Chapter Fourteen
After a week at her parents’ place, Kristen and Spencer returned to L.A. The third episode had aired, and the response had been phenomenal. They were now the hottest couple, and every radio station and magazine wanted an interview.
They had several commercials lined up, both together and individually.
Spencer extended his hand toward Kristen, and she took it as she stepped out of the car in front of the radio station.
Fans screamed and she could hear the clicks of cameras all around.
“Kristen! Spencer!”
Since there was a barricade and four security personnel around her, Kristen felt safe enough to lean in for a few selfies. Spencer did the same before taking her hand and heading into the radio station.
The security personnel had been waiting for them at the airport when they arrived, and they were with them all day until they got home.
At times when Spencer couldn’t accompany her, the security detail followed Kristen. She’d protested, but Spencer assured her that he and Kurt were fine.
When they got to the recording room, she and Spencer sat next to each other and across from the radio show’s host, Raymon May.
Two cameramen for We Got Hitched were also crammed in the small recording studio, each squeezing into a corner in the room.
Raymon ran his hand through his short wavy black hair after pulling off the headphones. “I don't usually have to care about how I look in the studio.”
“You look fine,” Kristen said.
He ran his hand over the stubbles around his mouth, and Kristen pulled her lips between her teeth to stop herself from smiling.
If Raymon had donned T-shirt and jeans and not bothered shaving on a day when he had to care about how he looked, how did he normally look when there weren't any cameras around the studio?
Raymon announced to his listeners that Kristen and Spencer were there with him before asking them to say hi to the listeners.
“Hey, everyone, I’m Spencer Rowe.”
“And I’m Kristen Park.”
“Spencer and Kristen! You guys have made We Got Hitched a hit. Even my grandmother is watching it.”
Kristen laughed, and Spencer took her hand.
“Oh … Guys, Spencer just took Kristen’s hand. So is this for real?” Raymon’s finger wagged between them. “Or is it just for TV? There’s been so much talk about whether you guys are really dating.”
Spencer glanced over at Kristen and gestured for her to answer the question.
She grinned and said, “It’s complicated.”
“What? Why?” Raymon asked.
“Well, we did sign a contract to commit to filming as husband and wife for the next six months, and we’re not actually married. But beyond that …”
Raymon shook his head. “No, no, no. You can’t leave us hanging like this. Are the kisses real? Or scripted?”
“Those are real,” Spencer answered immediately.
“And you bought her an engagement ring that she’s been wearing. So are you guys engaged for real?” Raymon looked at Spencer. “Are you seriously ready to renounce the title of Mr. Party?”
“I’ve still been partying. I had one at home, a pretty private one—”
“Or so we thought,” Kristen said.
“You didn’t know you were being filmed?” Raymon asked.
“We just assumed the cameras were switched off,” Spencer said. “We didn’t check.”
“Imagine our surprise when we saw the first episode,” Kristen added.
“And the photoshoot? You guys were sizzling.”
Kristen pulled her lower lip in, and Spencer glared at her. She laughed and shrugged. “The photoshoot was fun.”
“It was torture,” Spencer said.
“I could tell.” Raymon’s head bobbed up and down solemnly. “I could tell. So back to the private party the two of you had. Things got pretty hot.” He looked at Kristen. “You used to wear your purity ring, and you’re—”
“That’s none of your business,” Spencer interrupted with a glare that dared Raymon to continue.
Raymon raised his hands in peace. “You’re right.”
They spent the next few minutes discussing upcoming projects and what the viewers could expect in the coming episodes.
“We’re not sure what will be aired from episode to episode,” Kristen said. “We just found out we’re going on our honeymoon in two days.”
“Where are you guys going?”
“I have no idea,” she said.
“Neither do I, but they did tell us to pack beachwear,” Spencer said.
They continued talking about their show and some of the moments that had gone viral. Raymon kept asking them about different scenes from the show and if they were real. And as Kristen kept replying with ‘yes, that was real,’ she realized how little of what had been aired was scripted.
In fact, the director hadn’t given them any scripts for a while.
“Okay, here’s what I think,” Raymon said. “I think you guys are for real. I think you guys are still figuring it out yourselves, but it’s definitely for real.”
Kristen shared a look with Spencer, and Raymon threw his hands in the air.
“I’m sure. If only you guys could see the two of them now. Oh, wait, the cameras for We Got Hitched are here, so maybe you guys will get to see it. These two are definitely for real.”
Kristen laughed softly.
“Okay. Don’t take offense,” Raymon said to Spencer before turning his attention back to Kristen. “Did you know Alvin and Ruby’s relationship is on the rocks? It seems the two were caught yelling at each other.”
Spencer tightened the grip on her hand.
“I didn’t know that.” She pinched her lips and shrugged. “But I think fighting is common for couples, isn’t it? Just because they’re fighting, it doesn’t mean they’re having problems.”
She looked over at Spencer and grinned. For the first time, she realized she really didn’t care what Alvin and Ruby were up to. She didn’t mind that Alvin cheated on her or that he and Ruby had gone on interviews and put her down. None of that mattered anymore.
“Whatever it was, I truly wish them the best,” she added.
Raymon clapped. “That’s a great answer. This is class.”
“It’s easy to be happy for others when I’m so happy myself.”
Spencer kissed her hand.
“They’re for real, guys. I’d bet my life on it.”
After the interview, Kristen and Spencer thanked Raymon and left. Once they were out of the studio, Kurt handed Spencer his phone and said something to him.
Kristen didn’t catch what it was, but Spencer turned to her and told her that he had to make a phone call.
She nodded, and he walked on ahead with Kurt.
Kristen couldn’t help noticing the lock of Kurt’s hair sticking out in an awkward direction. The rest of his short black hair was pushed straight up, but that particular lock of hair seemed unwilling to cooperate.
For someone in his twenties, Kurt dressed very well. He was always in his well-polished dark brown leather shoes. His gray or black working pants never without a vertical crease down the front of each leg. Sometimes, he would even have a vest over his shirt.
She was so used to his clean shaven face and properly styled hair that she couldn’t help staring at the stray lock of hair. Perhaps she should let him know.
“These are for you.” Ana handed Kristen a box of chocolates, pulling Kristen’s attention from Kurt’s hair. “I think Spencer had them delivered.”
“Really?” She opened the box and popped one of the chocolates into her mouth. She frowned at the foul, bitter taste as an unfamiliar scent exploded in her mouth. She was about to spit the chocolate out when she realized they were about to step out into the crowd of fans outside the radio station.
She forced herself to swallow it and put a smile on her face.
Spencer appeared next to her and took her hand before they stepped out together. Kristen took the bottle of water Ana was holding before getting into the car. She downed half the bottle and frowned.
Perhaps it was all in her mind, but her head was suddenly spinning.
“Kris, what’s wrong?”
“The chocolates you bought.”
“What chocolates? I didn’t buy any chocolates.”
She looked down at the box on her lap. “It tastes foul.” She pressed her hand to her chest as she felt her throat tighten. She gasped and coughed.
“Kris.”
“Stop,” she gasped the word. “Stop the car.”
“Stop the car!” Spencer yelled.
She got out, and her legs gave way. She bent over and threw up.
Spencer held her hair back and rubbed his hand down her back.
Ana, Kurt, and two cameramen got out of the car behind theirs and ran over. Ana immediately knelt down next to Kristen. “What happened?”
“Where did you get the chocolates from?” Spencer asked
“A delivery guy passed the box to me,” Ana told him. “He said it was from you.”
Kristen stopped retching, but she still didn’t feel well.
“I didn’t buy the chocolates.” Spencer scooped up Kristen in his arms. “We need to get her to the emergency room.”
Spencer clasped his hands together while the doctor checked on Kristen.
On the way over, Kristen had been so pale. There was a wheezing sound each time she breathed, and she was breaking out in a cold sweat.
When the doctor came out of the emergency room, Spencer rushed over.
“Kristen Park’s family?” the doctor asked.
“I’m her husband,” he answered naturally.
“Do you still have the chocolates she ate?”
Ana stepped forward and handed the box over to the doctor.
“I believe she was poisoned. She threw up just now, right? I believe most of it is out of her system. We’ll give her some medicine to flush the rest out of her and keep her under observation.”
“Can I see her now?”
“We’ll be transferring her to a hospital room soon. You can get the paperwork done.”
“I’ll do that,” Ana said when Spencer’s phone rang again.
Spencer nodded and answered the call after a look at the screen. “Are you back?” he asked Samantha.
“Spencer, do you have a stalker?”
“A stalker? What are you talking about?”
“We should meet.”
“I can’t. Kris’s in the hospital. Someone poisoned her. I can’t believe Melody’s father would do that.”
“What was she poisoned with?”
“I don’t know. We’ve given the chocolates to the doctor.”
“Give me the hospital information. I’ll meet you down there.”
Spencer followed Ana when she cocked her head to the side. “I’ll text you the information.” He ended the call and entered the lift with Ana and Kurt.
“Should I call her parents?” Ana asked.
“No,” he said. “Not until after you’ve asked Kris. She doesn’t like her parents to worry.”
Spencer stayed by Kristen’s side until Samantha texted him that she was in the hospital cafeteria. Since Ana had checked Kristen into the VIP ward, no one besides those they put on the list was allowed up. “I need to go downstairs for a while. Call me if she wakes up,” he said to Ana. “Kurt, follow me.”
He went down to the cafeteria, where Samantha waved him over. She pulled her light chestnut brown hair into a ponytail, then dug into the black leather bag on the floor as he and Kurt made their way over to her.
“I know the pictures are blurry, but do you think you recognize this person?” Samantha said once he got to her. She spread the photos out on the table as he and Kurt sat.
The photos were all of a guy in a hoodie with different angles of a partial face captured.
“I don’t know who that is. What’s going on?”
“The police in the Bahamas said there was hotel footage of someone delivering a bottle of wine to Melody Leigh’s room, and the delivery person was still in the room when she fell from the balcony.”
“And this is the delivery person?”
Samantha nodded. “The police didn't find the wine bottle. Neither could they find the delivery person.”
“So it wasn’t an accident?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Then why did the police close the case and label it one?”
“They didn’t want it to affect tourism. Their argument: you can’t prove that the delivery man pushed Melody Leigh off the balcony. She had alcohol and drugs in her system. But you were throwing a party in the bar downstairs, and people saw her there. She could’ve gotten her those in her system while partying. Perhaps the delivery man was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“So it could have been an accident.”
Samantha’s stoic face gave nothing away.
Spencer shook his head. “I can’t handle this now. Kris—”
“You said someone delivered chocolates to her.”
“Yeah.” But why would anyone want to hurt her? Could the chocolates actually have been for him? “Wait. You think the same person who delivered the wine to Melody did this to Kristen?”
Samantha pulled out an iPad from her bag. “I tried to track down the person in the photo. At first, I couldn’t find anything. Based on a hunch, I decided to track your movements instead. And I found this.” She opened a folder and pointed at a photo. “This is you.” She pointed at another part of the photo. “And there is the delivery guy—in the same hoodie.”
She swiped right. “Same thing here. You, and behind you—”
“The delivery guy.”
“This guy was around you a lot when you were in the Bahamas. You said Melody created a scene at a party you threw before she returned to the hotel, right?”
He nodded.
“I think someone’s been watching you and got angry with her for creating a scene.” Samantha pressed the button on the iPad that turned off the screen. “So do you have a stalker problem that I should know about?”
“No. I don’t know. You’ll have to talk to my manager. He has an assistant who goes through my mail. I don’t really bother with it.”
She gathered the photos. “Then give me your manager’s number and let him know I’m on my way to his office now.”
Spencer gave Samantha his manager’s office address. “So you think Kris’s poisoning has something to do with this guy.”
“I would suggest you guys don’t accept any deliveries. Make sure she doesn’t eat or drink anything unless she knows for sure where it came from.”
He took a deep breath and sighed.
“I’ll drop by Mr. Leigh’s place tomorrow,” she said as she put her iPad back into her bag. “I’ll let him know what I found and what has happened. I’ll also strongly suggest that he stop showing up where you and Kristen are.”
She flipped through the photos and pulled out two. “Here. These are the clearer ones. Maybe you can give them to the production crew so they can be on a lookout for anyone suspicious.”
“Thank you.”
Samantha pulled the elastic from her hair and stood. “Please call your manager. Tell him I’ll be dropping by, and if he does have any suspicious pieces of mail, please get them ready.”
“I’ll handle that.” Kurt got up and followed Samantha out of the cafeteria.
Spencer sighed again before getting up and returning to Kristen’s hospital room.