The Dance Deception by Becky Ward

Author:Becky Ward [Ward, Becky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2023-07-06T12:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

By the time I get to the studio the next morning, Stella’s second article has appeared online. True to her word, she’s run a piece on my night out with Aleksis and it’s accompanied by the photo of his hand on my bum outside The May Fair, as well as several more that Dan must have taken inside the restaurant. He’s done a good job – they do look legitimate.

The story doesn’t say much, other than to point out that our relationship is going from strength to strength and that we can’t keep our hands off each other, followed by another plug for the show and the exclusive chat with Sofiya at the weekend. I wonder if Merle has seen it and if it will bother him in the slightest. Or if he’ll see straight through the charade.

A quick check on Emilia’s Instagram on the way here told me she now has thirty thousand followers and counting. There are pictures of her and Merle at rehearsals and going for coffee, with Emilia dressed up to the nines and both of them looking like models. It’s hard not to compare them to me and Aleksis and feel like we’re coming up short. It still stings just a little to see Merle with Emilia, too.

But thankfully there’s not much time to dwell on it, because Sarah, Steve and Andy are already outside the studio with their camera bags when I arrive. It’s time for the first really big challenge to get underway. Looking loved-up in a photo or at a restaurant isn’t that hard, but convincing people who we’re interacting with will be a lot less straightforward.

‘Hi again,’ Sarah greets me as they pile through the door with their equipment. ‘Over there, same as before,’ she directs her colleagues. ‘Where’s Aleksis? Did you not arrive together?’

‘Er, he stopped off for coffee,’ I improvise, although I’m not sure how I’m going to explain it when he turns up without any. But luckily I don’t have to, because he arrives a few minutes later hidden behind a giant bouquet of flowers and the coffee is instantly forgotten.

‘What the—’

‘For you.’ He grins, and holds up the bucket in his other hand. ‘They let me take this to put them in.’

‘That’s so sweet,’ Sarah says. ‘And this will be a great prop for today’s clip too. It’s given me an idea. Can we film you walking in with them again?’

Once she’s captured Aleksis’s grand entrance, she gets us to perform a few steps of our routine with one of the stems clutched in my hand. I sweep it up in the air and bring it down in front of my chest. Aleksis takes it and pops it between his teeth, spinning once before coming back to face me so he can pass it to me mouth to mouth.

It’s meant to look sexy but when our eyes meet, ready for him to pass the flower, I can’t help sniggering, which sets us both off with the giggles and the flower drops to the floor.

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