Page 18 of The Princess Home for Christmas

Sage smiled. “Thad and I do it all the time.”

She groaned. “Yes, I know. Your experience would be my worst nightmare.” They had come together because of a publicity stunt for their company.

“It’s nothing like what you’re dreading. You just come up with your public story and that’s what you show the press, and while they’re listening, you give them the information you want them to have.”

“But what if I don’t want to make a spectacle of myself? What if Thomas and I…” She was going to say, what if they were more special than that, that she didn’t want to ruin what they had by letting all of Torren share their opinion. But she didn’t know what she wanted to do about Thomas. She wasn’t sure she could walk the publicity path. And everywhere he was, seemed to be what people wanted to discuss.

He met her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you wanted, it’s not ideal.”

“No, it’s not. It is so far from ideal.” A great worry surged through her, concern for her refugee families, concern that she was being discussed by so many. She wanted to hide, to run, but her disappearance would not stop the chatter. It would only make it worse.

“What do you suggest we do?” Each of the Valdez brothers had faced the press for one thing or another.

Thad cleared his throat. “We want you two to hold a press conference.”

“Invite the press?”

“Yes. Give them a chance to ask questions, give them the statements you would like repeated. If you don’t say anything, they will make up this story as they go. It might not always be favorable.”

She knew that was true. She’d seen it too many times. She took a deep breath, still not looking at Thomas. “Ok, let’s do it.”

Seraphina stood and clicked the far wall. Up on the projection screen popped up a press release. “We need to decide your public story.”

The queen placed a hand on Dahlia’s. “And we need to know your private one, and which parts you don’t want known to the rest of the world.”

She closed her eyes. Then she looked to Thomas. “What are your thoughts?”

He grinned. “I think this is the best opportunity we’ve had in a long time. I say we run with it. Give them a good romantic show. It’s the holidays. Everyone loves a healthy, home town childhood romance.”

“Except we didn’t have a childhood romance.”

“But I did. They’re gonna love that.”

Uneasiness grew. “But you’re just gonna let them chew on your past like that? They could do anything with your story, twist it in the most embarrassing ways.” She gave him a warning glance. “They will eat you for breakfast and spit you back out when they’re done.”

He shrugged. “There’s nothing much they can twist. I’ve been fascinated by the stunning Princess Dahlia since we were kids. Only recently has she shown any interest at all in my awkward charms.”

She shook her head and laughed in spite of herself. “So you really don’t think the press is going to go away on its own? If we ignore them, stay out of the spotlight?”

“They will eventually, sure. But it’s the holidays. Your absence will even trigger conversation. I think the best thing we can do is face this head on.” Seraphina used her pointer to explain some of the finer details of the press release.

Dahlia skimmed ahead. “Whoa, wait a minute. There’s the M word on there. What is this?” She looked from Thomas to Seraphina to Lucan. Surely someone would see sense.

“That’s just there in case someone asks. We need to know how you want us to respond.”

Dahlia felt her face heat. “We can’t possibly know anything about that right now.” Her eyes flitted to Thomas, but he seemed perfectly content, watching her with an intensity that quickened her breathing but also made her feel like vomiting. Too much too fast. She wasn’t ready for this all by herself in her bedroom. And she certainly wasn’t ready to answer relationship questions to a room full of hungry reporters. She held up her hands. “This is all a little bit too much for me.”

Thad stood. “I know just the thing. This is what Sage and I did.” He pulled out a dry erase marker. And he began to map out a story arc. “We created a romance, beginning, middle, end, conflict all of it, and that’s what we showed them, nothing more.”

She looked into the faces of her family, all those she loved, and she wanted to agree, to jump in. They seemed comfortable, happy with portraying a lie. She stood slowly. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know if I can do this.”

She took one last look at Thomas, whose eyes were filled with compassion, and then she ran from the room. If she was ever going to find any kind of happiness with Thomas, if she was going to be able to help her refugees, she felt certain this new media response was not the way. But what could she do? They were already talking about her. They waited at the gate to the palace. They would hound her everywhere she went. She thought of Thomas. Was it possible to want to be near someone at the same time you wished you’d never met them?

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