Page 128 of Faking the Pass
Then the reporter gave me a cat-who-ate-the-canary smile, waggling her eyebrows.
“And tell us about this big hunk of royal footman who’s escorting you tonight. How’s married life?”
Suddenly I was at a loss. When the paparazzi had followed us and shouted questions these past few weeks, all I’d done wassmile and wave. Here was someone directly asking me about my relationship with Presley, and I had no idea what to say.
I was a good actress but a terrible liar.
I looked up at my husband, and like the pro quarterback he was, he stepped in and started running the offense.
“Well, I don’t know about Rosie, but it’s been the best time of my life. I’m just so grateful fate arranged it for us to get to know each other again—and keep Rosie from marrying the wrong guy before I could get my shot.”
Wow. He’d gone there, like first thing. His answer seemed to please the reporter. She beamed at him.
“Such a romantic story,” she gushed. And then her eyes dropped to take in his costume—and lingered on the front of his indecently tight breeches.
“Tell us about what you’re wearing tonight, Presley. They must have made this custom for you—I can’t imagine it would be easy to find a footman’s outfit in yoursize.”
Her tone of voice and appreciative gaze made it clear she was talking about his generously highlighted male parts.
He gave her an innocent grin. “We’re bothrealgrateful to Randy Ryland’s production company for providing them. I mean, look at my wife in that dress, would you?”
The interviewer obediently returned her focus to me for another few seconds before Maggie pulled us away and escorted us to the next waiting reporter.
Once again, when I got stuck, I turned to Presley, and he jumped in, chatting easily about our surprise marriage and how “amazing” I looked tonight.
He was charm personified, surprising even me with his quick wit and willingness to be game for all the inane questions about fashion.
After another half hour or so of this pattern, we reached the base of the stairs.
“You got this,” he said and pressed a kiss to my forehead before going to stand at the side with the photographers.
I posed for a dizzying session of solo photos, turning to show every angle of my dress before Randy spotted me and came to my side.
He grazed my cheeks with air kisses before settling a hand at my waist and putting on his signature cocky smile for the photographers.
With all the flashes, it was a bit hard to make out Presley’s face, but I did get a glimpse of it, and his expression didn’t look thrilled.
Randy and I took a few steps up the staircase, and I lost sight of Presley. Apparently my former flame had been waiting for exactly that before speaking to me.
“You look gorgeous,” he said between his teeth. “I hope you like the dress I had designed for you. It fits perfectly.”
“Lucky thing, that,” I said. “You haven’t seen me in a while. I could have gained fifteen pounds since then—or be pregnant by now.”
He chuckled, keeping his voice low and wearing a permagrin. “Everyone knows your marriage is fake. And I know what a prude you are. There’s no way you’d be putting out for that Neanderthal when you’re still in love with me.”
It took all my discipline to keep my jaw from dropping in shock and giving the onlookers some veryinterestingpictures.
Did Randy really think I’d been pining away for him all this time?
I was sorely tempted to go jump into Presley’s arms and lick his face just to prove a point, but of course I didn’t. Instead I turned and smiled for the cameras lining the other side of the staircase.
“That goes to show how muchyouknow,” I said under my breath. “Youdidsee him in that skin-tight-thirst-trap costume you sent for him, right?”
Randy whipped his head to face me and looked at me in shock. Not gonna lie… I felt pretty triumphant.
“There’s not a woman alive who’d turnthatpackage down,” I said. “But I’m not sure why you’re even thinking about my sex life, when you must have your own hands full. Congratulations on the baby, by the way.”
My co-star pulled himself together, his famous smile returning as he lifted a hand and waved to the crowd.
