Sweetheart Deal by Linda Joffe Hull Read Free Book Online Page B

the ceremony started to give it to the concierge to return to Alejandro:
    I’m afraid that I’m a happily married woman.

    Given the show was less about the wedding “reveal,” and more a how-to about putting on a discount destination wedding, there was only one lovely, stunningly scenic, tear-rending take of the ceremony itself. Everyone flawlessly executed their parts, from Elena giving last-
minute directives to the bridal party strolling in perfect time with the harpist’s strums. Even the seabirds somehow cawed more softly and the turquoise waves lapped especially gently in the background.
    As Anastasia, gorgeous and resplendent, strolled down the aisle on the arm of her father and joined Philip beneath the altar festooned with locally sourced flowers, love infused the light breeze. With all teary eyes trained on the clearly besotted couple, I felt much less like the de facto maid of honor in a reality show spectacle and a lot more like a costar in a magical, romantic movie.
    By the time the minister announced Philip and Anastasia as husband and wife and invited them to share a kiss, I’d even begun to believe in the potential sanctity of marriage once again. So much so that as I walked down the aisle on Frank’s arm, I felt, for the first time, as if our strained and tenuous balance as faux spouses could actually give way to a successful on-screen partnership as Mr. and Mrs. Frugalicious.
    My tranquility continued through the pictures and into cocktail hour. And it might have lasted through the evening had I not spotted Ivan the activities director, whose current number-one activity seemed to be courting Eloise. He smiled and she waved me over to where the two of them stood beside a palm tree at the edge of the veranda outside of the dining area.
    â€œIvan just told me there are going to be fireworks later on tonight down at the beach,” Eloise said.
    â€œWe have a pyrotechnics expert on staff that does them the first weekend of every month,” Ivan said, as if to explain that the fireworks were not just of the romantic variety.
    â€œIt’s okay if I go,” Eloise asked, looking moony-eyed , “right?”
    â€œAs long as the reception is over and Geo doesn’t need you or us for anything.”
    â€œIt won’t start until dark,” Ivan said.
    â€œAnd there’s nothing on my call sheet after eight p.m.,” Eloise added.
    â€œThen great,” I said. “But don’t stay out too late. We’ll probably have an early call in the morning.”
    â€œSo we’re getting the timeshare, aren’t we?” Eloise asked, smiling at Ivan.
    Bothered that I hadn’t researched as much as I’d have liked to, but promising myself I’d provide the Frugarmy with a thoroughly researched blog before the episode aired, I nodded.
    â€œYay!” Eloise said, throwing her arms around me. “I love this place!”
    â€œWhich reminds me …” Ivan said.
    My heart skipped a beat once again as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a sealed peach-colored envelope.
    â€œAlejandro told me to give this to you.”

    â€œFrank?” I whispered as we finished shooting our 5:00 p.m.: Stolen postwedding kiss. “Have you ever mentioned anything, even in passing, to anyone about our marital situation?”
    â€œCourse not,” he said. “Why?”
    The truth wasn’t a particularly sensible option at the moment: That note last night was actually from Alejandro wanting to have drinks with me. Which leads me to wonder if …?
    â€œNo reason, really,” I said, hastily concocting a white lie and thinking about the contents of his most recent note: It’s just a drink …“It’s just that I overheard someone on the crew saying something about a marriage of convenience or something and I was a little concerned they might be talking about us.”
    â€œAs though our situation is