By midweek, I was seriously regretting telling anyone—anyone—about Alex or Darcy. I’d thought Lucy, at least, would be the voice of reason, but instead, she fired off a text that felt like something out of a soap opera:
“Two hot men? You’re living the dream. But careful—love triangles are for Netflix, not real life.”
Thanks, Lucy. Super helpful.
Then Mum called, which is never ideal when I’m already feeling unstable.
“Sophie, darling,” she began, and I could already hear the judgment lurking behind her tone. “Do not trust the charming one. Your father was charming, and look how that turned out. Also, I hope you’re dressing better these days. They’re not going to fight over you if you look like a hobo.”
“Great pep talk, Mum,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Have you figured out who you’re bringing to the family gathering yet?” she added.
I almost choked. “That’s still happening?”
“Of course, it is!” she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You promised me a boyfriend, remember? It’d do wonders for my mood if you brought someone impressive. You know, like that handsome lawyer from the dinner.”
I hung up before she could segue into her usual spiel about why I was single.
Determined to prove to everyone—Mum, Lucy, myself—that I wasn’t a total mess, I decided to take drastic action. A lifestyle change, if you will. I vowed to lose a few pounds, eat clean, and channel the kind of poised, sophisticated woman who could snag someone like Alex Carrington.
Of course, this lofty new version of me was tested almost immediately.
The morning of my date with Alex, I had another meeting with Darcy. I’d barely slept the night before, obsessing over how to get him to agree to an exclusive interview with Princess Anna, to get him to trust me not to drop a certain cheating bombshell I know of. So, I plastered on my brightest smile, mentally rehearsed my “charming yet professional” voice, and prepared to grovel.
“Mr. Darcy,” I began as I stepped into the room. He glanced up from his laptop, his expression neutral. “Thank you again for your thorough feedback last time. It really helped me adjust my strategy.”
Darcy raised one eyebrow. “You’re being unusually polite. What do you want?”
I decided to cut straight to the point. “Permission to interview Princess Anna,” I said, trying to sound confident. “Come on, Darcy. It’s a win for both of us. You’ll look like a hero for greenlighting it, and I’ll… well, I’ll owe you one.”
To my surprise, his gaze softened—just slightly. For the first time, I noticed that his eyes weren’t just icy—they had warmth hidden in their depths. He almost looked like he was pleased to see me.
“Fine,” he said finally. “You can have the interview. Just don’t mess it up.”
I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face. “Thank you! I promise you won’t regret it.”
As I gathered my things, Darcy hesitated. “Miss Hollis…” He paused, his expression unreadable, like he was about to say something personal.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Never mind,” he said, his face closing off. “Have a good day.”
As I turned to leave, he cleared his throat. “The family dinner,” he added, his tone more casual. “Is that still on?”
“It is,” I replied, unsure why the thought of him coming with me sent my pulse racing.