Page 89 of Insta Bride

“Yeah, Kye and Elena, man.” Lyle mused, shaking his head in disbelief. “I never thought I’d see the day when Kye Branson would be in love. But Elena is a good chick. I mean, she keeps him in line.”

“Mate, he’s so love-struck, he wouldn’t dare put a foot out of line.” Zac joked.

“So, how wild was Kye before he met Elena?” Stephanie Fritz faked concern. I remembered the relationship expert as anything but. Of all the so-called experts trotted out by the production team, she was all fluff and no substance. Hell, she wanted to put me under hypnosis to deal with my cheating ways.

No. I hadn’t needed hocus pocus. Just the threat of losing the competition—then the threat of losing Elena. Did the Fritz bitch even realise the whole real marriage thing had been my idea?

Elena, let go of my hands, her body frozen in anticipation of the response. I wanted to be confident, wanted to reassure her that it was all in my past.

Shit.

Lyle and Zac held all of my secrets. I mean, we’d walk into a bar, divvy up the women and play with them all night. Just for sport, we’d pick tables before we even walked into a bar. Our female conquests had to have been sitting at the nominated table.

It had all seemed fun at the time. All sex had been consensual and, at least for my part, all women went home with a smile. Things that wouldn’t play well with either the voting public, or my wife.

They knew all my secrets.

Zac and Lyle shared a conversation without words before Lyle nodded and Zac spoke. “We’re not gonna disrespect Elena by talking about what Kye used to do. I mean, all that leaked social media shit does enough damage, you know.”

Lyle nodded and broke in, “All that Elena needs to know is that we’ve never seen him like this. She’s good for him, but he’s probably good for her as well. Kye’s a good guy. And we always knew when he fell, he’d be the one to fall absolutely. Take a look at the guy, he looks shattered. No guy actually goes on a TV show and expects to fall in love.”

Now my best friends almost fell off the couch laughing so hard. Bastards, I thought, knowing I’d get my revenge if and when they were stupid enough to meet the right women.

“It hit him so hard, he might never recover,” Zac finished. “Elena, if this makes it through the edits, we wouldn’t have believed it if we hadn’t seen it. That man of yours—your husband? He’s fucking fallen in love, and its with you.”

“That was very nice of them,” Elena squeezed my hand, and scooted over to cuddle up into my chest. I’d never been the kind of guy to watch TV. But, messing with her algorithm had become one of life’s little pleasures. Until, as expected, she’d gotten her revenge and swapped around icons; changed profile names and stripped mine of anything decently sport related. After my beloved bride had worked from home one day, I’d come home to my profile filled with chick flicks and rom coms.

I respected a woman who didn’t play by the rules.

Our battles of wits knew no bounds, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“They’re good guys.” Kissing the top of her head always filled me with memories of growing up. I didn’t know frangipani fragrance shampoo even was a thing? Memories of my grandmother’s tree in the front yard couldn’t be the only reason I loved Elena, but it didn’t hurt. “I told you—they like you.”

“Okay,” she laughed and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “I believe you and I’ll cook them the best rare steak and chips they’ve ever had.”

“We’ll never be able to get divorced,” I joked. “My friends will dump me like a hot potato, for you.”

“Hold onto that thought because I’m nervous.” Elena snuggled closer as the commercial break ended. “Did you believe the other interview last night? I mean, it seemed scripted.”

“Don’t worry about it, babe. We are real and our friends are real. Benjamin and Kenzie wouldn’t know real if it bit them on the ass.”

“Silicone or cellulite?”

“That’s my girl. Just remember, if the editors can’t find conflict, they’ll create it. Nothing we see on the show is real unless we’ve seen it in real life.”

I didn’t care what they threw at us, as long as Elena believed. These were her friends, what was the worst they could do? Trash talk me? I hadn’t given them any reason.

“I’m joined here now by Tash, Jess and Olivia. Is it true you’ve been friends with Elena since pre-kinder?” Stephanie welcomed Elena’s friends to the interview.

“Something like that, but let’s talk about those two fit specimens who you had on the couch a minute ago?” Tash asked, still looking towards where my friends had left. “I’ve got a bone to pick with Kye. Why hasn’t he introduced us to his friends?”

“Ahh,” Jess laughed with no malice, “Maybe because you’d man-eat them alive in minutes.”

“I’m not like that but, tell me, are we recording yet?”

“Of course. How else will Lyle and Zac know you want a date?” Stephanie smiled.

“Well, Elena, babe!” Tash looked straight at the camera. “If you’re seeing this, you owe me a double date.”

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