“Strawberry Pop-Tarts, please.”
•••
Not ten minutes had passedbefore the doorbell rang. Olivia was going to give Tyler a tip if he’d delivered on her request so quickly, but she was instead greeted by Parker and a camera crew when she opened the front door.
“Morning!” Parker sang with as much pep as Tyler had when she’d called.
Olivia wondered if everyone on the production was a morning person.
“Hi, Parker.” She hardly managed a greeting before he pushed inside the door with the crew on his heels. Thankfully, they weren’t rolling yet because the look of surprise on her face would not have been flattering on TV.
He surveyed the entryway and welcomed himself into the living room. The intrusion reminded Olivia that she’d signed away her privacy for the chance at the prize money, so there wasn’t much point in being annoyed with it.
“Where’s Chuck?” Parker asked. A sly grin lifted one side of his mouth. “You didn’t kill him last night, did you?”
Olivia huffed a dark laugh. “No, fortunately. But he’s not feeling well this morning. He…um, hurt his back.”
Parker arched a curious brow at her. “Intriguing. I hope he’s okay because it should be only a minute until—”
“Parker, where do you want this?” someone called from the entryway.
Parker smiled. “Until that.”
Olivia did not like the mischievously pleased look on his face. A feeling of dread over whatthatmeant settled in her belly on top of the very strong coffee she’d had. The mix was not pleasant.
Parker breezed past her back out into the entryway with his hands up like he was conducting an orchestra and ready to give instructions. Olivia hurriedly followed.
They arrived to see a team of delivery men hoisting large, flat boxes through the front door, and the pieces clicked.
Their furniture had arrived.
Their furniture that would have to be assembled.
Parker looked to Olivia to answer the question of where to put the boxes.
She tried to keep the dread out of her voice when she managed to say, “The living room is fine.”
The crew wrangled the trio of boxes—a couch, a chair, and a coffee table, she saw on the labels as they went by—into the living room and left them without any ceremony.
“So, everything go okay last night? The house is all good?” Parker asked from beside her as she surveyed the pile of oversized boxes dirty from being shipped.
She turned to him with a sour look. “Yes, Parker. The house with no internet, no food, one bed, one bathroom, and my ex who I can’t touch is lovely.”
He gave her another self-satisfied grin. “Excellent. Well, I was just popping in to make sure things were on track and you guys didn’t already bail. Oh, and to give you this.” He produced another large, flat envelope like the one that had decreed no touching, and Olivia winced. “TJ will be here soon for what comes next.”
“What comes next?” she hesitantly asked, and took the envelope.
“You’ll see,” he said in a cheery tone.
Olivia tapped the envelope against her palm. The crew hadn’t lifted their cameras yet, and she assumed they’d want her to read the message with Chuck, so she left it sealed for the time being. “I can’t wait,” she said flatly.
He winked at her. “I’m needed back at the studio. Crew will be here all day; TJ should show up around eight. You should have plenty to keep you occupied.” He nodded at the furniture. “Tell Chuck I hope he feels better. Benny.” He pointed at the cameraman nearest them and spun his finger in the air, the move Olivia now knew was his way of sayinglet’s roll.
He left nearly as quickly as he’d come, and Olivia wassuddenly alone in a room full of deconstructed furniture with two cameramen expectantly watching her.
She sighed and silently repeated her refrain ofa million dollars a million dollars a million dollars. The envelope weighed heavily in her hands. She could only imagine what was in it and was sure it had to do with the furniture situation. Looking at the largest box, she could see that they would have a navy blue couch with black wooden feet if they could manage to put it together.
A memory suddenly invaded her mind swiftly and aggressively enough that she could do nothing to stop it.