Page 73 of The Billionaire's Heart

“Why?”

“Telephoto lenses.” He nods towards the parking lot gates.

“Ah. Good thinking.”

“Not my first rodeo.”

“That’s got to suck for you and your family. I mean, I’ve only been exposed to it for a few days and I’m already over it.”

Sawyer hands me a bottle of water from a vendor, “I suppose, but Ian and I have been in the public eye our entire life. We’re just used to it, I guess. Besides, not much you can do about it. People will do what they want. And right now—a picture of ‘America’s Royal Couple’,” he uses air quotes, “is what everyone wants.” He shrugs and laughs.

“What are you talking about?”

He laughs, “Apparently, you haven’t been online lately.” He pulls out his phone and swipes open a few social media pagesand shows me. “Seems you and my dear brother are now royalty.”

My mouth drops open as I see page after page and article after article about us with hashtags about how in love we are and how happy we look. “My, what an interview can do for your internet presence.” I mumble as I take his phone out of his hands and start scrolling. “How am I a hashtag?” I ask with disgust in my voice to no one in particular.

People are writing articles about our wedding, eagerly anticipating it, speculating about my dress, expressing their desire to be invited, and even discussing how many kids we will have. That’s just not right. Don’t these people have anything better to do? In less than twenty-four hours, people went from wanting my head on a stick to planning the rest of my life with Ian and calling us royalty. Unbelievable.

“I see you’ve shown my girl her royal status,” Ian says as he slides up next to me and puts his arm around my waist. “Hi, sweetness.” He kisses the side of my head.

“Hi.” I answer distractedly. “Have you seen this shit?” I hold up Sawyer’s phone. “Just a few days ago, everyone wanted my head on a platter. Now I’m a hashtag?”

Sawyer holds up his water. “Here’s to the king and queen.” He laughs at his stupid joke.

I’m not finding him hilarious right now. No wonder Laura looks like she’s aged ten years in the last few days. How can anyone keep up with this shit?

Ian takes his brother’s phone out of my hands and gives it back to Sawyer. “Don’t worry about it. At least they’re not trying to burn you at the stake anymore, right?”

“No. These people need a life.”

“These people live for this shit. They hate their shitty lives, so they like to live vicariously through others. Just ignore it.” Sawyer says as he finishes the rest of the water in his bottle.

“Not helping.” Ian scolds him and then turns to me. “Look, Mia. People are going to say and do what they want to do and the only thing you can do is live your life how you want to live it. It doesn’t matter what others are saying.”

“But do you like that they say these things about you? About us?”

I watch a dark cloud come over Ian’s face, but he quickly wipes it away as he grabs his own bottle of water. July in Florida is hot and humid. Something I’m trying to get used to.

“Mia, no, of course not. I’d rather people not care about what I’m wearing, who I’m dating, where am I going, or any other trivial thing about me. But the fact of the matter is, they do. It’s part of the job.”

I shake my head. “Not a job I’d ever want.”

I look around at all the booths with crafts, food, and items for sale when a huge guy walks up and slaps both Ian and Sawyer on the shoulders, “What’s up, brothers? Haven’t seen you two in a few weeks.”

All three of them shake hands as I stand there feeling pissed about being called royalty. Really, Mia. You just need to get over it. There are worse things to be upset about.

“This is Mia, my fiancé.” Ian introduces me.

I shake this giant’s hand. “Hi.”

“Hi. I’m Declan.”

“Nice to meet you, Declan.”

I watch as Declan sees someone just past me and his brow wrinkles. Turning to see what he’s looking at; all I see is a mob of people wandering through the event. Most of them are making their way to the stage where someone is talking over a microphone, but I can’t hear them from way over here.

“See something you like?” Sawyer loudly whispers to Declan, who just ignores him.

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