Page 39 of My Best Friend Prince Charming

“You haven’t even started filming yet, and you’re already on fire.” The redhead caressed his bicep as she smiled flirtatiously at him. “Are you busy after this?”

“Why are you asking?” Ryker said.

“Because you look like you could use some fun,” the blonde said.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m already taken tonight.”

“Maybe another time,” the redhead purred.

“Probably not. I’m with Shannon, actually.” He stepped away from the girls and offered me his arm. I took it gratefully.

“Oh.” She sneered her nose down at me. “Lovely to meet you.” She offered me a limp hand to shake. I took her hand and gave it a little shake.

I shuddered at her icy glare despite the warm evening.

“Ryker! Who is this mysterious woman with you tonight?” A female reporter called out to us.

Ryker stepped over to her, guiding me along with him. Panic flew through me. What was he doing? Wasn’t the goal to avoid the paparazzi as much as possible and just get inside where it was safe? But after meeting those two airbrushed, catty women, I realized there wasn’t anywhere safe at this event.

Before Ryker could get close enough to answer the reporter’s question, another reporter shouted out, “Ryker? Does your date know how many girls you’ve been seen with lately?” What other girls? Who was he talking about? I knew about Tabby, but who were the other girls? Ryker had been faithful to me, right? I wouldn’t have been able to handle it if he hadn’t. I didn’t think I could ever forgive him.

The man held up a printed-out picture of Ryker kissing Tabby. She had her arms around his neck possessively. I’d seen him kissing her from a distance, but this picture was zoomed in.

I choked back bile. I was reliving the nightmare all over again. Cameras flashed all around us. With each flash, I kept seeing Tabby kissing first Austin and then Ryker. Alternating, over and over. I started to feel dizzy, the world tilting on its axis. My knees went weak, and I began to collapse.

Ryker steadied me. And then everything went black.

* * *

“I ruined the night for you,”I told Ryker later that night from our suite. I’d changed into a pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt. A carton of Chinese takeout sat on the table between us.

“You passed out. There was no way I was making you go inside and face a bunch of strangers.”

“I feel so guilty. Mr. Christopher paid all this money for us to go to this event. And we didn’t even make it inside.”

I’d only passed out for five minutes, but Ryker insisted that we needed to go back to the hotel when I came to. I’d woken up to a cluster of paramedics attending to me.

“None of this was your fault. I should have known that it would be too much for you after everything that’s happened in Sweet Mountain with the media.”

“I should have told you I needed to work this weekend. Then you could have made your appearance with Gabi, and everything would have been perfect.” And I could have stayed back home at the boring life I was used to living. I was crazy to think that I needed to run off after high school to go on some grand adventure to see the world outside Sweet Mountain. I had no idea what I’d been wishing for.

“I’m so sorry about those reporters. I should have known better.”

“It’s not your fault. I just don’t know how to react to these vultures.”

“I would tell you that you never have to deal with them again, but I’m afraid I don’t want to tell you that.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Ryker’s blue eyes pierced into mine. “I’m in love with you, Shannon.”

I sat up and stared at him. “You’re in love with me?”

He stared back at me in shock like he couldn’t believe he’d just blurted out a secret. Finally, he nodded, taking my hands. “The truth is, I’ve known I was in love with you for a very long time.”

“Define a long time,” I said. “A few weeks? Months?”

“More like years.”

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