Page 84 of All the Drama from New York

Camille had to know he would never fall for Kaylee again, that she was the woman who held his heart. But the prospect of millions of people all buying into the fiction of him and the bachelorette finally getting together, made Ryan feel sick to his stomach.

“I’m going to call Bryce again, and tell him what has happened. See if there is anyone else, he can talk to who can find a way to rip up this contract,” said Ryan.

“Hmm. That would be good if he could make it all go away. Because if this bug thing that’s knocking me around doesn’t go away soon, I’m going to need every spare minute of your time,” said Camille.

Ryan took a hold of her hand, and raised it to his lips. “And you will have as much of my time as I can give, I promise. We can’t have you getting run down and sick. You are going to be the star of New York fashion week, and that’s non-negotiable.”

Whatever it took he was not going to let her down. The producers. His agent. Kaylee. And most of all that snake in the grass Derick Stad. None of them mattered. Only Camille.

A year ago, Camille had designed the concert wardrobe for world famous popstar Chloe Fisher’s smash hit Las Vegas residency. And recently she’d created Chloe’s gown for her wedding to Camille’s cousin Jordan. If anyone in the Royal family owed Camille a favor, it was her newly minted cousin-in-law.

Camille smiled for the first time in days as Chloe answered the phone with a cheery, “Chloe Royal speaking.”

“That is so weird hearing you say your new name. I’m not sure if I’m ever going to get used to it.”

Chloe laughed down the line. “I just love answering the phone that way. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the executives at the record company when I told them I was changing my name. They are spending a fortune on the rebrand. Though to be honest so am I. Just buying the domain name hasset me back almost six figures.” She gave a happy sigh. “But being married to Jordan makes it all worthwhile.”

If they’d had this conversation a few months ago, Camille would have rolled her eyes at Chloe’s love struck words, but now with Ryan in her own life, she got it. Got why being with someone special could make a person giddy with happiness.

“So what can I do for you babe?” asked Chloe. She was a straightshooter, always ready to ask people what they needed.

“I need a favor. A big one. My PA, Ryan…” she began.

“Don’t you mean the hot all American hunk of a man you are currently knocking boots with? I’m up with all the family tea. But yes, what about him?”

“Well, Ryan was on a dating show a few years ago.”

“Yes, I watched every episode ofBachelors on the Beach.”

Thank heavens they were on a phone call. If Chloe could see how brightly Camille’s face was burning right now, she’d laugh herself hoarse. Camille took a deep breath; and proceeded to tell Chloe just about everything that had happened over the past couple of months. She left out the spicy bits.

At the end of it, Chloe let out a low whistle. “Fark. That’s some messed up stuff. But you’ve come to the right place. In fact I’m more than a little annoyed that Bryce hadn’t already raised the subject of the contract with me.”

She didn’t want to get her cousin into trouble with his sister in law. “We’ve been keeping quiet about it while the Royal Resorts legal team combed through the contract. They said it’s impossible to break.”

“Of course it is—it’s an LA entertainment contract. Those things are so watertight, you could fit a sail to one, and take it on a cruise to the Caribbean. But there will be a way around it, I promise. Let me call my agent Nancy, and she’ll get in touch. If anyone can free your toyboy from his tv contract it’s her.”

“Thank you. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I just need…him.” She managed to squeak a tiny second. “Thank you,” then hung up the phone.

The second she did, Camille burst into floods of tears. This was ridiculous. All this angst over a contract.

That’s all this emotion could be about, couldn’t it?

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Four days later

As much as he disliked Derick, Ryan couldn’t fault the show runner’s logic. Instead of the luxury apartment being Ryan’s fake home, they’d decided it should belong to Kaylee. Which considering that she’d chosen the rich IT guy at the end ofBachelors on the Beach, rather than Ryan, made more sense.

The apartment was gorgeous. The backdrop of Central Park priceless. But none of it helped with the complete lack of spark between Ryan and Kaylee. By Day 2 of the shoot, Derick was becoming increasingly frustrated, and it showed.

Ryan however was secretly pleased.

In between takes his former love interest shared her story. Apparently, she and the tech guy, Steven, had secretly broken up earlier in the year. He worked insane hours. While she sat alone in their luxury LA pad quietly wondering where the lucrative Hollywood career she’d been promised had gone.

“All he does is work,” she complained.

That’s what happens when you choose a meal ticket over love.

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