by Janice Lynn
The bachelors murmured among themselves. All, but one. Jill stared at the open-mouthed Jeff. He looked as if he was seeing a ghost.
“Izzy?” Jeff squawked, rising from his seat.
Izzy? What was he talking about?
The woman’s cheeks blushed a bright pink as she glimpsed at Jeff, then quickly averted her gaze.
Jill frowned. Had Jane Millionaire turned into an episode of The Twilight Zone or what? She expected to hear creepy music start up any moment. Maybe Rod Serling’s voice announcing some unusual phenomena. Remembering the cameras, she forced the frown from her face and glanced around the room, looking for a clue as to what was really going on.
“It’s time. Make your choice of who you want to spend the next week with on your Caribbean ‘honeymoon’,” Rob said. For her benefit or for the cameras? She glared at him, wishing she could demand to know how he could do this to her. Why demand something she knew the answer to? He’d used her and she couldn’t even blame him. Hadn’t she practically asked for him to?
Honeymoon, he’d said. God, just hearing the word made her stomach pitch. How would she manage another week of pretending? And why should she when they’d deceived her?
Her gaze flicked back to Rob. He’d stepped closer, and she could make out the remorseful anticipation in his honey-in-sunshine eyes. Her heart thudded and her tongue stuck to the roof of her dry mouth.
She knew what her responsibilities were.
For Rob she had to do this. This was his career. Her career. Her life. Jessie’s life. So many people could be hurt if she didn’t do the right thing. She knew all these things, so why was she still hesitating?
“I choose Je--” she gulped.
“Wait one moment,” Rob interrupted, dragging out her decision. Was this planned? Or had he been unable to hear her say Jeff’s name? She wasn’t sure and waited for him to continue.
“The bachelors don’t know the new rules. Once Jane makes her choice, the chosen bachelor gets to take the proffered romantic getaway with Jane, or he can choose a cash prize of one hundred thousand dollars and walk away.”
The men’s eyes widened. Except for Jeff who had gotten over his initial shock and now looked torn between unbelieving and pissed off as if he too believed he’d been mislead in some way. The newcomer stared at him with her heart on her sleeves.
What was going on?
“Or he can opt to stay at the castle for another week with this woman claiming to be the real Princess Isabella Jane Strovanik.”
Jill’s eyes widened as well. This new woman, who might really be a princess for all she knew, had been thrown into the prize pool? And Jeff knew her? From the looks passing between the two of them, they’d known each other quite well.
She had to be having a nightmare. She’d wake up and be at home in California and the past month would only be one long, bad nightmare--except for the Rob parts. And all his parts were dreamy.
Maybe this really was The Twilight Zone in disguise as reality TV.
Chapter Sixteen
Rob’s heart lurched and lodged in his throat.
Jill was going to choose Jeff Kensington and the two would spend a fun-filled, romantic week together on a tropical paradise. One thing might lead to another…
Jealousy pricked the armor around his heart. Jill was his. He’d claimed her this morning. The other night. He’d branded her as his woman. Urgency to stop this disaster from unfolding stomped all over his better judgment.
She was unlike any woman he’d ever met, and he was going to lose her for a television show?
A damn reality show, at that. Why had he let JP talk him into this drivel?
After loving her this morning while the first streaks of dawn filtered into her suite, he refused to risk her falling for Kensington. Not when he was confident she had fallen for him. He’d felt it in her touch, in her kiss. He’d be a fool to send her on a romantic interlude with another man.
Rob Lancaster wasn’t a man known for foolishness.
Jill’s eyes were locked with his. She was more beautiful and royal than the regal woman standing between them, the real princess. Jill looked confused and unsure of how she should proceed. She also appeared more than a little ticked off. He should have told her about the real princess. He should have told her that she made him want things he’d never dreamed of wanting.
“I choose,” she started over. Despite the anger she targeted at him, her expression also begged him to rescue her. Easily, he could see the plea in her wide green eyes.
She wanted him. And damn it, he wanted her. In the worst kind of way.
Jeff Kensington couldn’t have a honeymoon with his woman--fake or otherwise.
Turmoil raged, churning reason with emotion until he couldn’t tell the two apart. He had to stop her. He couldn’t stop her. Or could he?
He opened his mouth, willing words that would prevent her from choosing Kensington, but not a sound came forth. He was the producer, the host of this show. He’d given his word to JP. GAMBLER being given the go ahead rode on JANE MILLIONAIRE’s continued success. He wouldn’t blow his career over a woman.
“No one.” She finished.
The entire room fell silent.
“No one?” Rob’s mouth closed. He stared at the beautiful woman he’d buried himself in until he’d been too exhausted to do more than collapse upon her mere hours ago.
Shame and grief and relief washed over him. Shame that he’d not been able to publicly acknowledge his feelings for her. But then, he’d never been one for public displays of emotion. He valued his privacy. How could he openly stop Jill when he wasn’t even sure of what the emotions rushing through him meant? Grief that her statement meant problems, big problems, for the show. Relief that she wouldn’t be honeymooning with Jeff Kensington.
Jill’s gaze touched each bachelor in turn, but didn’t flicker to him. He’d disappointed her by allowing her to voice her decision. What had she expected him to do? Declare he couldn’t live without her in front of the cameras for all of America to watch when it aired next week? Not hardly. His personal life was just that. His.
When they discussed whatever was happening between them it would be in private, and it would be kept there.
“The rules state I have to choose whichever one of the bachelors I want to go on a honeymoon with, and very simply put, I don’t want to go with any of you on a honeymoon--pretend or otherwise.” She sighed, confidence, regret, and hurt evident on her face and in her stance. “As I said earlier, I’ve enjoyed meeting and getting to know each of you.”
She smiled and Rob’s heart performed an acrobatic stunt worthy of a gold metal.
“I’ve learned more about myself in the last few weeks than I imagined possible. And one thing I’m sure of is that I’m not willing to settle for anything less than real love with a man who’s not afraid to admit he cares for me.” She shrugged.
Rob held his breath, knowing her remarks referred to his silence when she’d debated her decision.
“The past month has been a woman’s fantasy comes true in so many ways. But I didn’t fall in love with any of you, and it doesn’t seem right to spend a week pretending otherwise.”
She took the tiara off her head, walked to the closest pew and handed the glittering crown to Jeff Kensington. Oh God, had she changed her mind?
Rob took a step in their direction.
She smiled at Kensington. Her eyes glittered brighter than the diamond and pearl necklace around her neck, but her head remained high and her bare shoulders never sagged. Damn, she was something else.
“I would like to want you as more than a friend I hope I’ll have for many years to come, but all I feel is friendship,” she said. “And I know that friendship is all you feel for me. As far as I’m concerned the other two options are yours to choose from. I’m just removing myself from the list.”
Kensington took the bejeweled offering, stared at it a moment before kneeling to kiss Jill’s hand. They looked like something strai
ght from a fairytale, or a romance movie.
“In my heart, you are a true princess, and I wish things could have worked differently between us.”
“Me, too.” Tears shimmered in her eyes as Kensington took her in his arms. In a hug between friends.
Rob stood mesmerized by the scene.
Hell, all of America would be pissed these two hadn’t gotten together, and it was his damn fault. Could a man cry and shout for joy at the same time?
“What’s she doing?” JP hissed from beside him, obviously not caring if the cameras recorded him center stage. No matter since any good cameraman had his sights trained on the embracing couple. Rob didn’t turn to look at his friend, just watched Jill and Kensington whisper back and forth to each other. What were they saying?
“She can’t do this,” JP continued. “Her contract. We’ll sue.”
Rob started to answer his co-producer when a stunning beauty with hair a shade lighter than Jill’s stepped into the room. A woman wearing the black made-to-advertise-one’s-wares pantsuit who could easily be mistaken for the woman he’d spent the last six weeks lusting after. The woman from the interview tape and photos.
What had Jill done?
“Another interruption?” one of the ignored bachelors grumbled as Rob stepped toward Jill. The need to protect her from saying something incriminating, not to mention his desire to strangle her, coursed through his veins as the enormity of what she’d done rammed home.
“Jessie!” Jill exclaimed, obviously too shocked at the woman’s appearance to sensor her response.
Damn. He’d been right on the money. This was her sister. The one he’d spoken to on the phone. What was she doing here?
“Rob, think about what you’re doing,” JP warned, tugging on his sleeve to hold him back.
Rob shrugged him off.
“Just let this play out. It should make for one helluva show.”
“Thirty seconds ago you were planning to sue,” Rob reminded, knowing JP was right. He had no business interfering. Actually, his business was not to interfere when something this juicy happened. Damn.
“Yeah, well, this just got better than anything we could have cooked up.”
If JP realized Jill was a fraud, he might cook her up. No, JP wouldn’t have to cook her up. Rob was going to do the job for him.
She deserved to be cooked up.
She’d lied to him. To them all.
What had she been thinking? And why the hell was her sister here? Didn’t she realize how obvious it was with the two of them together what had taken place? Anyone who’d seen the footage of the audition interviews would immediately make the connection.
Nothing good could come out of this.
“I came to rescue you,” the woman who looked remarkably like Jill answered. Jill’s sister. Jessie Davidson.
“Rescue me?” Jill’s forehead furrowed, staring in apparent amazement at her sister. “Since when do you rescue me?”
“Since I got you into this mess.” Jessie walked onto the platform, as if she owned the castle, smiled beatifically at all the men, dazzling most, if not all, Rob was sure. “You heard her. My sister is not available for your honeymooning pleasure. She’ll be accompanying me home tonight. That’s all, folks.”
And she winked outrageously at the camera, grabbed Jill’s hands, and tugged her from the platform and toward the door she’d entered through.
Rob blinked.
JP scratched his head and had an odd look. One of those that usually meant he was guilty of something. But for the life of him Rob couldn’t think what JP could be guilty of in this situation.
“They aren’t really leaving, are they?” JP asked.
Hell if he knew.
Leaving. Jill was leaving.
Heedless of JP’s continuing commentary, and Jeff Kensington and Princess Isabella--the real princess Jane--having a stare down, Rob raced after Jill.
# # #
“I suppose you are surprised to see me.” Isabella wondered how she was expected to run a country when she could not manage to form a cohesive thought. Jeff had always affected her in such a manner. She had wondered if time would have dulled her response to him. Now she knew it had not.
“Surprised?” Jeff’s eyes closed as he shook his head with disbelief. “Why should I be surprised?”
“I am sorry.”
“For exactly what? For disappearing during my shift at the hospital without so much as a goodbye? Or maybe for that crappy little note you left thanking me for a good time?”
“That is not what my note said,” she denied fervently. “I thanked you for making my trip special.”
Jeff continued as if she had not spoken. “Or maybe you’re sorry for the fact I came on this God forsaken show thinking I would find you. I mean, what are the odds of me being contacted out of the blue by a major network to appear on a reality television show? One with a princess named Isabella Strovanik? Oh, and she’s from the same country as Izzy Strover? I’d say the chances are zero to none.”
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“Did I say you’d hurt me?” His gaze pierced straight to her heart.
Isabella winced. “No, but if you would let me explain.”
“Explain what? How you disappeared from my life for a year?”
“Yes.” This was much harder than she had imagined it would be. “I do want to explain that to you. And much more.”
“Have you considered that maybe I no longer want to hear it?”
Yes, she had considered that possibility many times. Why had she listened to JP? He had only wanted her here for his show. She sighed. No, he had been right to push her. She had to start facing her fears. As the soon-to-be ruler of this country she would not be able to cower when unfortunate circumstances arose.
“I hope that is not true.”
Jeff looked around the room. What was running through his mind? He looked harassed. And she had done this to him. All because she had selfishly wanted to see him.
“Can we please go somewhere away from the cameras to discuss this in private. I have much to tell you.”
His blue eyes jerked to her. “In case you haven’t noticed, the cameras are everywhere, except the johns. You wanna talk in there?” His biting words did not suit him, but she understood his anger.
Isabella stood her ground, drawing upon a deep heritage of bravery to see her through this day. “Come to my suite. There are no cameras in the west wing. I would not allow it as it is where my family’s private quarters are located.”
His chest heaved. “This is your castle? You’re really a princess?”
“Yes. That is why I had to leave you. My father became ill. A stroke. He passed away a few months ago, and I am left to fulfill his duties.”
Jeff laughed, a humorless sound that echoed around the room. Isabella glanced around, meeting the gazes of the curious onlookers. She and Jeff were the center of attention now that the two other women had exited the room. All cameras pointed in their direction.
“Please, may we go to my quarters? You have traveled so far thinking you would see me. I am here now. Would you refuse to listen to what I have to say?”
He threw his hands up. “I can’t believe any of this is happening. Jane isn’t Jane. You’re Jane. Some crazy woman who looks like Jane drags Jane out of here. Or who I thought was Jane out of here.” He touched his forehead. “I think I need an aspirin.”
Never had she seen him so upset. So very distraught.
“I will have one of my servants attend to you. Follow me, Jeff. Please.”
He stared at her, then nodded. “Sure, your Highness. Whatever you say. After all, I’m in your country and you could probably have me thrown in jail if I disobeyed.”
“Good idea.” She would agree to whatever he suggested if it would get them out of the spotlight. She did not want to bare her heart with cameras capturing every word. “Come now or I will have my chief of security lock you in the dungeon.”
Which w
as a sham since this castles dungeon had not been in working order for several centuries.
Mouth clamped shut Jeff followed her. When JP and two cameramen went to join them, Isabella shook her head. She would not have her private quarters invaded by the film crew. Her gaze caught JP’s and she braced herself for his insistence upon accompanying her.
For once, he did not argue. Instead he smiled and gave her a thumb’s up motion.
Americans were so confusing.
Or maybe it was just men that she did not understand.
# # #
Breathless from disbelief, Jill yanked free of Jessie’s grasp.
Where was the freaky music? This was one hundred percent Twilight Zone. Or maybe one of those “Jill Davidson, you’re on Candid Camera.” moments. Jessie couldn’t possibly be here, in Europe, at the taping of JANE MILLIONAIRE’s grand finale.
Thank God it hadn’t been live.
Impossible or not, her sister stood two feet away looking as if she’d just stepped off the cover of Cosmo.
Jessie was here.
Jill noisily sucked air into her lungs. If Jessie was here it meant something terrible had happened.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Dan?”
“He’s fine, too. We all are. Except I’ve been worried to death about you.” Jessie gazed at the elaborate surroundings of the hallway, the authentic paintings, the handmade rugs, and the sculptures. She whistled. Loudly.
“Doesn’t look like you’ve been roughing it. And those men are absolutely scrumptious. Much more so than they appeared on television.” She waggled her brows. “Lucky you.”
“Why are you here?” Jill tapped her slipper-covered foot on the hardwood floor, the sound seeming to echo up and down the long hallway.
Jessie’s glossy lower lip pouted. “I’ve already told you, I came to rescue you. Come on, let’s go.”
Her sister grabbed her arm, but Jill resisted. “No.”
“No?” Jessie’s eyes widened. “What do you mean no?”
