Page 116 of Promise Not to Fall for the Rich & Famous

“What do you mean?”

“I mean an acquaintance of mine just offered to pay your legal fees if you want to get out of your contract.”

Excitement hit Kat like a splash of icy water. “You’re kidding,” she breathed. “Wait, it better not be you, Dad. You guys don’t have?—”

“It’s not me,” he interrupted. “It’s someone who can afford it. And they’ve offered to help.”

“Wow.” The word slipped off her lips. “So I can say no to all of this? Even the show?”

Her dad tipped his head. “Yes. But I really hope you’ll at least hear Zander out before you choose. I just wanted you to know that, at least now, you have a choice. But before you make it, search your heart, Kat, and think about what it really is that you want.”

Search your heart. Those words cycled through her mind as her father hurried toward a small set of steps backstage. She set her eyes back on the monitor as Lisa spoke up once more, her British accent in full form.

“We’ve told you about the shocking discovery viewers are calling the twin swap, since Duke’s very own twin, Zander, stepped into his place in time for the nuptials while Duke was away.

“What resulted was a love story no one could’ve predicted. And even still, we’re not sure how it will end. Let’s first welcome to the stage the man every woman secretly dreams about, the same man who skipped town in time for his own wedding, Mr. Duke Benton.”

Duke waved charismatically as he strode onto the stage. The manner was so entirely different from Zander’s that, had Kat paid attention to the twins sooner, she might have picked up on the differences herself.

“As you know, Duke,” Lisa said once they were seated. “We’ll be giving Kat a choice. She’ll spend the duration of her filming contract with either you or your twin, Zander. How would you feel if she decided to stay with you?”

A wide grin spread over his face. As the camera zoomed in on him, a familiar ache sank deep into Kat’s gut. It was that same, sick longing she felt when going to kid’s camp for three whole weeks in her youth. She was homesick. Homesick for the man who, somehow, became home to her in a matter of days.

“As much as I’d like having Kat to myself for a while—what man wouldn’t—I’d be…nervous.”

Lisa’s eyebrows shot up. “Nervous? That’s not what I expected you to say. Why nervous?”

“First off, I’d be scared that Zander would kick my face in the dirt if I dared even look at her.”

The crowd laughed, and Lisa did too.

“So you’re talking about a little sibling rivalry, are you?” Lisa prodded.

“I guess you could call it that. When Zander and I were younger, we fell for the same chicks all the time. I was usually the first one to make a move,” Duke admitted, “and I was always quick to tell the ladies that—with me—they were getting the better twin of the two.”

“Ah…” Lisa tipped her head back. “Is that what you plan to tell Kat when she joins us on stage?”

Duke’s lips pinched closed as he shot a look into the lens. “You’ll have to wait and find out.”

Kat could see it now, more of the nuances that set Duke and his brother apart. It made her long for Zander even more. Made her miss the way he’d lift one brow and give her that knowing half grin.

“Before we bring out the man who came to the show’s rescue, so to speak, let’s watch the last video diary he recorded, just moments before our producers so rudely interrupted their fun.”

Kat’s heart kicked into panic mode. She hadn’t seen this yet, and she wasn’t sure she could take it.

But ready or not, Zander’s face popped up on the backstage monitor. It was obvious by his blue sky and white sands surrounding that he was on their private island.

She’d grown rather fond of his beach attire—swim trunks and flip-flops, and it seemed that the audience liked it too; several ladies whistled and screamed when Zander’s flawless chest filled the lens as he fiddled with it. “There,” he said under his breath.

Kat watched as he stepped back toward the seat. He paused there suddenly, and waved an arm toward the deck. “I love you, Princess of the Pillows.”

Now it felt like her heart had stopped completely. She’d forgotten about that.

“I love you, too, Robin of the Hood, champion archer of the west,” she hollered back.

Hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes as Zander turned a wide grin back on the camera.

“Dang, she’s cute.”