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“Well, we’re already married so I think we can take some time to plan whatever type of wedding Joey wants.”
“Josh is due to start filming his new movie starting next week, so sometime after that,” I add, smiling at him. He leans forward and kisses my nose, earning a resounding ahh from the crowd. I’m giddy. I can’t help it. He makes me feel like a fairytale princess, showing me that dreams do come true.
“Millie and Cole, do you have anything you’d like to share with us?”
We all turn our attention to them and wait. Bronx and Rebekah are here as well. Gary and Amanda are getting a divorce and opted not to travel with us.
Cole looks at Millie and forces a smile. There is something going on between them, but I don’t know what it could be. She doesn’t seem as happy as she was when we were in the house. Smiling softly, Millie meets Helen’s gaze. “We’re pregnant!” Her voice is an octave higher, but it doesn’t carry the usual enthusiasm an expectant mother would normally carry.
Once again, the audience cheers for them and the rest of us clap our hands and offer them our congratulations. Josh presses his lips to my ear, causing me to hold my breath. Is he going to tell me he wants to have a baby, too? It’d be silly to think that considering how much animosity he has toward his parents. It’s going to be a long time before he’s ready to have children, if he ever is.
The attention is now on Rebekah and Bronx, but they have nothing to report, other than being happily married and thankful that they didn’t have to spend the full ninety days on the show. I’m still pissed about that. They only participated in a handful of competitions and were still eligible for the grand prize. I was really hoping Rebekah would be asked about her relationship with Gary, but Helen is far too classy for something like that.
Once we have another commercial break, we’re excused. Backstage, Millie grabs my arms and jumps up and down. This is like when that really cute boy you’ve been crushing on asks you to prom and you have to run to the bathroom with your bestie to celebrate, except everyone is watching us.
“I’m so happy for you,” Millie exclaims.
“Me? What about you? You’re going to have a baby, so no more jumping up and down! You’ll give your baby a headache.”
Her face falls when I bring up the baby. For someone who is happily married she doesn’t seem too happy to be pregnant.
“What’s wrong?”
Millie subtly shakes her head and looks for Cole. I look as well and find him in deep conversation with Josh. I motion for Millie to move over to the corner so we can have a little privacy. I make sure her back is facing Cole so he can’t see that we’re talking about him.
“Why are you so sad?” My hands rub up and down her arms while she wipes away her tears.
“Cole’s mother doesn’t like me.”
“That’s not uncommon. It’s hard for a mother to give up her son.”
“No, you don’t understand,” she says as she wipes her nose. “When he took me over to meet her the other day, she had a lawyer sitting in the living room with divorce papers. Cole told her that we’re pregnant and she said I did it to trap him. How can I trap him on a show where we were legally married?”
“Oh, honey, I don’t know. Maybe she’s just overprotective or something.” I honestly don’t know what to say to Millie. I can’t imagine being in her shoes right now. They fell in love on the show and their baby is living proof. I was often jealous of them, wanting what they were sharing to happen with Joshua. How can I offer advice when I don’t know what to tell her? Take your husband, your money, and run? Would Cole go with her? Would he still choose her?
“What does Cole have to say?” I ask, needing to know if he’s a momma’s boy or if he’s going to stand up for his wife and unborn child.
“That’s just it, he won’t talk about it. Every time I try to bring it up, he changes the subject or kisses me senseless, hoping I’ll forget. But I can’t forget, Joey. She hates me.”
“Maybe she needs to get to know you?”
Shaking her head, Millie wipes her tears again. Her make-up is smudged, her eyes bloodshot and red-rimmed. I feel bad, angry even. Cole’s mother could at least try to get to know her daughter-in-law. Although I say this as if it should be easy, I’m not looking forward to meeting Josh’s parents. Mine are another story; they’re already excited to meet him. Probably more excited that they have a son now and no longer need me.
“I offered, ya know, to go out to lunch after we were done with this tour and she just looked at me like I have two heads. Then she ranted about the money and the house that’s ours if we stay married a year—she told Cole he won’t need it.”
Millie slumps against the wall, clearly defeated and overwhelmed. I pat her back, which is probably annoying the crap out of her, but I don’t know what else to do. Looking over her shoulder, I catch Josh eyeing me. His eyes sort of bug out in that ‘what the hell is going on over there’ look and points to his watch. I shrug and he discretely motions toward Cole. Great! We’ve become the Brooks’ marriage counselors despite the fact that we have our own issues.
I may have said yes to his proposal, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about the crap with Jules. Something tells me that by the end of the night I’ll be shedding my own tears over her, Josh, and this whole situation. I love him though, and I made the mistake of letting my heart control my emotions. He broke down my walls piece by piece, inserting his presence into my life even though he tried to fight it. Before I knew it I was no longer a fan with a crush, I was a woman in love with a man who just so happens to be a movie star.
Coming over to me, Josh whispers into my ear, “We should think about going.” Between the feel of his hand on my back and his voice in my ear, I’m a wobbly-kneed schoolgirl who is willing to follow him anywhere. He kisses me softly before moving away, giving me some privacy to say good-bye to Millie.
“I know, you need to go,” she says, offering me a soft smile. I pull her into a hug.
“We’ll see each other soon. Josh and I have some things to work out, like living arrangements, and once we do we’ll have you and Cole come out for a nice long weekend or something.”
“Okay,” she says, nodding.
I take her hands in mine and make sure she’s looking at me. “Millie, I promise we’re going to see each other and I want to be at your baby shower. I’m only a phone call away, okay?”
