Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Poor Patrick. Normally a director barely knows the production assistants’ names. Even the key PA. He got the micro manager. That can be tough, but he doesn’t have to throw me under every bus he can.
“I thought we were talking about Shelby,” Emily begins.
In the background I see Harper moving around, a tool belt circling her hips. She looks like she’s working on one of the sconce lighting units, but I’m sure she’s listening to every word we say.
“I’m sorry.” I don’t mean to hold everyone up. “I’ll be faster with my conversations with the king.”
Tiara Kate shakes her head, and I swear that fake crown doesn’t move. I wonder if it’s surgically attached to her head. “No. Katy has a point. You’re the only one here who isn’t crazy about the king.”
“Crazy is a harsh word,” Riley hedges. “I wouldn’t say crazy.”
“Then maybe you should leave, too,” Katy shoots back.
“Can we stop policing other people’s feelings?” I ask. “You know not everyone expresses their affection in the same way. I absolutely feel something for the king.”
I think about Luca all the time. It’s probably why I get nervous when production wants to shoot a scene between us. I’m insanely crazy about the Luca who sneaks into my bedroom at night and watches TV with me and argues about who the bachelor sends home and how he won’t be so foolish. I’m falling for the Luca who blushed madly when he realized what happens in the fantasy suites, and that production really would prefer he pick a couple of us to sleep with.
It’s not like the smooth and politic king he is in front of the cameras isn’t charming. It’s just that it feels fake when I know who he is underneath it all.
“Well, it doesn’t show, and you’re dragging the rest of us down,” Katy says.
Harper has turned, and I see her eyes narrow. Oh, that could be a problem.
“How is she dragging anyone down?” Hannah stands up, facing off with Katy and the Tiara. “She’s done nothing but help us all. When we don’t understand what’s going on, she explains all the production things to us. She tries to keep the peace so we don’t all look ridiculous when the show comes out. I, for one, don’t want to look like some stereotype.”
“You’re going to look like that no matter what you do,” Tiara Kate says. “They’re going to edit us all as they will, so you can give them nothing to work with and they’ll give you the dull as dishwater edit, or you can give them some sparks and maybe you’ll get something out of it.”
It’s the first time I’ve seen her admit she’s not merely here for the king. “Really? Get something career wise? Because I think I got accused of not being here for the right reasons. Is my career not the right reason, but yours is?”
Katy huffs out an annoyed sigh. “Like Ashley F isn’t already talking to the producers about doing their new dating show. Don’t be a hypocrite. You don’t need this show to get another show. You’re a production assistant. You’re like ants. There’s always something for you to do. Do you think I want to be a teacher for the rest of my life? Do you know what it’s like for us right now?”
I’m sure she’s got horror stories. “Well, it’s super fun to spend all my time catering to people like you. So you’ll have to excuse me when I don’t see the difference between you moving up on the reality show circuit and me trying to keep a job I love.”
“So you admit you’re not here for Reg,” Emily says, shooting me a disappointed look.
“Neither are these two. And it’s not like I don’t like him. I do. He’s a great guy. I just don’t think a relationship like this can work,” I point out. “It looks great on TV, but how much time have you actually spent with him? Getting to know him? Even if you’ve had a one-on-one, the cameras are there.”
“I talked to him when they were repositioning the cameras.” Hannah’s looking at me with wide eyes like she feels the need to defend herself. “But I guess in the five hours we were gone it was only like an hour we got to talk without thinking about how things look on film. But it was a nice hour. Even if it was broken up with hair and makeup and lighting.”
“Yes, we’ve all enjoyed our time with Reg.” Katy locks onto Hannah. “You’re here for the right reasons. You believe in the process. Anika admitted she doesn’t.”
“And you do?” I’m starting to get irritated. I stand because I see Harper inching toward us and I don’t trust her with a wrench in her hand. “You think you’re honestly coming out of this as the queen of Ralavia?”