could hear. “Just . . . consider a little romance. Nothing scandalous, for goodness’ sake,” she added quickly. “But watching you fall in love . . . that’s what the people want to see.”
“I can’t make that happen. I can’t—”
“America, dear,” Dad called. It looked like Osten had spilled something on himself, and Mom rushed over to lead him away.
I would have bet money that whatever just happened was a deliberate attempt on Osten’s part to get out of the room.
I stood there alone, trying to be inconspicuous as I scanned the room. Too many strangers. Too many eyes watching and waiting for me to perform. I was ready for the Selection to be over about four hours ago. I took a deep breath. Three months would buy me freedom. I could do this. I had to.
I walked across the room deliberately, knowing who I needed to speak to. Once I found him, I leaned in and spoke in his ear.
“Come to my room. Eight o’clock sharp. Tell no one.”
CHAPTER 12
I PACED AS I WAITED for the knock to come. Kile was really the only person I could trust with this task, though I was loath to ask him. I was prepared to strike a bargain, but I wasn’t sure what I could offer him yet. I felt confident he’d have his own ideas.
The raps on the door were quiet, and I could almost hear the question in them: What am I doing here?
I pulled the door open and there, right on time, was Kile.
“Your Highness,” he said with a comical bow. “I’ve come to sweep you off your feet.”
“Hardy har. Get in here.”
Kile walked in and surveyed my shelves. “Last time I was in your room, you had a collection of wooden ponies.”
“Outgrew that.”
“But not being a bossy tyrant?”
“Nope. Just like you didn’t outgrow being an insufferable bookworm.”
“Is this how you win over all your dates?”
I smirked. “More or less. Sit down. I have a proposition for you.”
He spotted the wine I’d provided and wasted no time in pouring himself a glass. “You want some?”
I sighed. “Please. We’ll both need it.”
He paused, eyeing me before continuing. “Now I’m nervous. What do you want?”
I took my glass, trying to remember how I wanted to explain this to him. “You know me, Kile. You’ve known me my whole life.”
“True. In fact, I was thinking yesterday that I have a vague recollection of you running around in nothing but a diaper. It was a good look.”
I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh. “Anyway. You, to some degree, understand my personality, who I am when the cameras aren’t rolling.”
He sipped, contemplating my words. “I think I understand you when they’re on as well, but please continue.”
I hadn’t thought about that, how he’d seen me go through the many phases of growing up, both on and off screen. There was a switch I had to flip when I was on display, and he knew it. “The Selection wasn’t my idea, but it’s something I need to put my best effort into. I think I am, personally. But the public expects me to be a giddy little girl next to all of you, and I don’t think I can do that. I can’t act stupid.”
“Actually—”
“Don’t!”
He smiled wickedly and took another sip of his wine.
“You’re such a pain. Why am I even bothering?”
“No, go on, you don’t want to act stupid.” He set down his glass and leaned forward.
I took a breath, hunting for the words again. “They want romance, but I’m not prepared to behave like that publicly, at least not when I haven’t truly connected with someone. Still, I need to give them something.”
I ducked my head and peeked up at him from under my lashes.
“Like what exactly?”
“A kiss.”
“A kiss?”
“Just a little one. And you’re the only person I can ask, because you’d know it wasn’t real and things wouldn’t get complicated. And I’m willing to give you something in return.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
I shrugged. “Whatever you want, really. Within reason. I can’t offer
“I can’t make that happen. I can’t—”
“America, dear,” Dad called. It looked like Osten had spilled something on himself, and Mom rushed over to lead him away.
I would have bet money that whatever just happened was a deliberate attempt on Osten’s part to get out of the room.
I stood there alone, trying to be inconspicuous as I scanned the room. Too many strangers. Too many eyes watching and waiting for me to perform. I was ready for the Selection to be over about four hours ago. I took a deep breath. Three months would buy me freedom. I could do this. I had to.
I walked across the room deliberately, knowing who I needed to speak to. Once I found him, I leaned in and spoke in his ear.
“Come to my room. Eight o’clock sharp. Tell no one.”
CHAPTER 12
I PACED AS I WAITED for the knock to come. Kile was really the only person I could trust with this task, though I was loath to ask him. I was prepared to strike a bargain, but I wasn’t sure what I could offer him yet. I felt confident he’d have his own ideas.
The raps on the door were quiet, and I could almost hear the question in them: What am I doing here?
I pulled the door open and there, right on time, was Kile.
“Your Highness,” he said with a comical bow. “I’ve come to sweep you off your feet.”
“Hardy har. Get in here.”
Kile walked in and surveyed my shelves. “Last time I was in your room, you had a collection of wooden ponies.”
“Outgrew that.”
“But not being a bossy tyrant?”
“Nope. Just like you didn’t outgrow being an insufferable bookworm.”
“Is this how you win over all your dates?”
I smirked. “More or less. Sit down. I have a proposition for you.”
He spotted the wine I’d provided and wasted no time in pouring himself a glass. “You want some?”
I sighed. “Please. We’ll both need it.”
He paused, eyeing me before continuing. “Now I’m nervous. What do you want?”
I took my glass, trying to remember how I wanted to explain this to him. “You know me, Kile. You’ve known me my whole life.”
“True. In fact, I was thinking yesterday that I have a vague recollection of you running around in nothing but a diaper. It was a good look.”
I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh. “Anyway. You, to some degree, understand my personality, who I am when the cameras aren’t rolling.”
He sipped, contemplating my words. “I think I understand you when they’re on as well, but please continue.”
I hadn’t thought about that, how he’d seen me go through the many phases of growing up, both on and off screen. There was a switch I had to flip when I was on display, and he knew it. “The Selection wasn’t my idea, but it’s something I need to put my best effort into. I think I am, personally. But the public expects me to be a giddy little girl next to all of you, and I don’t think I can do that. I can’t act stupid.”
“Actually—”
“Don’t!”
He smiled wickedly and took another sip of his wine.
“You’re such a pain. Why am I even bothering?”
“No, go on, you don’t want to act stupid.” He set down his glass and leaned forward.
I took a breath, hunting for the words again. “They want romance, but I’m not prepared to behave like that publicly, at least not when I haven’t truly connected with someone. Still, I need to give them something.”
I ducked my head and peeked up at him from under my lashes.
“Like what exactly?”
“A kiss.”
“A kiss?”
“Just a little one. And you’re the only person I can ask, because you’d know it wasn’t real and things wouldn’t get complicated. And I’m willing to give you something in return.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
I shrugged. “Whatever you want, really. Within reason. I can’t offer
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