An assistant offered me the use of a stylist and a team of hair and makeup people, but I’d been doing my own hair and makeup since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. And I didn’t need a dress.
I ordered room service and flipped through television channels until it turned dark outside. A knock on my door let me know it was time to go, and a different production assistant with a headset on came in to mike me. That consisted of clipping a pack to the back of my bra, although I insisted on attaching the small microphone to the front of my bra by myself. After the assistant confirmed it was working, he directed me to a waiting limousine.
The hotel was minutes from the mansion. There were several cars lined up in front of mine, and at a distance I could just make out Dante, standing in front of the mansion and greeting each girl as she exited her limo.
My driver settled into position, and when I was only one car away, I got my first good look at Dante. In a perfectly tailored tuxedo. I sucked in a deep breath. It had been a while since I’d seen him in formal wear. I forgot how sexy he looked in it.
My view was obscured by a skinny blonde in a long, hot-pink dress. She walked up to Dante and, in his typical Monterran style, he kissed her hello on each cheek.
“I’m Dante. Pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m Annie. As in, Annie time you want.”
I couldn’t see her face, but I could definitely see his. There was a moment of shock, and then he tried desperately not to laugh. I didn’t think that line worked the way she wanted it to. Annie walked away, not letting the conversation continue.
Then it was my turn, and I climbed out of the limo. Dante stood there, waiting for me with a giant smile. I had a momentary lapse where I imagined myself in a wedding gown and Dante waiting for me as I walked down the aisle. If there hadn’t been three cameras pointed at me, I would have slapped myself. You are engaged, I reminded myself for the three thousandth time. I took a deep breath to calm my dancing nerves.
He leaned down to kiss me hello, his eyes lit up with delight. First he kissed my left cheek, and then the right. My skin tingled beneath his lips. I couldn’t be sure, but it seemed like Dante lingered in those kisses for a beat longer than he did with anyone else. Maybe I was imagining it.
“Hold on,” somebody yelled out from behind a camera. “Technical difficulties. Give us a minute.”
A makeup artist walked over to put some powder on Dante’s face, which made me giggle. He grimaced. “Please don’t tell my siblings. I will never, ever live this down.”
“Oh, this is so going in the blackmail folder,” I responded, trying to hide my smile.
“You know you don’t have to blackmail me. Just ask, and I’ll do it.”
My heart got a little twinge, because I knew he was telling the truth. That’s just how he was. Whatever I’d wanted to do in Monterra, he always found a way to make it happen. If I asked him to get me the moon, I was pretty sure he’d have a plan within the hour for how he would accomplish it.
Which was both super sweet and disconcerting.
“Go ahead and set up; let us make sure we have the lighting and angles right,” a director called out. I moved back to my spot. “Pretend like you’re meeting for the first time.”
“I’m Dante Fiorelli, by the way. In case I hadn’t mentioned it.” Another woman had come over to fix his hair. This, thankfully, kept him from kissing me hello again.
“Fiorelli? I thought you didn’t use a last name.”
The stylists finished messing with him and walked back over to the other crew members. “We don’t, but it’d be a little suspicious if I showed up with only one name. Like Cher or Madonna.”
“We need to have a serious conversation about your taste in music if that’s your frame of reference for one-name singers.”
“I have excellent taste in music, thank you very much. I was only trying to use singers I thought you would be familiar with. We all know your taste in music is a bit questionable.”
“You leave Taylor Swift alone.”
His gave me a half smile, but before he could respond the director said, “All right, ready to roll. Meet again, please!”