Free To Catch a Star by Romy Sommer Page A

if there was no tomorrow. Frank had told her at what ungodly hour he’d finally brought Christian and Dominic home from some nightclub in the early hours of this morning.
    “What’s so engrossing?” Christian asked, swinging away from the bank of mirrors and holding out his hand to her for the magazine.
    She’d stared at the same page for a full minute without paying the slightest attention to it. She looked now and blood rushed to her face.
    Christian beckoned with his fingers. “It can’t be that bad. Let’s see it.”
    She stuffed the magazine behind her back.
    He beckoned again. “You know if you don’t hand it over I’ll have to come and get it?”
    She had no doubt he’d do it too. Reluctantly she handed over the magazine. But not before she closed it. Christian took it and flicked through the pages.
    And unerringly found the page she’d wanted to hide.
    “Hey, that’s you!” Marie peered over Christian’s shoulder. “Who’s the hunk you’re with?”
    Tessa’s blush deepened.
    “It’s Prince Fredrik,” Christian said. He laid the magazine down in his lap and contemplated her. “It says your engagement announcement is imminent.”
    “It’s an old magazine and we were never engaged.” They’d discussed marriage but Fredrik had never got around to proposing. Fate in the form of a blood test had intervened.
    “A prince, huh?” Christian still looked at her strangely.
    Unable to bear the hard scrutiny, she rose and wandered across to the shelves of cosmetic products lined up beside the basins. “Not anymore.”
    “I met him at the welcome drinks party,” he said. “He was there with your friend.” He said it like a question.
    “He and I… we separated by mutual agreement and there are no hard feelings. I’m happy that he and Kenzie are together now.” And for the first time she meant it. If Rik could overcome being disinherited and find happiness, then she could overcome losing the safety net he’d provided.
    “So how did you hook up with a prince?” Nina asked from the make-up station at the far end of the trailer, where her stylist was busy creating an extravagant up-do with a wig and thousands of pins, a process that took over an hour every day.
    Hook up
. Such an American expression. It had never been like that for Teresa and Rik. Or even for her and Stefan. But she didn’t think this Hollywood actress, nice as she was, would comprehend relationships based on mutual understanding, on a common background, on shared ideals.
    Tessa shrugged. “This is a small country. We grew up together.”
    Christian studied her with narrowed eyes. “Los Pajaros is a pretty small place too, but I didn’t even attend the same school as the mayor’s kids, let alone play with them.”
    She didn’t like that look. It was worse than the constant prickle. It was even worse than when he’d tried to flirt with her.
    “You’re from Los Pajaros?” Nina asked, her already-big eyes growing rounder.
    Christian’s jaw tensed, a sign so subtle that no one else seemed to notice. Tessa did.
    “Robbie wanted you to come to set as soon as you’re ready. Shall I let him know you’re on your way?” she asked.
    If she’d hoped for gratitude for rescuing him from an awkward conversation, she was disappointed. He nodded and rose from the seat, removing the protective napkins tucked into his collar, then waved for her to precede him out the door.
    “Don’t go!” Nina called. “This is just getting interesting. Stay and tell me all about your prince.”
    Tessa cast Christian a beseeching look but he was far less magnanimous. “Yes, stay Baroness. You can tell her all about how you went from dating a prince to slumming it here as my PA.”
    Damn. He’d read the fine print in the article too.
    By the time he stepped in front of the cameras each day, Christian turned into the Energizer bunny and there was no stopping him.
    Especially when Dominic was around. They were like two little boys, egging each