Fairytale Love - Becca & Brian(34)

An applause track played.

"And we're clear. Three minutes and we're back," the assistant director called out.

Brooklyn turned her head to look up at Brian. Her nostrils flared as her  steely, cold eyes bored into his. She hissed under her breath, "Do not  look at her. If you embarrass me, you will be sorry."

For the last three days, all Brooklyn had talked about, when cameras  weren't rolling, was the fact that her friends and family kept telling  her that, on the clips of the show that were being broadcast-which none  of the cast had seen the footage of-Brian was constantly looking at  Becca. No matter what they were doing. Eating, challenges, hanging  out-his eyes were tracking Becca's every move.

That information had not surprised him one bit.

He stared back at her with the blankest expression he could muster at  her not-so-veiled threat. It was tough, though. These past few weeks,  when he had to pretend to be a couple with Brooklyn, to enjoy her  company, had been the ultimate test of his acting skills. She was the  most self-involved, shallow, mean-spirited person Brian had ever met.

She'd admitted to him that she was only here because she wanted to be  ‘discovered' and had no intention of falling in ‘fairytale love.' Truth  be told, that had actually been a relief. He was glad that she wasn't  looking for something he had no way of providing. If she had actually  come on this show for the right reasons, then he would have felt guilty  for being here for the reasons he was and even guiltier for the fact  that he was head over heels, madly in love with someone else.

When Brooklyn had first approached him with the ‘breaking news' that the  cameras had ‘caught' him looking at Becca, he apologized if it had  bothered her but explained that it was just a habit he'd gotten into and  he wasn't even aware he had been doing it. It had been pointed out to  him over the years by his friends and family. Even Becca's sisters had  teased him about it. But, he could honestly say, it had never been a  premeditated action on his part.

When Becca was within a hundred feet of him, it was like she was a  homing beacon calling to him. She had a magnetic pull surrounding her,  and truthfully, Brian couldn't understand how everyone didn't feel it.  She was his lighthouse in the storms of life. She always had been.                       
       
           



       

"I'm serious. Eyes straight ahead or on me. Look at that bitch and you'll live to regret it."

Brian's jaw locked. He was about two seconds from walking off this set.  Instead, he stared back at her and said one word. "Don't."

Brooklyn narrowed her eyes at him but did not say another word. She was a  smart girl, and he knew that she would understand that his statement  had been equal parts warning and promise. With a stiff back, she slowly  turned around and faced forward. Brian was a little shocked that she  didn't cross her arms and stomp her feet like a two-year-old throwing a  tantrum.

Brian knew people like her. They pushed to see how far they could go  with him because he was a ‘nice guy.' Well, she'd just found the line.  If she crossed it again, he was leaving. She could try and get  ‘discovered' without him.

His family was the only thing that kept him from walking off this set.  Tonight were the results that would determine which two couples would be  going on the fairytale getaway. None of the contestants knew where they  would be going if they made it. All Brian knew was that they would be  gone four days. And he only knew that because Becca had made sure that,  no matter what, she would be home for Krista and Chase's wedding.

The applause track began playing, signaling that they were going live again.

Lance took his spot, and just like that, he was ‘on.' Brian watched as  the words Lance was saying scrolled up the teleprompter. The guy really  did know how to host a show.

At the beginning of this, Brian had thought that Lance was kind of a  prick, but after seeing him switch it on for the camera take after take,  Brian had to give it up to the guy. What he did took talent, and Lance  had it. Last week, on the live elimination show during which Natalie and  Andrew had been sent home, the teleprompter had gone dead, and without  skipping a beat, Lance switched to using his earpiece. He didn't think  anyone else in the cast had even noticed. Brian only had because, from  where he stood, he'd had a straight view to the teleprompter, and when  it had gone dark, he'd seen Lance reach up and adjust his earpiece.

"Okay. Our first couple that will be heading to their fairytale getaway is … " Lance paused.

Brian knew that the cameras were getting close-ups of each of the  couples to add suspense for the viewers. He waited, like he had every  week, with an internal battle of whether or not he wanted his name to be  called.

Of course, he needed the money that, every week he remained on the show,  he got closer to. But he also wanted to get as far away from Brooklyn  as he could. After his talk with Becca, he'd decided that he was just  going to look at this as an acting job. Like when celebrities did cameos  in movies but were exaggerated versions of themselves. That's what  Brian was. He was exaggerating the fact that he could actually stand to  be in Brooklyn's presence.

"With over fifty percent of the votes from you, the viewers, the first  couple that will be continuing their journey to happily ever after  is … Colton and Becca!" Lance announced enthusiastically, and the canned  applause sounded through the speakers.

Brian looked over just in time to see Colton pick Becca up off the  ground, holding her tight against him, his head buried in her neck, her  arms wrapped around him. Brian's stomach dropped. He wasn't sure he  would ever get used to seeing her in another man's arms, even if the  arms belonged to a good guy like Colton.

His chest tightened as he turned his attention back towards Lance.

"The second couple that will not only be enjoying a fairytale getaway  but will also be at the Fairytale Love finale in two short weeks, where  the couple with the most votes will be not only be crowned Fairytale  Couple, but will also win five hundred thousand dollars is"-Lance  paused, staring directly into the camera-"going to be announced after a  word from our sponsors! Stay tuned!"

After several seconds, the AD yelled, "We're clear. Back in two."

Brian walked over to congratulate Becca and Colton. When her baby-blue  eyes met his, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. His  hands rested on her bare back. Tonight, she was wearing a white dress  that had a cutout on the lower back. She'd gotten some color over the  past few weeks since most of their ‘activities' had been outdoors. The  contrast of her golden skin, dark hair, and simple, white, curve-hugging  dress was almost more than Brian could handle.

It wasn't just her dress that was driving him crazy. It was her voice,  the sweet smell of her shampoo and lotion, her smile, her laugh. He'd  thought this last year had been tough. Realizing that he was in love  with his best friend. Not knowing what to do about it. How to process  it.                       
       
           



       

Now, all of that seemed ridiculous. If he could go back six months to  Haley's wedding or even three weeks ago, when he'd pulled her into his  arms in the airport, Brian knew now that he'd do things differently.  He'd tell her he loved her. That he'd always love her and that he knew  he could make her happy.

Brian knew he could love her the way no one else could. Not some random  guy. Not some guy she met at Stanford. Not even Colton. He knew her  better than anyone, had been taking care of her, watching out for her  since they were four years old.

No matter how hard he'd try to convince himself otherwise, the truth was she was his.

"You okay?" Becca whispered in his ear.

He didn't answer, just held her tighter. For just a moment, he wanted to  forget that they were shooting a TV show. A dating show. A live show.  All he wanted was for the world to disappear like it always did when  Becca was in his arms.

Unfortunately, he didn't get his wish. He felt Brooklyn's bony fingers  digging into his biceps and heard Jennifer calling out, "Thirty  seconds."

Brian's jaw tensed as he, reluctantly, stepped back and into his spot.  He didn't make eye contact with Becca like he wanted to. He was scared  that, if he had, the thin thread of control he was hanging on to would  snap, and he'd drag her out of there, not giving a damn about the show,  the money, Colton.

"Welcome back to Fairytale Love. This show started with five couples all  competing for their happily ever after. Now, we are down to three.  Colton and Becca received an impressive fifty-four percent of the votes,  guaranteeing them a fairytale getaway and a spot on our live finale  show in just two weeks, where five hundred thousand dollars is up for  grabs.