Epilogue
After all the interviews I’d given in my life, this one was the most nerve-wracking because I felt like I had the most at stake.
It was probably because I was one of the interviewees.
It was all Braden’s idea. After he’d asked me out on a date on the red carpet, he hadn’t shied away from the cameras or the questions—and he would proudly tell people that we were together.
Dani and Zack never made a public announcement, but they were no longer being as cautious and, as the months passed by, reporters were beginning to speculate.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Braden invited me to spend St. Patrick’s Day with him and his family, so I did, and I promised my own family that I’d come visit later in the spring.
I’d almost said Easter, but I wanted to bring Braden with me, and I didn’t want it to be a time when they would have a reason to be extra preachy.
I loved that Braden had sisters and told him so, and he loved that I had so many brothers, but I didn’t know if they’d hit it off.
We were from two different worlds.
But in April, Tom called me into his office to ask me if I thought Braden would be willing to state for the record that we were dating. “I don’t see why not,” I’d said.
“And what about you?”
“Me?”
And that was how the interview happened.
I didn’t find out until later that it was going to be highlighted on the website as part of our celebrities-dating-celebrities special.
Although I was part of that effort, covering a few long-term rock romances that I knew of, I hadn’t had a clue that Tom was planning for Braden’s story to be the big draw.
And even after I argued that I wasn’t actually a celebrity, Tom insisted—and we agreed to it.
Did it really matter that they were making a big deal out of it?
My fellow reporter Job was the one conducting the interview and it turned out he was extremely professional.
If he’d been interested in me before, that had easily gone by the wayside.
I knew of his reputation of being a little too honest—and I warned Braden about it, but he was still willing to do it.
For simplicity’s sake, we conducted the interview in my apartment.
After staging the scene a bit by moving the couch so the natural light would enhance rather than interfere, I also made sure everything looked neat, clean, and minimal.
I had a tendency to leave books piled here and there until I read them, and being gone a lot meant those books stuck around for a while—but those went in the bedroom for the time being.
Braden bought a vase of red roses that we placed in various areas before deciding to set them on the kitchen counter.
There they would be visible in the unfocused lens of the camera—beautiful but undistracting.
“Thank you,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him.
When there was a loud knock at my door, I touched his nose with mine. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah. You?”
“I’m nervous,” I said, moving toward the door, “so I’m glad we’re getting this over with.
” Although Job had sent the questions over to us a few days earlier, I had no idea how Braden was going to answer them—and vice versa.
I didn’t want to ask and didn’t want him to feel like he had to practice his answers.
And, even though I didn’t practice or write down what I wanted to say, I had an idea.
I also knew that our answers might lead to unscripted questions, and there was really no way to prepare for those.
I opened the door to let both Job and Jeff in—and, while Jeff got his equipment set up in front of the windows, I offered everyone bottled water, and Job chatted with us for a bit.
Job was wearing a blazer and had his hair slicked back, looking quite professional.
Jeff looked like he usually did, wearing a light windbreaker and a blue Dodgers baseball cap.
Once we were seated on the couch, tiny mics pinned to our shirts, and they’d tested sound and lighting, we were ready to go.
Job sat in a chair across from us, but the camera was focused on Braden and me.
Job started with a simple narrative: “In early December, Braden Mitchell asked Ferocity reporter Roxy French out on a date in front of cameras, causing many of us to speculate that his public request was intentional. Today, we know they’re dating, and they’ve been spotted in public several times since the American Alternative Music Awards.
I’m sitting with them here today to ask them some questions we all want to know.
Braden, what inspired you to ask Roxy on a date the way you did? ”
“Well, we’d connected a while back. We had a pretty intense…friendship. And, I hope you don’t mind me saying,” he said with a glance my way, “but I kept Roxy at arm’s length. For a lot of reasons.”
And Job wasn’t going to ask, because Tom and I had already told him the runaway bride shit was off limits unless Braden chose to bring it up.
I jumped in. “It wasn’t just Braden. I was cautious too. We’ve both had relationships that made us question ourselves.” In my head, I thought, That’s not an opening to ask, Job. Don’t you fucking dare.
And he didn’t. I began to wonder if he was more respectful than usual because we were coworkers.
He continued lobbing just the preapproved questions, and I began to relax as the interview progressed.
Later on, Job said, “If you haven’t noticed it, the public is rooting for you.
There’s something about a celebrity romance that rejuvenates our belief in love and long-term happiness, and that’s imbued in you as a couple.
Braden, what do you want to share with fans of Once Upon a Riot?
Any words of wisdom you want to impart on them? ”
Although this was not a preapproved question, it seemed harmless enough. Still, I wouldn’t blame Braden for refusing to answer, knowing that the interview would be edited anyway.
Smiling, he leaned over, looking directly at Job. “I want them to know I love Roxy French. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I was stupid—I almost lost her.” Then he looked at the camera as if talking directly to his fans. “If you love someone, tell them. Don’t hold it back.”
And then he looked at me—and my mouth was probably hanging wide open…because he hadn’t told me that. “Got that, Rox? I love you.”
My vision grew blurry and I couldn’t figure out why I was on the verge of tears—but I repeated his words. “I love you too, Braden.”
And, on camera, he gave me a kiss that sealed the deal.
I knew we’d likely have some hard times and there would be many points where we’d be apart—when he’d be on tour and I’d be on assignment—but I knew in my heart that we were meant for each other.
We were two puzzle pieces that had tried to fit next to lots of others…
but only now did we find the right spot.
I was Braden’s and he was mine…and, finally, even in the limelight, we could find shade and safety in each other’s love.
THE END
Thank you for reading Braden and Roxy’s hard-won HEA!