of her heart. A heart that felt like it was breaking into a trillion tiny pieces.
What if Easton never talked to her again? She couldn’t even fathom the thought.Chantelle had done her best to put Ivy's mind at ease, assuring her that Easton would come around. He was a man who needed his space. He was quiet, private and, his sister went on to say through tears, totally unsuited for a reality TV show. She now regretted forcing it on him as she had.
But at least Chantelle, unlike Easton, had given Ivy the chance to explain. It was the one peace of mind she had. Easton may have his mind set on never talking to Ivy again, but he would talk to Chantelle, and Chantelle could set things straight.
Unless he was looking for a way out.
That was a very real possibility as well. One she didn’t like thinking about.
The Nature Rehab Center’s January program started that morning and, as Chantelle predicted, Easton hadn’t shown.
She glanced down at her phone to reread her recent text thread with Chantelle.
Ivy: I really thought he’d show up today. He loves his job so much, it seems like something he’d never purposely miss.
Chantelle: Yeah, but he knew I had arranged for a replacement so he could go on the show. I wish now I wouldn’t have told him. He’d definitely be here otherwise.
But he wasn’t, and now they’d be left to wonder where he’d gone off to. And for who knew how