Page 138 of Rule 2: Never Join a Christmas Dating Show

My jaw must drop because she laughs.

“Sorry,” Flora says, “but Aisha will open the door at any moment, and you looked like you were going to enter a lengthy speech about why we’re great or something.”

“It seemed the polite thing to do,” I say. “And you are both great. I mean, if things had been different...”

“Like if you weren’t in love with Sebastian?” Flora asks, and Willow giggles. “You’re ridiculously obvious. Even Willow can tell, and she’s book smart.”

“I am book smart,” Willow confirms. “And one day I’ll find someone also book smart.”

“I’m sorry it’s not me,” I say.

Flora shrugs. “It’s okay. I got to be on TV. And I don’t want a dentist’s office in my future home. I like to leave teeth at work.”

“I might leave teeth at work too,” I say. “Unwillingly in my case.”

Flora and Willow burst into laughter.

The door opens, and I blink into the expensive, non-fluorescent light.

“That’s where you are,” Aisha says sternly. “The cameras are upstairs.”

“I was wondering if I could see the floral crown,” I say. “I wanted to see if it looked any different.”

Aisha gives me a look that tells me she thinks I’m strange, but she shrugs.

I think about making an excuse and leaving, but I don’t want them to get suspicious. I march upstairs instead, and for the next twenty minutes I ask Willow and Flora about dental and doctor offices inside homes, while Aisha taps her fingers along her notepad.

The cleaners arrive to make the place extra-sparkly, and I make my excuses and leave, nervousness thrumming through me.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Sebastian

Everything is set up for the Christmas Eve Special. The worst has happened, and Luke loves me.

I float around the drawing room, making sure the lights and sound are just right, but of course they are. This is my lastSeeking Mr. Right episode. This is the last time I’ll be doing any of this.

“I’m going to fetch Luke at his apartment,” I tell Ella.

“That’s not necessary,” she says. “The limo driver will pick him up. Wait here with the women. We don’t want your suit to get wet.”

I swallow hard. I hadn’t realized how much I was looking forward to picking him up, to be in his apartment again, to see all his sweetness directed at me. I don’t know when I’ll see him alone again. He promised to wait for me, but I’m not sure what that means.

“He might need help getting ready.”

“I’ll have someone from makeup greet him,” Ella says.

Her demeanor has definitely changed. I’ve gone from someone she wants to hang out with and is proud of hanging out with, to someone whom she frowns at when I am too near.

Ella doesn’t associate with unglossy, unglamorous things.

It’s not her style.

She doesn’t want to have Clark see us hanging out. I’m probably bad for her brand or something.

It’s okay.

I’m completely fine with that.