Bidding on the Bachelor
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Kerri Carpenter
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Another roll of the dice. Big news, fair readers! Bayside High's favorite It Girl is back. Would you have bet Carissa Blackwell would ever return? Ten years ago, she crushed Jasper Dumont's heart under her Jimmy Choos and left town for a bigger, better life. Her return raises one question: What is she running from (or is it to) now? Perhaps Jasper knows? One look at Carissa and he fell in the bay! Rich, single and devastatingly handsome, Jasper's our catch of the day. That icy plunge should have brought him to his senses, yet "Casper" has been spotted together all over town. Does this mean Bayside's legendary couple may reunite? The stakes are high, but the Bayside Blogger's money is riding on love!
Chapter One
Carissa could not believe this was her life.
She glanced around the nearly empty apartmentâexcuse her, the luxury condo that until recently sheâd shared with her husband. Now the condo was on the market, her marriage was over, and she was left standing in a deserted room, with stacks of boxes the only thing to keep her company.
Of course, most of those boxes didnât even belong to her. As sheâd packed up almost a decade of her life, she realized that she had very few belongings. Strange, since sheâd been surrounded by mountains of items before she and Preston signed on the dotted line.
Even now, she took a moment to peruse the neatly packed and labeled cartons.
ChinaâPrestonâs grandmotherâs.
JewelryâPrestonâs motherâs.
Antique deskâPrestonâs fatherâs.
Only the kitchen gadgets and appliances, clothes, and some old high school yearbooks belonged to her now. And she didnât even want the yearbooks. She ran a hand over the maroon cover from her senior year. Good old Bayside, Virginia. Maybe she should move back home.
Carissa snorted. Yeah, right. Sheâd vowed to never return to Bayside, a promise easily kept after her parents moved away while she was in college. Except for her aunt Val, she hadnât stayed in touch with anyone from the town where she went to high school. Not her group of girlfriends, not her favorite teachers, not even...
âJasper Dumont,â she said aloud, and then sighed.
Her fingers itched to open the yearbook and search for his picture. She knew what she would see. His blond hair and dazzling blue eyes. That handsome face and devastating grin. Theyâd known each other most of their lives but for one spectacular year, theyâd dated. Their relationship had been amazing and fun and passionate and...sheâd gone and ruined it.
Carissa put the yearbook down. âThat was a long time ago,â she whispered. Ten years. A whole decade. She hadnât communicated with him since, but she did hope his life was going better than hers. Sheâd broken up with him and headed straight for college. Then sheâd married Preston right after graduation and theyâd made their life in Chicago.
We made his life, she thought with another glance around the room.
Even so, she did need to move somewhere. Chicago was far too expensive. As sheâd quickly learned after they announced their separation, most of âtheirâ friends turned out to really be âhisâ friends.
Carissa wasnât much of a crier, nor was she someone who gave in to sulking or whining. But after everything that had happened over the last year, she needed a moment. Just one moment to grieve the loss of her marriage and her life.
Maybe the problem had been marrying so young. Sheâd only been twenty-two when they got engaged and twenty-three when she walked down the aisle. But in her defense, sheâd dated Preston all through college at Northwestern. His family had been nice and welcoming to her, and Preston graduated with an offer to work at his fatherâs media company. That made him steady, reliable and stable.
Three traits missing from her own father, whoâd barely worked a day in his life, choosing to live off her motherâs inheritance instead. Well, trust funds dry up, and so did all of the promises people make to each other when they stand at the altar.
Sheâd worked in the beginning. Nothing fancy and not directly tied to her business degree. But sheâd put in a couple years at an event-planning firm. While Carissa thought sheâd done a pretty good job, her heart hadnât been in it completely. When Preston suggested she quit so she could help him entertain colleagues and clients, sheâd jumped at his suggestion. Sheâd wanted to make him happy, and besides, sheâd always loved planning meals, searching different grocery and specialty stores, puttering away in the kitchen. Watching a handful of ingredients turn into scrumptious meals with amazing aromas made her happy.
In fact, sheâd enjoyed planning and hosting dinner parties so much that sheâd taken countless cooking classes. Moroccan dinners, making pies from scratch, holiday baking, Italian basics...any time she got wind of any type of lesson involving food, she made sure to be the first one in line.
From Preston to his parents to all of the clients and friends they entertained, everyone raved about her cooking. Soon, she found herself enjoying the kitchen of their luxury condo much more than any other room. Including the bedroom.
Especially the bedroom.
Of course, Preston continued to adore that room. Why wouldnât he, when he was bringing so many different women there to receive a very personal tour?
Carissa sighed and kicked one of the boxes, cringing when she heard the indelible sound of breaking glass. She checked the label and winced. Figures sheâd picked one of the few boxes that held her stuff instead of the mountains of Prestonâs belongings.
Sheâd signed a prenup, which entitled her to a tiny bit of money. Apparently, the fact that Preston broke their marriage vows did nothing in the way of changing the terms. Oh well. She wouldnât want someone elseâs money anyway. Carissa knew she needed to move on. Now she had to figure out how, why and where.
Sheâd already decided that there was only one job she was qualified for. Caterer. Only, that seemed crazy. Who was she to start her own business? Sure, sheâd cooked for two to fifty people multiple times a week over the last couple of years. And she did have her business degree. But she didnât have any practical experience. Not to mention references. It wasnât like she could go to Prestonâs clients or family and ask for their testimonials.
She also didnât have a home. She had to be out of the condo by the end of the week. It was going to be tough to cook for anyone when she didnât even have a kitchen to use.
She took another glance around the beautiful space and let out another sigh. Preston had surprised her by buying this place. At the time, sheâd thought it was romantic, that Preston was taking care of her. Now those idyllic shades from her early twenties had been lifted. Her husbandâs buying a condo without so much as consulting with her on any aspect was controlling. Her opinion on the neighborhood had never been sought. Her name had never been added to the mortgage. The moment sheâd taken the spare key from Prestonâs hand had been the moment sheâd lost the first part of her independence.
She heard a little chirp. Her cell phone. Someone must have left a message. Sheâd been so engrossed in her thoughts that she hadnât heard the phone ring.
Digging her phone out from under a mass of Bubble Wrap, packing tape and newspapers, she saw her aunt Valâs name and number on the display. Carissa quickly held the phone to her ear to listen to the familiar and comforting sound of her favorite auntâs raspy voice.
Hey, gorgeous. You better not be moping in that monstrosity you call a condo. Never did like that place. Who puts marble in their bathrooms? And why do two people need four bathrooms? Anyhoo, Iâm taking a little trip over the next couple of months. So if you need a place to stay, my cottage will be free.
Carissa always thought she got her strength and her levelheadedness from Aunt Val. She wasnât one for mushy scenes or histrionics and neither was her aunt. So she was surprised to hear her auntâs voice soften.
I know you have your reasons for staying away from Bayside all these years. Hell, I even understand some of them. But honey, sometimes when life kicks you in the hoo-ha, thereâs no place to go but home.
Carissa didnât know whether to laugh or cry. Since she wasnât a crier and she didnât feel like laughing at the moment, she put on her thinking cap.
Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined herself returning to Bayside. Back in high school, sheâd told everyone who could listen that she was meant for bigger and better things. And those things did not include the tiny Mayberry-esque town situated on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. To return now, divorced, humiliated, broke, lost...well, that wasnât exactly appealing.
She crossed the room and entered the kitchen. After pouring a rather large glass of wine, she leaned back against the quartz counter sheâd always loved and considered the kitchen tools she still needed to pack.
At almost twenty-nine years old, sheâd been both married and divorced. Sheâd heeded her husbandâs bad advice and stopped working. She may have a college diploma, but she had no professional experience or useful contacts.
She eyed her beloved KitchenAid mixer. Cooking was the one thing she was good at. But starting a catering company in Chicago was damn near impossible on a financial level.
Bayside, on the other hand, could be doable. Many people considered Bayside to be the Hamptons of the South. The town boasted both a healthy working class and an old-school elite who lived in sprawling mansions with immaculate lawns. And the latter group loved throwing parties.
And people at those parties liked to eat.
Sheâd grown up as part of that upper class. The money ran out just as she reached the end of high school thanks to her deadbeat and financially challenged dad. Thank God sheâd been able to keep that little secret. Small towns always seemed to have the longest memories when it came to scandals. And Bayside was a town that loved its gossip.
Carissaâs heart began beating faster. She had a free place to stay, which meant she could put what little money she had into her business. If she did well, she could acquire some much-needed references. Then, if she wanted to branch out and go to DC or down into North Carolina, she could.
She took a big gulp of wine and then rubbed her hands together. Her auntâs message was exactly what she needed to hear.
Carissa still might not know the how or the why. But she finally knew the where.
Bayside, Virginia, here I come.
* * *
Here I come, Jasper thought.
After months of proposals, number-crunching, presentations, research, wining and dining, not to mention good old-fashioned face-to-face meetings, Jasper was going in for the kill. He needed Arthur Morris to agree to his terms. Since Jasper had taken over Dumont Incorporated, heâd done well. Numbers were up in all divisions, but a deal like this would really go far in persuading the board that he was the right man for the job.
He rolled his shoulders. The fact that he still had to prove his worth stuck in his craw. But Jasper wasnât one to dwell on the negative. The board wanted him to bring in more big deals. Game on.
Heâd come so far. Especially considering that he wasnât supposed to be here at all. His older brother, Cam, should have been heading up the family company, but Cam had decided to buck tradition and started a construction company instead. That opened the door for Dumont child Numero Dos and Jasper had barged right through. Heâd always wanted to head up the company. Unfortunately, most of his life heâd been under the impression that he would never get the chance.
He thanked Cam every day for following his heart. His brother was happy, which made Jasper extremely happy. Because he was now at the helm of Dumont Incorporated and ready to impress everyone.
âAs you can see, Mr. Morris, Bayside would offer you everything youâre looking for.â As they walked around the waterfront, Jasper pointed out landmarks to Arthur Morris. âThereâs a lot of tradition in this town. When itâs not the height of tourist season, there are still festivals, charity events and a lot of other town activities. Weâve recently built up the area to the west of the bay and put in a great park. They hold farmersâ markets on Sunday and an artisan and craft fair every Saturday that brings in people from all over the state.â
He noticed Arthur working his jaw and jumped in before he could object. âAt the same time, Bayside is an up-and-coming hot spot according to Virginia Magazine. Also, the Washington Post recently named the town one of Virginiaâs best-kept secrets.â
Jasper fanned his hands out in front of him and made a box to highlight the site. âPutting the apartments here is a prime location, central to the town square, shopping, nightlife. Not to mention, itâs an easy jaunt to both the elementary and high school for anyone with kids.â He turned and put an arm around Arthurâs shoulders. âAnd then thereâs this.â
Arthur nodded. âIt is one hell of a view. Iâll give you that.â
And Jasper had timed it to make sure they got the peak sunset with its array of colors blending into the water of the bay. The docked boats were bobbing along as tourists and citizens strolled along the man-made walkway that circled a good portion of the water.
Jasper was an expert negotiator and he knew heâd made his case. Still, after heâd learned of Arthur Morrisâs love of crabs, shrimp and lobster, he added one last detail. âAnd the seafood is pretty out of this world, if I do say so myself.â
Arthur turned to face him. âAfter the dinner we had last night, Iâll agree with that.â He patted his round belly. âStill full from it, but donât think that will stop me from getting more before I head out of town later tonight.â
Jasper smiled, but on the inside his emotions were having a dance party. âI thought youâd like that restaurant.â Heâd also managed to arrange the best table, with the best view, and had the chef prepare a special menu just for them. That was a definite perk that came with the Dumont name.
âListen, kid,â Arthur began, and Jasper folded his arms in front of him, intent on the next couple of sentences. âThis has been a great pitch. But honestly, it comes down to the other numbers you put together for me. After that amazing dinner, I studied every sheet cover to cover. The prices youâre offering go a long way and I think the return on investment is worth the risk.â
Jasper nodded, reining in his excitement. Heâd been working on this deal for two years and he wasnât going to rush now.
âSo Iâm saying yes,â Arthur finished after what felt like ten minutes of silence.
âGreat to hear it, sir.â Jasper shook his hand and continued to play it cool. âWeâre thrilled to welcome a Morris complex to Bayside.â
They spoke about a couple other details for the next several minutes as they walked toward Mr. Morrisâs rented car. Before he could drive away, Jasper had to know one thing.
âOne last question. What made you say yes?â
Mr. Morris nodded as if heâd been expecting this very question. âYour father met with me regularly over the years. He gave me some great pitches.â
âAnd yet you never said yes.â
âHe nagged me the same way you did, thatâs for sure.â His smile came fast and brief. If Jasper had blinked, heâd have missed it. âBut you went the extra mile.â
âBy plying you with the best seafood on the East Coast.â
âBy showing me the town. Really showing me. You love Bayside. That came across clear as day. I feel like I know the people who live here. Theyâre not just numbers and stats in a spreadsheet. That made my decision easy.â
Now it was Jasperâs turn to smile. Only he held it in. He kept his usual calm business face.
âI have to say, though, I used to hear stories about you. Heard you were quite the little party kid back in the day. Werenât we all as teenagers? Happy to see youâve grown out of it.â Then he shook Jasperâs hand, got in the car and drove away.
Only when he knew he was completely alone did Jasper let the grin out. And a fist pump for good measure.
Today is a good day. Jasper could feel the spring in his step as he made his way toward the center of the town and The Brewside CafĂ©, the addictive coffeehouse he frequented on a daily basis. While he walked, he took in the town heâd lived in for most of his life.
Heâd always loved Bayside. Heâd only left for college, business school and a couple years of working for another company to gain credentials. All that time, heâd missed the large bay with boats of varying sizes going in and out, the picturesque town square with the identical white siding and inviting blue awnings and shutters.
He reached for his phone and quickly scrolled through some text messages before seeing Simoneâs name. He grinned. Simone Graves was a feisty little redhead heâd been noticing at the gym for the last couple of months. She liked to go to Zumba classes and Jasper enjoyed seeing her shimmy around the room in her tight-fitting clothing. Heâd finally asked her out, but they hadnât set a date and time yet.
Up for a drink tonight? he wrote to her.
It only took a minute for her to write back.
Wish I could. Stuck at work. This was accompanied by multiple sad emoji. But she proposed a different night to meet and Jasper accepted.
Whistling, he continued toward The Brewside. But before he entered the coffeehouse he decided to take a moment. So he changed course and headed toward the water, Mr. Morrisâs parting words ringing through his head.
I used to hear stories about you. Heard you were quite the little party kid back in the day. Happy to see youâve grown out of it.
Well, he had been a lover of parties and the original good-time boy. But heâd also been just thatâa boy. A kid. A teenager whoâd been told from birth that his older brother would take over the family business. Sure, heâd been expected to work for Dumont Incorporated but heâd never been groomed to be in charge.
After all, he was the âsecondâ son, after Cam. Overlooked and undervalued at every turn. His mother had always said he was the most good-natured child sheâd ever seen. Jasper liked to think heâd held on to that his whole life. He enjoyed seeing the glass as half-full, excelled at finding the positive. Heâd never harbored jealousy toward his big brother. In fact, heâd worshipped Cam. Still, being the younger child had hurt. So heâd lived it up in high school. Why wouldnât he? He knew heâd get into a good college thanks to his parentsâ connections. Likewise, he knew heâd be employed after college.
But as Mr. Morris said, heâd grown out of it. Heâd been forced out of it, really.
Thanks to Carissa.
At the mere thought of her name, Jasper halted. Standing on the dock, he looked out at the bay, gripping the railing hard.
When was the last time heâd allowed himself to think about Carissa Blackwell? He shook his head.
Oh please. You think about her all the damn time.
Of course he did. Sheâd been the single most beautiful female heâd ever laid eyes on. Sheâd also been his first love. And with one cutting remark after graduation, sheâd changed the course of his life.
Like most of the kids from his graduating class, theyâd all known one another since birth. Bayside was a small town. About 90 percent of the classmates he walked with to âPomp and Circumstanceâ at eighteen had been in his nursery school class, too. Carissa was no exception.
Theyâd continued to run in the same crowd throughout high school. They had both been popular. They were both involved in sportsâhe in baseball and she in cheerleading. Their parents had been friends and enjoyed the same kind of lavish lifestyles. Theyâd even lived on the same street.
But they hadnât crossed that line of romance until the summer before senior year.
Jasper turned and gazed toward the beach. It had happened over there. Down on the sand after one of the townâs big festivals. A bunch of kids had built a bonfire. Theyâd both been hanging out, having some beers. Carissa used to drink wine coolers, he thought with a laugh.
Jasper started walking toward that spot on the beach. Heâd always thought she was gorgeous. Who hadnât? She was like the quintessential California girl come to the East Coast with her long legs, golden skin, perfect pink lips and full blond hair that fell halfway down her back. Plus, she had those really intriguing gray eyes. To this day, heâd never seen eyes quite like hers.
That night sheâd been wearing sexy jean shorts and a little red tank top. Theyâd shared a glance, then a head nod. Next thing he knew he was sitting next to her on a log sharing her sâmore. Didnât take long for them to move their party of two farther down the beach where theyâd shared one hell of a make-out session.
Just like that, theyâd become hot and heavy and completely inseparable during senior year. Until about a month after graduation. Carissa had been accepted to Northwestern and he was going to UPenn, just like his father. He could never think of Carissa without his mind going to that last fateful conversation.
âJasper, you arenât serious about anything.â
âWhat are you talking about? Iâm serious about you.â
She shook her head. âThatâs not enough. You party all the time with your friends.â
âSo what? And anyway, theyâre your friends, too.â
âI know. But Iâm just saying that thereâs more to life than keg parties in the woods and making out in someoneâs basement.â
âI think we did a little more than make out.â
She pointed at him. âSee, you canât even be serious now. Just like my dad,â she said under her breath.
âI know youâre upset because your parents want to move away from Bayside...â
âThat doesnât bother me. I want them to move away, actually.â
âWhy?â
âNever mind, thatâs not the point.â She flung her long hair over her shoulder.
âOkaaaayyyy.â He would never understand girls. âThen, what is the point?â
âYou are relying on your parentsâ money and connections to get you through life. You have no ambition and no drive. Do you think I want to be with someone like that? I donât.â She looked at the ground.
He felt like someone had slapped him across the face. âWhat are you saying?â
âI donât want to ever come back to Bayside. Iâm so done with this town. I want someone who has goals and like, initiative and stuff,â She bit her lip. Even as she insulted him, there was sadness in her eyes. âIâm sorry, Jasper. You just donât.â
With that, sheâd walked away with his heart.
Heâd tried to call her but sheâd never answered. Her parents said she went to a prefreshman-year program at Northwestern. Sheâd wanted to get a jump on classes. Then her parents had moved away later in the year and she didnât have a reason to return to Bayside anymore. He never saw her again.
It was Jasperâs nature to find a bright side. But in truth, Carissaâs words stung. Not only did she break up with him, but she insulted his very character.
It had taken some time. A lot of time. But eventually, the memory of Carissaâs words had kicked his butt into gear. She wanted someone with ambition and thatâs what heâd decided to give her. Even if they werenât actually together.
His fatherâs name may have gotten him into college, but he worked his butt off once he got there. He joined a fraternity but when it was time for midterms or finals, heâd camp out at the library to make sure he kept his GPA up, finally graduating with honors. He never told his parents about applying to grad schools so they couldnât influence the process.
Heâd come a long way from the irresponsible, somewhat reckless, carefree kid who was always the life of the party. Some people had called him foolish, but in Jasperâs mind heâd always been underestimated.
At some point, though, all the hard work stopped being just for her. Heâd become obsessed with doing the very best he could and in the process heâd become the head of Dumont Incorporated. If Carissa were here maybe heâd thank her. Especially after his victory tonight. But the odds of ever seeing Carissa Blackwell in Bayside again were slim to none.
His phone made a little ding alerting him to a text message. He looked down to see his brotherâs name. Howâd it go with Morris?
Jasper began texting back but something caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a woman standing at the same location where heâd been before his little walk down memory lane. Fingers still poised over the keypad on his phone, he didnât have time to text Cam back before his brother added, Either way, come over tonight. Letâs hang out and watch the game.
Again, he began typing a reply but the woman reached her arms above her head and stretched. She was really beautiful. He peered closer and got a chill up the back of his neck.
She looked familiar. Too familiar. Jasper gripped his cell harder and began walking faster. Closer. But as he rounded the corner, she was heading away from the dock toward a black car.
He would know that sashay of hips anywhere. After all, the last time heâd seen a movement like that had been her swaying body walking away from him.
No way. No freaking way.
âCarissa?â he said into the silence around him. Luckily, no one was there to hear him talking to himself. Likewise, no one was there to see him step to the side to ensure he was actually seeing his first love and not some late-summer apparition brought on by too much work. In any case, he slipped, hit the railing with too much momentum, and before he could say Carissa is back in Bayside, heâd fallen over the metal divider and into the bay.
