“Speaking of pay, what they’re offering is a disgrace.”
“You’ve already mentioned that,” I say, pulling the contract toward me. “But in all fairness, thisWorld’s Best Survivor Challengethey’re proposing comes with a hell of a nice prize.”
It’s rather exciting actually – it’s a competition of all the top adventurers in the world and the purse is a cool million. The best part is that they want Arabella and me to compete as a team.
“Ifyou win, which is a gigantic if,” Dwight says, concern written all over his face. “As your agent, I feel obligated to tell you that there is no way out of this non-compete clause.”
“And as my friend?”
He stares at me for a moment, then says, “As your friend, I say you’re doing the right thing for the right reasons, and if she doesn’t proposeto youafter all this, she doesn’t know what an amazing person she’s got.”
I smile at him and click the pen, then start to sign before I can change my mind. My heart pounds in my chest as I go through each page one by one, initialling as needed. When I finish, I say, “I knew you loved me.”
“Let’s not get carried away.”
* * *
The next morning, I was up at four a.m. to get to the ABN studios for a spot on their Breakfast Television show, where I showed a sleepy audience how to make a one-person emergency tent out of a garbage bag. Next, I hurried across town to judge a baking contest (the real winner was me because I hadn’t had time to eat before I got there). After that, I crammed for my spot as a guest commentator at the Valcourt United vs. London Bulldogs football match (which was a little harrowing since I’m not exactly an expert). Finally, I was off to the stadium for four hours to sit behind the sports desk and talk sports, then back to Dwight’s to drop into bed just after ten p.m. because this morning, I had to get right back on the promotional circuit.
But it’s a small price to pay because agreeing to all of that meant I got to watch the rest of the episodes in the editing booth and nix anything that would be humiliating for Arabella and/or her family. Each cut was a fight, but I came out victorious in all but two pretty minor things. I’m a little tired, what with the editing and PR work, but honestly, I feel positively victorious.
In a funny way, this whole crappy secret audio recording thing has helped me feel like I finally deserve her. Can I buy her a mansion and a fleet of luxury cars? Not yet.ButI stepped up and protected her when she needed it most. The best part is, she didn’t have to experience the horrifying drama of it all because I was able to handle it without her knowing. Protecting her from the pain and sadness of it all and the absolute terror of having given away her mother’s secret is what a good boyfriend does. And I am that boyfriend—the kind who handles things, who eases the burdens of the one he loves. He does not make things worse.
I know now, without a shadow of a doubt, that I’ve got what it takes to be the husband she needs, which is why I’m at La Pearls Fine Jewelers at this very moment, about to pick out the perfect ring so I can propose to the perfect woman.
She’ll be flying in late this afternoon, and I’ve decided to do it tonight. It just makes sense, really, when you think about it, because we’re meant to be together and when you know it, you also know there is no point in waiting, not even one extra day. Because you want your life together to start as soon as possible.
It’s taken a lot to pull it all together—I had to enlist Dwight’s help in order to come up with the perfect plan. And he really came through in a very big way. Turns out, one of his fellow agent friends has a certain famous actor as a client who happens to have a secluded beach house an hour from Valcourt. I’m sorry I can’t tell you who he is because I’ve been sworn to secrecy. But I could give you a hint. He was in a certain movie calledInglourious Bastards. No, not Brad Pitt. This guy also won an Academy Award for his role inDjango Unchained.
Anyway, his place is just sitting there empty and Dwight called his agent who called Christo—whoops! I almost said it. Anyway, turns out he’s a big fan of my show, so he said we absolutely could stay there as long as we want since he’s off filming a movie I can’t tell you about. Can you believe it though?He’sa fan ofmine?
I’ve rented a Mercedes with dark tinted windows so I can sneak Arabella out of the palace without the press spotting us. I’ll whisk her up the coast, wine and dine her, and bam! Will you marry me? Yes, yes, I will.
And just like that, everything is going to be incredible.
But first, the ring.
I knew it would be impossible for me to pick it myself, so I’ve enlisted a crew—Dwight is here with me at the store, and I’m about to patch my family in via Zoom so they can help with my selection. Ah! There they are now.
“Hi guys!” I say as the faces of my brother, Harrison, his wife, Libby, my sister Emma, her husband, Pierce, and our de facto mum, Rosy Brown, all come into focus on my mobile screen.
The somewhat snooty salesman has gone to the back to bring out a tray of what he called ‘next level’ rings. When he returns, he glances at my phone and rolls his eyes. “Perfect. You’re shopping by committee because that’s always so efficient.”
Honestly, I’m in too good a mood to care how grumpy this guy is.
“Will, are you sure you’re ready for this?” Harrison asks, scrubbing the back of his neck with one hand. “I mean, it was literally three weeks ago that you had to crash on your agent’s couch because you didn’t have the cash to get your own place.”
Surly Salesguy raises one eyebrow at me.
I chuckle nervously. “No, I was staying with Dwight because I was waiting for my big bonus check to come in, and it did.”
“But, blowing it on a ring, Cuddle Bear?” Rosy asks. “That girl’s got enough diamonds. You should put a downpayment on a house.”
“I can do that too, Rosy,” I say with a grin. “Dwight’s here…” I point the screen at him. “Say hello, Dwight.”
“Hello, family,” he says. “Don’t worry about Will. I’m keeping him out of trouble.”
“And he signed me for another set of commercials—this time for Merill’s—plus, we just landed a contract for a new survivor challenge competition that films in Greenland in two months. Arabella and I will compete as a team.”
