Jane shook her head. “He had no idea how I’d react.” Her brow furrowed. “There’s kind of a crazy part to all of this. The Eligible reunion will start airing in January, and, obviously, the network wants what happens to be a surprise. For all those shows, they make the contestants sign confidentiality agreements, and the agreements last until the whole season has aired. Even if a couple falls in love during the shoot, they’re not really supposed to see each other for months, until after the last episode. If they violate the contract, they’re liable for the entire budget of the show, which is something like five million dollars.”
Jane took a sip of water, then went on: “The reunion took place at this fancy compound by the ocean in Malibu, and Chip said from the minute he got there, he knew he’d made a mistake—not in leaving medicine but in leaving me. He’d let his doubts about being a doctor, which he’d had for years, cloud his judgment about our relationship, and after he found out about my pregnancy, he was overwhelmed. But when he got to California and was supposed to be in romantic settings with other women, all he could think about was me. He wants to raise my baby as his child. The catch is that because of the contract he signed, we can’t be together for at least four months—unless, and this is the crazy part, he thinks that if I’m willing to do it, we can get married now as part of an Eligible special. During the reunion, he talked a lot about me with a producer he’d known from his first season, and she tried to convince him to invite me on the show, to come out to Malibu, but he thought that wasn’t fair to me, because the whole thing would have been filmed. In fact, he wasn’t even planning to reach out to me at all until Darcy suggested it—Chip was worried I hated him. Anyway, he saw this producer last week, and she’s pretty sure that if we get married on the air, the network will pay for the wedding, and afterward, before the special runs, they’ll rent a house for us somewhere secluded while we wait for the baby.”
“That’s bonkers,” Liz said.
“He’s not pressuring me to do it,” Jane said. “He said the choice is mine, and if we have to wait until March or April to be together, it’s fine. But, Lizzy, by March I’ll have a newborn. I’ll be in a different place emotionally, and so will Chip. I want us to become parents together. There’s no guarantee that if we try to pick up later where we left off tonight, it’ll work.”
After a few seconds, Liz said, “I wish I didn’t agree with you. Here’s what I don’t get, though—why can’t you just move out to L.A., rent an apartment, and see him really discreetly?”
“I asked that, too, and he said he thinks the producers won’t allow it. He thinks they’re okay with us being together if it’s sort of under their control, or if they’re benefiting from it, but otherwise, they’ll say it’s too great a risk. Chip gets recognized much more in L.A. than in other places.”
“Jesus,” Liz said. “And I thought Mom tried to boss us around.” Both sisters were quiet, and Liz added, “Just the idea of you, the sweet yogini, having your wedding nationally televised—it’s very weird.”
“I know,” Jane said. “I used to have such specific opinions about what my wedding would be like. Remember that game we’d play where we’d pick out our bridesmaids? But that was a long time ago. I’m forty, and I’m about to have a kid. I don’t care about the ceremony. I’d rather just be married to Chip and get on with our lives.” Jane glanced at Liz. “Maybe I’ve lost my mind.”
“Well, I agree that you’d be ratings gold,” Liz said. “I’d tune in to see Chip Bingley marry a beautiful pregnant lady. But do you realize what you’d be opening yourself up to? You’d be on the cover of celebrity gossip magazines.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Jane. Without a doubt. You’d have to sign a contract just like Chip, and one of the things it would require you to do is talk to the media. Plus, tons of trashy websites that you hadn’t talked to would say whatever they want about you guys. Did Chip mention compensation?”
“Like money?”
Liz nodded.
“Vaguely,” Jane said. “At this point, it’s still not definite that Eligible wants to do a wedding special with us. The next step is for Chip and me both to sit down with his agent and that producer.”
“Has the producer seen a picture of you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I bet Chip showed her one. Trust me, Jane, they’ll want to do it.”
“The only way I’ll agree to it is if all of you are there,” Jane said. “Mom and Dad, obviously, and you and Mary and Kitty and Lydia and now Ham. Do you think they’ll go on TV for my wedding?”
Liz laughed. “Some of them.”
“Will you?”
“Sure,” Liz said. “For you.”
“Does this all seem crazy?”
“Yes,” Liz said. “But I think you and Chip genuinely love each other.” She patted her sister’s arm. “I’m glad he wised up.”
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, A maelstrom of activity was swirling. The following evening, while it was still afternoon in Los Angeles, Liz, Jane, and Chip participated via speakerphone from Liz’s apartment in a conversation with both Chip’s agent, whose name was David Scanlon, and the Eligible producer with whom Chip had discussed Jane, whose name was Anne Lee. It was decided that two days hence, when Chip flew back to Los Angeles, Jane also would journey west, on a different flight. In the meantime, Jane would begin filling out the many forms meant to facilitate her background check.