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)
“We’re not in the same situation at all. I didn’t come here to find a husband.” He’s overwhelming me, and he’s not saying the words that will make me say yes. I honestly don’t know that there are words that will make me say yes.
I love you.
He could say that, but I wouldn’t believe him. Not now.
He seems to think about that for a moment. “Well, it’s good I have a few weeks to change your mind then. Scoot over. I thought you could watch one of those shows with me. You know, the one this one is based on. We can watch and talk about it and then I’ll know better how to act.”
I roll my eyes. “There’s no TV in here. They don’t allow us contact with the outside world.”
“Then it’s good I came prepared.” He opens the door and says something in German and then an iPad is being pressed into his hand.
“Luca, is Hans sitting in the stairwell?”
Luca shrugs. “I told him there wouldn’t be an assassin in the tunnels.”
“Es gibt immer Attentäter in den Tunneln,” I hear a low voice say.
“Du bist ein paranoider Mistkerl,” Luca shoots back.
Some things are clear from context. “He’s right. There could be assassins in the tunnels, but more likely an unhoused person looking for shelter in the subway tunnels and finding their way here.”
He closes the door. “I can handle it. Now, I have all the streaming things. Where do I start?”
He climbs onto the bed next to me, though I’m under the covers and he stays on top. I’m excited to see a device. I haven’t seen my phone in days, and I miss it. The truth of the matter is I’m doing us all a favor by teaching Luca how to act like a man who wants to find love by driving through a handpicked selection of women deemed “right” by a group of wealthy producers.
Wow. It’s really a little like a royal marriage when you think about it. He’s got a limited quantity to pick from, and he’s got to get it done or the production/crown fails.
He logs in and I find a show to start with.
“This one is closest to what we’re doing, ie, this is the one we’re ripping off,” I explain.
“Ripping off?” Luca asks, that elegant brow rising.
I wave away that worry. “If one show is successful, there will be one hundred and fifty variations out the next season. You’ve got your generic pretty people finding love Bachelor/Bachelorette, group dating shows where they throw a bunch of pretty people on a beach and watch them fight. Watching your ex date is a thing. Oh, and then there are the ones that are profession based. Like farmers.”
There’s a pained expression on his face. “I should have known what I was getting into, shouldn’t I?”
I shrug as I start season one, episode one. “That’s why you need an agent, buddy. Now hush. You might learn something.”
He settles in beside me. “This is nothing I ever thought I would need to know. They didn’t cover this at Oxford.”
I roll my eyes his way. “Show off.”
His lips curl into a sweet smile. “You are an incorrigible brat.”
“I thought I was a treasure.”
His hand comes out to cup my cheek, and he leans over, brushing his lips over my forehead. “It’s all about perspective. You can be both. I like the fact that you’re both, Anika. You can be everything.”
I am not going to cry. I force myself to pay attention to the show. “All right. So here are the introductions. They’re important.”
Sometime around episode three I fall asleep, my head on his shoulder.
When I wake up in the morning, someone’s tucked the covers around me.
I feel warm and cared for.
I steel myself for the day ahead because it’s time to go back to work.
Confessionals
Tiara Kate
I don’t get what Reg sees in Anika. I mean I guess I don’t want to vomit looking at her, but she’s not the most fashionable among us. Have you seen that granny gown she wears to bed? There’s comfort and then there’s the Middle Ages.
Hannah
I’m happy for all of us to get to spend time with such an extraordinary man. What would I do if I was queen of Regalia? Relavia? What would I do if I became queen? I guess the first thing would be to learn how to pronounce the country’s name right.
Ashley K
I can’t believe he cut me. I thought that date was going great. Then I told him I don’t drink beer because it’s nasty and he cut me. How was I supposed to know a dude from wherever he’s from takes beer so seriously? I thought he would be into wine.
Shelby
Everything is going wonderfully. Reg and I are already making excellent decisions together. But I have to wonder if he’s as eager to kiss me as I am to kiss him. That rule is antiquated. What are we going to do on the overnights? Talk? That sounds terrible.