“I’m totally an aisle girl,” she says. “I just love talking to people.”
“Perfect because I’m a window guy.”
We make our way to our row where I stow both our bags and take my seat.
Veronica sits next to me and leans in, lowering her voice. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are things okay with you and Arabella? I have a source at the palace who said they haven’t seen you there in weeks and that the princess has been absolutely miserable.”
My body goes numb, but I fight to look totally happy. “Well, we’ve both been so busy, but things are absolutely fine. Just as they should be.”
Narrowing her eyes, Veronica says, “You sure there isn’t something going on? My source said she’s been extremely quiet, totally distracted, and ordering giant amounts of desserts for herself every evening. It has all the hallmarks of a breakup.”
Before I’m forced to answer, Veronica gets distracted by one of the producers, who needs her to go to the back of the plane and talk about some planning thing. I stare out the window, trying to absorb what I just heard. She’s miserable. That shouldn’t ignite a fiery hope in my belly, but it does. She’s not over me, which works out well because I’m not even close to being over her.
I think about the promise I made to her that she would never be without a date again, and I can picture her now, getting ready, feeling like a complete loser, even though she’ll be the most beautiful woman there. And there will be about a hundred eligible men all vying for her attention, now that they’ve seen how boring she’s not. The thought makes my blood run cold.
Dylan comes down the aisle, shouting instructions with an open-mouthed grin.
She stops next to me and says, “Isn’t this amazing?! Can you believeIput this together when only six months ago, I had never directed anything in my entire life? In fact, I had never evenworkedat a television network? I have to say, I’m quite pleased with myself.”
How unusual for you.“Well done,” I say, forcing a smile on my face.
She grins at me and points. “My money’s on you, Will Banks, my protégé.”
Then, she turns and starts yelling again, causing everyone within a three-metre radius to wince visibly. “Now,do notworry about getting up early tomorrow because the plan is to party it up tonight, get to know each other, and have the best time of our lives. The next two days are just to relax and recover for the competitors while the crew starts setting up. You can do some sightseeing or working out or whatever. Just make sure you forget about the cameras and have an epic time!”
Suddenly, the thought of staying on this plane for the next ten hours feels like it’s going to suffocate me. I can’t do this. I cannot leave things the way they are with Arabella, not when there’s even the tiniest possibility she may still love me. Not when I’m so desperately in love with her. The truth is, I don’t want any of this without her. Not fame, not the money, not the next sixty years on this planet. Nothing.
I need to get the hell off this plane. Now. But that would be career suicide, no?
My heart pounds in my chest, and I pull my mobile out of my pocket and dial Dwight’s number.
Dwight picks up on the third ring. “Yes, I’ll book you the next flight to Nuuk. It leaves in twenty-two hours, so you’ll have to make up with her fast.”
I laugh, feeling genuinely excited for the first time in over a month. “I was hoping you’d talk me out of getting off the plane.”
Sighing, Dwight says, “That’s what a good agent would do, but I’m afraid you’re turning me into an exceptionally awful one.”
“But a really amazing friend.”
“Should I take the ring out of the freezer?”
I consider it, my heart beating like it does when I’m about to base jump off a cliff. “No, I think that would be a little presumptuous.”
“Good point.”
“This is the right call, isn’t it?” I ask him.
“Only if you want to be happy,” Dwight says.
“I do, but even more than that, I want her to be,” I say, standing and opening the overhead bin. “Do you think I can make her happy?”
“Probably,” he says, sounding slightly disgusted. “Women seem to like muscle-bound, daring men who are also really thoughtful and caring.”
“Aww, thanks, Dwight.”
“If you ever tell anyone I said that, I’ll go public with that poem you wrote her.”
My cheeks go instantly hot at the memory. “Duly noted.”
