Page 44 of Beachside Kisses With My Bodyguard

“And we appreciate that so much.”

Stephanie frowns, and cocks her head. She plays with one of her orange dangling earrings. “Okay, so don’t kill me, but after you left, I looked you up.” A pause. “Well, not you, but Frederick.”

My toes tingle inside my trainers.

Chloe bites her lip, but doesn’t say a word. Like any pro on trading secrets, she’s waiting to see what information Stephanie already has.

The other woman starts pacing again. “You mentioned he was a bodyguard, and I realized that’s how I recognized him. Did you know there’s a ton of podcasts out there about his—”

“I’m aware.” Chloe’s tone has gone slightly icy.

“Oh, I didn’t mean any disrespect.” Stephanie’s eyes go wide, and she tries to curtsy again. The result is just as disastrous, if not more because Stephanie stumbles a bit in her shoes before righting herself. “It’s just that, he’s kind of the last guy in the world your family would ever let you marry.”

I grimace at the bald-faced truth, out there for Chloe’s ears.

As for Chloe, the only visible sign of distress is her fingers digging into her side.

Stephanie continues rambling. “Um, and I know this is probably a huuuuuge stretch, but I’ve read the rumors about how soon-to-be Princess Lauren isn’t happy with all the arrangements for the royal wedding.” She pauses and studies Chloe, who could be winning at hiding her emotions if this was a poker game. “Well, it got me thinking … like, what if you were actually planning a second wedding for Topher and you and Frederick are just pretending to be engaged?”

Oh no. There it is. Stephanie’s got it figured out, and there’s literally nothing I can do to stop her from spreading the truth. We’re done here. We have to be. If she tells the world what’s happening, paparazzi will show up—and then it will be impossible to keep Chloe safe. Impossible for there to be a wedding.

We never had much chance that this would completely work out, but there was always a chance.

Now, though? We’re sunk.

And, given the emotion finally seeping into Chloe’s features—a trembling lip, one hand massaging the opposite upper arm—she knows it too.

“What do you mean are she and Frederick pretending?” Lucy comes around the corner of the house opposite me, eyeing Stephanie with a disbelieving tilt of her chin.

Chloe freezes and blinks, her whole body stiffening. I know she hates this lying. And now, she’s been caught in it.

I need to get her out of here. Just go in there and lead her away, straight to the inn to pack our bags and then to the airport to fly home. But I see how much she’s come to care for the women here, and it feels almost cruel to end it so abruptly.

Maybe there’s a way to salvage this.Think, man, think.

Stephanie’s face has gone a bit red and she’s sputtering. “Well, I just …” She glances at Chloe, who is staring at the ground now.

“Chloe? Everything okay?” Lucy marches over to Chloe and slips an arm around the princess, squeezing her shoulders before letting her go and advancing on Stephanie. “Shame on you for your accusations. I know you like reading tabloids and sensational stories, Steph, but not everything is a conspiracy theory.”

“I don’t think that!” Stephanie scoffs. “There are just a few … discrepancies I saw in the few minutes I spent with Chloe and Frederick.” At least she’s not completely outing us, but still. “And I just—”

“Okay, you’ve spent a few minutes with them, but I’ve spent a few days, and it only actually takes a few seconds to see that they’re head-over-heels in love.” She shakes her finger at Stephanie. “You should have seen that man rip Ricky Jenkins off of Chloe last night at the bar. I thought he was going to commit actual murder. He’s so in love with her I’d find it disgusting if it wasn’t so adorable and awe-inspiring.”

Now Chloe looks like she’s going to cry. She’s about to crack.

And suddenly, I know what I have to do. This moment perhaps can be saved. I just have to put aside every doubt I have, stuff them down deep, deep, deep.

Shoulders back, I saunter around the side of the house. “Hey there, ladies.”

All three shoot their gazes at me, but Chloe’s is the only one I care about. It looks like a mix between relief and regret. “Hey,” she says weakly. “You guys all done?”

“Yeah. Did you miss me?” I wink as I draw closer to her.

“Mmm-hmm.” She’s trying for a smile, but it’s not all the way there.

And I can feel Lucy’s and Stephanie’s eyes on me. I’ve got my audience primed and ready to watch.

To be convinced.

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