“Can’t your favorite brother ring you just to wake you up?”
“No.” So that’s his game. He’s rung to annoy me. I’ll find a way to get him back for this when I’m more awake. “Goodbye.”
“Ali, wait...” His voice sobers. “I promise I have an actual reason for ringing you.”
“Well, what is it?” I burrow into my bed, pulling the covers tighter around me.
“The press office received a tip-off this morning that you’ll be featured on the front covers of three or four different tabloids.”
“Ugh. Will they ever leave me alone?” I groan into my pillow.
“I’m sorry.” Eddie sounds sincere. “You don’t deserve this, especially with the crap they’ve thrown at you in the past.”
“What rubbish are they running this time?”
“Apparently, there are some photos and a video of you and your protection officer. The new Bruce.”
“Arthur?” I sit up tall, suddenly fully awake.
“That’s him,” Eddie says. “They’re claiming you two are in some type of romantic relationship. I’m waiting for Father to wake up before we figure out if it’ll be something we decide not to comment on or if we issue a strong denial.”
It’s like I’ve been sitting inside a saucepan with the heat turned up as high as it will go. My blood is boiling. I’m seeing the world in tomato-paste red. “Crap!” I toss the covers off the bed. How on earth have the gossip rags placed us together? We’ve been so careful. Unless... are the photos from Tokyo? Or are they of us in London? “Do you know when the photos were taken? Can you send me one?”
“Alice, I don’t want you worrying over this,” Eddie emphasizes. “We don’t know for certain if they’re real. For all we know, they could be photoshopped or generated by AI. You know how the gossip rags are with their fake news.”
“Don’t baby me. I need to know.”
“I haven’t seen them myself, but itsoundslike they were taken in London.”
That narrows it down. I place my palm on my forehead, trying to recall our dates over the last few weeks. “Eddie, there’s something I need to tell you, but before I do, I need you to swear to me that you won’t tellanyoneabout it, including Amanda.”
“Ali?”
“Anyone,” I repeat.
“I swear.”
“The rumor is true. Arthur and I arekindof dating one another. I like him. A lot. We’re taking things slowly. It’s only been about three weeks since we made the call, but now...”
“Everything’s been turned upside down?”
“That’s putting it lightly,” I huff. “I know you’re probably vexed with me for breaking the number-one security rule, but try telling thatto my heart. I promise if we decide to become boyfriend and girlfriend, we’ll do things the proper way.”
“Ali, contrary to what you might believe, I think it’s brilliant you found a bloke you like.Fathermay not be too happy about it, but we’ll figure something out. He doesn’t need to know if the rumor is true right now, per se.”
I exhale. It feels like an elephant is being lifted off my shoulders.
“Listen,” Eddie continues, “why don’t you get dressed and have someone bring you over to my place for breakfast. We can hold a council of war before we speak with Father.”
“Ishouldbe getting ready for work.”
“In this case, I think Danny will understand. Odds are Father will want to speak with you ASAP anyway.”
“You’re right. Okay, I’ll come.”
“Good. Text me when you’re on your way.”
I set my phone down and scrub my eyelids. What a horrid way to start my morning. I need to get ahold of Art as soon as possible. I need to speak to him before he sees the tabloids, or anyone contacts him about it. Somehow, I feel that the blow is better coming from me than anyone else.
