I smile and say, “I’ve never used any performance-enhancing drugs, unless you count caffeine, which frankly I could’ve used that day.”
The audience laughs again, and I feel a sense of pride for managing to say something witty for a change.
Dylan continues. “And Will, you have taken a lot of heat on social media for falling in that ravine in the first place, and for allowing yourself to be rescued by a princess. Have people been especially unkind about it to you in person, and if so, do you think it’s because of who she is?”
“You know, in hindsight, I should’ve fought harder to stay in Wasapi, which would’ve brought both of us to safety, instead of allowing ourselves to end up in such a perilous situation. That would’ve been the smart thing to do, so, I definitely deserve the criticism there. Also, I let my frustration overtake my logic, which is always a huge mistake. Had I not, I would’ve been a lot more careful and I wouldn’t have fallen, thus putting Arabella in the situation she was in. Whether or not I’m taking extra heat because she’s a princess, I guess some people find that funny, but I don’t. Being a princess isn’t who she is. It’s the position she was born into, and those things are very different. People often underestimate her—I know I did. But Arabella is so many things—she’s intelligent and thoughtful and fun, and when she has to be, she’s absolutely as fierce and capable as anyone I’ve ever known.”
The audience claps, and I do my best not to think about what he’s just said about me. He almost sounded like he meant it—that he does really believe I’m strong. But we all know that’s a pile of horse pucks. Right?
“Okay,” Dylan says, walking to the front row. “We’ve got a question from your number one fan, Will, Hannah of the Will’s Wild Fangirls website and blog.”
Dylan holds the mic in front of Hannah’s face while Hannah leans toward it. “This one is for Princess Arabella: Do you regret eating those berries because it seemed like a really stupid thing to do? Like, I never would have done that if I were with you, Will. You told her not to eat the berries without checking with you, but she did anyway, then she lied about it.”
Can I go home now? “Thank you for your very blunt question. Or was that a comment?” I say with a chuckle.
The audience laughs as well, and I have to say it feels nice that I’ve won them over.
Hannah looks positively livid while she waits for me to give her a proper answer.
I offer her an easy smile. “Of course I regret it. It’s one of the biggest regrets of my life because I could’ve died, but even worse than that, I put Will’s life in peril, and there is nothing acceptable about that. I also caused us to miss the deadline and cost him and my charity a substantial payout, which still bugs me to this day.”
Dylan moves the microphone back to her own mouth. “Would either of you be willing to do something like this again to see if you can redeem yourselves?”
Will says, “Absolutely,” while I say, “We’d have to see what the challenge was.”
“All right, after this commercial break, we’ll be back with the huge announcement you’ve all been waiting for!” Dylan says. “We’re also going to find out what’s in store next for these two lovebirds. You won’t want to miss that, so stay tuned.”
The red light goes on and Dylan makes a beeline for backstage while Will and I remain rooted in our seats. The audience starts to chat amongst themselves.
“Thank God that’s over,” I mutter
“Agreed,” Will says, tugging at his tie.
“What a horrific evening. The worst part is you’re really the only person I can cry to about all of this, but I can’t really do that, now can I?”
He pauses and stares at me for a second, his eyes filling with hope. “Do you need to cry? Are you upset?”
“I didn’t mean cry. I meant complain. I’m fine. Honestly.”
“Right. Sure. I know you probably don’t care about my opinion, but you’re doing great up here. The audience loves you.”
“Not everyone,” I mutter, glancing at Hannah, who is glaring at me while she talks to the person next to her.
Will snort laughs, and it’s not a particularly attractive sound, but somehow it does me in because I remember how fun we are together. It’s all I can do this whole time to remind myself that what we had only works when we’re alone.
Dylan walks back out onto the stage, but this time she brings Veronica Platt with her. The lights come back on brightly, and Veronica glances over at us. “You two are doing great. Really great stuff.”
Dylan turns to the camera and says, “Welcome back to the Princess in The Wild After-show! We’ve only got about ten minutes to wrap things up and to make our special announcement and it’s such big news, we’ve brought out ABN’s head news anchor, Veronica Platt!”
Veronica smiles and waves at the crowd while they applaud. “As you know, Princess in the Wild has been a massive hit, and because of that, ABN is launching a brand-new channel dedicated to both classic and new nature documentaries, adventure movies, and physical challenge reality TV shows!”
More applause, then she continues. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Avonians to participate for the first time in shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Avonian Ninja Warrior.”
The crowd explodes with excitement, even though likely no one in this room other than Will is ever going to be featured on that channel.
When they quiet down, Veronica says, “And I have another huge and more personal announcement which no one knows about, not even anyone over at the news desk. I will be leaving ABN News to become one of the executive producers at the Avonian Nature Network. As much as I’ve enjoyed my time as head anchor, I felt it was the right moment in my life to start a new chapter and challenge myself in interesting and exciting ways. Starting with…” she pauses dramatically, and on the screens the logo for The World’s Best Survivor Challenge appears in bright yellow letters.
“We at ANN are thrilled to be bringing you a challenge show so harrowing, only a few people on the planet are considered capable of participating – it’s called The World’s Best Survivor Challenge. We start filming next month in a secret location which we’ll reveal to you at the very end of this episode. Eight contestants from around the globe—each of them paired with one of the world’s foremost experts in survival—will compete for a prize of one million dollars!”
More applause.
“And obviously our very own Will Banks is one of them.”
I sit, wishing they’d let me go now since my bit is over. As happy as I am for Will, having just watched us fall in love on-screen, my heart can’t take the thought of him competing with someone else. And I know I’m the one who ended it, and I stand by that decision, no matter how gut-wrenchingly awful it seems at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I want to think about him falling in love with someone else. Not that he’ll necessarily fall for his partner. It could be a man or a woman who he won’t fancy at all, really. Or it might be the perfect woman for him, and I’ll just have to wish I were mature enough to be happy for him if he finds love again soon.
“Now, I know what you’re thinking,” Veronica says. “You’re wondering why I didn’t say Princess Arabella’s name since she clearly has proven herself to be capable. But I’m going leave that to her to explain.”
Oh crap. Me again? “As much as I wish I were able to join in all of the excitement, I have recently taken on an important role as the Avonian ambassador to the United Nations Equal Everywhere Campaign. Therefore, I will be extremely busy with that work, fighting for equality of girls and women all over the globe.”
Veronica looks around the audience and says, “I don’t know, audience, what do you say? Are we disappointed?”
The audience doesn’t seem to know what to do, so some of them clap, some shout “yes,” and several boo.
Oh, how lovely.
“That’s okay,” she says, gesturing for them to calm down. “That’s okay because I’m about to bring out the su
rprise competitor who is going to be joining as Will’s partner. Even Will doesn’t know who she is so he’s going to find out at the same time as you! Let’s meet her, shall we? Roll the clip.”
No, let’s not.
A video starts, featuring a young brunette woman running at a vault. She does some spectacular flippy thing and sticks the landing. The scene cuts to her now wearing an American Ninja Warrior tank top that quite frankly is rather tight and a pair of barely-there black booty shorts as she flings herself at an enormous swinging ball, Miley Cyrus-style, then leaps off it onto a moving suspension bridge. The voiceover starts up while we watch her do death-defying feat after death-defying feat. “Gymnast, three-time Parkour World Champion, stunt woman for Bree Larson in the Captain Marvel movies, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and certified life coach. Please welcome the beautiful, the strong, the brave Amanda Jenkins!”
The gorgeous brunette steps out onto the stage, dressed in a black minidress with spaghetti straps and heels I’d never get away with. She waves at the audience with not even the tiniest bit of a bingo wing flapping under either arm. She’s so incredibly fit that her stomach isn’t just flat, it’s concave. Well, isn’t this a kick in the box?
Will and I stand to greet her while she walks over with a huge grin on her beautiful face. She and I do air kisses and I tell her it’s lovely to meet her, which is clearly is a big, fat lie.
Then she turns to Will and gives him a massive, boobsy hug and says, “Oh my God! It is amazing to meet you. I am such a fan. You have no idea.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Will says. “I’ve been following your most impressive career. I can’t believe you’ve accomplished so much at such a young age.”
Has he? Has he really been following her career? Because if so, he sure as shit didn’t mention it to me.
“I’m not that young, I’m twenty-six,” she says with a giggle. “Anyway, we are going to have the best time in Greenland.”
Veronica clears her throat. “Okay, you two will have loads of time to get to know each other over the next few weeks, but we are trying to film a live show. I’m going to need you to have a seat.”
A stagehand brings out an extra chair, and I start toward the loveseat, but Amanda scoots in front of me and steals my spot. Seriously? I manage to maintain my smile as I go sit in the third-wheel chair. Not wheelchair, sorry. It’s just a regular chair. I mean, I’m the third wheel sitting in this dumb chair. Whatever, this sucks.
Veronica is positively bursting with excitement as she addresses me. “Princess Arabella, are you jealous that Will is going to be competing with another woman—especially one so beautiful and talented—given how the two of you met and fell in love?”
“I’ll be extremely jealous,” I say with a phoney smile. “But only because I’ll be missing all the fun.”
“So, you trust him?”
I suppose now would be the perfect time for me to admit that we’re not together anymore. But instead, I find myself saying, “There’s no one on earth that I trust more.”
I’m lingering here in the studio even though filming ended over twenty minutes ago and it’s horribly awkward because I’m standing here alone, literally in the corner, while the network executives surround Will and Amanda. I feel too out of place to join the group and none of them seem keen to come over and hang out with the wallflower. There’s really only one person I want to come talk to me and he’s far too preoccupied. Also, I dumped him, so…
I just hang around pretending I’m very busy. I’ve already scrolled through my IG feed whilst keeping a very serious expression on my face (in the fashion of a model pretending to be a librarian). I’ve stared hard at a spot on the floor and rubbed at it with the bottom of my shoe as though I’m considering purchasing the network and my decision rests on whether or not that spot is permanent. I’ve also done the ‘just looking through my handbag for my car keys’ thing, even though I’m not fooling anyone because princesses who ride in limos don’t actually have car keys.
What else did you lose in there, Arabella? Your dignity?
Yes. Yes, I did.
I look back up at the group. They’re chatting and laughing like a bunch of smug lawyers celebrating a class action lawsuit victory. Blech. That Victor Petty just slapped Will on the back, and they’re chuckling away like old buddies. Don’t fall for it, Will. None of these people care about you. They only care how much money you can make them.
I should be happy for him, I know that. A good person would be, but somehow I don’t have it in me. I should go. The humiliation grows exponentially by the minute. Just turn and walk out, Arabella. There’s nothing left for you here.
Although if I give him a couple more minutes, maybe he’ll walk over and I can talk to him for just another minute or two. I’m not quite ready for us to never have a reason to see each other again.
Oh God, this is it, isn’t it? As soon as I walk out of this building, this is actually over. For real.
But isn’t that what I wanted?
How can I be so confused? I’ve spent the last two weeks absolutely kind of sort of positive I’d made the right choice, but the second I saw him tonight, all those excellent reasons for breaking up vanished. It doesn’t help that I had to spend ninety minutes sitting so close to him that I could smell his manly scent. Sigh. I suppose watching us go through what we did out there in the jungle didn’t exactly make it easier—seeing myself at my toughest and happiest. Hearing us laugh and kiss and talk about everything and nothing. He believed in me out there. He did. It was written all over his face. If only he hadn’t stopped. But maybe he didn’t and I’ve gone and fucked up the best thing that ever happened to me?
Bellford approaches me. “Your Highness, if you’d like to leave, Norm says the crowd has dispersed outside and he’s pulled up along the side door.”
“Righto,” I say, giving him a quick nod. “I think I’ll stay for a few minutes in case they need anything else from me, like photo ops or some such.”
Who am I kidding? Nobody is going to need me for photo ops.
“Very good, Miss,” he says, then takes a few steps away and talks into his sleeve to give Norm the heads-up.
I should leave. I’m making a total arse of myself here. But if I stay, maybe we can talk and maybe that’ll lead to us going for a drink and maybe that drink will lead to us kissing and that kiss will lead to us starting over. And maybe this time we’ll get it right. I’ll make things easier for him instead of harder, and we’ll live happily ever after and we’ll prove that a person really can have it all.
Oh, now wait just a bloody minute. Amazing Amanda is touching Will’s arm and they only met like ten seconds ago. Oh, really, Amanda? If we were still a couple, I would not be happy about him spending however many days in the wilderness with the likes of her. She’s clearly making a play for him, which, if you think about it, is a pretty shit move considering the fact that the world thinks we’re still a couple.
Dylan comes over and stands next to me, holding out a can of Red Bull for me. “I thought you might be thirsty.”
“No, thank you,” I say, stiffening up.
“I wanted to apologize for what I tried to do to your family,” she says in a rare moment of humanity. “When I get on a project, I’m like a dog with a bone. I don’t know when to let up.”
“Indeed.”
“ABN hired me to make Will a star, and that’s what I’m doing,” she says, cracking open the can and taking a swig. “He’s got what it takes to go all the way. Handsome, likeable, smart, and daring. He’s the whole package. But you already know that.”
“Yes, of course.” I watch as Amanda says something that makes Will laugh. Oh, yes, I’m sure she’s terribly clever on top of being a super-human, sporty bendy woman who flies through the air with the greatest of ease.
“They’ll make a good team,” she says. “They definitely don’t have the delicious sexual tension that the two of you had, but with any luck, they’ll win.”
“I hope they do,” I say. “He deserves a win.”
“He does. He’s a good man. Plus, people love the whole orphan-makes-good angle. Really plays well on the telly,” Dylan says. “If you don’t mind me saying, Your Highness, you two are incredible together. Right up there with Fred and Ginger or Tom and Rita.” She smiles at me. “If you ever want to do another show together of any kind, just let me know. I have So. Many. Ideas for the two of you.”
My answer must be written on my face because she says, “Probably not. Not with me, anyway.”
“Quite right,” I answer, then I can’t help but feel a teensy bit bad. After all, she did apologize, and she also agreed to keep my family’s secret.
“Anyway, thank you for being so supportive of what Will is trying to do with ANN,” Dylan says. “There’s a lot riding on his shoulders and it’s easier for everyone that he has someone as understanding as you.”
But he doesn’t.
“I should get back to the gang,” she says. “There are deals to be made.”
“Yes, of course.”
She starts to walk away, but I stop her. “Dylan.”
When she turns, I smile. “Thank you for not airing the truth about my mum. I know it would have been an incredible coup for the network.”
“It would have, and I’m not going to lie, it hurt like hell to give that one up. But the truth is, when Will begged me not to do it, I just couldn’t go through with it. Call me a romantic, but to see a man like him willing to do anything for the woman he loves, well, it just got to me.” She has a long gulp, then says, “And we’re going to keep him so busy, he’ll more than make up for us losing the big scoop. He’ll be earning us money for years to come. Years. I’m going to make him the biggest thing since Air Jordans.”
With that, she walks back over to the group, her words bouncing around in my head while I stare at him. He begged her. He was willing to do anything. And now, he’s got the fate of an entire network resting on his broad shoulders. And I need to let him go do what he needs to do because if he has me to worry about, he won’t, will he? He’s finally on his way, and I can’t let him give up his dream for me. Not again. Even if I did make the mistake of a lifetime and even if I’ll never find happiness again. I must let him go.
Royally Wild (Crazy Royal Love Romantic Comedy Book 2) Page 25
