Alexis: You made the front page of Celebrity this morning. And it's not good.

Drew pulled the browser up on his phone and typed in his name to see what Alexis was talking about. It only took a second for images and dozens of new stories from that morning to pop up.

SAINT DREW: COMFORTING OR CANOODLING, the headline read. Below it was an image of him and Kate embracing.

What? Drew's eyebrows stitched together as he pressed on the link to see what the article was about. Where had they gotten a picture of him and Kate hugging?

His question was answered as soon as the photo was enlarged. Trees and headstones were in the background. It was from Aiden's birthday memorial, when she'd told him about her divorce.

But he hadn't done anything wrong then. It was an innocent hug.

He had still been committed to his relationship with Gwen at the time…as crazy as that sounded now after everything that had happened.

Drew scrolled down to see if there were any other photos. He was greeted with an image of him and Kate driving somewhere in the company car. Kate was visible in the driver seat. There was another photo of them at the grocery store, him in his holy-man costume, her in her sweats. The caption to that one read, MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS?

How had they gotten these pictures?

Oh, that's right. People posted everything online these days. Those sorority girls had probably posted that pic to social media, and then the paparazzi had most likely supplied the rest.

His neck grew hot as he read the article from the beginning.

Didn't they know that she worked for the show?

Drew read on, not believing what he was reading. His heart stuttered when he got to the last paragraph.

Drew's stomach twisted and curdled. This couldn't be true, could it? He didn't want to believe that she had only been after him for his money, but the tiny insecure voice in the back of his mind whispered to him that it might be true. She had married a rich man before. Maybe she had changed more than he thought in the past seven years and was just using her film experience to put on the show of a lifetime.

His heart told him she hadn't, but he'd been tricked before. He needed to talk to her. He needed to make sure she hadn't been pretending the whole time.

* * *

Drew texted his personal assistant and told him to cancel his flight and send his pilot home. He had been so excited to escape from the drama of his real life, to fly away to a part of the world where he wouldn't be recognized. But instead, here he was, in the biggest mess he'd ever been in.

Drew drove straight to the studio after throwing on jeans and a t-shirt. Alexis wanted to see him in her office, but he knew Kate had planned to take Alexis her computer before they jetted off. He needed to talk to her and make sure the gossip magazine was just doing their job: spreading rumors without an ounce of truth.

Kate wasn't at her desk when Drew arrived, so he went to Alexis's office. He knocked on the closed door and waited. A moment later, Alexis came out to see who it was before inviting him in.

Once inside, he was greeted with an image that broke his heart. Kate was sitting in one of the chairs, her eyes red with tears. She sniffed when he took the seat next to her but didn't look at him. Instead, she stared straight ahead of her, her expression stoic.

Drew's mind whirled a hundred miles an hour as he tried to figure out all the reasons for Kate's tears. Had Alexis made good on her threat and fired Kate for secretly dating Drew? Or was she crying because her and Nolan's very private divorce had been splattered all over the Internet? Or was it because she’d been caught in her scheme to get his money?

"Thanks for coming so quickly,” Alexis said to Drew as she resumed her seat, her face all business. "I've been going over everything with Kate, and we've decided on a plan of action from here on out."

"What do you mean?" Drew scooted forward in his chair.

"For the sake of the show, you and Kate will no longer be working together."

"You can't fire her!" Drew nearly shouted, his urge to protect Kate despite his doubts surprising him.

Alexis closed her eyes briefly. "I'm not firing her."

"Then what are you talking about?" Drew asked. He couldn't help but notice how quiet Kate was, sitting beside him but feeling worlds away. Was she quitting, giving up on her dreams because his fame and fortune had raked her name through the mud?

"Kate will be assisting me with other things now. I know none of those stories are true, Kate confirmed it, but I can't have you two spotted together anymore."

So Kate hadn't told Alexis about their kiss last night.

That was probably a good thing considering everything.

Alexis continued, "Normally, I wouldn't be worried about these kinds of stories since they're actually great for ratings. But since you're no longer with Gwen, this won't help us out at all. Everyone will feel cheated when we get to the finale and you aren't with Gwen."

Drew leaned back in his chair. Kate would still be working there.

"I also need to make the request that you two no longer see each other outside of work, either." She looked more sternly at Drew. "I know you're friends, but until this all blows away and the season finale has aired, I can't take any more chances."

"We didn't do anything wrong," Drew insisted. He hadn't broken any laws by having feelings for Kate. Heck, he hadn't even kissed her until things were over with Gwen.

"When you're the Bachelor, everything besides a happily ever after is considered a criminal offense. Welcome to showbiz."

Frustration bubbled inside Drew, so thick and hot he thought he might explode. This situation was ridiculous! Why couldn't things just go his way for once? Was this another punishment for what happened the night Aiden died? Was he truly cursed to forever be on the outside of everything he'd ever wanted?

Bad things always seemed to happen when he finally thought he'd gotten Kate. Were they doomed to live like this forever?

"Are you going to have trouble following through with my request?" Alexis cocked an eyebrow.

Kate set her hands on the armrest of her chair, as if readying to stand. "No. It's fine. I'll just do my new job, and I promise not to interfere with Drew and your finale anymore."

Drew covered her hand with his, her skin soft and warm. "None of this is your fault. You know that, right?" He dipped his gaze down to hers; her eyes were wide and sad.

"That isn't what matters right now." She glanced down at his hand on hers. He squeezed it, and she gave him a tired smile. "Part of my job is to make you look good. I won't mess it up this time."

She stood and glanced back at Alexis. "If that's all, I'll get back to work now."

"Yes, thank you, Kate. I'll let Oliver know about the switch."

Drew got up to leave as well, figuring he was done.

"Actually, I still need to discuss a few things with you, Drew. It’ll just be a few more minutes."

"What else do you want?" Drew released a long breath as he sunk back in his chair. What else would she say to ruin his day?

Alexis waited for Kate to shut the door. She said, "As you’re aware, we weren't able to get any footage of Gwen and Dion as we'd hoped. So, in light of everything that has happened, you’re going to have to continue with the charade of dating Gwen." She clasped her hands together. "How did it go with her anyway? Did she seem happy to see you after what happened the weekend before?"

"Didn't you watch the footage? I'm sure you know as well as I did that Gwen wasn't buying any of it. More like playing along to earn her twenty minutes of fame when this is all over, since she knows she won't be getting my money."

"I did notice that."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

Alexis drew in a deep breath before looking him straight in the eyes. "I need you to call Gwen and smooth things over."

Drew's heart plummeted. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

"She's not going to go for it this time.”

Alexis shook her head. "I'd make a heavy wager that this is exactly what she would want."

Drew shook his head. He didn't want to do this. He wanted to do just what the gossip magazines were saying. He wanted to date Kate. He was so tired of everything else getting in the way of his desire.

But he also didn't want Kate to be dragged through the mud any more than she had already. She'd been through more than enough this past year. He didn't need to be responsible for any more hurt to come into her life.

"So, will you do it? Will you find a way to make things better and keep my show from tanking?" Alexis asked, staring at him above the rim of her glasses.

Drew blew out a long breath. "I'll do it."

* * *

Alexis left Drew alone in her office, so he could call Gwen.

The phone rang twice before Gwen's frustrated voice came through the line. "So you left me yesterday to sneak off with your mistress? What a great way to live up to your nickname, Saint Drew," she scoffed.

Drew breathed out his nose slowly, trying to remain calm, before deciding he might as well kick this thing in the butt. "Actually, we figured we'd give you some extra time alone with Dion."

He heard a sharp intake of breath, and then there was a pause as Gwen tried to think of something to say.

Drew was done playing games. "I know you and Dion are secretly dating. I came back to the safe house a week ago and heard you guys in the bedroom."

More silence.

You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you.

Though her silence spoke louder than any words would.

Finally, she said, "I knew something was up when you suddenly wanted to spend the weekend together again, yet you didn't even want to look at me at all. That's why I told Dion to check the studio after you left."

She hadn't necessarily admitted anything, but she definitely knew they'd been set up. I guess he didn't have to feel too bad about telling Gwen he knew about her and Dion. But Alexis probably wouldn't take that as much of a consolation since his bad acting skills had ruined yet another plan of hers.

"So how long have you and Kate been planning this? Was it before we met or after?"

Drew shook his head. She actually believed the tabloids? "The tabloids are full of crap. Kate and I weren't secretly dating in those photos." ‘In those photos’ being the operative words. What they'd done last night had seemed a lot like they were dating. "The only one who cheated here is you."

"Okay. So you say there's nothing going on between you and Kate, but it's obvious that you want there to be."

Drew wasn't about to respond to that. Gwen wasn't saying anything about Dion and her. He wouldn't say anything about his hopes in regard to Kate, either.

"Anyway," Gwen continued. "I'm guessing you've already talked to Kate."

"Yes." Well, Alexis did it for him.

"And I'm guessing she's not happy about the magazines."

"Nope."

"So, what if we just pretended to be happily dating—" She gasped as if something spectacular had just dawned on her. "Or, we could even pretend to be engaged." Her voice grew more and more excited, her words spilling out. "Yeah, celebrity couples do it all the time. We could ask Alexis if we could get engaged on the after-show, and then pretend to date for a while. It would be awesome for the ratings, and then we could do a ton of paid interviews or meet and greets and get all kinds of promotional opportunities. This could be a really good way to make a lot of money."

"But unlike you, I was actually in this for love, not money."

"Whatever." She seemed to think for a moment. "I bet Alexis would be a lot happier to take on Kate's screenplay if you give her the ending she's wanted all along."

"How did you know about Kate's screenplay?"

"Dion told me."

Drew sighed and thought about it. Getting her screenplay on the big screen had been Kate's goal all along when she'd taken the job. Maybe a fake engagement would be a good idea, especially when both of them knew it was merely a business transaction. It would probably be the thing to keep Alexis most happy. And if Alexis was happy, she'd take a more honest look at Kate's screenplay and be more likely to take it. Or at least pass it along to someone who would.

He hated the thought of lying to everyone. But he also didn't want to dash Kate's chance at finally accomplishing her dreams. That's what had started them on this whole process. And that's what would keep him going even when things weren't exactly the way he wanted.

"So, what do you think?" Gwen sounded way happier now than she had at the beginning of their conversation. Could he stand to be around her for a bunch of paid appearances if it helped make Kate and Alexis happy?

"It’s something to think about," he admitted.

"It's a great idea. I'm actually surprised we didn't come up with it sooner."

"Well, until a few minutes ago, you did think your affair was a secret."

"Right…"

Drew rolled his eyes. But whatever. He was over it. He was over her. Maybe it would be manageable to try a fake engagement for a little while. There would be a lot of positives for a lot of people. Kate would still have her job. Alexis would get the ending she'd wanted all along. Gwen would get the fame she'd pined for from the beginning, and she'd still get her sleaze-bag boyfriend Dion. The viewers would be happy to see an engagement at the end of the season, even if they didn't think Gwen was the one for him. And Drew, well, Drew would be fine. He didn't want to give Alexis a reason to turn down Kate's screenplay. And when everything was over in a couple of months, after they'd made enough appearances and slowly showed the public signs of trouble in love-land, he'd find a way to end the charade and then finally be out of the limelight.

There was just one little nagging voice in the back of his head that whispered about how it would all be a big lie, and that his integrity would be on the line. But it was just a small voice. He was sure he could ignore it for a few months.

* * *

Drew found Alexis in the conference room after nailing down a few more particulars with Gwen.

Alexis was bent over her laptop at the large Cherrywood table. Drew leaned against the door frame. "It's all set up. I talked to Gwen, and she's more than on board about continuing our relationship. She even suggested a fake engagement. She thought it would be the perfect idea for us to get engaged on the after-show."

Alexis's head popped up. "She did?"

Drew rolled his keychain around his finger. "She was pretty easy to work with once I mentioned Dion."

"You told her?" Frustration flashed in Alexis's eyes. "I was thinking about trying to set another trap for them."

Drew waved his hand. "She already knew something was up. That's why they left so early yesterday."

Alexis leaned back in her gray chair. "Okay. So you're going to fulfill your contract with a proposal then?"

Drew still wasn't sure he wanted to do this, but he nodded and said, "I want you to know that the only reason I'm okay with doing any of this is because of Kate. I don't want to give you a reason to fire her or not take an honest look at her screenplay. I'll give you the finale you've been dreaming of. I'll help make the ratings the best they've ever been. Just promise me you'll help me make sure Kate is happy when all this is over with."

"Spoken like a true businessman."

"Does that mean you'll keep an open mind?"

She nodded. "I'll do you one even better. I'll see what I can do about getting the gossip magazines to forget all about Kate and her divorce. I'll smooth things over for her."

Drew smiled the first smile he'd had all morning. "Thank you, Alexis. I appreciate that."

"It's the least I can do for you sacrificing even more of your time to give me that proposal." Her eyes lit up. "What if we went back to the Caribbean and re-shoot the whole engagement, pretending that it went that way from the start?"

Drew shook his head, not understanding how she was already focusing on that. He was still back at helping Kate. "How are we supposed to do that? We filmed that months ago."

"We still have the set pieces from that day in Antigua. We can arrange to get Gwen's dress back from the designer. I'm sure Siegfried will be more than happy to loan it out again for the show. It's great advertising, after all."

Alexis spouted one idea after another, her countenance brightening with each one, clearly excited at the prospect of having the dream proposal finale she'd been hoping for.

"If we get everything lined up, we could be in Antigua as early as next week." Alexis's eyes shown bright through her glasses.

"Next week?"

"You don't have any big plans for next week, do you?"

He'd cleared most of his schedule last night after Kate left, with hopes of leaving all of this behind.

"My schedule is clear." But could he really do this? It was suddenly becoming more and more real. He would be getting engaged in one week—albeit a fake engagement—but still. He rolled his shoulders back, rocked his neck from side to side to relieve the tension.

"Great. We'll make sure everything is perfect." Then she dismissed him, telling him she'd be in touch with the details once they were nailed down.

Drew left the conference room and went in search of Kate. He needed to make sure everything was okay between them. She'd been crying when he'd walked in on her and Alexis's meeting. She was probably worried he believed the tabloids. He may have doubted for a moment, but now that he'd had time to think about it, he decided that he knew her well enough that she couldn't have done any of those things. He needed to make things right. It was all happening because of him, anyway.

But when he made it to her desk, she wasn't there.

"Alexis told her to take a couple of days off." Oliver walked up behind him, sipping from his coffee mug.

"Was she upset when she left?"

Oliver nodded, blowing into the mug. "You could say that. She looked like she'd been crying for a while."

Drew shook his hand at his side, trying to decide what he could do to make her feel better. He couldn't just drive over to her place. There were probably paparazzi all over, waiting for the next incriminating photo.

He thanked Oliver and then went to his truck to go home. He'd just have to give her a call and hope it was good enough. Though all he really wanted to do was run to her, hold her in his arms, and tell her that everything would be okay. Things would blow over and everyone would eventually move on.

He just had to get through the fake proposal first.