Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Maybe if she feeds Patrick well enough, I won’t get fired.
“It means I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I turn and walk away, only wobbling slightly. It’s not that I never wear heels. I’m a woman of a certain youthful age. We love our heels, but I’m more of a chunky heel girl. I love a good wedge because that feels solid to me.
I’m balancing on a knife’s edge in these, and not doing it well.
I stride in, munching on my cookie, and stop because that is a wall of gorgeous women.
They’re all in their places, standing on risers in two rows, perfectly positioned. Every one of them is flawless. Not a hair out of place. No lipstick on their teeth. These women know how to walk in any heel you give them.
I am so out of place.
“Ladies,” Patrick barks. He points to the beautifully decorated space that forms the set of the elimination ceremony.
Luca stands to the side with Joe and another two men in suits I recognize as producers. They’re high level so they won’t remember my face, but I’ve worked on projects with both of them before. They’re sharks, and they seem to be looking over a list. They point to the paper and Luca shakes his head.
“We should hurry.” Hannah smooths down her dress. “Do I have anything in my teeth?”
Ashley F shakes her head. “No. You look great, and I think he liked you.”
Hannah smiles. “I think he liked you, too. He was grinning when he brought you back. I think we’re going to make it.” She looks at me, her face falling into a forlorn expression. “I wish you’d had some time with him. If he could get to know you…”
“I’m great. This is perfect for me.” I cross the distance between us and the rest of the contestants as Patrick places me right beside the king stealer known as Janice. She’s probably one ten soaking wet and looks like she could have been plucked out of a Barbie box and placed right here on the show. She wouldn’t be the Barbie who had a career. She would be trophy-wife Barbie. I would bet she follows a bunch of trad wife streamers.
“Stay,” Patrick orders like I’m a puppy who might run off.
I would if they hadn’t made me wear these heels.
“Seems like you were smart enough to know you don’t have a shot,” Janice says out of the side of her perfectly painted mouth.
I hate a mean girl. “At least I didn’t make a spectacle of myself by ruining everyone else’s time alone with the guy.”
“I had things I needed to say to him,” she whispers back.
“Then you should have said them during your own time,” another woman hisses.
I will be out of here soon. Just a couple of hours of repositioning cameras and getting the right lighting and I’ll be back in my tiny apartment. It’s what I tell myself while Patrick calls for quiet and the assistant director gives us all instructions.
Be aware the camera is on us at all times.
Don’t forget some of this will be live streamed.
Be ladies. No fighting, but a few tears and some righteous indignation is more than welcome.
Then Luca is standing there, and I’m wondering if he’ll drop me first and get this over with. I send him what I hope is a pleading look as the host does the whole rigamarole about the journey, and how hard it is finding a soulmate, and Luca’s queen is right here in this room, yada yada.
“Ladies, it’s been my greatest honor getting to know each of you this evening,” Luca says in that sexy British accent of his. Also a lie. “I hope you understand that if it was my choice, I would keep all of you.” A chuckle goes through the crowd like they think it’s amusing he would keep a bunch of women, most of whom obviously don’t like each other. “But I’m looking for more than a wife. I’m looking for someone who can help me with the responsibilities of my country. With that in mind, I’d like to make my first decision.” He picks up one of the flowers a PA has set on the table beside him. “Hannah, will you continue on this journey with me?”
Well, at least he has some sense. I can hear a gasp go through the woman next to me. Janice obviously didn’t think Hannah would get through.
I smile—what might be my only genuine expression all night—as Hannah nearly trips on her way to the king. She handles it all with a shrug, and it’s easy to see Luca finds her amusing.
“What could he want with that country bumpkin?” Janice asks, though her lips don’t move.
I’m going to make sure Janice gets absolutely nothing she wants. “We’re not supposed to talk.”