by Emma Lea
“Could that be considered treason? Could we get in serious trouble? Could we be hanged?” she finished in a whisper.
“Um, what?” I asked, dragging my eyes away from her lips and back to her eyes.
“Can the king have you arrested for lying to him?” she asked, and I smiled.
“No,” I said with relief. “Is that all you’re worried about?”
“Is that all I’m worried about?” she asked with alarm. “I don’t think you fully appreciate my worry over being tried for treason and hanged.”
I chuckled. “We won’t be tried for treason and hanged,” I replied. “Does that make you feel better?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
I squeezed her hand. I liked the way it felt in mine. I didn’t think we’d ever held hands before.
“So you still want to do this? Now that the threat of corporal punishment has been removed, do you still want to play my fake fiancée and come to Kalopsia with me?”
“On one condition,” she said, pulling her hand from mine and crossing her arms. I held my breath, waiting for the crushing blow she was about to give me. “I want to tell my parents the truth.”
I huffed out the breath I was holding. It wasn’t ideal, it also wasn’t the deal-breaker I was expecting. The fewer people who knew the truth the better, but I liked Frankie’s mom and dad and I knew they would understand.
“As long as you know I won’t be telling my parents the truth,” I said.
“Oh, that was a given,” she said with a grin that made her eyes sparkle.
“Let’s shake on it, fake fiancée,” I replied with a grin, holding out my hand.
Instead of taking my hand, Frankie pulled me into a hug and I was ashamed to admit I closed my eyes and dragged in a deep breath of her chocolate chip cookie scent as I relished the feel of her in my arms. I didn’t know what it meant…or rather; I refused to admit what it meant. I was way on down the denial river and just hoped I’d be able to keep afloat.
Francesca
I found Mom and Dad sitting at a table in the little Mexican restaurant where we’d agreed to meet. It was close to the hospital and across the river from Dad’s office. I waved at them and placed my order before joining them at the table with my lunch.
“So…you and Lucas are engaged?” Mom asked as soon as I sat down.
Straight to the point, that was my mom.
“Yeah, sort of,” I replied with a sigh as I stuck a straw in my Coke and took a long drink.
“How can you be ‘sort of’ engaged?” Dad asked, watching me carefully.
I looked between my parents and groaned. “Okay, so you know what Lucas’ parents are like, right?” I asked but didn’t wait for their answers before I plowed on. “So, the king has summoned Lucas to Kalopsia. He wants Lucas’ dad to pass the title to Lucas and for Lucas to join his court.”
“How does that have anything to do with you and Lucas ‘sort of’ being engaged?” Mom asked.
“Lucas’ father wouldn’t hand him the title and let him go unless he was married…or engaged. Lucas didn’t think it would be a problem because he was asking Clarissa to marry him last night.” It was hard not to choke on her name. “She broke up with him instead, and then he asked me.”
“And you said yes?” Mom asked as Dad frowned fiercely.
“He asked me to pretend to be his fiancée so his parents would still let him go.”
Mom rolled her lips together and Dad frowned harder—if that was even possible.
“I get something out of it too,” I rushed on to explain. “I get to do my dissertation on Kalopsia and how they are rebuilding with the reestablishment of the royal family. Lucas said he can get me an interview with the king.”
Mom and Dad shared a look, and I held myself still, waiting for their disappointment. My parents never got angry at me, they just had to tell me I disappointed them and I would do whatever I could to un-disappoint them.
Mom sighed and looked at me, really looked at me. “And you’re okay with that?” she asked. “You’re okay with him asking you to be his fake fiancée after Clarissa broke his heart?”
I scoffed. “I hardly think Clarissa broke his heart,” I said.
“He asked her to marry him,” Dad said cautiously.
“Pfft. He only asked her because he thought it was the next step in their relationship. I asked him if he loved her and he couldn’t give me a straight answer. You know how Lucas is, he’s always doing ‘the right thing’ or rather, the right thing for everyone else. I think this time he’s actually doing something for himself and if he needs me to make that happen then I’m more than happy to do it. Besides, he’s not the only one benefiting here. You know how hard it’s been for me to come up with a topic for my dissertation. What could be better than spending a few weeks on a Mediterranean island doing research while staying at the palace and having access to the king?”
Mom sighed and looked at Dad, who shrugged.
“We’re just worried,” Dad said, looking back at me. “We know how you feel about Lucas and we don’t want you getting hurt.”
“What?” I asked. “What do you mean, ‘the way I feel about Lucas?’ We’re friends.”
Mom reached over the table and squeezed my hand. “It’s okay, honey, we know you feel more for him than just friends.”
“What?” I spluttered. “I had a crush on Lucas, but that is in the past. We’re just friends, Mom. That’s all.”
“Mm-hmm,” she hummed, turning her attention back to her food, not believing me for a minute.
“Did you ask him over for dinner tonight?” Dad asked.
“Oops, I forgot,” I said, pulling out my phone and shooting off a quick text.
“So when do you leave?” Mom asked, and I was thankful she’d moved on from the previous topic of conversation.
“Next month,” I replied, taking a bite of my burrito. “Oh, and I got this enormous bunch of flowers from the king this morning,” I mumbled around the food in my mouth. Classy, I know.
“What?” Mom asked, her eyebrows popping up into her hairline.
I nodded. “It’s massive. He must have seen the TikTok thing. He sent it with a card saying congratulations and he can’t wait to meet me.”
Mom and Dad did that silent communication thing that only two people who had been together forever could do, and I sighed.
“It’s fine,” I said. “I know we’re basically lying to the king and to Lucas’ parents, but no one will get hurt. Lucas gets to escape from his family for a few months and I get to write an amazing dissertation for my doctorate. This is a win-win situation.”
“If you say so, honey,” Dad said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
Mom stayed suspiciously quiet.
Chapter 6
Lucas
What was I doing?
I had been asking myself this same question repeatedly all day.
I’d avoided Effie as much as I could because if there was anyone who could tell I was lying, then it would be her. I didn’t think she would tell our parents, but she would probably tell me to stop lying to them and just stand up to them for once.
That was easier said than done.
Standing up to my parents was above my pay grade. Effie did that. She was the one who’d always pushed the boundaries and didn’t let my parents get away with anything. Me, on the other hand, I was happy in my peacemaker role. I had no desire to rock the boat or grow a spine or any other euphemism for indulging in selfish conflict. Besides, I was achieving the same goal with a little bit of subterfuge and no one would get hurt. I would get to go to Kalopsia, Frankie would get her research for her dissertation, and my mother had a little bit of drama to keep her happy. Why ruin that?
“Lucas,” Olivia said, opening the door.
“Good evening, Olivia,” I said, leaning forward to brush a kiss on Frankie’s mom’s cheek. “I brought these for you,” I said, handing over a box of truffles from a new chocolaterie in town. Ashby Chocolates w
as an Australian company which had just opened a store in Boston and judging by the number of customers in the store when I bought the truffles, they were popular.
Olivia took the chocolates and smiled before looking back at me and narrowing her eyes. I swallowed. I loved Olivia and Adam and may have fantasized that they were my parents a few times over the years. I would hate to do anything to earn their disappointment.
“Frankie told you?” I asked, but I already knew the answer.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Olivia asked, rather than answer.
“I can’t see another way,” I answered honestly. “Going to Kalopsia is really important to me.”
“And you don’t think your parents will see how important it is to you if you’re honest with them?”
I snorted inelegantly. “You’ve met my parents, Olivia, can you honestly think they would do anything for me just because I want them to? They would be more likely to dig their heels in further if they knew just how much I wanted to go.”
Olivia sighed and pulled me into a hug. I soaked in the mom-moment; I didn’t receive them from my own mother very often…or ever—this morning had been an anomaly, and an awkward one at that.
“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” she said as she drew back and looked me square in the eye.
I smiled. “No one will get hurt,” I reassured her. “Frankie and I are on the same page, here. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement for us.”
Olivia rolled her lips together and continued to stare at me until I began to fidget.
“Just be honest with each other…always,” she said.
“We are,” I replied.
“Mom, stop giving Lucas the third degree,” Frankie said coming down the stairs and rolling her eyes at Olivia.
“I have a right to know what a man’s intentions are for my daughter,” Olivia replied with a sniff.
“Ha,” Frankie barked. “Lucas’ intentions are to get as far away from his parents as he can, right Lucas?” she asked as she slid her arm through my mine and grinned up at me.
“Right,” I replied, grinning down at her.
Why had I never noticed those gold flecks in her dark eyes before? Maybe it was just a reflection from the chandelier above us.
“Come on,” Olivia said. “Dinner’s just about ready.”
I let Frankie lead me down the hall toward the dining room.
“Mother wants to invite you and your parents over for dinner before we leave,” I said.
“Oh, that should be fun,” Frankie replied sarcastically.
“It was either that or a full society-page-worthy engagement party.”
Frankie groaned. “Okay, you win. Dinner with the parents. I suppose it will be a black-tie event?” Frankie looked up at me with a cocked eyebrow and a crooked grin, and I had the overwhelming desire to lower my mouth to hers.
I jerked my head back and forced a chuckle. “Cocktails,” I said and then cleared the roughness from my throat. “It will be a small, intimate cocktail party at the estate. Early next month before we leave.”
“What’s happening next month?” Olivia asked as we stepped through the archway into the dining room.
“The Andinos have invited us over for a cocktail party to celebrate Lucas joining the Kabiero royal court,” Frankie said and I raised my eyebrows.
“How did you know it was called that?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Research. Research is my middle name. I know that although the king’s surname is Kostopolous, he is descended from the House of Kabiero, the original ruling family of Kalopsia and as such, the royal court is referred to as the Kabiero royal court.”
“Lucas,” Adam said, approaching me and reaching to shake my hand. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too,” I replied.
“Dad,” Frankie said with yet another eye roll. “Mom has already done the ‘if you hurt my daughter, blah, blah, blah’ thing. Can we eat?”
Adam grinned at his daughter and then at me. I could see the love for Frankie in his eyes and I had to say it made me a little jealous. What would it have been like for me growing up with a father who had nothing but love and acceptance for me instead of one who’d never seen me as good-enough? What kind of man would I be now if I’d been nurtured the way Frankie had been?
I shook off the melancholy feeling. I was too old to continue to blame my parents for my shortcomings. And really, did I want to be any different than I was? I liked my life. It suited me. I had no desire to become someone else.
Francesca
I watched Lucas across the table as he had an animated conversation with my parents. He was such a different guy around them than he was around his own parents. It was kind of a shame Demetrius and Maya didn’t see this side of their son. Whenever he was in their presence, he was stilted and awkward, unsure of himself and cowed. I hated seeing him like that. But this, seeing him smile at something my father was saying and being cheeky to my mom, I loved seeing him like this.
I sighed and reached for my glass of wine. I didn’t understand how Lucas couldn’t see his own value. But then I suppose, having parents who constantly degraded you would do a number on anyone’s psyche. Lucas was smart and had a dry sense of humor I adored, and he was gorgeous. I mean, not that I saw him like that, but he had the likeness of a Greek god.
Mom tapped my foot under the table and I turned to look at her. She raised her eyebrows at me and then pointedly looked toward Lucas and I rolled my eyes. If I rolled my eyes anymore tonight, they would be likely to roll right out of my head.
I knew what Mom was trying to hint at, but I categorically denied having feelings for Lucas beyond our staid and true BFF status.
“Come and help me get dessert,” Mom said to me, standing from the table and grabbing a couple of plates.
I sighed and joined her, following her into the kitchen.
“You know Dad and I love Lucas, right?” Mom asked as she dumped the plates she carried into the sink and then turned to nail me with her gaze.
“Of course I know that,” I replied, stacking my dishes on top of hers. “Sometimes I think you love him more than me.”
She smiled gently at that. We both knew it wasn’t true, but I liked to rib her and Dad about it sometimes. I also knew where this conversation was going and I wanted to head it off if I could.
Mom sighed. “Have you ever tried to—“
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Nope. Nup. Not having this conversation with you.”
“I don’t know what you’re afraid of,” she said with a hug, crossing her arms. “You and Lucas make a great couple.”
“Mom, please. We’re friends. Just. Friends. This works and I have no intention of messing it up because of some fairy tale fantasies.”
“So you admit that you’ve fantasized about him.”
I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. “Ew, Mom.”
Mom whacked me with a dishtowel. “I don’t mean like that,” she said with a laugh. “I just mean, have you ever thought about what it would be like if the two of you took it beyond just friends?”
“You won’t stop until I answer, will you?”
Mom shook her head, and I sighed.
“Fine. Once. When we first met. I thought we could be more, but…” I shrugged. “Our friendship is too important to me.”
Mom snorted. “What a load of rubbish,” she said. “Your father is my best friend. All great relationships start out that way.”
“I’d rather have Lucas as a friend for the long term than have a romantic relationship only for it to go sour and to never have him in life again.”
Mom reached out and took my hand. “Oh, honey, what makes you think you and Lucas wouldn’t last a lifetime?”
I groaned. “Because I’m not the right one for him, Mom. We’re too different. Our differences make our friendship work, but us in a romantic relationship? He would want me to change. He would want me to be more like him and I would want
him to be more like me and we would fight and break up and I’d lose my best friend.”
Mom shook her head. “I don’t think that would happen at all,” she said. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
I snorted. “Yeah, right. I think you’re projecting. Lucas has never once looked at me like he wanted more than what we have. Believe me, I’ve watched him closely. Besides, you met Clarissa. She was his ideal wife. Clarissa was everything Lucas was looking for in a partner and I am nothing like her. I am loud and argumentative and bossy and not in the least bit graceful. I could never make Lucas happy, not in the long run.”
“You sell yourself too short, honey,” Mom said kindly. “Besides, if Clarissa was everything Lucas wanted in a wife then why doesn’t he look the least bit heartbroken over the breakup?”
“I never said he was in love with her,” I retorted.
“So you would rather he marry someone he isn’t in love with?”
“He’s not in love with me, so your point is moot. What I would rather is the end of this conversation.”
“Fine. I’ll drop it,” Mom said. “For now.”
“You two are taking an awful long time with dessert,” Dad said as he and Lucas came into the kitchen. “We thought you might be eating it all without us.”
“Yep, sorry. There’s none left,” I said with a grin and then poked my tongue out.
“Well, I guess your Dad and I will just have to share these then,” Lucas said, pulling out a box of Ashby Chocolates.
“Those are mine,” Mom exclaimed, outraged.
“Nope,” Lucas replied with a wink. “I bought these for Frankie, but since she already had dessert…”
“Give them to me,” I said, lunging for him.
Lucas held the box above his head, and I tried to climb him to get to them.
He looked down at me and there was something new and different and a million degrees hotter in his eyes than I’d ever seen before.