Bailey sat in the backseat of Ren's car and stared holes in the back of his head. Would this day never end? This day epitomized the phrase insult to injury. Baily had the wrapped ankle to prove it.
Ren hadn't said ten words to her since picking her up, which was fine with her. She'd had enough of both him and Chase Meadows to last her a lifetime.
She couldn't believe her bad luck at running into Chase at the gym. She'd gone there many times without running into him. Now she would have to find a new gym, especially after embarrassing herself like that. She knew better than to strike out at the heavy bag the way she did, but she had been so frustrated with the day's events that she had been careless.
Even so, Chase didn't have to humiliate her. She could walk. She was walking when he picked her up. No woman wanted to be carried with her bottom in the air. He deserved every blow she rained down on him and then some.
So why did he have to confuse her with his compassion at the first aid station? He had been gentle and considerate about how she would make her way home before he left.
Had she known her ride was Ren Wei, though, she would have crawled home.
Not soon enough, the car stopped in front of Bailey's home. She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door.
"Wait." Ren sat stiffly looking forward.
"Yes?"
"I'll be on set tomorrow."
"Did Chase tell you to babysit me?"
"No, I'm taking the initiative. After the mess with your last show, it seems prudent."
"Aren't you afraid I'll interview you again?"
Ren deigned to shift his attention to her. "You wouldn't dare."
"Watch me."
"Ms. Gallup, you caught me off guard last time. It won't happen again. You don't rise to my station in life without knowing how to handle the media and pushy women like you."
"Huh." Bailey mouthed the phrase pushy woman. She knew it was meant as an insult, but she would rather be a pushy woman any day as a pushover. She suspected, for the right woman, Ren Wei was a pushover. She was tempted to send out an all-points bulletin to find such a woman for him so he could get off her case.
Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. And if it worked, she would focus on Chase Meadows next. Probably needed to add Judy to the list as well. There was a thought. What if Ren and Judy were actually a good match?
At least they had something in common. They both wanted to micromanage Bailey. They also both spent a lot of time kissing up to Chase Meadows. Imagine how miserable they could make his life as a dynamic duo.
It might make for an interesting episode if Bailey could find a way to sneak it by Judy.
Bailey closed the car door and relaxed into the seat. "Tell me, Ren, I'm curious. Were you serious when you answered my questions during the matchmaking episode?"
"What does it matter? That episode will never air."
"I don't know. If the answers were honest, I may know someone who'd be compatible."
"You don't even like me."
Bailey nodded. "Fair point. Well, it was worth a shot. Good night, Mr. Wei."
"Wait there. Chase would be upset if I didn't help you inside."
Only now did she consider how Judy would react when she hobbled in on the arm of Ren. Fortunately, walking wasn't necessarily a job requirement. She could interview people from behind a desk or while serving tea from an overstuffed chair and couch set. They could cut streaming long enough to transition from one place to another, or they could be honest with the audience. Injuries happened, and there was no shame in working out.
Bailey could use this opportunity to see how Ren and Judy interacted away from work. Maybe she could get a feel for whether Judy would be open to dating Ren. Judy would never admit it to her. Since high school, Bailey wasn't sure Judy had ever dated. She kept it to herself like a dirty little secret if she did. Or maybe Judy was protecting herself from potential ridicule if a date didn't work out.
Whatever the reason, Bailey had no choice but to invite Ren in, so she might as well test the water.
She entered the house leaning on Ren's arm. Judy was spooning the leftover strawberries and cream over an ice cream sundae in the kitchen. Judy's mousy brown hair was down, and she had changed into plain gray sweats and pink bunny slippers—one of the few concessions she made to full-time adulting was her propensity for all things bunny related.
Shock colored Judy's features. "Mr. Wei, is Bailey alright? What happened?" She rushed to Bailey's side, scanning her sister for injury.
"She's fine," Ren said. "Ankle sprain. A couple of days off her foot, and she'll be fine."
"Should I take her to the doctor? I'll take her to urgent care tomorrow before work."
"She's seen a medic. Ms. Gallup, she's fine. Chase didn't want her driving home on a sore foot."
"I'll get her an ice packet." Judy rushed back to the kitchen.
"Hey, I'm right here," Bailey interjected. "You don't need to talk around me when talking about me."
"Hush, dear. The adults are talking."
Bailey wondered when her adult card had been suspended.
"I've already got a cold pack strapped to my ankle. I'm fine." Bailey reached for the back of the couch and transferred her weight from Ren to the couch. "You should make Ren a sundae while I get off my feet."
"I don't need a sundae," Ren said.
"Oh, please, consider it our thank you for helping me home. Judy doesn't mind, do you?" Bailey eased around the couch and lowered herself on it, propping her foot up on the arm of the couch while stuffing pillows under her head. She wasn't going to miss the show.
"Not at all. I bought too many strawberries, so you'd be doing me a favor if you stayed. I have a lot of topping, please come choose what you like."
Judy glared at Bailey while Ren looked over the foods on the counter. Her stare spoke volumes about Bailey coming home with Ren without giving Judy a heads up. Judy wasn't vain, per se, but she never let anyone see her this relaxed. Her work uniforms were plain clothes that hid her figure but were office appropriate and helped her maintain her image as a professional—granted a low-level professional, but professional nonetheless.
Ren didn't seem phased by her appearance. He asked for a blender and an apron. He washed his hands and began tossing strawberries, cream, bananas, and other components into the blender while holding a conversation with Judy.
They worked well together, floating around each other like a well-oiled machine. Their conversations were sparse and soft spoken, but from what Bailey could hear from the couch, they were talking about food and not work. Perhaps they had more in common than she had originally considered.
The blender burst to life and the ingredients transformed into a pink smoothie. Ren poured the concoctions into two glasses, but when he reached for a third, Judy stopped him.
"None for Bailey. She's had her limit of carbs for the day. She has to keep her figure, you know. On camera personality and all that."
Ren grunted a response.
"Yeah, nothing for me. I spent an hour on the treadmill working off the shepherd's pie from earlier. Ren, did you know Judy is a terrific cook?"
"I didn't."
"Do you like to cook, Mr. Wei?" Judy asked as she dug into her sundae, the smoothie sitting next to the ice cream.
"Not much. Seems like a waste for one person. Most nights, it's a shake and supplements for me."
"Oh, that's too bad."
A hint of a smile lightened Ren's expression. "Maybe I should be an online personality with my diet."
"CEO Meadows would be lost without you. Stick to what you're good at."
The pain relief had kicked in and Bailey was quickly losing interest in this cozy domestic scene. She could picture Ren and Judy as a couple, though, which was the whole point of the experiment. While Ren and Judy discussed the advantages of using honey over sugar, Bailey hobbled down the hall to her room.
She needed sleep, but more importantly, she needed this day to end. And, oddly, she had the overwhelming desire to talk to Jeb about it. Too bad she hadn't thought to ask for his phone number, but she never thought about needing it. In her mind, Jeb would always be at the convenience store. When she was ready to see him, she could pop in for a chat, then move on with her life.
She couldn't believe how presumptuous she was acting. And now laying in her bed alone with so many words in her head, she was paying for her behavior. She made a mental note to do better before shifting into a more comfortable position and letting sleep take away the words.