"I have to hand it to you." He looked sideways at her.
"What?" Jen was distracted with the tablet in her hands.
Sighing deeply. "Making sure that she can't fall for anyone." A smirk played on his lips. "You are really good at your job Jen."
Jen tensed up. Her eyes glued to the tablet. Not taking in the words. "I'm just protecting her is all. After all she didn't go through the try out process like everyone else. She literally was thrown in here without a second thought processes."
"I get it." He sighed as he placed his hands on the railing. "But you don't have to keep after her on not falling for anyone here." He pressed his fingers into the railing. "Not to keep her from falling for me."
Jen remained silent.
"I don't want to hurt her Jen. I like her. As a friend." He sighed through his nose.
Jen's eyes lifted to look out at the backyard. "You can't really be her friend right now. You two are competing against one another here. You can't really know if you are truly truthful with one another right now. Not until this is over with." She sighed as pain clenched her heart.
"I'm glad that she has you beside her through this. That you truly do want to be her friend. To be by her side here. To be the only real thing in her life right now." His lips thinned. "I wish I could be that to her also. I want her to believe that I am ..." His right hand tightened against the metal. "But how can she fully trust anything coming out of my mouth right now. I hate this game." He growled.
"You agreed to play it. The first moment you showed up for the call out; you decided to play." She grounded out through clenched teeth. "You also decided to come back this season. No one twisted your arm after all." Her eyes slammed over to meet his.
"I get it." He stressed. "I get it." He tried to get his anger in check. He hadn't seeked Jen out just to get into a hissing fit with her. After all she wasn't his enemy. "I didn't come out here to fight with you."
Jen blinked. She looked into his eyes into his very soul; and she relaxed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to ..."
"I kinda of pushed you into it." He smiled gently. "It's my fault. I started off on the wrong note." He leaned against the railing; folding his arms across his chest. "I'm sorry Jen."
Jen tightly nodded.
He knew that he wouldn't be able to talk to this woman right this moment. He had ruined whatever chance he had to discuss what was on his mind; and heart. He walked to the door. He paused as his head twisted to the side to look at her; where she stood staring out at the sunset. He prayed that he would have another chance to speak with her.
He shook his head, and went back into the mansion leaving the young producer by herself.