The flat screen comes to life, and Chase’s face appears, smiling his perfectly straight white smile as always.
The live audience attending the finale is visible behind him, and a rush of nerves hits me again.
“Good evening, Tristan, Madden, and Megan. Are you ready for the finale of Biggest Licker?”
I smile for the hidden cameras. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Tristan and Madden’s fingers tighten on mine, and they both give me reassuring smiles.
“Well, Megan,” Chase continues, “I have to say, you’re not like any contestant I’ve ever seen before.”
The audience laughs in appreciation, and I start to flush, knowing they’ve all seen everything I’ve done over the past week. But then they start to cheer and clap, a chant rising up that’s audible even through the walls o
f the apartment.
“Megan, Megan, Megan…”
Wow. I didn’t expect that. They sound like they actually support what I’ve decided. Like they really want me to win this. Even though I don’t think that’s possible anymore.
Chase laughs. “As you can see, you’re clearly a fan favorite. In any other circumstance, I’d say you’d be a great contestant on a new show, but something tells me you aren’t looking for love anymore.”
I smile. “No, Chase. No, I’m not. I’ve found all the love I could possibly hope for.”
Times two. I look from Tristan to Madden, their love clear in their eyes as they both smile back at me.
How did I get so lucky? Not just one incredible man that anyone would feel more than fortunate to find, but two.
Chase seems to think the same thing. “Megan, you’ve managed to score the two cockiest billionaires in the entire city—probably the whole country.”
“Damn right, she did,” Madden says, flashing one of his sexy smiles at the camera at the same time Tristan says, “You better believe it.”
I laugh, so happy that these men are mine.
Chase and the audience laugh as well. “Well, Megan, you sure held out for the best of the best. You may have lost your virginity, but you nearly made it to the very end. And not only did you get one billionaire, you got two. That’s no easy feat.”
Yep. Right up until a few hours ago, I was set to be the winner. Yet I gave it all up only hours before the show was over. And I’d do it all over again. Because I want Tristan and Madden to know that it’s ultimately not about the apartment or the prize money. Not when they are the real prize. I’ve come out a winner after all. In a way I never expected. And it’s so much better than any other outcome I could have imagined.
Chase gives a me a sympathetic smile as he tilts his head to the side. “As I’m sure you’re aware of, since you didn’t make it all the way to the finale as a virgin, you can’t be crowned the winner of Biggest Licker.”
I nod. “I understand, Chase.” And I give him a big grin. Because it really is okay. I know that now. “I think I’ve still come out a winner, though.”
The crowd roars with cheers and applause.
His eyes twinkle. “Oh, there’s no doubt about that. As you can see by the reaction out here—” he gestures to the audience behind him, “—I don’t think anyone wanted things to turn out any other way.”
“I certainly didn’t,” Tristan says, leaning in to kiss my cheek.
Madden waggles his eyebrows at the camera and squeezes my thigh, his hand dangerously high for live television—not that it should matter after the things we’ve done on camera. “Wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Chase clears his throat. “So this is the point at which we typically crown the winner—you would choose which remaining man you want, or one of them would get to send the other packing if they’d won. But clearly that’s not an option here. They can’t send each other home after all since they both took your virginity at the same time.”
He gives the camera a salacious wink, and the crowd goes crazy behind him.
Yeah. Did they ever. I feel all warm and tingly just remembering how the last few hours were more amazing than I’d ever imagined. I bite my lip and look at Tristan and Madden, who are both giving me looks that make it clear they’re ready to do it all over again. Who knew that we would have all enjoyed sharing the way we did? So, so much.
I figure this is it. Chase will give some speech about this being a shocking twist to the show that’s never happened before—something they apparently love—but he surprises me when he says, “After this new turn of events, we have an even more exciting twist from our new executive producer, Maya.”
Wait, what? Maya—executive producer? I’m so excited and so full of questions, but they’ll have to wait for later, because Chase dives right into the twist. The twist brought on by my decision to do what I wanted.