Page 244 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

“So, is this where you two wanted to do the interview?” Iris asked, looking around.

“Yes,” I said.

George nudged Iris’s shoulder, almost knocking her over. “I think if they sit on the couch and we can pull that chair over at an angle, the framing will work.”

“Can we move that armchair?” Iris asked.

I looked to Megyn. She nodded.

Quickly, we got ready and set up the scene. George had us sit while he ran some test footage. “Megyn, say something.”

Megyn, sitting primly with her hands folded in her lap, declared, “Peas and carrots.” That set George off into a gale of laughter. Iris and I exchanged confused looks.

Must be some filming thing I don’t get.

Eventually, with the framing done and the sound quality approved by George, we began.

Iris sat in the armchair and took the lead in a quick and professional way I wouldn’t have predicted from her, going smoothly through introductions before getting down to the meat of things.

“By now, everyonethinksthey know the story of how you two met, but why don’t we set the record straight, Carter? Tell us how you met Megyn. Was it at the party?”

“It was at the party,” I confirmed. I submerged myself in the memories, reciting them as they came, how I had been looking all night before finally seeing a beautiful princess standing off on her own. I talked about her blue Converse, and not knowing who she was, and my search to find her identity.

At first, Iris asked questions to guide me. Then Megyn started jumping in with memories of her own and Iris went silent, letting the two of us talk. I loved every second we spent reminiscing. It was the first time we had really done so and it seemed to me like we were weaving a sort of modern fairytale.

Finally, I ran out of things to say. I was out of breath too, which I hadn’t realized.

Iris looked to Megyn. “It’s amazing that the two of you managed to meet and connect under ordinary circumstances. But your circumstances aren’t ordinary, are they? The two of you come from very different backgrounds. It can be hard for couples with little in common. What’s your secret?”

Megyn looked at me, almost like she expected me to answer, but then I realized she was just thinking. I kept quiet, not wanting to influence her; in truth, I was as eager as any viewer to hear her opinion on the matter.

Megyn stirred and started to speak, sounding more like a queen than a princess, full of certainty and a quiet inner strength that brought tears to my eyes to hear. “There’s no big secret,” she said. “The truth is we’re just two people who were looking for the same things. Love. Stability.”

“Love, sure. But stability?”

Megyn looked at me again and put her hand on my knee. “Carter always says he was looking for someone to come home to, someone to share everything with. For me, I was… looking for someone who wouldn’t leave.”

In soft spurts of breathless words, Megyn gave a brief summary of her home life: losing her mother, her father’s inadequate parenting, and her step-mother Crystal coming into the picture simply with the intent to leave again.

I put my hand over Megyn’s and squeezed it, hoping she’d pick up on the signal. This was her chance to turn the conversation, like we had discussed prior.

She performed beautifully, leading naturally into a discussion of her dreams for the house and how I was helping her with making her dream a reality. Then, much to my surprise, Megyn pulled out a box of the things she had made from under the couch, showing the precious dolls and baby clothes to the camera.

George’s dynamic camera work ground to a halt. He seemed incapable of focusing on anything other than what Megyn showed off.

Iris, too, was fascinated. She dropped her professional manner and exclaimed over the toys like a little girl.

“I’m going to donate these and much more to the children’s hospital,” Megyn announced. “But I can make more upon request. And, of course, when I open up my sewing store, I’ll have lots of things like this to sell.”

Iris stroked a doll’s curly hair and shook her head. “This is amazing. Carter has already proven himself an advocate for the people and it looks like you will be too, Megyn. What a power couple!”

Megyn blushed, but she didn’t duck or try to hide like she had in the past. She sat up straight and proud and announced, “I just want to help others have what I didn’t, growing up. Maybe I’ll offer classes…”

She had more to say, but that was as much as I could bear. Emotions swelled inside me and came pouring out. I grabbed hold of Megyn’s shoulders, cutting her off, and declared, “I love you!”

Megyn stared at me, and then tears brimmed in her eyes. They spilled down her cheeks, dripping on my costume sleeves. She flung her arms around my neck and cried, “I love you, too!”

My heart singing, my body full of warmth and love for her, I hugged her tight and kissed her lips. I tasted the salt of her tears, the sweetness that was so uniquely and undeniablyher.

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