7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Bri
Bri stared down at Drew’s extended hand. His voice had sounded somehow different when he’d asked her to dance. She didn’t have a clue why. All she’d done was whisper a question in his ear. They’d done that their whole lives—shared secrets at important events.
She shook it off. The only reasonable explanation was that he was parched. They could resolve that problem with an ice-cold glass of sweet tea…right after they tried to prove to everyone in attendance that they were madly in love with each other.
Bri placed her hand in his, and Drew escorted her off the stage and down to the middle of the dance floor. The weight of his hands, one holding hers and the other at the dip of her waist, grounded her as they moved through the steps of the Glencrest waltz.
They’d completed this dance countless times together, but it felt different tonight. It was the first time they’d done it as the center of attention, all eyes on them. Bri raised her gaze to stare into Drew’s eyes. They crinkled at the corners as he smiled at her without missing a step.
She didn’t understand how he appeared so calm and collected after their announcement, but she tried to lean on his strength and confidence. A moment later, Drew pressed his mouth to the side of her head. To all on-lookers, it would look intimate and romantic, but realistically, he was whispering in her ear, “You could try to look more in love and less pained.”
When she looked back at him, his mouth was pulled up at the corner into a goofy grin. Bri didn’t know if he was teasing or serious. “I’m not pained .”
“You look like someone about to get a cavity filled.”
A puff of laughter escaped her lips. “You can’t be serious. I think my royal training has taught me better than that.”
His grin widened. “Maybe I just wanted to see you smile. Plus, it’s good for the guests to see us looking completely giddy and head-over-heels for each other. Should we give them a show?”
“Isn’t that what we’re already doing?” Bri smirked.
“You haven’t seen anything yet, fiancée.”
Before Bri knew what was happening, Drew lifted her off the ground, spinning her in a circle before gently setting her back on her feet. Those in attendance clapped at the embellishment to the traditional waltz.
They continued moving, flawlessly in time to the music. Together, they were the perfect fit, like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese. They had always brought out the best in each other. He was supportive and made her want to be a better person, while she was spontaneous and helped Drew get out of his routine and comfortable bubble.
On the dance floor, they moved seamlessly. Drew spun her out, and her pink gown swished around her before he pulled her into him, her back pressed against him. His chest was harder than she remembered. Come to think of it…his arm had felt more muscular earlier.
Has he started working out more?
She shook away thoughts of his brawniness. Best friends don’t think about each other’s muscles.
As the song came to an end, Drew dipped her, low and deep. When he pulled her back to her feet, she noticed he was breathing heavily and looking at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read. Before she could ask him what was wrong, everyone around them applauded.
She dropped into a curtsy as Drew bowed to her, and then people gathered around them on the dance floor. Some were preparing to dance to the next song, but most of the crowd was approaching them to offer congratulations.
Bri put on a bright, practiced smile as she and Drew greeted the well-wishers, expressing their thanks. When they finally left the dance floor, she approached the refreshments table, grabbing two glasses of sweet tea.
She took a sip from one glass and offered the other to her best friend. He sent her a grateful smile before downing the drink.
When they finished their tea, Drew escorted Bri around the perimeter of the room. They played the role of hosts, greeting royal families in attendance from the other countries on the continent of Fenimore.
Bri was about to ask him if he thought everyone was buying their engagement act when they were stopped by a fuming Clarissa. She wore a tight black dress that left little to the imagination. Clarissa was glaring at her with a look so cold and ruthless that Bri was slightly worried for her safety. She had a whole new level of understanding regarding the quote about a scorned woman now.
“Since when do you like her ?” Clarissa spouted the word with her lips turned down in disgust and followed it up with a sideways glance, taking in Bri from top to bottom.
Drew’s arm tightened around her waist. “I’ve loved Bri for as long as I’ve known her.”
Clarissa scoffed, like the idea of someone liking Bri was the most ridiculous thing in existence. She turned her murderous expression to Bri. “You’re telling me you two are suddenly more than friends?”
Bri glanced over at Drew and found him watching her quizzically. This was it. This was their first test to prove if they’d be able to maintain this act. She turned her gaze back to Clarissa, trying to make her expression as love-stricken as possible. “What can I say? He told me he was in love with me, and I realized how blind I’d been.”
Clarissa’s lips curled up until she looked like a snarling dog. “I’m not buying this. I’ll be keeping a close eye on the two of you.” Her mouth morphed into a sultry smirk. “Especially you.” She blew a kiss to Drew and shot one more glare at Bri before sashaying away.
Drew let out a low whistle. “I would’ve gotten engaged sooner if I’d known it would come with such warm felicitations.”
“You’re telling me.” Bri let out a humorless laugh.
Drew wore his signature grin again. “Want to go raid the watermelon supply in the kitchen?”
A playful smirk pulled at her lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”
As they hid in the kitchen pantry, sharing a giant bowl of watermelon, Bri finally felt her shoulders relax. Away from the crowd, they were just Bri and Drew—two best friends hanging out—and that was exactly what she wanted them to be.
The following morning, Bri gulped as her eyes perused the lawn covered with paparazzi and press members. “There are a lot of people out there.”
Drew came up behind her, looking over her shoulder. “It’s about right for a royal announcement.”
“I know, but they’re all here for us .”
He huffed out a laugh. “That’s typically how these things work.”
“But I mean only for us. They’re not here to hear from our parents or about the state of the country. They’re here to document our engagement.”
He stepped to the side and placed both hands on her shoulders. “If you’re too overwhelmed, we don’t have to do this.”
She gazed up at him. Bri had always admired how warm-hearted and loving he was. It was one of the many reasons she wanted to go along with this whole charade for him. “No, I’m sure. I want to do this.”
Drew gave her shoulder a light squeeze. “Are you with me, Bri?”
She nodded. “I’m with you.”
“Good.” He pulled her into a bear hug. “Let’s go crush this.”
They met their parents downstairs in the palace’s foyer, and Bri’s mother pulled her to the side.
“How are you feeling about everything, dear? Engagements are big news for royal families, and this will be celebrated publicly, but I want to make sure you and Drew are still celebrating this big moment together.”
She sighed. “I’m hanging in there. It does seem like it’s all happening very fast, but I’m thankful to have my family alongside me—and Drew, of course. We’ll have time to celebrate once the announcement is made.”
Her mother’s gaze softened. “I hope you do. This is a moment you’ll remember for the rest of your lives. You only get engaged once.”
Bri’s heart felt like it stopped beating. The collar of her dress started to feel tight and restrictive, and her skin felt itchy. She’d never thought about it that way—she was losing her shot at her first real engagement with this fake one. It wasn’t like she’d be able to pretend it never happened. But she’d agreed to help Drew, and she would follow through on that promise.
She let out a slow breath as her mother leaned in and hugged her. As her mother left, Drew walked over and immediately stilled as he took in her expression.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” His eyes raked over her as if checking for an injury.
Bri didn’t know how he did it, but Drew could read her better than anyone. Heck, he probably knew her better than she knew herself. He could decipher one of her fake smiles from a real one in an instant. He could see she was uncomfortable from a mere glance. He knew all her favorite things, from food and drinks to movies and hiking trails. It was like he was an expert on all things Bri. And normally, she liked that. It felt good to be known and understood by someone.
But right now, she wished he couldn’t read her so well. Bri wished she could push everything she was thinking out of her mind and get through their first official public appearance without him asking about her feelings.
“Everything’s fine.” She tried to smile convincingly up at him. “We already made it through Clarissa’s interrogation. We should be able to survive anything now.”
His expression didn’t look any less worried, but he smiled anyway before offering his arm to her. “We don’t just survive, fiancée. We thrive .”
She adjusted the collar of her cream, midi pencil dress. “We sure do.”
“I’ve received word the royal press has just announced the news of your engagement. All the journalists and photographers should know why they’ve been invited now.”
Drew pulled his phone out of his pocket and leaned closer to Bri so she could see the screen as he opened the official statement from the Glencrest royal family news page.
His Royal Highness Prince Andrew of Glencrest and Her Royal Highness Princess Brielle of Westridge are engaged to be married.
The couple became engaged last week in Westridge. A wedding date has yet to be chosen. Those details will be released to the public in due course.
Both royal families are delighted at the betrothal of their eldest children.
Once married, the couple will reside at Hillside Cottage in Glencrest.
Bri looked up as Drew’s mother pushed them toward the door with a wide smile.
“It’s time, dearies.”
Her grip on Drew’s arm tightened. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I’m with you.”
The repetition of his words from earlier helped calm her nerves just as the palace doors opened. She put on her practiced smile, and they stepped outside together. Once Bri and Drew were close to the crowd, they stopped and waved.
Cheers erupted from press members and civilians alike at the news of their engagement. Bri focused on the sound of clicking cameras as they continued to smile and wave. They walked along the length of the courtyard, ensuring every photographer in attendance would have the opportunity to photograph them. With a final wave, Drew escorted Bri back into the palace. Once the door was safely shut behind them, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“We did it.” His lips raised at the corner.
“We sure did.”
“Now we just have to get through an interview later this afternoon, and we’re golden.”
“Oh, only an interview where we have to convince the world we’re in love?” she said with a laugh.
“Easy-peasy.” He shot her one of his goofy, lopsided grins.
His carefree attitude left her feeling lighter. Bri only hoped she would be able to hold onto that optimistic feeling during their interview this afternoon.
Drew’s leg bounced beside her on the modern cream sofa as their interviewer from the Fenimore Royal News station entered the room. Bri placed her hand on his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze she hoped would calm his nerves.
He shot her a grateful smile and wrapped his hand around hers.
“Well, aren’t you two adorable?” the interviewer said as she sat in the chair across from them. “I love your dress, Your Highness.”
“Please, call me Brielle. And thank you.” Bri ran her free hand along the skirt of her dress.
“We’ll get started, if that’s all right with you. I’m sure your schedule is full after such a grand announcement.”
Drew nodded to the woman, and the small crew around them started counting down to when they would begin recording. With a few seconds remaining, Bri pulled her hand back into her lap and rested her left hand on top so the engagement ring would be visible in the video footage.
She put on a bright smile as they started rolling.
“Hello, I’m Isla Hall with Fenimore Royal News, bringing you all the royal tea. I’m honored to be sitting here today with His Royal Highness Prince Andrew of Glencrest and Her Royal Highness Princess Brielle of Westridge.” She turned to face them. “First, let me offer my sincerest congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thank you,” they said simultaneously.
“Now, let’s get to the question I’m sure everyone is asking. Where and how did you propose, Andrew?”
“Bri’s parents built a treehouse on the Westridge Palace grounds for us soon after we became friends. We’ve shared many memories there over the years, so I thought it would be the perfect place for a proposal. I popped the question at the beginning of the week, so we enjoyed our secret for almost a week before sharing the news with the rest of the world.” Drew’s posture implied he was relaxed, but Bri still saw the telltale signs of anxiety, from his bouncing knee to a few beads of sweat by his temples.
“It’s sweet you were able to propose in a place that means so much to both of you. It sounds like we have a romantic on our hands.” Isla’s eyebrows raised in interest as her gaze turned to Bri.
She leaned over and affectionately placed her hand on his knee again. “Drew is very romantic.”
Bri was relieved when Isla’s next question was for Drew. “Was it a planned proposal or more of a spur-of-the-moment thing?”
“I’ve always been a planner, so I had the ring with me and knew I would propose that day. However, Bri is spontaneous and had no idea it was coming, did you, darling?” A wry smirk graced Drew’s lips as he rubbed circles on the back of her hand.
She laughed lightly as memories from the surprise proposal filled her mind. Shocked didn’t begin to describe how she had felt that day when he’d whipped out their marriage pact. “I can honestly say I had no clue he planned on proposing to me that day.”
Isla laughed along good-naturedly. “What was your response when he asked, Brielle?”
“After I got over my shock, I asked him if he was serious. When Drew assured me he was, in fact, serious, I said yes.”
“It sounds like it truly was as much of a surprise to you as it was to the rest of the world, since the general public didn’t even know you were dating. How did you keep your relationship a secret?” Isla crossed her legs and leaned in closer, like she was dying to know the juicy details.
Drew squeezed Bri’s hand, and she inferred it meant he would answer the question. “We’ve spent a lot of time together in the public eye throughout our lives, so no one ever thought twice when we were pictured together. I suppose since we were friends first, it was easier to continue portraying that to the public to keep our dating lives private.”
Isla nodded along the entire time he spoke, hanging on his every word. Bri even believed what he was saying. She knew it wasn’t the whole truth, but he wasn’t necessarily lying either. They both kept their dating lives private—they’d just never dated each other. But they couldn’t say that in their engagement interview.
“How long did you date before popping the question?”
“It honestly wasn’t long. It felt like practically no time at all,” Bri jumped in with a slight shrug of her shoulders.
Drew turned to her with a soft smile, tenderness in his eyes. “Since we’ve been close friends so long, dating felt superfluous. I already knew everything that mattered to me about Bri. Most importantly, I know her heart and that she is the perfect fit for me.”
“So it sounds to me like it was more of you gradually falling for each other rather than a long-term relationship kept from the public?”
“Exactly.”
“Now, let’s talk about your families,” Isla said. “Did you ask Brielle’s father for permission to marry her first?”
His lips pulled up into a cheeky grin. “With my proposal coming as a surprise, I thought it best I ask Bri before I talk to her father. I’m pleased to report he was thrilled at hearing the news.”
“It’s no secret your families are very close. How did both of your mothers respond to the news?”
Bri laughed lightly. “If my father was thrilled, what’s a stronger adjective than that?”
“Ecstatic,” Drew supplied with a chuckle.
“Yes, our mothers were both ecstatic at the news. Completely on cloud nine.”
“Now let’s take a journey back to the past. For those who may not know, would you mind sharing how you two first met?”
She tapped on his fingers, letting him know she would take this one. “My family always told me I could finally attend a royal ball when I was seven. The first ball right after my seventh birthday was hosted by Drew’s family, so I got all dressed up in a pink tulle dress, and we drove to Glencrest. When we arrived, Drew’s parents greeted us, and I remember him being right behind them, standing tall and princely but looking bashful at the same time. I introduced myself and said, ‘We should be friends.’ We were inseparable the rest of the evening—and ever since.”
Isla smiled happily at them, eating up the story never shared with the public before. She cleared her throat before asking, “Now, Andrew, when did you know you wanted to marry Brielle?”
He squeezed her hand as his breath hitched. Questions like this were what made their fake engagement tricky.
Though he’d seemed caught off guard, his words came out sure and strong. “We were young and talking about the future. When the idea of marriage was brought up, I remember thinking marriage to my best friend didn’t sound like such a bad idea. I already loved her as a friend. Surely romantic love could grow too. And here we are today.” He lifted their joined hands in the air.
Bri put on her practiced smile while her mind sifted through his words. Drew almost made her believe this was real. The casual way he talked made what he said seem unpracticed. It came across like he truly meant every word he was saying, which was exactly what they needed to sell their love story, but it also left her with a weird stirring in her stomach.
“Since we’re nearing the end of our time together today, I have to ask if there is any significance behind your stunning engagement ring.”
Bri turned to Drew, awaiting his response. She’d never thought to ask any questions about the ring, assuming it was a fake.
“I decided to forgo using any of our family’s heirlooms. Instead, I selected something a little more Bri’s style.”
Bri held her free hand out so the cameraman could zoom in on her ring finger. “He chose well.”
“He did. Now for the last question today. What’s next for you? Do you have a wedding date in mind? Any plans for when you’ll start expanding your family?”
She wanted to cringe at the invasive questions, but she knew it was simply part of the territory of being a member of a royal family. The public and the media thought they deserved all the details about your private life.
Drew rubbed small circles on the back of her hand, obviously sensing her discomfort. “For now, we’re planning to enjoy our time together as an engaged couple. Of course, we’ll slowly begin planning the wedding, but for now, we’re looking forward to the start of our future and the family we will build together.”
“Perfectly said, Your Highness. Thank you both again for meeting with me today.” Isla turned to face the camera. “From Fenimore Royal News, I’m Isla Hall, bringing you all the royal tea.”
When the red light disappeared from the camera, Bri released a long sigh, easing the tension in her shoulders.
It was official. After the last two days’ events, the world knew they were engaged. There was no turning back now.