Page 127 of Insta Bride
“According to the rules that I suggested as a way of extending the public’s interest in the show, and you put in writing, it is up to Australia to choose. Not me.”
“Are you claiming credit for the show’s success?”
“I’m telling you that I went to Bree and Emi. I wanted a way of not losing Elena when our island holiday ended. I suggested the show find a way of having the final couples live as married couples in the real world. I suggested Australia could vote.”
“Is this true, Miss James?”
“Um, yes.” Bree shook beside me. As a friend and ex-lover, I rubbed her back. She’d had mine when it counted, I could do the same.
“Bree and Emi made it possible for all contestants to come forward with ideas on how to make the show work. The success of the show is because they listened—and obviously knew which ideas to adopt and which to lose.”
“Mr. Branson, I can’t ignore the unfair advantage that the song has given you and Miss Mercer.”
“Her name is still Ms Branson. I didn’t ask for the advantage. I crashed at a friend’s place for a weekend after my reputation had been trashed, once again, with an edited illegal voice recording. If a friend took my story and a couple of my words and turned it into a song, well—” I took a breath, “I definitely owe Dev a beer for trying.”
“Mr. Branson. I understand Maddox made you an offer.”
“One that I declined.”
“Mr. Branson, you’ve given me a lot to think about, to reconsider.”
“I love my wife.”
“We’ll see if that’s enough.”
Elena
Watching the dress rehearsals came second to the mixer as the most uncomfortable event, ever.
Looking around at the crew, I wasn’t the only one not enjoying the day.
Chloe had been one of the camera crew from the island and followed us to the mainland. Most of the other crew rotated through the couples but Chloe had seemed to stick with Benjamin and Kenzie.
Watching Chloe watch Kenzie and Benjamin, I remembered the Island. At first, I thought Chloe must have been having an affair with Benjamin. She’d always got this crazed look when Kenzie and Benjamin indulged in their PDAs.
My assumptions were blown up when I saw Kenzie and Chloe in one of the vacant villas. I’d been trying to get away from the drama of having written Seb’s name on the piece of paper.
Kye had been amazing and supportive, but I’d felt suffocated by his attention. Instead of heading to our villa, I’d headed to the first villa we’d been in. The one at the end of the path. The one most private.
I’d heard Kenzie and Chloe before I’d seen them.
Watching through the window, a thousand different emotions crashed. Anger that Kenzie had been so fake with Benjamin. Then, anger that Benjamin and Kenzie were the couple most likely to win this competition—making a mockery out of the name, Australian Love Story. I’d have respected Kenzie more if she’d been honest.
I couldn’t quell my jealousy.
Kye had wanted Kenzie at the start.
Benjamin wanted Kenzie the entire experience and had fought for her.
But, she’d found love with Chloe.
The woman with the cold heart and venomous tongue was going to walk away with love.
While I got?
A song.
Whenever I turned on the radio, whenever anyone saw me, all I heard or all they wanted to talk about, was the song.