#KillOffVivienneCrossInstead
Duke leaned toward Beth, who looked absolutely lost. “I hope I didn't make things too awkward,” he said, loud enough for the microphones to catch. “Sometimes I forget not everyone lives in our little bubble. But really—don't you think they make a lovely couple?”
Beth nodded, starstruck.
Duke flashed that megawatt smile. “And what about you, Beth? Anyone special in your life?”
She shook her head.
“No? Well, I can’t believe that.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “Thanks so much for playing today.”
The game wrapped up quickly after that, the energy never quite recovering from Duke's bombshell. Ben kept things moving, trying to salvage what he could, but everyone's attention was on their phones now.
As the players stood and the curtain began to fall, Maddie came running up from stage left, tablet clutched to her chest, slightly out of breath.
“I just saw the end on the feed,” she said, her voice tight. Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I can't believe Duke did that. He's such a jerk!”
Viv reached for her. “Maddie?—”
“No, seriously!” Maddie's anger seemed genuine, protective. “He had no right to out you two like that. On a livestream! And then—” She gestured angrily toward where Duke was still chatting with Beth. “He shouldn't be hitting on her like that. It's so inappropriate. God, I can't stand him sometimes.”
Charlie sidled up to Ben. They stood watching Duke.
“Do you think he’s the leak?” Ben asked.
“What does it matter? If he wasn’t before, he sure is now.”
FOURTEEN
Charlie's phonebuzzed for the fifteenth time in as many minutes. She didn't need to look to know what it was—more notifications, more hashtags, more strangers dissecting Viv and Rowan's relationship like it was public property.
#ThroneOfEmbarrassment
#KillOffVivienneCrossInstead
The last one made her stomach turn.
“Ignore it,” Shane said quietly, falling into step beside her as they walked toward the jousting grounds. “Social media's gonna social media. That’s just some cowardly asshole sitting in Mommy’s basement a thousand miles away. Focus on what’s going on here, King.” He handed her a comm.
“I know.” Charlie placed the comm in her ear while she kept her eyes forward, scanning the crowd that parted around their small group. Viv and Rowan walked ahead, carefully keeping their distance. Viv and Maddie spoke non-stop. Charlie figured they were trying to craft a public statement. “Doesn't mean I have to like it.”
“Nobody does.” Shane's jaw was tight. “But that's the job.”
The jousting grounds came into view—a large oval arena ringed with wooden barriers and tiered seating already fillingwith spectators. Colorful banners snapped in the breeze. The smell of horses and hay mixed with funnel cake and roasted turkey legs.
Charlie's tactical brain kicked in automatically. Two main entrances. Emergency exits at the north and south ends. Crowd density higher than she'd like. Too many variables.
Ben appeared at her elbow, and her pulse jumped before she could stop it.
“Hey,” he said quietly.
“Hey.” Charlie found herself smiling despite everything—Duke's ambush, the social media storm, the professional voice in her head screaming that she needed to focus now more than ever.
But he was so close their shoulders almost brushed. She could smell cedar and forge smoke still clinging to him.
“Hell of a morning,” Ben said.
“That's one way to put it.”
