Page 134 of The Bad Boy Prince in Love

“This is the same kind of situation,” Hallie said, feeling desperate.“So if you’re my friend, you’ll leave it alone and not give Terry the advantage.”

“Your friend, huh?”Perry looked down and chewed on his lip in discontentment.“Some friend, who doesn’t even want to be my backup singer.”

“I told you, Perry, it wouldn’t work.I can’t sing!”

Gritting her jaw, Terry grabbed the hapless journalist’s arm and started pulling him towards the house.“This is no time to be catching up on high school drama.You get over there right now and tell that story!”

“Terry, leave him alone!”Hallie grabbed his other arm and held him back.

“Ouch!”Perry yelled.“You’re both crazy!”He extricated himself from Hallie’s grip, then took a few steps towards the house.“I’ll do it, but not because you’re forcing me to.”

“Fine,” Terry hurled his arm free.“Let’s go then.”

Hallie stepped in front of him.“I’ll be in your music video,” she said, almost unable to believe the words that were coming out of her own mouth.

Perry was stunned too.“What?”

“I’ll do it.I’m just not going to sing, but I could be—I don’t know...a dancer or something?”

“Oh!”Perry’s eyes went wide.“A dancer, that would be—”

“Hey, we’re losing sight of the goal here,” Terry prompted, snapping her fingers.

“Would you really do it?”Perry asked.

“Yes, if you turn around right now and go back in your van and drive away.”

“But what am I going to tell the news station?”he asked with a mopey expression.

“Tell them it was a hoax or something,” Hallie suggested, casting a nervous glance back at the house.At least no one else had come out to join them.

“Don’t you dare!”Terry yelled.“I’m not giving you any more news tips after this.”

“Will you wear a bikini?”Perry asked, cringing away as if he expected her to slap him.

“Fine,” Hallie said, “Whatever.Just get out of here.”

“Okay.You’re the best!”Signaling for his camera man to move out, Perry dashed for the van.

Terry watched them leave, almost as if waiting for him to change his mind at the last second.

Finally, she turned to Hallie and said, “You’re no fun.”

“Actually, I’m very fun.Haven’t you heard, I’m going to wear a bikini?”

Terry made a sneering face at her and turned back towards the house.

Everyone greeted Hallie with applause on her return.

“Thanks for getting rid of that reporter, girls,” her mama said.

“Any time,” Terry replied with a proud smile.

“I thought you were pulling that reporter towards the house, Terry,” Luke remarked with a malicious grin.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Terry replied, “That was just part of my strategy to confuse him.”

“What was all the fuss about, anyway?”Sam asked.