He turns with a smile. “Get up, dude. They’re giving out the flowers in five.”
“Flowers?” I sit up and wish for coffee.
“It’s how we find out who stays and who goes. And who gets a date.” He motions to the door. “We need to be out there and camera ready.”
Camera ready. I wince as I’m faced again with another part of my plan I didn’t think through. I’m about to spend six weeks in front of a camera, my every facial expression visible to television viewers.
And there will be a lot of viewers because people are going to want to see Princess Lyra find her Prince Charming.
Not only do I have to be on screen, but I have to make sure I look good.
In five minutes.
I hit the bathroom.
Thanks to living in the castle and my friendship with the princes, I know how this works. Give them the good profile, make sure I’m standing on a slant, and do everything I can not to be at the end of a group photo.
I’m not vain, but I’m human. Especially being around the royal family—I may not be on their good looks level, but I never want to look like a pauper next to the princes.
In four minutes, I manage to brush my teeth, fix my hair and get dressed, mirroring Rand’s shorts and a polo shirt. I also wakeup enough to offer him my hand. “Spencer Laz. I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself last night.”
Rand grins. “Oh, I know who you are. The ex-boyfriend.”
I shake my head. “Just friends.”
“Damn,Iwas hoping to do the friends-to-lovers trope.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“It’s where the friend slowly becomes something more. Didn’t you do your research before you came?”
“It was a bit of a quick decision,” I admit.
“I’ll try to fill you in after we see who gets sent home.” He jerks his head to the door. “Ready for this? There’ll be a camera when we open it.”
“Seriously?”
“Uh huh. Try not to seem miserable if you don’t get anything. I saw Lucas’s face yesterday when he didn’t get the date rose and it was hilarious. I hope they save it for the show.”
“Lucas Nyle?”
Rand pauses with his hand on the doorknob. “I’m supposed to play a nice guy, so don’t get me started on him.”
“Noted.” Good to know I’m not the only one with the not-so-great opinion of Lucas.
He gives me an encouraging smile before he opens the door. “A guy like you shouldn’t take too long to get used to the cameras, so don’t worry.”
No one has ever told me not to worry, because that’s what I do. I worry about the royal family, and fix what is fixable.
But I’m not sure how to fix this.
Taking a deep breath, I follow Rand out into the hall, coaching my expression into one of pleasant and mild excitement. He wasright—a cameraperson stands off to the side, recording everything about this moment.
This is going to be hell.
The reveal has already started down the hall, with under-the-breath mutters heard as a disappointed man scoops a yellow rose from the floor.
“That’s Mac. Or Max,” Rand whispers. “Yellow means friendship in flower language, so Lyra is sending him home.”
