“Liam, what have you been up to?” the man asks.
Liam grins, shaking his hand. “You know, this and that.”
“And who is this lovely lady?” he asks, looking to me.
I’m about to introduce myself when Liam cuts me off.
“She’s my guest, Haven. Here for the ball.”
The man grins, “Of course she is. Still, you know the drill”
With a nod Liam releases my hand and takes a step back. The man steps forward, raising a hand-held metal detector.
“Do you have any weapons or dangerous items on your persons?” he asks, down to business.
“Just my credit card,” I joke.
He doesn’t smile.
“Please raise your arms.”
I do as he says, lifting my arms above my head. My blouse rides up just enough to expose a narrow band of skin at my waist. He waves the wand around me, and it beeps slightly at my side. With one hand I take my cell from my pocket.
“Sorry, Phone.”
“No problem, miss. Thank you.”
I lower my arms and he waves us past. Liam takes my arm once more and we continue.
Passing through the foyer and turning left we make our way up the staircase and down the hall.
“We’ll give you the full tour later, but right now security is tighter than Fort Knox and I have no idea who might be milling around. Let’s get to our room.”
“Our room?” I ask, raising one eyebrow.
He blushes, “Relax, I’ll take the couch. But yes. Our room.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time,” I say. “Besides, if you try anything, I’m perfectly capable of putting your face through a table.”
“I remember,” he offers, grinning.
Stopping just outside a set of wood doors, we turn, waiting for Tommy and Sarah to catch up. They are only a few paces behind.
“These are our rooms,” she says, motioning to a set of doors with a coat of arms hanging from the center.
“Is that your family crest?” I ask, examining the medallion.
“It is, House Norwood.”
The image is a lion standing on one paw, an axe and a scroll crossed over its head.
“Builders,” Tommy says. “We own the largest construction company on the island.”
“Cool.”
“It’s just after two pm, local time,” Sarah says. “Dinner is at eight sharp, but I’m going to bow out. We’ll send the boys ahead without us and take our meal in my room, if that’s alright. We should go over some matters of protocol before tomorrow night.”
“Sounds good.”
She points to Liam, “No dallying after. You’ll need to have time to give her those dance lessons tonight.”
“You got it, boss,” he says, earning him a gentle reprimand.
“Don’t get lippy, this is your stupid plan, I’m just trying to make it work,” she says.
“Hey,” I say. “The stupid plan is standing right here.”
“Sorry,” she says sheepishly.
“So, what do I do until dinner?” I ask.
“A rousing game of checkers?” Tommy suggests.
Sarah waves him off, one hand twisting at her long, wavy hair. “I’ll call my designer to bring over some gown samples. He’ll have to work through the night to get one tailored for you. In the meantime, unpack, and try to relax.”
I snort.
Beside me Liam moves to the next door up and pushes it open. There’s no coat of arms on the door, just a name plate.
Mr. MacGregor.
I point to it, “Scottish?”
He nods, “Way back. My family came here with the English lords in the early 1800’s.”
“Oh?” I ask, stepping into the room and closing the door.
He nods, “They were grooms. Tended the horses they brought over.”
“So how did your family go from stables to King’s bestie?”
He motions to the bed, “Yours.” Then he points to the oversize white couch, “Mine.”
“Are you avoiding the question?”
He shakes his head. “It’s a story for another day.”
I wander around the room, checking it out.
“I think my whole apartment would fit in here,” I say, only half-kidding.
“Well you know. Royals never do anything halfway.”
I shrug, “Unless it’s beheading Anne Boleyn.”
Turning back to him I see he’s leaned against the wooden desk, grinning.
“You have a dark side, don’t you Haven?”
“I prefer to think of it as a realistic side,” I say, running my hand along the red velvet window curtain. “I just know how wrong this whole marrying into royalty thing can go. They literally make movies about it. Oscar winning movies.”
“Are you afraid you’ll lose your head?” he teases.
Or something else, I think the words but don’t say them out loud.
Crossing the room, I flop onto the couch. “Alright, so you doll me up and send me into the ball to surprise Aiden. Then what?”
“Well,” he begins slowly. “Not to get all birds and bees on you, but when a girl and a boy love each other very much…” he moves to make hand gestures and I grab a pillow from beside me, lobbing it at his face.
It nails him, falling to the floor.
“I really thought you’d catch that,” I say, laughing.
“Yeah, well I wasn’t expecting a frontal assault,” he defends.
He stares at me for a moment, looking as if he wants to say something, but doesn’t.
“What?” I ask finally.
He shakes himself free of whatever he’s thinking. “Nothing. I need a drink. Do you need a drink?”
I point at him, “This is very important. The answer to that question will never be no.”
“Good.”
“Do you have booze? Or a way to get booze?” I ask.
He debates for a moment. “I know where to find something. But it means risking being spotted by Genevieve or one of her lackeys.”
“Sweet,” I say, standing. “Let’s get day drunk and talk shit about people. Sounds like just the distraction I need right now.”
Pushing off the desk he walks past me and I grab his arm.
“Wait, what are the chances that we’ll see…that we might run into—”
He cuts me off. “Aiden’s not here right now. They do a run through of the ceremony the day before. He’s at the cathedral. Probably will be till dinner.”
“Ok,” I say, shaking my head and feeling stupid for being so nervous to see him again.
He puts his hands on my arms, “Relax, Haven. You’re a badass. There’s no reason to be nervous. I promise I won’t let anyone chop your head off, ok?”
“Promises, promises.”
Together we make our way back to the front foyer, this time following the hall back, beyond the sitting rooms, and into the library.
The room is large, but not massive, rows of towering shelves reaching the full length of the wall, ladders on wheeled tracks tucked in the corners. The only bare wall is painted a life-sized mural of the island, with all the prominent places labeled.
When I stop to look, Liam steps up beside me.
“This is us,” he says, pointing to the map. “The capital city of Antero. This is the Green Ridge Mountains, and over here is Breacher Coast, this little crescent shaped inlet here.”
Leaning forward, I run my fingers along the map.
“What’s this?” I ask, my fingers tracing a swirling blue line just off the coast.
“Blue whale migration route. The first people used to hunt them for food and to make oil for the winters.”
“And now?”
He shrugs, “No commercial whaling is allowed, but the people still sail out, they lay flowers in the water to honor the spirits of the animals.”
“That sounds beautiful,” I say.
“It is.” He nudges me gently, “Here.”
Following him arou
nd one of the shelves into the far corner of the room he slides a ladder aside, pointing to a massive tome.
I read the spine. “The Art of Deception.”
He nods, pointing up.
Following the line, I see a blinking camera in the corner across from us. “There was a coup attempt back in the seventies. They installed cameras in every room in the palace except the bedrooms and the royal offices. This corner, right here, is a dead spot. If you stand right here, the cameras can’t see you.”
“And how do you know that?” I ask pointedly.
He shrugs, “A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”
“Uh huh.”
Pulling the book from the shelf he opens it, revealing a bottle of scotch carefully set in it’s carved out pages.
“Oh, I get it. The Art of Deception. Clever”
Twisting the cap open, he offers me the bottle.
I take a drink and it burns its way down my throat, making me cough.
“Ugh, single malt.”
“It’s the only scotch worth drinking,” he says, taking a swallow of his own.
“Yeah if you like swallowing fire,” I say, stealing the bottle back and taking another drink.
Leaning back against the shelf, he crosses his legs at the ankle.
“Alright, what’s the deal with Genevieve?” I ask, taking one more swig before handing it back to him. “Why do you all hate her so much?”
“Imagine Hitler and Satan had a baby. That baby would be Genevieve.”
I lean back, shoulder to shoulder with him. “I’m gonna need a little more to go on.”
“She’s selfish, manipulative, and deceitful. She’d do anything to get her hands on the crown. Think of her as a venomous shrew.”
He takes another drink while I watch.
“How long did the two of you date?” I ask.
He spits, booze spraying into the air. I wipe droplets from my face.
“We did not date,” he says. “Never.”
“In my experience guys don’t hate women that much unless they have personal experience. What is it?” When he doesn’t speak, I continue. “If you don’t tell me I’ll just ask Tommy.”
“Fine,” he says, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “Fine. You’re right. Sort of. A couple of years back Aiden came home for Christmas break. Some of us were having a few beers, catching up. She was there being…unusually friendly. We didn’t think too much of it.” He sighs, taking another drink. “Anyway, I had a few too many—for that matter so did Aiden. We went upstairs to his room. I was planning to crash on his couch, but when I passed out, he must have tossed me in his bed. I woke up in the middle of the night to Genevieve all over me. She had her hand down my pants, she was…”
“I get the picture,” I say.
He nods once, his mouth pressing into a hard line before continuing.
“I don’t know if she thought I was Liam or if she was just too drunk to care, but she was all over me. The next day, I wake up and she’s gone. Later that day, she tracks me down. She says that if I don’t help her convince Aiden to marry her, that she’ll tell everyone I raped her.”
“Ok, now I hate her,” I say, taking the bottle and kicking back another swallow. “What did you do?”
“I did the only thing I could think to do. I told Aiden. He pulled the hallway camera footage, showing her coming and going, and confronted her with it. Apparently, she started crying and saying that I forced myself on her. That’s when he told her that I’d been completely passed out cold when he left me there and that if anyone was assaulted it was me.”
“Go Aiden,” I cheer, feeling a little flush from the Scotch.
He grins, “Pretty much. But she’s had it in for me since then—for all of his friends actually. She’s constantly digging up trouble. The fact that she’s the only potential candidate for Queen makes my stomach churn.”
“What about Sarah?” I ask, surprised I hadn’t thought of it before. “She’s titled and the right age.”
He smirks, “She’d be almost perfect, if she weren’t a lesbian.”
I pucker my lips, “Oh, yep that’s a problem.”
“Though, make no mistake, she’d throw her hat in the ring if she had to, to keep Genevieve off the throne. But it would make producing an heir potentially problematic.”
I snicker, “Potentially.”
“Aiden needs a wife he can trust, someone he can care about—if not even love. He needs you, Haven.”
“I’ll give you a million dollars right now if you crouch down and do the princess Leia, you’re my only hope, line.”
“You don’t have a million dollars,” he retorts.
“I’ll give you a million Yen.”
“That’s still like nine thousand dollars.”
I roll my head back, “Ugh fine. I’ll give you three bucks and this gum wrapper I have in my pocket.”
“Tempting, but no.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Liam. Five dollars and the wrapper. Final offer.”
He opens his mouth to speak but it cut off by the sound of the door opening and other voices. He lays his hand over my mouth and makes a shhh gesture with one finger. I nod, unable to see around the shelf at who our intruder may be.
Then he speaks, and my heart leaps into my throat.
“Just tell them I’ll be up shortly. I just need a few minutes,” he orders, his voice on the edge of rage.
My stomach flips. I’ve never heard him sound so angry.
“Wait here,” Liam whispers leaning over.
I shake my head, but he nods. Releasing me, he rounds the stacks.
“Everything alright in there?” he asks.
“Jesus, Liam. You scared the shit out of me. I thought I was alone.”
He sounds so tired. I want to go to him, but my feet won’t move. My body is paralyzed as a million doubts play through my mind.
“I thought you were supposed to be at the Cathedral?” Liam asks.
“I could only practice it so many times. I knew… I mean I’ve known this day was coming. I’ve been preparing for it my entire life, but now that it’s here…” he trails off. “I don’t think I can do it.”
“Of course you can,” Liam says.
“I thought I had more time,” he mutters. “Never enough time.”
“Look, Aiden. I can’t imagine the pressure you’re feeling right now. But I know that no one loves this country or the people in it as much as you do. You’re going to be a great king. And you won’t be alone. I’ve got your back. We all do.”
They are quiet for a moment and I force myself to sneak closer.
I just want to see him, just a peek.
My sneaker squeaks on the floor and I freeze again.
“Oh, I see. You’ve got a girl in here, don’t you?” Aiden asks.
Liam laughs, “You got me. I was taking advantage of the dead spot.”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Aiden calls out and my blood rushes to my face.
I open my mouth to call out, but no words come.
“I’ll leave you to it,” he says.
In a rush I’m able to propel myself forward, darting around the shelf just in time to see the door close behind him.
As soon as he’s gone I grab my head. “What is the matter with me?”
“I really thought you were going to rush him,” Liam says, offering me the bottle which I accept.
“I should have. What am I waiting for? Jesus,” I swear, taking a long gulp. Moving again, I make for the door only for Liam to block my path.
“I’m going after him.”
“That’s a bad idea,” he says.
“Why?” I demand.
“You heard him, he’s being crowned king tomorrow. If he sees you now, if he knows you’re here before hand…”
“You’re afraid he’ll run off with me, aren’t you? That he’ll abdicate.” My accusation is harsh.
“Yes, ok? I am. Aiden is going to be king. The country needs him and whether he
knows it or not, he needs it.” He steps aside. “But if you think I’m wrong, then go to him. Right now. I won’t stop you.”
“I don’t care if he’s a king or the guy scrubbing the toilets,” I say. “None of that matters to me.”
He nods, “I believe you. But ask yourself, do you think he could ever be happy—really happy—being the guy scrubbing the toilets?”
My mouth slams shut.
No, I realize. Aiden is a king, not just by birth but by temperament.
“He’s a good man,” I whisper finally. “And he’s going to be a good king.”
“Then let him be a king,” he pleads.
I take a step back, handing him the near empty bottle.
“I should go,” I realize. “I don’t belong here.”
“Ok, no more scotch for Haven.”
“I’m serious, Liam. I’m not a queen. I’m a waitress from Hell’s Kitchen for chrissake. I knew Aiden for one lousy day. And now I’m here, basically trying to marry the guy? What the hell was I thinking?”
“Deep breath,” he orders and I obey.
“This is a mistake,” I repeat. “You can dress me up all you want, its not going to change who I am. I can’t be what you need me to be.”
With a resigned sigh, he holds his hands out, palms up.
“Then be better,” he challenges.
“What if I can’t be better?” I ask, holding his gaze. “What if all I can be is me?”
“Then that will be enough.”
Dance lessons
We arrive back in our room just in time to see Sarah and Tommy in the hall with a slender woman rocking a seriously tight bun as she arranges a rolling closet full of garment bags.
“Where have you two been?” Sarah asks, clearly exasperated. “I thought we were going to keep her on lock down till tomorrow.”
She glares at Liam who simple shrugs in return.
“He showed me the library,” I defend and he shuffles beside me.
“Oh really?” Tommy asks. “The library?”
Once Upon A New York Minute: Part 1 Page 6