Chapter 26
Ripley
As we get closer to Christmas, I can tell the crew is getting stir-crazy.
I always thought it was a kid thing, but these adults feel it too: no one wants to be at work when the smell of snow is in the air, the tinsel is twinkling and sleigh bells are ringing.
Well, no one except Mom, anyway. I doubt she would have remembered what time of year it was, if it wasn’t for all the festive decor.
We had an elimination this morning, and Maya went home.
I’m bummed because I really enjoyed talking all things true crime with her.
Garrick looked equally devastated; long pauses and dramatic eyes have been added to the new and improved on-screen Garrick.
He’s really stepped it up since our chat about taking this seriously.
He’s so freaking charming, and with the silver bells and red poinsettias, I could mistake it for reality. He’s the perfect knight in shining armor. It almost makes me wish I believed in all this stuff – almost.
Yesterday’s phone call with Anna repeats in my mind.
Her no-good husband is once again flaking out on them.
Anna acts like this doesn’t happen all the time.
She deserves so much better. Why does her mind have to trick her into thinking she’s in love?
Despite what science says, I don’t believe it has your back.
‘Did you ask her?’ Garrick says when I arrive at the top table he’s reserved by Glacier Eats.
‘Yup. Desiree is happily on board to star in our little production.’
Garrick relaxes into the tall stool, oversized puffer coat hiding his knight’s costume.
‘Good.’ He pulls down his beanie as a group of guests walk by.
I wanted to meet somewhere a little more covert, but the girls were already having lunch in the break room, and Garrick only had a short window between his FTG knight duties, since it’s Sunday and the park is open all day.
‘Did you have any doubts she’d be game?’ I play with my pink earmuffs.
‘No, that’s why we chose her.’ Despite his relief over the first part of our plan to prove he’s falling in love on the show, he sounds nervous. ‘Sit and eat, will you? I got enough food for five people.’
Burgers, fries, nuggets and pizza are nestled into ice-themed cardboard containers nearly covering the small, round table. ‘I am starving.’ I plop down, dipping a nugget in BBQ sauce.
He smiles sweetly and despite the cool winter day, my body warms. ‘So, I picked out the perfect spot for the fake kiss.’ He leans in, whispering so the guests don’t hear. But they’re too absorbed in their own park experience to pay much attention – other than to see if we’re done with the table.
I pull out my notebook and cross his item off my to-do list for this venture.
‘And I’ve set up a time for the shoot tonight.
’ That’s ticked off the list next. ‘Also, production agreed they could work it into the next episode, and Imogen said she’d tease it on socials beforehand.
Building up hype to reveal which girl got the clandestine kiss.
’ The word kiss gets stuck in my throat and I cough to clear it.
He piles his pizza slice with fries before taking a bite. ‘Sshgood,’ he says through a mouthful of food. ‘Please CC me on that list of yours. I want to make sure you’ve covered it all.’
I roll my eyes at his joke. ‘Yeah, sure, I’ll go make a copy right after this.’
He chuckles and then chokes on his food. ‘Juliet, don’t make me laugh.’
‘I won’t. I’d hate for you to die before we finish the show.’
He swallows before speaking this time. ‘Is that the only reason you’d be sad? Or would you miss me? Even just a little?’ His knee nudges mine under the table.
I take another bite of my nugget, making him wait. Also, it gives my heart a chance to chill out. ‘I might miss you – like, a tiny amount.’ I steal a fry from his stash. Studying it, I ask, ‘So, uh, will Desiree be the only girl you’ve kissed during filming?’
I don’t really want to know, but I should – for the show. Right?
‘Do I look like a guy who kisses and tells?’
I force myself to meet his eyes. ‘Is that a no?’
‘Don’t you think the cameras would have caught it if I did?’ He deftly answers questions with questions.
‘You had some off-screen time with Desiree and you knew about Riya’s boyfriend. So, who knows what else you’ve gotten up to.’ Despite the smell of lovely fried food, I’m not hungry any more.
Garrick reaches over and grabs my hand. ‘I haven’t kissed anyone, Juliet. Because technically Desiree kissed me the other day and I didn’t kiss back.’
It really shouldn’t, but that makes me smile.
As planned, later that night, after the park is closed and the only sound is the buzzing of Christmas lights, I’m standing in the underpass that leads to Glacier Peaks, waiting while they wire Garrick for the spontaneous – not at all – shot.
I was bummed we couldn’t manage a little bit of snow to complete the setting.
‘This was your idea?’ Mom startles me from behind.
‘Garrick and I both.’ I bite my thumbnail.
‘Juliet, I thought we trained nail biting out of you.’
I hold in my sigh, shoving my hands into my pockets. I don’t know why I’m nervous. This is literally just a kiss on camera. Dating shows have been doing it for decades. But as I watch them prepare, a deep ache spreads across my chest and into my ribs.
We’re keeping it all PG, but the audience needs a little something to reinforce the fairytale matchmaking further. And we picked the perfect girl for the job. Desiree insisted she’d done plenty of stage kisses in her long acting career. She’s seventeen, but OK, sure.
The kiss is supposed to happen in the Fairytalers’-only passageway used between lands. They’ll cut this scene into a date to make it look like it happened secretly. This is more orchestrated than a Broadway play, but when their lips meet, I feel like vomiting.
Why is this bothering me? It was my idea. It didn’t feel this real when it was just an item on my list.
Garrick’s back is to me, so I can’t see his face. I’m sure it’s exactly what the audience will love. Desiree is clearly in my vision, and she’s very into it. I doubt there’s much acting involved. She’s going above and beyond the call of duty.
I can’t blame her. I wouldn’t mind kissing Garrick either. My stomach flips as the idea settles into my brain, making itself right at home.
We’ve all been working our butts off, but if left to her own devices, Mom would have us continue that pace without a break.
She knows we get a chunk of time off for the holidays and thinks that’s more than enough.
Labor laws are not her strong suit. But Nathan, Melika and I agreed we needed a breather from the grind.
When Garrick caught wind, he was more than willing to throw a party.
After negotiating him down from throwing an unsanctioned rager, we decided on a movie night.
The minute Garrick said he’d pick the movie, I should’ve run for the hills.
We’re having it above the Royal Fare. Its wood-clad walls make it look like we’re inside a real fairytale castle.
When I glimpse these tiny details sprinkled around the park, away from the bustling crowds, I see the appeal of a fairytale-themed oasis.
FTG isn’t too bad when you can have it all to yourself – just the sparkling lights and whimsical music.
‘Something smells divine.’ Melika’s eyes drift to the table bursting with delicacies. The room is bustling with excitement. I guess we weren’t the only ones in need of some R&R.
Garrick stands nearby, wearing an apron that says Kiss the chef. ‘So happy you all could join us. And thank you, I will take that compliment.’
The serving dishes are filled with what I recognize as leftovers from the Royal Fare menu, but with some new additions.
Thick-cut ham with a honey glaze and mashed potatoes drowning in butter both adorn Christmas-themed plates.
Piled high are small tarts with greens and cheese in some, and cream and sugared fruit in the others.
The crew is large, but this table is feast-worthy – I’m not sure we’ll be able to eat it all.
I won’t mention that to Garrick, who I’m sure would see it as a challenge.
Tristian, Imogen, Yvette, her girlfriend, Melodie, and Aldrich are also here. I spot Ivor and James loading up on popcorn with their son. Most of the crew is here too, but no contestants. Mom doesn’t appear to be anywhere in sight either.
The small room would usually feel claustrophobic, but with the delectable smells and festive decorations, it feels like the inviting holiday I’ve always wanted. Who would have guessed I just needed to go to a theme park to get it?
‘I’m sorry you couldn’t invite Kahoa,’ I whisper to Melika.
‘What?’ Her guilty face tells me everything. ‘How did you guess?’
‘Because I love you, and I could tell when you two were together sparks were flying.’ My heart warms seeing my friend happy, even as the familiar warning bells go off in my head that she’s going to end up hurt like all the rest.
Melika grins. ‘We’re just keeping it low-key for now – you know, because of the show.’
‘I appreciate it. Maybe in the new year we can all hang out?’
She nods and hugs my side before running off to grab a drink.
I take a plate of food and snuggle into one of the beanbag chairs on the floor.
Garrick plops down on the one next to me.
His hair is floppy, the soft waves that come from being freshly washed and left to dry naturally.
He smells clean, with a hint of spicy cinnamon and butter – probably from the sugary buns he bragged about making earlier.
I take a bite of a savory tart. Covering my mouth, I fight a moan as I taste the rich, flaky crust and cheesy filling.
‘That good, huh?’ Garrick grins. The Christmas lights strung up around the windows cast a multicolored glow on his features.
I fight the reaction to praise him. We don’t need his ego any larger. ‘Satisfactory.’
‘From you, Juliet, I’ll take that as a compliment.’ He leans in, brushing a crumb from my lip. I freeze, all my nerves firing at once. His eyes lock with mine, and I don’t know if I want to turn away or keeping watching him forever.
I’m saved from deciding as the movie starts.
It’s a Romeo and Juliet retelling set at Christmas. Because, of course it is.
‘Really?’ I whisper to him.
Garrick’s smile is bright, even in the dark. ‘Shh.’ He takes my chin and guides my face to look at the screen. ‘I don’t want to miss a moment. You know Juliet is my favorite.’
My heart flips, and I press my fingers into my chest to make it stop – to remind it that Garrick Walton is a no-fly zone. And even if he wasn’t, that is not the route we want to take.
The movie is a loose take on the Shakespeare story, allowing it a pass in my books.
The crew relaxes for the first time since we started this whole thing.
It dawns on me that we’re in our own little bubble here.
No one will know what it was like to do this but us.
Sure, there are other similar productions, but with a fairytale theme park as the background? No way.
‘I’m kind of getting an idea of what it’s like to be in your world,’ I whisper to Garrick, who’s been leaning on my shoulder for the last twenty minutes. I thought he fell asleep at one point, but he’s just intensely watching the movie. ‘It feels like you have a new little family when you’re here.’
‘As cheesy as it sounds –’ he scoots up so we’re eye to eye – ‘FTG is like a big family. It’s my home.’
‘I can’t relate to that.’ I drop my gaze, rubbing my hand along the soft fabric of my seat. ‘The only family I feel close to is my sister and Molly. I love my mom, and I know she loves me, but she’s always preoccupied. Sometimes it feels like her family comes second.’
Honestly, sometimes it feels like I’m the peas someone threw on the floor because they didn’t want them.
Garrick slings an arm around my shoulders, and I think he’s making a move, but I don’t stop him even if he is.
I let myself forget about it all for just a second.
I don’t even care that we aren’t alone here, that we’ve been told off for being too close.
His warmth envelops me as the soft folds of his sweatshirt caress my skin.
‘Well, you’re part of the FTG family now. So you always have me.’
And for the first time, I really wish it could be true.