Page 54 of The Prince's Game
“I barely know him.”Liar. My subconscious needed to take a hike.
“That may be, but I know that look. It’s the same one Mom had when she looked at Dad. You’re in love.”
“I am not.”
“You can’t hide from me, Little Sister. You love him.”
“I’m only the little sister by two minutes, and no, I don’t.” Loving Evan Mershano would leave me broken in the end, and I couldn’t allow that to happen.
“Deny it all you want, but I see right through you. I always have.”
Now Ireallywanted to punch my twin. “First you get me into this mess, and now you claim I’m in love. Why don’t you go home to yourAndyand leave me the fuck alone.”
“Touchy, touchy.” She picked up her drink and brought it to her lips. “I can’t wait to meet this man, the one who cracked my sister’s infamous armor. He must be fascinating for you to love him.”
“I’m seriously—”“Are you two fighting already?” my mom snapped from the basement doors. She started chewing us out in Spanish, calling us immature and frustrating, and giving us a thorough verbal beatdown. “I want hugging in this house and no more bickering!”
“Lo siento, Mamá.” Abby sounded so contrite, the kiss-ass.
“I’m sorry, too.” But only about the mess I was causing by being here with the show. Brenda came up the stairs with her phone to her ear.
“Crew,” she mouthed. From the sound of it, she was arranging a pickup time for after dinner. I wanted so badly to check my phone and see if Evan messaged, but my phone was in my suitcase. I would have to wait until I was alone in the comfort of my hotel room to check in with him.After dinner.
26
A Surprise Visitor
My mom wanted me to sleep in my old room, but the show insisted I stay in the Mershano-owned hotel downtown. Abby signed a bunch of nondisclosure agreements on my behalf before filming started, but those weren’t good enough for the network. It was ridiculous. If they planned for the watchdog routine to continue after the show ended, they would be in for a surprise. I refused to be babysat from now until everything aired on television.
Evan never texted me today, something I should have expected. He was busy traveling to Richmond to meet Tiffany’s parents. Jealousy soured my stomach. It was irrational. I knew this was part of the game, but my heart didn’t understand logic. It would be worse when he went to Charleston for Amber. The fake southern belle pulled out all the stops to get his attention in Jamaica. She monopolized his time in front of the cameras and touched him like he belonged to her, and I hated it.
“Hello, earth to Sarah,” Rachel said through the phone. “I asked why you didn’t punch Abby today.”
I cleared my throat. “It wasn’t for a lack of wanting to, but my mom is pissed enough already.”
“So tell her Abby set you up. Let that idiot twin of yours fry a bit.”
The temptation to do so struck me more than once today. “I couldn’t with my babysitter hanging around, and—” I was cut off by a knock on the door. “Speak of the shadow and she shall appear.”
“Huh?”
“Sorry, someone’s at the door. Probably my makeup artist supervisor.” I crawled out of the massive king bed. “Going to have to call you back.”
“Your life is surreal.”
“Tell me about it.” I hung up the phone and stashed it beneath the mattress.
Wearing black shorts and a tank top, I opened the door and froze. “Uh, hi.”
“Is now a bad time?” Evan’s leather-clad arms were braced over the door, his lips curled into a mischievous grin.
“I thought you were in Virginia.”
“I decided on a detour.”
“Because Indianapolis is on the way to Richmond.”Not.
He shrugged. “It is when you own a private jet.”
