“You’ll have to ask her that. I don’t gossip, and I don’t spill the tea.” Kenzie laughs. “Unless you want me to, and then I’m your girl if you want to tell the world.”
The McMillan Tower studio is pristine with every inch designed for power and control. Soft lighting. Sleek furniture. Cameras poised to capture every perfect angle. It’s a world I’ve never belonged to—until now.
Kenzie’s style team has worked their magic on me. Not in a way that makes me feel like a different person, but in a way that makes me feel seen. The emerald-green dress skims my curves in all the right places, the kind of expensive elegance I’d never have let myself dream of. My makeup is flawless but natural,just enough to make me camera-ready without feeling like I’m playing dress-up.
I take a deep breath, smooth my palms over the silky fabric as I step into the studio. The nerves are there, bubbling just under the surface, but they ease the moment I see him.
Dylan.
He’s standing by the interview set, looking unfairly gorgeous in a fitted navy suit. But it’s not the tailored perfection that makes my breath catch—it’s the way his whole face changes when he sees me.
Like I’m the only person in the room. Like he’s been waiting for me his whole life.
“Wow,” he murmurs when I reach him, his voice low and intimate. “Look at you.”
I roll my eyes, even as warmth spreads through my chest. “I clean up okay?”
“You’re breathtaking.” He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his fingertips lingering against my skin. “And you’re mine.”
Mine. I like the way the word sounds on his lips.
“Alright, lovebirds,” a smooth, professional voice cuts in. “Let’s get this started, shall we?”
I turn to find Danielle Stone standing from her single-seater, to offer handshakes and a welcoming smile. Her interviews are legendary—from her emotional discussions with heroes after the Australian Bushfires, to her ruthless ambushing of celebrities, such as when Dawson Briggs learned about his pregnant ex.
But her smile and greeting are so genuine, I don’t feel like prey being led to the slaughter. Whether that’s because Dylan is handing over his crown asAustralia’s Favorite Bacheloror because the whole country has already fallen in love with our story, I don’t know.
I trust Dylan. And more than that, I trustus.
We take our seats, cameras adjusting, a producer counting us in. The interview begins, and it’s easier than I expected. Danielle asks about the moment we went public, the overwhelming support from fans, and the way our relationship has changed since stepping out of the shadows.
Dylan handles it all effortlessly, flashing that signature grin that makes the entire nation swoon. But he never lets go of my hand.
And when Danielle asks the deeper questions about how we started, how we kept it secret for so long, he doesn’t hesitate.
“We did it the old-fashioned way, by passing notes. We got to know each other one word and sentence at a time.”
“Was that difficult?” she asks, and Dylan groans.
“Look at her. Emma Russell is the most beautiful woman in the world, and I couldn’t tell anyone about us. Every day, I was falling madly and deeply in love with Emma, but we had to keep it a secret.”
“And now?” Danielle prompts.
“She was worth the wait,” he says simply, turning to look at me like I’m the only thing that matters. “Every single second of it.”
I squeeze his hand, my heart swelling.
Danielle smiles, clearly enjoying the moment. “It’s rare to see a love story play out like this—an athlete at the top of his game, a cheerleader who stole his heart. The fans adore you two.”
Dylan laughs. “I adore her more.”
My cheeks burn, but I don’t look away. This is Dylan at his most romantic, his most open. And I allow myself soak it all in.
Danielle’s gaze sharpens, sensing the perfect ending to her segment. She leans forward slightly, microphone poised. “So, tell me, Dylan. When did you know that Emma isthe one?”
Dylan doesn’t even pause. He turns to me, his thumb brushing over my knuckles, his eyes soft, sure.
“When I didn’t want to be her next ex,” he says, voice steady, full of promise. “I wanted to be her future.”
