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Smith says, “You two know what you have to do now, right?”
I pace the room. “Clear up that it was my grandmother’s ring, and Maddox was doing me the nice favor of getting it appraised?”
“Wrong.” Smith holds up his phone with an article titled “RILOX. ENGAGED!” and the subtitle says, “IS SHE PREGNANT?”
“This is ridiculous.” I rub my forehead, wondering how people can say whatever they want, and it becomes viral news that’s practically impossible to set straight. I feel out of control and helpless, and suddenly, I’m overwhelmed and exhausted.
Skye’s voice booms over the speakerphone. “Why couldn’t the ring have just been a gift?”
Iris sits on Maddox’s curved couch, typing away on her tablet. Let me guess: she’s preparing for another press release. But she looks at my phone to speak to Skye and says, “Because Maddox confirmed the engagement.”
“No, I didn’t.” Maddox pinches the bridge of his nose.
Iris reads from her tablet. “It says you said, ‘If the ring was in my pocket and not on her finger, it means I hadn’t proposed yet. So how would we have set a date?’ Is that what you said?”
“Yes. They were putting Riley down.Again. I couldn’t take it, so I pointed out their illogical assumption.”
“And admitted you were going to propose.” Iris’s eyes are wide.
“Yeah, you’re hosed,” Skye adds.
Maddox blinks. “Shit. I didn’t think before I spoke, and I know better. They’re really starting to get to me.”
That’s for sure. I’ve never seen him crack like that before. But it’s so amazingly sweet that he feels protective of me.
Smith rubs his bald chin, and I’m glad the villain patch is shaved. He says, “I gotta tell you—ratings have jumped again, and we’re Bingeflix’s number one show for over three weeks running. With this latest news, that’s going to hold even longer. Don’t you want that?”
No one answers Smith because of course we want that. But maybe not bad enough to be engaged. I meanengaged.
Lying about a relationship is one thing, but lying about being engaged is something else entirely. If fans find out, there’s no coming back from that. But what can we do now that it’s out there? If we tell the truth, they’ll hate us, anyway.
After a groan, Maddox says, “I’m okay with it if Riley’s okay with it. I mean, we’re already ‘together’ at this point. We can add a proposal on top.”
Iris taps her stylus on her chin. “If you’re both good with it, Riley, we’ll have movers at your place tomorrow morning.”
“Movers?” Maddox’s face pales.
“Well, yes, of course, an engaged Rilox must live together.” Iris’s tone goes uncharacteristically soft.
I still haven’t answered. I feel lightheaded, and I’m trying to get my brain out of the fog. Why has Skye gone quiet?
“And the dog thing, perfect!” Smith adds. “Who doesn’t love a dog? I don’t know how that happened—and I don’t want to know—but great touch.”
“I was helping Riley out.” Maddox punctuates each word, and I’m not sure if he wants to strangle Smith, me, or both.
In the distance, a printer buzzes, and all our heads turn.What the hell?
Skye’s voice booms from my phone. “I’m printing out another itinerary. An engagement one.”
Seriously? She’s haunting us with itineraries from another state? I’m going to rip it into shreds.
Except I can’t do that. Once again, I can’t do anything. Being on this show is my dream, and if I want to keep it, my hands are tied. Any thoughts otherwise are me fooling myself. I’m living in a fated world, and my vain attempts to choose my destiny are like pushing a button at a crosswalk. It makes you feel productive but has zero influence on making the light actually change.
I hug my arms tighter around my chest. I mean, we’re in it this far, and my career probably won’t ever have another boost like this. Plus, if I think any more about it, I’m going to shut down. So let’s just get on with it already. “I’ll do it. Let’s get fake engaged. But my Scotland trip’s coming up next week. I have to go and spread my grandmother’s ashes.”
Maddox lets out a low groan, like he’s been injured.
“You gotta go with her, Madman.” Smith doesn’t sugarcoat things.
